Educating Children Outdoors: Lessons in Nature-Based Learning

Educating Children Outdoors: Lessons in Nature-Based LearningEducating Children Outdoors A Practical Guide to Nature Based Learning Bring learning to lifeoutside the classroom. In Educating Children Outdoors, veteran outdoor educator Amy Butler shares over two decades of experience guiding teachers and students through meaningful, curriculum aligned learning in nature. This comprehensive resource provides tools, routines, and lessons for educators who want to make the outdoors an integral part of their school

Educating Children Outdoors – A Practical Guide to Nature-Based Learning

Bring learning to life—outside the classroom. In Educating Children Outdoors, veteran outdoor educator Amy Butler shares over two decades of experience guiding teachers and students through meaningful, curriculum-aligned learning in nature. This comprehensive resource provides tools, routines, and lessons for educators who want to make the outdoors an integral part of their school year.

With 25 ready-to-use lessons organized into five seasonal units, Butler offers ways to connect Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core objectives with real-world, hands-on exploration. The book also covers safety routines, risk management in play, and real-life examples from teachers successfully leading outdoor classrooms across the country.

More than a teaching manual, Educating Children Outdoors is part of a growing movement to reconnect children with nature, nurture curiosity, and build lifelong environmental awareness.

Why ODSS Recommends It:

• Step-by-step guidance for teaching safely and effectively outdoors

• Meets K–12 standards through child-centered, nature-based lessons

• Includes seasonal units, routines, and templates for easy classroom use

• Supports real and risky play in safe, structured ways

• Inspires educators with authentic stories and proven practices