It's never too early to introduce children to the outdoors. The benefits of nature engagement for young children (ages 0 - 5) relate to all areas of growth and development including physical, mental, social-emotional and cognitive. And these benefits apply to all children, including children with adverse childhood experiences and children with differing abilities. Parents, […]
Summer may be over but that doesn’t mean that nature needs to stay outdoors as kids head back to school. In this event José G. González, Cathy Jordan, Ph.D. and Sheila Williams Ridge, Ed.D. will discuss how nature impacts mental health, social emotional learning and cognitive function in support of academic outcomes. Examples of how […]
Youth Advisory Councils (YAC) are a youth engagement strategy used by programs and organizations to positively incorporate youth voices and to help build the capacity of youth participants. In this session, we will explore what makes a YAC successful and how to ensure meaningful engagement for youth. Join us February 23, at 1 p.m. CST […]
Self-Care in Nature Practicing self-care in nature is an extra boost for your health. It’s easy and anyone can do it, including children. In this workshop, caregivers, parents and practitioners will learn how to, where to and why they should be practicing self-care in nature and teaching it to the children in their lives to […]
What does building a movement mean and, once the momentum is there, how do we evolve and respond to meet changing needs? This conversation brings together Marlow Baines, Youth Director for Earth Guardians, and Richard Carlbom, co-founder and partner of United Strategies, to share their successes and challenges, and discuss what it takes to sustain […]
How can nature and outdoor access support healing? With today's youth facing a growing mental health crisis, this conversation will focus on how nature-based activities and therapies can support children and young people's well-being and help them recover from trauma. We will hear from Dr. Hanaa Hamdi and Kimiko Russell-Halterman who are both working in […]
Learn about the global movement for greening school grounds and hear best practices from our Peru case study! About this event There is growing momentum worldwide to make school grounds greener as a sensible and thoughtful approach to increase climate resilience and improve health and education outcomes, especially for those most impacted by systems of […]
Calling young leaders, ages 18-28! Join peers for a series of networking sessions, starting June 29 and hosted every other month by the Children & Nature Network through the end of the year. These sessions will be an opportunity for you to network and connect with your peers, discuss service and community building, and learn […]
Civic engagement involves promoting the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes. Civic engagement includes both paid and unpaid forms of political activism, environmentalism, and community and national service which are all within your reach. ABOUT THE SERIES Young leaders ages 18-28: This series is for you! This summer, develop […]
Community organizing principles from Marshall Ganz and Saul Alinsky emphasize the building of relationships in order to gain trust, develop community knowledge, and engender a sense of empowerment. Dive into these principles and how you can apply them to bring about change desired by the very community you seek to support and are a member […]
Leadership involves an understanding of self and purpose, then inviting people to work alongside you towards a common goal. During this session, you will participate in exercises to support self awareness, an understanding of personal impact, and setting collective purpose and goals. ABOUT THE SERIES Young leaders ages 18-28: This series is for you! This […]
What is the power of a story and storytelling? Take time to develop your personal story, learn how your personal experiences serve as a connection to your culture and community narrative, and practice telling those powerful narratives in a way that encourages those who hear it to join in action. ABOUT THE SERIES Young leaders […]