Events
2025 Summit
December 3-5 in Bryan/College Station
Webinars
Why We Need Neurodiverse Environmentalists
September 3, 2025 2pm
Webinar with Lavanya Selvam Alli, Board Member, Parents’ Climate Community
Lavanya Selvam Allia is a neurodiverse Mom (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) of a neurodivergent child (Autism Spectrum Disorder) working in the environmental advocacy space. Coming from a neurodiverse family, Lavanya has come to appreciate why her family tends to view the world a little more intensely than other people.
Emerging research shows that neurodiverse individuals tend to have more sensitivity towards issues of justice and equity. Neurodivergent people often strongly empathize with social and environmental injustices in our society because of the frustrations and struggles they experience when trying to adapt to largely neurotypical social conformities. Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist who is Autistic and has OCD, is a prime example: her neurodivergent thought process brought about revolutionary changes to the worldwide climate movement.
In this webinar, designed for neurodiverse and neurotypical attendees, Lavanya will explore how neurodiverse individuals (of all ages) can channel their unique thinking and perceptions towards the betterment of our natural world. Participants will leave with a greater understanding of how neurodiversity can positively disrupt the status quo thinking in the conservation space and lead to meaningful ecological reforms and equitable solutions for addressing environmental and climate crises.
moreImpact Storyfinding and Telling: Using Data to Inspire Action
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
moreGet Outside!: Design and Implementation of a Family-Based AgriLife Extension Program
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.
moreNature Awaits: Empowering Families to Get Outdoors
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.
moreLessons from the Three Sisters Garden
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
moreTeacher Workshops
EcoSchools U.S. – Local Action for National Impact
September 6, 2025 10am
Workshop with Karen Bishop, Sr. Manager, Education for Sustainability, National Wildlife Federation, Jennifer Hammonds, Educator for Sustainability Director, National Wildlife Federation, Kari Wilcher, Outdoor Education Teacher, Carver Elementary, Bryan County Public Schools (GA), Laure Grove, Early Childhood Inclusion Teacher, Terra Centre Elementary, Fairfax County Public Schools (VA), Carsen Daniel, Sustainability Coordination Manager, Austin Independent School District (TX)
Join us to learn how school communities can pursue sustainability projects and be recognized through the National Wildlife Federation EcoSchools U.S. program. In this session, we will introduce the EcoSchools Framework - used globally by over 75 participating countries - and you will hear from three inspiring guest speakers.
Kari Wilcher and Laure Grove will share how they successfully implemented two elements of the Framework – the Action Team and Community Connections – to create customized plans and motivate local behavior change.
Carsen Daniel will speak to how EcoSchools U.S. aligns with their school district sustainability goals and how they support district educators and students in making a local impact.
moreEmpowering Young Minds: Nature-Based Learning for Resilience & Curiosity
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.
moreMood, Mind, and Mud: The Mental Health Magic of Learning Outside
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
moreECE Workshops
OLE! 12 Best Practices
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.
moreInterested 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.