Educating Children Outdoors: Lessons in Nature-Based Learning

Educating Children Outdoors – A Practical Guide to Nature-Based Learning

Bring learning to life—outside the classroom. In Educating Children Outdoors, veteran outdoor educator Amy Butler shares over two decades of experience guiding teachers and students through meaningful, curriculum-aligned learning in nature. This comprehensive resource provides tools, routines, and lessons for educators who want to make the outdoors an integral part of their school year.

With 25 ready-to-use lessons organized into five seasonal units, Butler offers ways to connect Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core objectives with real-world, hands-on exploration. The book also covers safety routines, risk management in play, and real-life examples from teachers successfully leading outdoor classrooms across the country.

More than a teaching manual, Educating Children Outdoors is part of a growing movement to reconnect children with nature, nurture curiosity, and build lifelong environmental awareness.

Why ODSS Recommends It:

• Step-by-step guidance for teaching safely and effectively outdoors

• Meets K–12 standards through child-centered, nature-based lessons

• Includes seasonal units, routines, and templates for easy classroom use

• Supports real and risky play in safe, structured ways

• Inspires educators with authentic stories and proven practices