Fostering Adventure and Challenge in Nature

Adventure and Challenge ignites curiosity, wonder and joy. The same adventure and challenge have the potential to generate fear. The perception that fear is a state that educators need to protect children from, invites unpacking as it impedes a child’s opportunity to uncover their individual potential.

We will share our Forest and Nature play journey grounded in all its complexities, negotiations, and enjoyment through images and videos. We will challenge the dominant discourse, that fear negatively impacts children and that an educator’s role is to shelter them from those fearful experiences.

Identify practices in the Early Years that hinder adventure and challenge. Co create plans to engineer experiences that embrace uncertainty and fear. Seek possibilities to find joy in adventure. Imagine the gifts offered through challenge.

This session will be facilitated online via Zoom and you will receive a link the day before the session takes place.

About the Presenters:

Louise Jupp is a professor in the Bachelor of Child development degree program and the Early Childhood Education diploma program at Seneca College. Louise has a Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning with a research focus on outdoor learning and teacher reflection within a Reggio inspire philosophy. Louise is a certified Forest School Practitioner. Louise has facilitated workshops and conferences with early childhood practitioners and elementary school teachers worldwide.

Fran DeFilippis is a graduate of Seneca College’s ECE diploma and Bachelor of Child Development degree program and is a certified Forest and Nature School Practitioner. She led the Forest and Nature Play program @ KOLTS Forest, was a professor with Early Childhood Education diploma program, and recently moved into a Lab School leadership role of Director with a continued focus on outdoor learning.

For more information about this training and other professional development and training opportunities offered by York Region, please visit our Eventbrite Page or email capacitybuilding@york.ca.

York Region Integrated Children’s Services