Welcome to the Child & Nature Alliance of Canada

We foster meaningful connections with the outdoors for children and youth. All children and youth should have the opportunity to play and learn in forests, parks, meadows and mud puddles. We work to connect children and youth with nature through policy, research, and practice.

Relationship with the Land is at the heart of what we do, and this Land is Indigenous Land.

But the origins of the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada and Forest School Canada are rooted in white settler thinking and approaches. We are an organization currently led by white settlers, headquartered on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe. We have imposed a settler colonial way of being with the Land because our programs were not co-created with Indigenous people. This approach means we perpetuate and benefit from colonization in the ways that we operate, and this causes harm.

We want to repair our relationships with the Indigenous communities and people we have harmed, and, if they are willing, work towards co-creating trusting, safe, and reciprocal relationships with them. From that place of reciprocity, we hope to recreate the Forest and Nature School Practitioners Course, and co-create all future programming with Indigenous partners across Canada. In doing that, we hope that Indigenous and Western worldviews will have equitable voice and space in our programs, so that they are safe, meaningful, and culturally relevant for all participants.

Have questions, concerns, or ideas? Please let us know at hlwilson@childnature.ca!

*The creation of this statement was guided by the Touchstones of Hope framework

Join the CNAC Membership Program

Become part of a thriving community of outdoor educators dedicated to connecting children with the Land through nature-based education.

The CNAC Membership Program is your virtual campfire circle; a space to connect, collaborate, and grow. As a member, you’ll enjoy exclusive resources, webinars, and events designed to support your growth, as well as discounts on CNAC services and partner promotions. You’ll also gain access to job listings in outdoor education and connect with a vibrant network of like-minded educators.

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Courses and Workshops

Forest School Canada is the flagship educational project of the Child and Nature Alliance. We provide evidence-based, practical, and inspiring professional learning opportunities for everyone interested in supporting the healthy development of children through play and learning outside.

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Cours et ateliers

Forest School Canada est le projet éducatif phare de l’Alliance pour l’enfant et la nature. Nous offrons des possibilités d’apprentissage professionnel fondées sur des données probantes, pratiques et inspirantes à tous ceux qui souhaitent favoriser le développement sain des enfants par le jeu et l’apprentissage à l’extérieur.

En savoir plus
Two women kneeling in the snow, sawing a tree branch
Learn more about the Forest and Nature School movement
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August 16, 2024

Where are They Now? – Arija Bunkis, Out and About FNS

In this series, we catch up with past participants of our Forest School Course to…
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May 17, 2024

A Day in the Course: Forest School Training at Willowgrove Farm

Written by Paige Deasley This past March, we kicked off a record year of Forest…
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July 20, 2021

The Unspoken Words of Risky Play

By Rebecca Seiling   The language we use is important. Helpful tools, like this CNAC…
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May 18, 2021

Singing is Exploring

By Tiiu Strutt   An emergent, inquiry-driven approach to learning engages everyone, adult and child…
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Our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan

Read our vision for 2019-2024.

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