10 Steps to Start Your Own Outdoor Education Routine

Ready to start your outdoor classroom? Follow these 10 steps to get your outdoor education program up and running NOW.

Step 1: Identify an outdoor home base. This could be a yard, garden, park, forest, or any other greenspace that is large enough for your group to gather.

Step 2: Find a regular time in your schedule to visit the site. Aim for at least 30 minutes once a week to start, and gradually add more time as you get more comfortable outdoors.

Step 3: Create or adopt a curriculum. My year-long curriculum [LINK] is a great place to start. If you’re teaching in a school or homeschooling, try to find ways to incorporate your students’ standards and learning objectives.

Step 4: Get your stakeholders on board. Ask for a meeting with your principal, division head, or whoever else will need to sign off on your program. Here’s what to bring to the meeting:

• A list of research supporting the benefits of outdoor education programs
• A detailed proposal outlining how you plan to run your program including logistics like adult supervision, planning for emergencies, materials and supplies, etc.
• A completed benefit-risk analysis worksheet.
• Questions to any questions or concerns they might have about “lost” academic time, student safety, transportation, etc.

Step 5: Schedule your first outing. Choose a date far enough in the future that you have adequate time to prepare. Aim for a day when you don’t have much else going on (like assemblies, tests, or special visitors).

Step 6: Educate and notify parents and guardians (see FAQs). Get permission slips or releases signed as necessary. While you’re at it, ask them to volunteer as a chaperone on your first outing.

Step 7: Gather materials for your first lesson (Remember, safety first: First Aid Kit, any student medications, emergency forms, cell phones or walkie talkies, etc.).

Step 8: Explain your outdoor education program to your students. Establish ground rules, guidelines, and expectations with them. Tell them what to wear and bring. It’s best to do this a few days ahead of your first outing, not the day of.

Step 9: Go outside!

Step 10: Reflect, revise, and repeat. After your first outing, take time to reflect on what worked well, what was unexpected, and what you might want to do differently next time. Make notes and adjust accordingly. Then, get back out there!