In a time when nature is often viewed as background rather than relationship, educators are being called to rekindle not only their students’ connection with the natural world—but their own. This interactive and reflective workshop invites participants to explore how nature connection, botanical literacy, and sensory risk-taking can restore a sense of belonging in the more-than-human world and support the mental health of both children and educators.
Drawing on concepts such as Plant Blindness and Species Loneliness, we will examine how disconnection from nature fuels what Richard Louv has described as Nature Deficit Disorder. But more than just naming the problem, this session will offer embodied experiences, storytelling, and practical tools for cultivating botanical literacy as a pedagogical practice. Together, we’ll explore how learning the names, stories, and uses of local plants can become a bridge to deeper ecological identity and emotional regulation.
We will also introduce the concept of Sensory Risk-Taking as an invitation for children (and adults) to step into the unfamiliar textures, smells, and sensations of the wild. From tasting edible weeds to touching slime-covered logs or sitting silently among the trees, these sensory invitations become acts of trust and courage that build resilience, wonder, and self-awareness.
Participants will leave with:
- A deeper understanding of how plant knowledge supports wellbeing, resilience, and curriculum integration
- Practical strategies for embedding botanical literacy into any outdoor learning context
- Tools to support sensory risk-taking in safe, intentional, and developmentally supportive ways
- A renewed sense of connection—with self, with students, and with the living world
- This workshop is ideal for teachers, early childhood educators, and nature pedagogy professionals seeking to expand their toolkit and ground their practice in connection, courage, and care.
