Leaves, Light and Learning: Early Childhood Education in the Outdoors
Schedule
Mon Apr 27 2026 at 09:00 am to 03:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Wehr Nature Center | Franklin, WI
Join KEEP, LEAF, Project Learning Tree (PLT), and Wehr Nature Center staff for a full-day, hands-on professional development experience designed for early childhood educators who want to bring the wonder of the outdoors into their teaching.
"Leaves, Light, and Learning" will explore how nature-based play can support early learning across developmental domains. Through engaging, outdoor-based activities, participants will:
Discover how to use outdoor areas at their site for exploring science, pre-literacy, and sensory play.
Learn how sunlight and energy connect to seasonal changes and plant life.
Practice outdoor exploration techniques that foster curiosity, observation, and inquiry.
Use tools and resources from KEEP, LEAF, and PLT early childhood kits to support curriculum planning and classroom extension, including PLT’s “Trees and Me” Early Childhood Activity Guide, Energy Early Readers from KEEP, and LEAF K-1 Lesson Guides.
This workshop emphasizes active learning, collaborative exploration, and practical takeaways that educators can immediately apply in their own settings. Participants will also be introduced to the all-terrain wheelchair on-site at Wehr Nature Center.
Participants will receive a PLT “Trees & Me” guide, as well as printed lessons from LEAF and KEEP.
Four hours of Registry credit is available for this workshop.
Who Should Attend:
Early childhood educators, caregivers, nature center staff, and anyone working with young children in outdoor or nature-based settings.
Where is it happening?
Wehr Nature Center, 9701 West College Avenue,Franklin,WI,United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:


















