More Time Outside, Less Time Worrying About Standards
You want to give children more time outside⌠but how do you do that and meet the requirements?
We get it. And we want you to knowâitâs simpler than you think.
Youâre not alone in this struggle. You dream of longer outdoor play, more nature exploration, and a rhythm that follows the childânot a rigid curriculum. But then reality kicks in.
âź How do I justify this to parents and administrators?
âź Am I doing enough academically?
âź How do I align outdoor learning with early childhood standards?
Are You Ready To Reimagine Literacy?
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đ Are you a preschool or early childhood educator who wants to spend more time outside with your students...but the curriculum, the standards, the expectations âit all feels like too much.
đ Do you know that outdoor play is essential, but thereâs so much youâre âsupposedâ to do? The small groups. The assessments. The teacher led activities.
đ Are you passionate about giving children the time and space to explore, play, and connect with the natural world?
đ Do you want to confidently integrate literacy and nature play seamlessly without overcomplicating it?
Who We Are
 Weâre Laura Shea (Little Stories That Stick) and Ade Hofmann (Nature Play All Day), co-facilitators of the Nature & Play-Based Consortium, a thriving community for educators who believe in more play, more freedom, and more connection to the natural world.
For over two years, weâve gathered educators just like youâones who feel isolated in their beliefs but are ready to shake things up. Through monthly calls, exclusive resources, and deep conversations, we help educators build confidence in their approach and advocate for play-based, nature-rich learning.
"Trying to marry play-based learning in nature with early literacy is sometimes difficult, but Laura really proved how easy it can be. I loved her focus on how literacy is SO much more than letters and letter sounds!"
Join Us for 4 Live Training Sessions.
You can go against the grain and push for more play, even when it feels like everything around you demands structure and measurable outcomes.
You can feel confident, supported, and inspiredâknowing youâre doing enough.Â
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Through the Nature-Based Literacy Training Series, youâll discover how to:
 âď¸ Recognize and nurture literacy development in outdoor playâwithout rigid lessons or worksheets.
 âď¸ Document children's growth in meaningful ways the reflect their natural learning journey.
 âď¸ Shift your perspective on school readiness and literacy, embracing curiosity, movement, and play as essential foundations.
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We see you. Weâve been there. Letâs do this together.
Are you ready to spend more time outside and less time worrying about what everyone else expects?
We got you!
Sign me up!
We believe:
đ Literacy is more than letters and soundsâitâs storytelling, movement, exploration, and connection.
đ Nature isnât just a setting for learning; it is the curriculum.
đ You donât need to fight the systemâyou just need to know how to work within it while prioritizing what children really need.
Tell me moreThe Training Series
1. Embracing Slowness: Cultivating Literacy in Nature
Discover how to slow down and let literacy unfold naturally. Weâll explore how to build meaningful literacy experiences using storytelling, the environment, and child-led exploration as your guides.
2. Storytelling in Nature: Nurturing Literacy Beyond the Classroom Walls
Turn outdoor experiences into rich storytelling opportunities. From oral storytelling to puppetry and emergent narratives, youâll learn how to harness the natural world to create deep literacy connections.
3. Hidden Literacy: Discovering the Unexpected Paths to Reading & Writing
Uncover the surprising ways literacy development happens through outdoor play. Weâll dive into pre-reading and pre-writing skills, movement-based learning, and the hidden foundations of literacy in nature.
4. Learning Beneath the Surface: Documenting Growth & Rethinking
Shift the focus from traditional school readiness to child-led growth. Learn how to document learning in meaningful ways that demonstrate progress to caregivers and administratorsâwithout losing sight of play.
Enrollment has closed
Choose a payment plan that works for you
Standard Pricing
$497
one payment
Payment plan
$254/month
two payments
The Play-Led Literacy Program
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Tired of self-paced courses and good intentions that fade?
Overwhelmed by endless articles and social media debates over which literacy expert to trust?
The Play-Led Literacy Program is built for educators like youâwhether you're working in a school or running your own program.
This isnât just another course. Itâs a guided journey where youâll:
- Feel confident in connecting play with literacy.
- Gain actionable strategies to shift your practice.
- Join a supportive community of like-minded educators.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this program for?
Do I need prior knowledge of the Science of Reading (SOR)?
What if I can't attend the live calls?
What topics will be covered?
What if Iâm running my own program and donât have a team?
Can this program help me meet literacy standards?
Registration will close on December 20th, and this beta price may not be available again!
What others are saying about working with Laura.
"Laura's training workshop was invaluable to our staff and team. Trying to marry play-based learning in nature with early literacy is sometimes difficult, but she really proved how easy it can be. I loved her focus on how literacy is SO much more than letters and letters sounds. I'd have her come every year if I could!"
"I enjoyed listening to you speak about something you're passionate about! It was good to have a refresh on all things literacy. It helped me to feel rejuvenated in my practice in the classroom. Iâm excited to offer these new ideas to the children in my care."
Are you ready?
I will remind you that literacy isnât confined to the pages of a book or the drills of a worksheet. I will show you how literacy is woven into the fabric of childrenâs play.
Sign Up Now!