Thank you to Cécile Tang (Project Coordinator) and Hannah Raudssus (Project Assistant) with the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play’s SPROUT-Able Project, for providing this post. 

On April 10th 2026, two of us from the SPROUT-able team had the opportunity to attend the Belonging Outdoors: Nature-Based Early Learning-Gathering, listening, reflecting… together conference, which took place at the Humber College Arboretum in Etobicoke, Ontario. This professional development conference brought together approximately 200 early learning professionals passionate about nature-based learning and creating meaningful experiences for children outdoors.  

The conference took place fully outdoors on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, as well as the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat Peoples. Participants had the opportunity to attend four learning circles throughout the day. Although it rained most of the day, it did not stop participants from connecting, reflecting, and learning together! 

We had the opportunity to participate in the following learning circles:  

• Reconnecting to Aki (Mother Earth) and Nibi (Water)  

• Wander into Wonder: Embracing the Outdoors as a Classroom  

• Facilitating Forest Learning: Guiding Children Through Nature-Based Play and Discovery  

• Exploring with School-Agers: Fostering Nature Connection in Ages 6 to 12  

The conference was a unique opportunity to participate in the collective passion and commitment to increasing awareness and participation in outdoor play and learning in the early years. Despite the rainy weather throughout the day, it was inspiring to see participants fully embrace it. This demonstrated a meaningful example of how educators’ attitudes towards weather act as a model for how children engage with and make meaning of the environment.  

The conference had a significant Indigenous and Land-based focus, creating spaces for participants to critically reflect on their practice. We particularly enjoyed learning about how to create and articulate a Land Acknowledgment that includes the thoughts, perspectives, and commitments from the children in our care. It was an important reminder that our Land Acknowledgements are especially meaningful when they include our personal commitments towards reconciliation. Learning more about the Honorable Harvest, which provides an Indigenous framework of reciprocity governing the exchange between people and our natural world, was an additional highlight of the conference.  

The conference was a meaningful reminder of the beautiful opportunity that nature itself provides for play. One of the learning circles invited participants to find or identify something within the natural world that resonated with them. This simple activity was a powerful reminder that at the core of any experience is connection and relationship, whether it is with the natural world or humans.

 When reflecting on the energy created at the conference, we both noted how these gatherings can serve as meaningful catalysts for connection and inspiration among educators. It was also a reminder of the ongoing need for professional learning and reflective practice, continuously, as participants bring their insights back to their teams and unique contexts.  

The Belonging Outdoors: Nature-Based Early Learning-Gathering, listening, reflecting… together demonstrated the power of collaboration, seeing the many individuals, projects, and organizations collectively working towards the advancement of outdoor play and learning in the early years. The SPROUT-able team looks forward to sharing future conference opportunities and reflections to further our collective growth and commitment to learning.