Events

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2025 Summit

December 3-5 in Bryan/College Station

Webinars

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October 1, 2025 2pm

Webinar with Russ Carson, PhD, Founder & Principal, Community Impact Collaborative

Data is not just about numbers; it’s about the impact those numbers represent to your constituents. Impact storyfinding enables us to uncover the central insights hidden in data, and impact storytelling allows us to communicate these stories to drive change. Whether its organizational leaders deciding on funding priorities or educators advocating for more nature-based play, well-told impact stories are key to demonstrating the tangible, meaningful outcomes nature-based experiences have on children. This session will show how to transform data into powerful stories that engage and inspire different audiences to take action to support or enrich nature-based programs for children. Come ready to leave with practical guidance and tested tricks to make impact storytelling work for you.

Registration $10. Members can always register for FREE - learn more about membership

If you are a member, please refer to your Membership Information Email to see instructions for registering

Webinar offered at 2:00 and 7:00 Central on October 1, 2025

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October 8, 2025 2pm

Webinar with Debra Kellstedt, DrPH, Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Family & Community Health

Children only spend minutes a day outside but spend between 7-11 hours a day on screens. Families report they spend less than an hour of quality time together per day during the week. How children and families spend their time has contributed to a number of physical and mental health challenges.

The Get Outside! program is an AgriLife Extension program that aims to help Texas families boost their health, happiness, and time together by being more active in nature every day. In BINGO-card format, this program employs evidence-based strategies to increase time outside, increase physical activity, and increase quality family time. Families can check off and record a variety of suggested activities that they do together in the great outdoors—everything from making mud pies to hiking through the forest.

In this webinar, Dr. Debra Kellstedt, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Assistant Professor & Health Specialist, will highlight key components of the Get Outside! program and share takeaways from the program pilot phase. Tune in to learn methods for moving health and nature research into practice and to discuss the ins and outs of program design and implementation.

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November 5, 2025 2pm

Webinar with Kristy Rangel, former Head of Professional Learning with the City of San Antonio’s Pre-K 4 SA program and Consultant

Americans are spending about ninety percent of their time if not more indoors, with children being no exception. The mental and physical benefits are compelling, so why are we not seeing a turn in this staying indoors trend? Even when outdoor access is created and built, in some areas the space still sits unused. Curious about why this might be, I learned that for many families there are some common, generalized obstacles standing in their way. This session will address these repeated concerns, provide research, and sound evidence on how to address parent education on these topics. This session will be useful for anyone in a position to speak to parents or adults who are care-taking young children on the importance of taking children outdoors and hacks for the obstacles in the way.

Kristy Rangel is the former Head of Professional Learning with the City of San Antonio’s Pre-K 4 SA program serving early childhood education throughout the city and is now independently specializing in facilitating workforce development in young adults, organizational health, and the art of effective communication for leaders. She is an avid lover of the outdoors and has been advocating for outdoor learning in schools for the past 25 years.

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November 19, 2025 2pm

Webinar with Rachel Caldwell Hill, MA | ᏣᎳᎩ, Ph.D. Student, University of Texas at Austin

Osiyo! Join the Central Texas Cherokee Township to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. We'll share some traditional Cherokee stories, introduce the traditional Haudenosaunee Three Sisters gardening techniques, share about our community garden efforts throughout Central Texas, and have plenty of time for questions. Participants will come away with some Native American stories and indigenous gardening information they can incorporate in their programming to connect children and families to the natural world and Native American heritage.

Registration $10. Members can always register for FREE - learn more about membership

If you are a member, please refer to your Membership Information Email to see instructions for registering

Webinar offered at 2:00 Central on November 19

Ticket Sales will end on November 19, 2025

Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants

A Zoom link will be emailed from a TCiNN Staff Member to registrants prior to the event

Registration: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/texaschildreninnaturenetwork/lessons-from-the-three-sisters-garden

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Teacher Workshops

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October 4, 2025 10am

Teacher Workshop with Danisha Dumornay, Author

This interactive webinar for educators explores practical ways to engage young minds with nature-based learning, inspired by themes in the book ‘The Teachings of the Great Outdoors: Exploring Nature, Robin Finds Herself’ by Danisha Dumornay. Discover how to use outdoor experiences to teach core skills such as resilience, teamwork, and environmental stewardship, while sparking curiosity and building strong connections to the natural world. Participants will gain innovative strategies for integrating outdoor-themed activities into their lessons, fostering inclusive learning environments that support students' social, emotional, and cognitive development.

