Belonging Outdoors:
Nature-Based Early Learning
Gathering, listening, reflecting... together.
September 19 & 27, 2025
CONFERENCE DETAILS
Date: September 19 or September 27, 2025 (attend your preferred day)
Cost: No cost for this conference
Location:
Humber Arboretum (located behind Humber Polytechnic North Campus)
205 Humber College Blvd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 5L7
Please note: This is a fully outdoor experience that will take place rain or shine.
We encourage you to plan ahead and dress appropriately for the weather.
We are excited to share a unique professional learning opportunity focused on outdoor environments and nature-based learning. This conference will be held entirely outdoors and will offer rich, hands-on experiences in collaboration with our Indigenous partners.
This experience is open to all early learning professionals who work in licensed child care centres, licensed home child care and EarlyON Child and Family Centres, who are interested in deepening their understanding of outdoor pedagogy, nature-based learning, and how to create meaningful, quality environments for children in natural spaces.
Building on the success of past conferences, this year’s gathering will offer a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, engage in reflective practice, and strengthen your connection to the land. Through a variety of sessions, you will have the opportunity to engage with nature in new ways, reflect on your own practice, and learn alongside Indigenous partners who will generously share knowledge, stories, and perspectives.
We are honoured to gather, listen, and reflect together on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, as well as the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat Peoples, where the Humber College Arboretum is situated. This land remains home to many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, and we acknowledge the enduring presence and stewardship of Indigenous Peoples who continue to care for these lands and waters.
Overview of the Day
|
STREAM 1 8: 00am - Registration (morning refresment) 9:00am - Welcome & Opening Ceremony - T132 Coutryard 9:30 - 10:30 am- Session 1 10:45 - 11:45 am- Session 2 11: 45- 12:45 am - Lunch 1:00-2:00 pm- Session 3 2:15- 2:45 pm- Session 4 3:30- 4:30 pm - Closing |
STREAM 2 8: 00am - Registration (morning refresment) 9:00am - Welcome & Opening Ceremony - T132 Coutryard 9:30 - 10:30 am- Session 1 10:45 - 11:45 am- Session 2 12:00-1:00 pm- Session 3 1:00-2:00- Lunch 2:15- 2:45 pm- Session 4 3:30- 4:30 pm - Closing |
Stream 1- Morning & Afternoon Learning Circles
Presented by: Elder Albert Marshall, Louise Zimanyi, Kristin Tyrer
When we walk together in a good way, we learn to see and know the world through two eyes. This playful and interactive storywalk and collective reading of Walking Together (Annick Press, 2023), co-authored by Elder Albert Marshall and Louise Zimanyi, illustrated by Emily Kewageshig (Saugeen First Nation) will introduce participants to the concept of Etuaptmumk (Eh-doo-aph-de-mumk), the gift of multiple perspectives in the Mi’kmaw language, also known as Two-Eyed Seeing. Braiding the strengths of Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives for the benefit of all, including our eco-kin, the story follows a group of young children connecting to and with nature as teacher, nurturing respectful, reciprocal and responsible relationships.
Participants will meet Painted Turtle, Green Frog, Weeping Willow, Monarch Butterfly, Red-Winged Blackbird and Great Blue Heron as they engage in the storywalk while deepening their relationship with the waters and lands of the Humber Arboretum, located within the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Elder Dr. Albert D. Marshall, Mi’kmaq Spiritual Leader, O.C., LLD, is from the Moose Clan and a fluent Mi’kmaw speaker residing in Eskasoni, Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island), Nova Scotia, the territory of the Mi’kma’ki. Elder Marshall is the spokesperson for the Mi’kmaw Nation on matters related to natural resources and environmental issues and tirelessly promotes cultural revitalization, the Mi’kmaw language and the need to live sustainably. He is a passionate advocate of cross-cultural understandings of healing and of our human responsibilities to care for all creatures and our Earth Mother. Elder Marshall coined the term Etuaptmumk, a guiding principle to foster the understanding that humanity cannot live within one perspective or one consciousness of the world.
