Early Childhood (0-5)

This toolkit supports practitioners who encourage children’s outdoor play. It takes a balanced approach to risk and safety. The toolkit was created it because of growing concerns that children are overprotected when playing outdoors or stopped from going outside altogether. As a result, they miss out on the joy and sense of adventure they should have from playing outside, and lose out on the long-term benefits of outdoor play.

Fun for all ages, Sort it Right! teaches youth and adults how to sort waste materials into the black, green, or blue bins, as well as household hazardous waste drop-off and landfill throw 'n' go.

The City of Calgary also has a lesson plan to learn about how Calgary's recyclables are sorted, how Calgary's compost is made, and how to prevent food waste.

For Kindergarten and Grade 1

The Nature Immersion program provides children and participants time to explore and develop a relationship with nature. The activities that take place at a Nature Immersion program are unique to each location and the participants’ interests. Our Nature based program is designed to inspire a love for nature and help connect children with their natural surroundings. The program takes place primarily outside in a natural space close to the childcare centre or school (weather permitting).

The Nature Immersion program consists of:

• An educator will visit the classroom on a bi-weekly basis (approximately 3 visits per centre/school)
• Each session lasts anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours 

For Grades 4, 5, 6

Using the basics of play and discovery, Eco-Buddies is an innovative, holistic approach to environmental education and eco-literacy. Through outdoor activities, games, exploration, experiments, crafts, and conversation, children and teachers will apply concepts from the Alberta science curriculum to the ecosystem around them and learn how organisms in nature work together to build healthy ecosystems. During each visit the classroom will go outside to their neighbouring natural area and learn about the challenges that trees, plants, wildlife, and people will face with a changing climate and how these organisms can come together to form healthy and resilient ecosystems

The ECO-Buddies program consists of:

• 1-hour teacher workshop where the ECO-buddies specialist will introduce the program and will present key concepts that will be elaborated on during the program. *workshop for school programs only
• Three, 2-hour visits by the ECO-Buddies educator at a walking distance from the School

Toronto Outdoor Education Schools has put together a searchable database of outdoor education activities for all grades and subject areas. 

Nature Companion is a free app/website introducing many of the plants and animals found in Canada’s four western provinces. In just one app, you’ll find basic information about over 300 common plants, trees, birds, animals, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. It's available on or off line. Nature Companion provides short, easy-to-understand descriptions and colourful photographs along with a Did you know? section with interesting, unexpected details about each species. It’s free with no ads or sign up and can be installed on your phone or tablet directly from the Nature Companion website.

The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society can come to your school or community group to teach about native wildlife, conservation, and create conversation around the implications of human activities on the health and safety of wild animals. A volunteer, partnered with one of their permanent resident owls or hawks (when available), will be delighted to help your group learn more about wildlife. Book a presentation today!

The Indigenous Games for Children Resource is a collection of traditional Indigenous games and activities to help introduce or reconnect children to recreational and sport activities that reflect the rich cultural heritage of our Indigenous peoples across Canada. 

Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society has a program called TD Learning Naturally in which students from K-6 have the opportunity to go on a curriculum-linked field trip to Fish Creek park who otherwise would not be able to afford it. 

Nature Calgary has a resource page to support anyone interested in birding. Resources include birding locations, checklist for birds in the Calgary area, birding software, migration date guide, and arrival times chart. 

Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden field trips include a horticultural experience learning about the plants and trees of Nikka Yuko.