Outdoor & Forest School Resources

This page is a collection of key resources for educators and organizations working in outdoor, nature-based, and land-based learning in British Columbia. It includes policy documents, Indigenous learning resources, risk-benefit tools, licensing information, and practical guidance for operating outdoor programs.

Outdoor education in BC sits at the intersection of education, licensing, land stewardship, Indigenous knowledge, risk-benefit practice, and community care. The resources below are intended to support educators in building safe, meaningful, and responsible outdoor programs.

BC Early Learning Framework
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/early-learning/teach/earlylearning/early_learning_framework.pdf

Learning in the Primary Years (BC Ministry of Education)
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/early-learning/teach/resources/learning-in-the-primary-years.pdf

Forest and Nature School in Canada Guide
https://childnature.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FSC-Guide-1.pdf

Outdoor ECE Framework (Outdoor Play Canada)
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/outdoor-ece-framework/

These documents form the pedagogical foundation for outdoor early learning and forest school programs in British Columbia and Canada.

First Peoples Principles of Learning (FNESC)
https://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

Indigenous Early Learning & Child Care Framework
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/indigenous-early-learning/2018-framework.html

Land-Based Learning in the Early Years (Outdoor Play Canada)
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/portfolio_page/learning-from-indigenous-perspectives-land-based-learning-in-the-early-years/

Strong Nations Indigenous Books & Learning Resources (BC)
https://www.strongnations.com/

These resources support educators in respectfully incorporating Indigenous perspectives, land-based learning, and First Peoples Principles into their programs.

Child Care Licensing Regulation (BC)
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/332_2007

Community Care and Assisted Living Act (BC)
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/02075_01

ChildCareBC Design Guidelines
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/family-and-social-supports/child-care/info-partners-prov/childcarebc_design_guidelines.pdf

Outdoor & Land-Based Learning Policy Brief (Outdoor Play Canada / Lawson Foundation)
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/2026/02/23/in-support-of-the-lawson-foundations-policy-brief-regulating-outdoor-and-land-based-learning-as-early-learning-and-child-care/

These documents help educators understand how outdoor programs fit within licensing and regulatory frameworks in British Columbia.

Risk-Benefit Assessment Toolkit (Outdoor Play Canada)
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Risk-Benefit-Assessment-Toolkit.pdf

UBC Outdoor Play & Risk Research
https://earlylearning.ubc.ca/resources/topic/outdoor-play/

Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play (Canada)
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/position-statement-on-active-outdoor-play/

Risk-benefit assessment is a key part of forest school and outdoor education. These resources help educators balance safety with healthy risk and child development.

ECEBC Code of Ethics
https://www.ecebc.ca/resources-merchandise/code-of-ethics

BC Curriculum
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

These documents support professional and ethical practice for educators working with children in BC.

These websites have lesson ideas, tool use guidance, seasonal activity ideas, and outdoor curriculum support:

Outdoor Play Canada
https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/

The Outdoor Learning Store
https://outdoorlearningstore.com/

Child & Nature Alliance of Canada
https://childnature.ca/

Project Learning Tree Canada
https://pltcanada.org/

Take Me Outside
https://takemeoutside.ca/

Nature Play BC
https://www.natureplaybc.ca/

These websites are excellent sources for:

• Lesson plans
• Risky play resources
• Loose parts play
• Nature play ideas
• Outdoor curriculum
• Educator training
• Research and advocacy

Outdoor programs should have clear policies and procedures to support safety, licensing, and communication with families. Below is a list of common policies used in forest and nature school programs:

Health & Safety Policies

• Risk-Benefit Assessment Policy
• Emergency Response Plan
• First Aid & Wilderness First Aid Policy
• Weather Policy (heat, cold, storms, air quality)
• Wildlife Safety Policy
• Supervision & Head Count Policy
• Boundary & Site Safety Policy
• Hygiene & Handwashing Policy
• Toileting Outdoors Policy

Program Policies

• Outdoor Play Policy
• Tool Use Policy (knives, saws, hammers)
• Fire Building & Outdoor Cooking Policy
• Walking & Transportation Policy
• Clothing & Gear Policy
• Inclusion & Accessibility Policy
• Behaviour Guidance Policy
• Land Acknowledgement & Indigenous Learning Policy

Administrative Policies

• Parent Handbook
• Staff Handbook
• Incident Reporting
• Insurance Coverage
• Volunteer Policy
• Field Trip Policy
• Communication Policy
• Technology & Photo Policy

Having clear policies helps outdoor programs operate safely, communicate clearly with families, and work successfully with licensing and insurance providers.

Outdoor programs typically require insurance that specifically covers:

• Outdoor and nature-based programs
• Tool use
• Fire activities
• Off-site programming
• Walking excursions
• Forest school programs

Insurance providers commonly used by outdoor programs in Canada include:

• HUB International
• CapriCMW Insurance
• BFL Canada
• Western Financial Group

(Programs should always confirm that their policy covers outdoor and forest school activities specifically.)