Louise Zimanyi, of French-Canadian and Hungarian descent, is a mother, professor of Early Childhood Education (teaching Land-based Play and Co-Learning through Etuaptmumk/Two-Eyed Seeing) and researcher at Humber Polytechnic. She lives and plays in Tkaronto—Trees Standing in Water (Toronto), part of Treaty 13 and the Dish with One Spoon territory. Louise explores how Earth-centered pedagogies and practice in the early years can plant the seeds of sustainability for current and future generations through respectful relationships and reciprocity. She and Elder Marshall have been working together for the past 6 years to promote Land-based play and co-learning through storytelling, an approach that has national and global relevance for protecting biodiversity, climate action, and resilience.
Kristin Tyrer: Kristin Tyrer is Ililiwiskwew, a Cree woman from Moose Cree First Nation, who currently resides in Brantford, ON. Kristin has her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Nipissing University and a Bachelor of Arts in Aboriginal Adult Education from Brock University . Currently Kristin works as an Indigenous Learning Consultant for the Centre for Indigenous Professional Learning. She also has experience working with Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg as a cultural safety resource developer/facilitator. Additionally, she has spent the past ten plus years working within the Indigenous Community of Hamilton in various roles. Her passion for the revitalization of traditional Indigenous practices has driven her desire to support the Indigenous community. Indigenous Ceremony is an integral part of Kristin’s life. Walking the path in a good way, healing and integrating the teachings of her Elders is how Kristin dedicates her commitment to this work in supporting others.
Presented by: Carly Graner ECE, Katrina Fossum, RECE, Kim Kirkley, RECE (NCCT Team)
The Urban Land-Based Programming was developed by the Mobile Indigenous Culture and Language EarlyON, based out of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto.
In this workshop, we will take you on a journey through the creation and evolution of this program, highlighting how we brought land-based cultural teachings to families in an urban setting.
Our hope is that you will leave with ideas and inspiration for implementing land-based programming in both large and small settings. These include simple yet impactful experiences such as day trips and walks to local parks and green spaces within neighbourhoods.
All of our programming is grounded in the Ontario Early Years Framework How Does Learning Happen? We will also share Anishinaabe teachings and offer respectful guidelines for working with Mother Earth—using hands-on activities and visual examples to support your learning.
Carly Graner ECE, Katrina Fossum, RECE,
Kim Kirkley, Early Childhood Educator. The past 43 years Kim has worked in both Private and Non Profit Child Cares across the GTA. From 1997-2022 she worked as a Supervisor and Manager of Early Years and Community Programs with Native Child and Family Services. Kim had the honour of travelling across North America to attend cultural workshops and participate in territorial ceremonies and teachings. This is where the importance of land base learning with understand and caring for Mother Earth became a passion of hers.
Katrina Fossum is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) in Ontario and has been working in the field since 2017. I have experience in a variety of early learning settings, and I am passionate about outdoor education and the benefits of connecting children with the natural world. As a parent to a child with autism, I have witnessed firsthand how time spent on the land can be both grounding and transformative. This personal and professional insight informs my approach to creating inclusive, nature-based learning environments that support all children’s growth, belonging, and well-being.
Presented by: Maya-Rose Simon & Dr. Hopi Martin
Join us for Wander and Wonder, an experiential workshop rooted in Land-based learning. Participants will explore the principles of seasonal pedagogy — birth, movement, relationship, and passing — through guided wandering on the Land. This immersive experience invites educators to slow down, observe, and reflect on the natural cycles around us, while considering how these teachings can inform our relationships with children, communities, and the environment. Together, we will engage in conversation, storytelling, and practices that honour Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Dr. Hopi Martin has mixed Lenni Lenape and British/European ancestries and a PhD in Ojibwe Development Psychology and Education from the University of Toronto. His Waabizheshi Doodem (Marten/Warrior Clan) teachings come from his Niiyawe'enh (Namesake), Dr. Gokoomis (Grandmother) Jacqueline Lavallée from the bush at the edge of Shawanaga First Nation on Georgian Bay. He has spent most of his life fighting for kind early learning for all children here in Tkaronto.
Maya-Rose Simon is Anishinaabe kwe from the Chippewa Tribe of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and belongs to Ajijack Doodem (Crane Clan). She is the Niiyawe’enh (Namesake) of Dr. Gokoomis Jacqueline Lavallée from Shawanaga First Nation. Maya-Rose is the Associate Program Head of Indigenous Early Childhood at the University of Guelph-Humber. She has a Masters in Early Childhood Studies and is currently doing her PhD at OISE. For over thirty years, Maya-Rose has walked alongside children, families, and communities, practicing and sharing Indigenous pedagogy in Early Childhood Education.
