EP 29: How to Use Nature as Your Curriculum (Without a Script or Canned Curriculum)

In this episode, Ade shares how to use nature itself as your curriculum—without rigid lesson plans or a canned program. You’ll learn why observation is the most powerful teaching tool, how child-led learning brings academic standards to life outdoors, and why trusting the seasons can give you a ready-made structure for your outdoor classroom. From the “living, breathing, larger-than-life water table” to storytelling and play around the fire circle, Ade unpacks practical ways to weave emergent curriculum, joy-centered education, and play-based learning into your daily rhythm. Whether you’re new to nature-based education or looking for fresh outdoor teaching strategies, this episode will help you feel more confident in creating unstructured play opportunities, connecting children to the natural world, and building a program shaped by place, purpose, and play. LINK: Become A Great Observer Course https://www.natureplayallday.org/offers/AJDmejJv/checkout