Getting organized. Before taking children outside : Strategies for safe, fun, and focused nature explorations ; Providing appropriate clothing for nature preschool programs ; Best practices for a preschool garden ; Forest teacher tools -- Scaffolding nature play : Fortlandia: the kingdom of learning ; Shelters ; Sit spots: rainbows and puffy little clouds ; The woodland bakery ; Exploring nature themes in dramatic play ; Feel the rhythm: using real tools ; The wonderful world of brooms -- Policies and practices for outdoor programming : Woods rules ; Nature preschool in a public school ; Risky behavior in nature preschool programs ; Fire: teaching safety, telling stories ; Field trip protocols for nature preschools ; Field trip protocols: cold-and warm-weather procedures ; Documentation and parent communication for forest preschools ; Outdoor rest time -- Working and celebrating with parents : Family work day ; Family free-play day ; Fostering family connections ; Intergenerational journeys with young children and seniors ; Creating stories on the land ; Ice on fire --

Curriculum. Language development and literacy : Grandpa Tree: growing connections through personification ; Digging deep into beaver inquiry ; Nature's theater ; Death and dictation in the great outdoors ; Indoor campsite and literacy ; Outdoor letter search ; E is for evergreen; a Vermont forest alphabet book ; Inclusive language and language inclusion -- Math learning and numeracy : Nature number line ; Keeping count, collecting data ; Garden inventory: tally mark counting in the garden ; Math with seeds ; Measuring by the kindergarten foot ; Collection of natural objects -- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning : Connecting pirate play to STEM ; STEAM in nature: stability ; STEAM in nature: shadows ; STEAM in nature: force, weight, friction, and slope ; STEAM in nature: learning with water ; Hillside marble run -- Natural science : Owl observation ; Good morning, dear Jay ; Mammal play: a socio-dramatic experience ; Poop is not food ; Exploration in urban school yards ; Bringing the outdoors in -- Gardening : Planting spring bulbs ; The pollinator garden ; Compost pile play ; Mud paint in the garden ; Loofah gourds: counting seeds and cleaning tools ; Educating in sustainability: responsible consumption ; Calendula in the classroom ; Creating salads:picking and eating them in the classroom -- Appendix: What do we mean by "ready"?: a review of research behind nature based early childhood education programs.