Presented by: Lyndsay MacKay, BA, MA (ECS)
Join us for a hands-on, sensory-rich workshop where we explore the art of fire-making using a Kelly Kettle and the educational value of risky play in early childhood settings. Guided by an experienced facilitator, participants will learn how to safely build and maintain a small fire, then brew tea using freshly harvested cedar from the Humber Arboretum.
As the tea steeps, we will gather in a circle to reflect on the role of fire and other forms of risky play in fostering resilience, confidence, and problem-solving in young children. Together, we’ll discuss strategies for introducing these experiences in a safe, appropriate way, and how to advocate for their inclusion in outdoor learning environments.
Whether you are new to outdoor education or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop offers a warm, welcoming space to reconnect with nature, community, and the sparks of curiosity that drive meaningful learning.
Lyndsay MacKay, BA, MA (ECS) is a dedicated Registered Early Childhood Educator with a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University. She currently serves as a full-time professor in the Early Childhood Education program at Humber Polytechnic, where she fosters inclusive, critically reflective, and empowering learning environments. Her pedagogical approach centers on co-learning with students, valuing their diverse perspectives and lived experiences as essential to transformative education.
Stream 2 - Morning & Afternoon Learning Circles
Presented by: Lynn Short
Enjoy a guided walk through the Humber Arboretum to the Medicine/Teaching Garden. Learn about the Four Sacred Medicines and the Four Directions Teaching. (Re)connect with our Plant and Animal Relatives along the way.
Lynn Short (Educator, Mentor, Scientist, Mother, Grandmother) is of mixed Ojibwe, Irish, German, Scottish and English heritage. For the past 20 years, she has been connected to Humber Polytechnic as a staff member in Early Childhood Education, the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Indigenous Education & Engagement and the Humber Arboretum. Recently retired, she is still involved in Ecological Stewardship, Research, Early Childhood Education and Indigenous Issues, focused on how respect, balance and harmony on the Earth is key to not only personal well-being but also to sustaining the ecosystems that support all life.
Presented by: Shannon Murphy & Bora Kim
This session invites early childhood professionals to reimagine the classroom as a place without walls and to rethink the outdoors and the Land as a living classroom. Together, we will explore how outdoor spaces - whether forests, playgrounds, gardens, or urban environments - can nurture children’s curiosity, support their wholistic* development, and foster a deep sense of belonging for children on the Land. This session includes reflection on how the Land is upheld as teacher and relative, and how Indigenous perspectives can guide outdoor learning through interconnection, relationship, and responsibility.
Participants will:
- Look for everyday play and learning opportunities in outdoor settings.
- Explore the Land as a teacher, a source of knowledge, and a living classroom.
- Reflect on their role in co-creating and co-learning with children in outdoor environments.
- Consider how to honour and integrate both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives in outdoor learning.
This session will support early childhood professionals in finding meaningful, everyday opportunities to deepen children’s connection to the natural world, while honouring the Land on which they live and play.
*The term “wholistic” is used intentionally to emphasize nurturing the whole child – spirit, heart, mind, and body.
Shannon Murphy is a member of the Mohawk Bear Clan from Six Nations with Irish heritage, living on the ancestral lands of the Haudenosaunee in Niagara Falls. An Early Childhood Educator with over 20 years of experience, Shannon is dedicated to advocacy, healing, and wellness in Indigenous communities. Her work spans early learning, human resources, and capacity building across Indigenous and mainstream services. Guided by reciprocity, she contributes to local, provincial, and national initiatives that uplift Indigenous worldviews and strengthen communities.
Bora Kim has been learning, unlearning, and promoting outdoor and land-based pedagogy through her role as a faculty member in the Early Childhood Education program at Humber Polytechnic, drawing on her experiences working with children, families, and community members, and her journey as an immigrant of Korean heritage.
Presented by: Giselle Mirabelli, MAEd.
In this immersive outdoor workshop, participants will slow down, ground themselves in nature, and reconnect with the land just as we strive to help children do. Rooted in land-based learning principles and respect for the natural world, this session explores how to facilitate (not direct) meaningful, play-based experiences for children in forest environments.
