As the leaves fall and the air turns crisp, we turn again to the natural world to learn, reflect, and be rejuvenated. Dive into the wonder of the shifting seasons through our Outdoor Teacher Retreat, hosted by Poconos Plateau! This special event brings together experts in the field of nature-based early learning to share ideas and practices with a variety of hands-on sessions to choose from. 

Pending Pennsylvania State Continuing Education clock hours. ANBE will provide a professional development certificate at the conclusion of the event. Please dress for the weather, as most of this training takes place outdoors, rain or shine. Coffee/tea with lite breakfast and lunch is included, but remember your canteen for drinks throughout the day. 

Note: We strive for zero waste during our events; please bring your canteen for drinks.

Who Should Attend?

This training is ideal for educators, caregivers, and others working with young children ages 2 to 8. Our participants work in all kinds of settings, from nature-based schools and forest kindergartens to public schools, traditional preschools, HeadStart programs, child care settings, and more.

Lodging 

The following location is recommended for lodging should you be travelling from outside the area: 

Comfort Inn & Suites Mount Pocono,

3189 Rte. 940, Mt. Pocono, PA (25 minutes away)

Workshop Descriptions

Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk

with Heather Houskeeper The Botanical Hiker

Discover the wild plants that inhabit our landscape. Learn how to identify, ethically harvest, and weave these plants into herbal teas, meals and home remedies. Many are easy to recognize, safe to work with, and inhabit your favorite trails, backyards, and even urban areas. Heather will share her tips and tricks from more than fifteen years of working with wild edible and medicinal plants. Our walk will be easy in nature with many stops to meet and discuss the plants.

Keeping Nature Connection Alive...in the Cold, Cold Winter

with Emily Woodmansee of Bluestone Village

The outdoor classroom can be fun, engaging, and full of learning all year round - even in the coldest months! Using the adaptable grey squirrel as our guide, we'll explore ways to be playful and safe outside in the winter. You'll leave this workshop with new games to play, activity and safety ideas to bring back to your classroom, and feeling invigorated to take on the cold!

Tracking and Shelter Building

with Carmen O'Shea
**Description coming soon!

Forest Bathing
with Grayson Barnes
While many of us might take a walk through the woods, we often do so with a goal in mind – to get to the top of the ridge, find a spot for a picnic, or maybe see some wildlife or seasonal color. Often this happens while we are strolling along, talking to our friends or chewing on a power bar. But have you ever walked into a forest to simply be PRESENT in that space in that moment? This session is designed to help you do just that. You will learn centering techniques, health benefits of spending time in the forest, how to incorporate the forest bathing experience into “big picture” life discussions, and useful pre- and post-activity journaling prompts. Afterwards, we will discuss ways to tailor these activities for groups of any age.      

Meet Your Presenters!

Heather Houskeeper (she/her) - The Botanical Hiker

Heather Houskeeper "The Botanical Hiker" is an herbalist and forest therapy guide, long-distance hiker, and author. Heather has professionally guided others into the natural world through seminars, workshops, and walks since 2010 and is the founder of the School of Plant and Place Connection, an in-person herbal medicine school located in Milford, Pa. Heather has hiked thousands of miles, including the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, studying and working with the plants for food and medicine. She is the author of three trail-inspired books about wild edible and medicinal plants and the Wild Food columnist for Dirt Magazine.

Emily Woodmansee - Director of Bluestone Village 

Emily Woodmansee is an outdoor play advocate, rotting log investigator, stream explorer, and owl caller. After years of working for non-profit nature centers and in the field of nature-based early learning, she founded Bluestone Village: A Nature-Based Community Initiative in Highland Lake, NY (previously in Shohola, PA). Bluestone Village brings young families together outside through community events, seasonal celebrations, and our high-quality nature-based early learning programs. Her most important role, however, is Mama to two young mud-loving girls and wife to a supportive husband.

Grayson Barnes - Poconos Plateau

Grayson Barnes, the facilitator for this Forest Bathing session, is a retired professor of humanities. Besides the art wrought by human hands, Mr. Barnes enjoys the awe-inspiring creation that is the natural world.