By the end of this webinar, participants will understand how outdoor experiences can develop resilience, teamwork, and curiosity in children, gain practical methods for incorporating outdoor education into existing curricula with minimal resources, and learn strategies for creating inclusive outdoor learning environments that enhance student engagement and growth. The webinar is best suited for educators working with elementary and middle school students, roughly ages 6 to 12 years old.

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November 1, 2025 10am

Teacher workshop with Dr. Amy Bryan, University of Texas Lab School.

Mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression, have risen sharply among children and adolescents over the past decade. In school settings, these issues often disrupt learning and hinder healthy social development. Research suggests that reduced time spent outdoors is a significant contributor to the decline in young people's mental health.

In this session, we’ll explore how outdoor learning can support students' social and emotional well-being. We'll examine the restorative benefits of nature and discuss practical ways educators can harness the natural environment to foster emotional resilience, improve focus, and encourage positive, engaged learning.

Registration $10. Members can always register for FREE - learn more about membership: https://www.texaschildreninnature.org/give/membership

If you are a member, please refer to your Membership Information Email to see instructions for registering

Webinar offered at 10:00 Central on November 1, 2025

Ticket Sales will end on October 31, 2025

Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants

Registration: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/texaschildreninnaturenetwork/mood-mind-and-mud-the-mental-health-magic-of-learning-outside

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ECE Workshops

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September 27, 2025 10am

Rooted in research, this session, presented by Beth Edwards, Texas Children in Nature ECE Network Manager , will guide designers, early childhood educators, administrators and related entities seeking to build high quality outdoor spaces for children aged 0-8, through the 12 best practices and foundational elements for outdoor learning environments.

Ticket Sales will end on September 25, 2025

Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants

A Zoom link will be emailed from a TCiNN Staff Member to registrants prior to the event

This Webinar is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services in support of the OLE! Texas initiative.

Click here to Register

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October 18, 2025 10am

Play is often described as the "work of childhood"' and in natural settings, it becomes a powerful means for growth and development. This session, presented by Audrey Rowland of Green Space Learning, will explore the various types of play- physical, imaginative, social, risky and sensory- and how each contributes to children's development. Participants will gain insights into practical strategies for observing, guiding, and extending play in ways that honor children's curiosity, wonder and independence.

Ticket Sales will end on October 17, 2025

Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants

A Zoom link will be emailed from a TCiNN Staff Member to registrants prior to the event

This Webinar is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services in support of the OLE! Texas initiative

Click Here to Register

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November 22, 2025 10am

Looking to get your young learners outside more often? Not sure where to start with talking about wildlife, habitats, and animals? Growing Up WILD can help you make the most of your outdoor learning space and begin introducing the natural world to toddlers and preschoolers. This national curriculum helps children learn “what to think, not how to think about wildlife” and Growing Up WILD is where it all starts. This webinar will let you explore part of the curriculum, see it in action with kids and parents, and tell you how you can get training and/or a copy of the curriculum guide.

Presented by Sara Jose - Texas Project WILD Coordinator

Ticket Sales will end on November 21, 2025

Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants

A Zoom link will be emailed from a TCiNN Staff Member to registrants prior to the event

This webinar is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services in support of the OLE! Texas initiative.

Click to Register

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In-Person Workshops

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October 13, 2025 9am

Join Marisa Oliva, with the Texas Children in Nature Network, for a workshop featuring the Project WILD curriculum. Participants will participate in various activities to engage students in the outdoors and be trained in the nationally recognized curriculum Project WILD. Curriculum is TEKS aligned, and teachers will receive 6 hours of CPE credit.

Registration includes lunch and a Project WILD curriculum book.

Learn more about Project WILD: https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/project-wild

Location: Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center, Edinburg, Texas

Thanks to a grant from H-E-B: Our Texas, Our Future, Texas Children in Nature Network is able to offer 10 scholarships for teachers from the following ISDs: Donna, Mercedes, and McAllen. Apply for a scholarship here: https://forms.gle/FuXiotHRqew7vUxM9

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Interested in Presenting?

Are you interested in presenting at one of our webinars and workshops? We are always looking for innovative programs and resources to share with our partners. To propose a session fill out our interest form.