CUSTOM PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Bring expert-led, nature-based learning directly to your team
Looking for professional learning tailored to your unique goals? We offer customized online and in-person training experiences for educators, schools, child care programs, and organizations. Whether you're supporting a single staff team, a lab school, or a child care center, or seeking large-scale professional learning across a district, region, or state, we can design engaging experiences that meet your needs. From keynote presentations and workshops to multi-session training series and coaching, our team works with you to create meaningful learning opportunities that inspire growth and lasting impact.
SELECTION OF TOPICS
These topics, and many more, are available for your custom professional learning experience. Contact us at programs@anbe.org for the complete brochure or make a request.
Looking specifically for MSDE-approved training? Find it here.
Naturally Ready for Kindergarten
Explore the many ways nature-based early childhood programs support whole-child development and school readiness. This course highlights how physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills emerge and grow through rich experiences in nature. Participants will also learn strategies to nurture a lifelong connection to the natural world, with activities and family engagement ideas included throughout.
Wild Life: Activities to Explore Nature with Young Children
Fresh air, active play, curious minds, and creative exploration await! In this interdisciplinary workshop, discover how nature can enrich learning and development for young children wherever they are. Explore STEM concepts through outdoor investigations, nurture literacy and language through nature-based experiences, and spark creativity with art inspired by the natural world.
Down to Earth: Wildcraft and Survival Skills for Teachers
Get your hands dirty as you get to know plentiful, highly useful natural materials in your area. This eye-opening interactive course will equip you with new skills as we explore the local landscape, discover abundant natural resources, and responsibly utilize them to practice skills such as building a debris hut, making cordage, harvesting clay, gathering firewood, or starting fire with a bow drill. Note: The skills we cover will vary based on your specific context and requests.
Risk Management in Outdoor Settings
Are there benefits to adventurous outdoor play? How do you balance healthy risk-taking with the reality of safety considerations outdoors? What tools and practices can protect children, staff, and the program as a whole? How do you talk to families about adventurous play and "risky play"? Together we will examine these important considerations and craft a tailored approach to help you develop and communicate your philosophy on risk management.
Lessons from Farm to Forest: Wild Edibles, Nutrition, and Delicious Experiences
Discover how agriculture and nature-based learning can help children develop meaningful connections to the land, their food, and the natural world. This hands-on session explores plant life cycles, gardening, food cultivation, and responsible foraging practices.
Participants will engage with activities focused on pollinators, worm composting, animal fibers such as wool, and other farm-to-forest learning experiences. Educators will also learn about wild edible plants and age-appropriate ways to introduce foraging concepts while fostering environmental stewardship. Along the way, we'll explore principles of permaculture and the concept of the Honorable Harvest, encouraging reciprocal and respectful relationships with the natural world.
