This unique opportunity brings together two dynamic sessions, each led by passionate facilitators, offering practical tools to take back to your program the very next day.
Nature Connection: Inspiring Curiosity, Care & Stewardship
Facilitated by: Jacob Rodenburg B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed - Executive Director Camp Kawartha & The Camp Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre/Environment Centre
This session focuses on deepening children’s connection to nature and place. Through short, interactive, hands-on games and nature activities, Jacob will guide you through playful experiences that foster curiosity, wonder, and a love for the natural world in school-age learners.
In this session, you will explore:
How connection to nature supports children’s mental health and well-being
Why attachment to place is the foundation of environmental stewardship
Practical ways to help children practice stewardship, not just learn about it
Each activity is rooted in purpose, helping educators understand not just the how, but the why behind nature-based learning.
GAME ON! Facilitating Games and Activities in School Age Programs
Facilitated by Kale Cabrera, Play Advocate - A Beyond the Bell Professional Learning Session
Like toys, craft supplies, and outdoor time, games are essential to creating a cohesive, engaging, and dynamic program. In this hands-on session, Kale will take you on an interactive adventure into what makes a game truly successful in a school-age environment. From projecting your voice to adapting the rules, there’s more to successful program gaming than meets the eye.
Together, you’ll explore:
The signs of engagement and disengagement
Ways to adapt games to suit different ages, abilities, and group dynamics
Strategies to foster inclusion, participation, and joy through play
Get ready to move, laugh, and rethink the role of games in your daily programming!
Groups will spend equal amounts of time in both sessions. Come ready to participate, connect, and play!
Jacob Rodenburg has taught in the field of Outdoor Education for more than 35 years. He is currently the Executive Director of Camp Kawartha, a summer camp and outdoor/environmental education centre. Jacob is an author, frequent keynote speaker, and presenter.
Recently, Jacob won the Robin Dennis Award from the Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario in recognition for his “outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of outdoor education in Ontario.” Jacob conceived of and led the creation of an environmental framework for children of all ages to help promote stewardship through each age and phase of a child’s development. Called the Pathway to Stewardship & Kinship www.pathwayproject.ca, this approach to environmental education helps provide children with the experiences they need in order to become future stewards.
Kaylee “Kale” Cabrera (she/her) is a passionate educator who has been working with children and non-profit organizations since 2016. Since she was a child in her mother's home-childcare, she has loved every aspect of working and learning alongside children - the messier the better! Today, after working in a school-age program for four school years, Kale trains new educators joining the ranks of London Children's Connection before and after school programs and speaks with educators across the community about what it means to be, not only nurturing to a child, but nurturing to ourselves.
Thursday, June 4, 2026
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Pinafore Park (meet at Street Railway Pavilion - closest to, and on the same side as the playground)
95 Elm St.,
St. Thomas, ON, N5R 6C8
FREE
Registration closes on Monday, May 18 at 12:00 PM
* Ticket types are based on the county you WORK in.
** A picnic-style bagged lunch will be available - please select your preferences during checkout (you are also welcome to bring your own food and beverages). The bagged lunch is provided at no cost to participants. However, if you register and select a lunch preference, and do not attend the event, a $10 fee will be charged to cover the cost of the prepared meal.