Through hands-on participation in sensory nature activities—such as mindful walking, “sit spots,” sound mapping, and loose parts exploration—participants will experience firsthand how the natural world supports well-being, creativity, and inquiry. Role-playing exercises will invite adult learners to embody both the facilitator (child-led, curious, observational) and the director (adult-led, outcome-focused) to deepen their understanding of how adult stance shapes children’s experiences in nature.
Participants will:
- Engage in land-based sensory practices to foster awareness and presence.
- Practice guiding child-led exploration through open-ended prompts and reflective observation.
- Explore the balance between safety, risk, and autonomy in outdoor play.
- Reflect on ways to nurture children’s connection to place, land, and community.
- Leave with adaptable nature-based activities, prompts, and facilitation tools to use across settings and seasons.
Bio:
Giselle Mirabelli is a dedicated lifelong learner and college professor based in Ontario, Canada. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and has been working in post-secondary education for over five years, most recently serving as the Summer Program Manager at Humber College. With more than 20 years of experience spanning early childhood, elementary, and post-secondary settings, Giselle brings a rich, multi-layered perspective to her work with learners of all ages.
Her career has been shaped by diverse roles across the education sector, fueling a deep commitment to fostering strong educational foundations for young children. Giselle’s approach is grounded in co-facilitating meaningful learning experiences with both students and adults. She is passionate about building innovative, responsive curricula that reflect current research and the evolving needs of today’s learners.
Her research interests shaped by hands-on experience allow her to challenge conventional practices and inspire fellow educators to adopt forward-thinking methodologies. As a leader and mentor, Giselle is known for motivating diverse learners and creating inclusive, engaging classroom environments. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that every child deserves a strong foundation for lifelong learning and that educators thrive when they learn and grow together.
SEPTEMBER 19
Presented by: Patrícia Borges Nogueira
ECE Field Trip had the initial goal of sharing resources and tips for educators to use to plan field trips and community walks with the children in their care. We wanted to gather practical information about different parks and green spaces in the city, share interesting facts we discovered about local fauna and flora and create a comprehensive resource to help ECEs write their programs. ECE Field Trip quickly became about a lot more than creating a resource. Every outing/gathering is an opportunity for us to experience the world through the curious lens of a child, while being guided by our own curiosity. We interact with nature/art/music/sensory play in our work several times a day, but how often do we fully engage with these experiences? As people who spend a lot of our time with small humans, ECEs have a very unique perspective of everyday life, but ECEs also have very little time and space to explore that perspective. That's what ECE Field Trip is about. Creating a space for us to reconnect with what made us choose to become educators. Allow ourselves to fully explore our surroundings without being in the role of caregiver. In our session, we will share stories and discoveries from ECE Field Trip and the impact that having a community has had on our lives. Our goal is to inspire other ECEs to connect through community, care, and curiosity.
Patrícia Borges Nogueira (she/her), BJ, RECE, is an educator, communicator, and community advocate. Patrícia has over 15 years of experience working with children and families in various settings, but working in child care with preschoolers was by far her favourite. Currently, she is the Communications Coordinator at the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario, a role that allows her to use her background in journalism, her knowledge of the Ontario early learning sector, and her creative skills to make policy, advocacy and legislation more accessible to ECEs and child care workers. Patrícia was born in Brazil, and came to Canada as an international student ten years ago.
SEPTEMBER 27
Presented by: Michael Naumoff, BA
Join Humber Arboretum education staff for an interactive and conversational session on connecting school age children (6-12) to nature. This can be an intimidating and difficult age group for some educators. Get ideas for boosting engagement and managing some difficult behaviour. Experienced staff will share their stories and focus the session on areas that participants highlight.
- Get ideas for games and activities that work well and engage older children
- Learn the difference between being a leader and a friend
- Come away with practical tips that you will be able to put into action
Michael Naumoff is the Assistant Education and Camp Coordinator at Humber Polytechnic. With over a decade of experience working with children and youth in outdoor settings at various education centres and camps, Michael's passion for teaching drives his continuous pursuit of new skills and learning opportunities. Since joining the Humber Arboretum in 2019, he has taken pride in mentoring and working alongside many Humber College students throughout his career.
