While the York Region Nature Collaborative was founded in York Region,
events are open to all interested educators, parents and families.
An apple indicates that a YRNC event is focused on Professional Development and open to adults.
A heart indicates that a YRNC event is family friendly and open to both adults and children.
Need a ride to an event? Have an extra seat and want to carpool? 
Connect by posting a request or offer on the Rideshare Page.
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Monday, March 11, 2019 at 09:00 AM · $50.00 CAD
Lake St. George Field Centre in Richmond Hill, ON, CanadaMarch Break Nature Camp
Come on an adventure with us this March Break! Campers will explore and learn about nature through active play, discovery and skill building. We will play games in the forest and have fun orienteering, tracking, creating nature art, making shelters and building a fire!
A perfect setting for an outdoor March Break Camp, Lake St. George Field Centre is surrounded by mixed woodlands, open meadows and a beautiful kettle lake making it home for local wildlife populations. Every day will be an adventure in nature!
- For ages 6 to 12 years.
- Register for individual days or book the whole week and save!
- Optional extended care available.
- Optional healthy, warm lunch available.
All of our staff are Ontario certified teachers (OCT) who are trained in Standard First Aid and CPR.
Camp activities will run snow or shine, so please be sure to dress your child appropriately for the weather. Lake St. George is a nut-free facility.
Dates/Hours
Monday March 11 to Friday March 15, 2019 | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Optional Extended Care:
8:00 am to 9:00 am | 4:00 pm to 5:30 pmDaily Camp Themes
Monday: Shelters and Tracking
Tuesday: Fire Building and Wild Edibles
Wednesday: Orienteering and Treasure Hunting
Thursday: Nature Art and Games
Friday: Camper Favourites!Fees
$50/day | $225/full week
Optional Extended Care: $15/day
Optional Healthy, Warm Lunch: $6/day -
Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 09:00 AM through March 15, 2019
Scanlon Creek Conservation Area in Bradford, ON, CanadaSpring Into Scanlon! March Break Day Camp at Scanlon Creek
Calling all kids ages 6 to 12! Celebrate the last week of winter in the forest at Scanlon Creek during our March Break Day Camp. Make maple syrup, go kicksledding, create snow art, use a GPS, learn animal tracking, and much more.
Save when you sign up for more than two days!
For more information or to register, please click here.
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Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 10:00 AM · $12.60 CAD
Lake St. George Field Centre in Richmond Hill, ON, CanadaWinter Birds: March Break Family Fun!
Try birdwatching this March Break! Learn about common winter birds and where to look for them. Try out binoculars, mobile apps and field guides and together we’ll identify birds at Lake St. George! Afterwards we’ll warm up around a campfire with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Hike Distance: 1 km
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Trail Surface Type: Natural
Age Range: Family Friendly (recommended for children ages 5 and up). Beginner and expert birders welcome!
Meeting Place: Davies Hall -
Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 08:30 AM through April 28, 2019 · 21 rsvps
Kortright Centre for ConservationLand as Our First Teacher: Establishing and Maintaining Relationships
Saturday, April 27, 2019 (8:30am - 4:30pm) - Sunday, April 28, 2019 (8:30am - 12:00pm)
Land as Our First Teacher: Establishing and Maintaining Relationships
The Land has always taught Indigenous peoples the value of maintaining good relationships with all aspects of Creation, human and non-human. Western research and practice in Early Learning and Child Care is beginning to recognize what Indigenous peoples have always known: we learn best in a community of positive relationships connected to our natural environment.Come join the York Region Nature Collaborative’s partnership with Indigenous community members as we explore ways to establish and maintain good relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in the beautiful land connected to the Humber River for the benefit of our youngest learners. Saturday morning will begin with Traditional Ojibwe Opening Ceremony, a Sacred Fire, a Keynote Story, and Toronto Council Fire’s Youth Big Drum. So far our workshops include a Water Walk, Storytelling, Anishinaabe Cooking, Land-based Art, and Medicine Walks with more being added each day.
Come experience how these hands-on experiences ignite holistic learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships. All workshops are designed to bring families, caregivers, and educators together in learning so please bring your kids. This event will be free for Indigenous families and there will be transportation support available from Toronto (TBD).
Ticket sales begin: January 1, 2019 at 8:00am
For tickets please click: Land as Our First Teacher: Establishing and Maintaining Relationships
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Monday, August 19, 2019 at 09:00 AM through August 23, 2019 · 12 rsvps
Lake St. George Field Centre in Richmond Hill, ON, CanadaRhythm of Learning in Nature 2019
Tickets on Sale Now!
The Rhythm of Learning in Nature is an opportunity offered by the York Region Nature Collaborative for like-minded educators to come together in place to experience nature, outdoor play, Reggio-inspiration and forest school practices. The week follows an emergent curriculum framework, as we will invite both facilitators and participants to decide the direction of the work and the focus of our professional inquiries. Past participants become returnees and the week has come to be known as a “knowledge retreat”.
This year, we are thrilled to have Niki Buchan with Natural Learning from Australia join us as a guest facilitator. Niki is considered a leading voice in promoting nature-based practice and is the author of multiple books on natural early learning including A Practical Guide to Nature-Based Practice and STEM Detectives: Identifying and Supporting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in Children’s Play. Participants will have the opportunity to experience multiple outdoor learning opportunities facilitated by Niki and others in the magical environment that is Swan Lake in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Included in the registration fee is free admission to a full day conference featuring Niki on August 24th, 2019 at The Kortright Centre for Conservation; Natural Early Learning: Finding Our Rhythm. In exchange for the price of admission to the Kortright Conference, Rhythm attendees will share their experiences from the week with a wider audience.
Once again we are also excited to have Hopi Lovell Martin continue helping us establish and develop relationships with Indigenous community and pedagogies. Hopi is descendant from Lenni Lenape, Britons, and Eastern Europeans. He is adopted by Ojibwe Marten Clan where he is learning Traditional ways from his Auntie. After completing a Master of Arts in Child Study and Education with an emphasis on Early Years and Child Development at OISE/UT, he spent 17 years teaching Kindergarten to Grade 12 as a classroom and Outdoor Education teacher in Toronto. He has since gone back to OISE at the University of Toronto to work on a PhD that explores Anishinaabe Early Years pedagogy.
Overnight accommodations will be available at Lake St. George Field Centre at a reasonable rate from Sunday January 19 - Saturday January 24, 2019.
For tickets please click here: Rhythm of Leaning in Nature 2019