Outdoor Learning Conference 2025: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2025 Outdoor Learning Conference

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3:15pm MDT

Dramatized Animal Hikes - Stories, Movement and Activities to help children connect to local animals. FILLING

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm MDT

As educators, we often find ourselves guiding children through natural areas, pointing out animals, naming them, and sharing a few facts before moving on. While this approach offers information, it rarely immerses children in the unfolding stories of the natural world. To help children feel truly connected to nature and the stories that are found there, they need to become part of the narrative.
In this engaging workshop, Jacob will introduce the concept of dramatized animal hikes—a dynamic way that he developed, to bring the lives of animals to life. Participants will journey through the seasons alongside a red squirrel, experiencing firsthand what it’s like to live in the forest. We’ll explore how to cache food for the winter, construct a cozy drey, remain alert for potential dangers, and gracefully leap from branch to branch. Each step of these interactive hikes is rooted in research and carefully crafted to authentically follow a common animal’s life over the course of a year.

Speakers

Jacob Rodenburg

Executive Director, Camp Kawartha

"Jacob is an award-winning educator with over 30 years of experience in Camping and Outdoor Education. A qualified teacher with a master’s degree in education, his passion lies in finding innovative ways to connect children with nature and inspire a lifelong ethic of stewardship... Read More →

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm MDT
Owl

Environmental and Climate Change Education Workshop, Environmental and Climate Education

Outdoor Learning Conference 2025