I don’t want you to miss out on this super informative (and also fun and inspiring) annual conference coming up June 18-20: Reaching Nature Connection: Singing Snails and Rainbow Tails.

Singing from the mountaintops, I can’t express enough how much I’ve learned from Kelly, Erin, and Lia (The Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers teaching team for the Reaching Nature Connection Conference) over the 13 years I’ve known them. No exaggeration, I don’t know of more brilliant early childhood educators than these three women. They not only guide children in spell-bound ways in their respective communities and schools, but they also magically attend to us adults who are in service to the young ones.

Year after year, this conference is sold out; and every year, I have the privilege of watching the participants grow in their skills and confidence as they return for deeper learning together and with this facilitator team. For example, our very own Gabriel Vieira declared his strong intention to become an educator after attending this program a few years back. Now look at him in this video about the village school that he started at Earthaven.

The Reaching Nature Connection conference is an exciting weekend of hands-on, research-based, and anecdotal learning. And of course filled with songs, games, stories, and deeper nature connection.

You can learn more by listening to this podcast with the instructor team.

“The Reaching Nature Connection Conference at Earthaven was a soul-nourishing experience. I have been a nature and play-based early childhood teacher for 20 years and I left this gathering full of inspiration, new questions about my work, a deeper understanding of what can inform it and experiences of thrill, joy, and community. I will be looking for more opportunities to engage in these trainings.” — Marie, participant