Nurture Nature Parent and Child Workshops

Parent Engagement Workshops in Nature

Recent experiences with Perth Children's House Montessori during their year-end field trip, alongside facilitating a Nurture Nature Workshop for families at Drummond Central School, inspired me to reflect on the powerful role parents play in outdoor learning.

While leading a forest walk through the cedar grove at Lanark Highlands Nature Connection, I was deeply moved by one particular moment. Thirty children and approximately fifteen parents gathered together on Lookout Rock for a group sit spot. In complete silence, families paused to listen, observe, and simply be present in nature.

For a few peaceful minutes, the forest became our classroom.

Watching parents and children share this quiet experience together was profoundly meaningful. It offered an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with one another, and experience the restorative qualities of the natural world. I felt grateful to be surrounded by a community so willing to embrace stillness and curiosity together.

For the children of Perth Children's House, this practice felt familiar. Quiet reflection, mindfulness, and time spent outdoors are woven naturally into their school culture. Inviting parents to participate alongside their children made the experience even more meaningful, creating shared memories rooted in presence, peace, and connection.

These experiences continue to reinforce my belief that nature provides one of the richest environments for strengthening family relationships.

Growing Family Connections Through Outdoor Learning

Building on these experiences, Drummond Central School began exploring opportunities to engage families through outdoor learning. Parent workshops held in the school's Garden Classroom were envisioned as a way to bring together families, educators, and restorative practice facilitators to learn alongside one another in a welcoming outdoor environment.

Through hands-on gardening, nature-based activities, and Knowledge Sharing Circles, parents would have opportunities to experience restorative communication while exploring ways to support their children's learning outdoors. The goal is not only to increase confidence in outdoor learning but also to strengthen family relationships through empathy, active listening, and shared experiences.

Outdoor classrooms offer unique opportunities to nurture our relationships on three interconnected levels:

• With nature by developing environmental stewardship and ecological awareness.

• With one another by strengthening family and community relationships.

• With ourselves by fostering self-awareness, emotional regulation, and personal well-being.

  
  

The Power of the Knowledge Sharing Circle

At the heart of these workshops is the Knowledge Sharing Circle, a restorative practice that encourages every participant to be seen, heard, and respected.

As the talking piece is passed around the circle, participants practise active listening without interruption or judgment. They learn to make eye contact, listen with empathy, and value each person's unique perspective. This simple yet powerful process creates a culture of trust, inclusion, and belonging while encouraging meaningful dialogue between children, parents, and educators.

The outdoor classroom naturally enriches these conversations. Gardening becomes more than planting seeds—it becomes an opportunity to discuss food literacy, environmental stewardship, respect for farmers, healthy living, biodiversity, and our shared responsibility to care for the Earth.

As families garden, learn, and reflect together, they also cultivate stronger communication skills, deeper relationships, and a greater sense of community.

Growing a Restorative School Community

Drummond Central School continues to demonstrate that outdoor education can extend well beyond student learning. By inviting parents into the outdoor classroom, the school strengthens partnerships between home and school while nurturing a restorative culture grounded in connection, respect, and shared responsibility.

When families experience restorative communication together, these practices often extend beyond the school grounds and into everyday family life, creating healthier relationships and stronger communities.

If you are interested in learning more about restorative practices or inviting Lanark County Community Justice to facilitate an introductory workshop, please contact info@commjustice.org or visit www.commjustice.org.

Written by Laurie ClarkNurture Nature Workshop FacilitatorLanark Highlands Nature Connection