Calendar of events
Upcoming Samara events, workshops, & speaking engagements
Interested in scheduling Dr. Rachel A. Larimore for an event? Learn more here.
Natural Start Alliance's Nature-based Early Learning Conference
Join hundreds of professionals around the globe for the Nature-Based Early Learning Conference, hosted by the Natural Start Alliance. Explore the role of nature and education in promoting healing, addressing injustice, and helping children, families, communities, and the planet thrive.
The Grove Focused Call: A conversation with Rusty Keeler
A conversation with natural playscape designer Rusty Keeler. We'll chat about preparing natural play areas for the upcoming school year, his thoughts on the current state of the field, and more. Join the conversation live or send your questions in advance.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education, or receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
The Grove Family Provider Connection Call
This monthly call offers family providers an opportunity to discuss challenges specific to home-based settings. Connect with peers in similar situations and receive support tailored to the unique and evolving needs in nature- and home-based settings.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education, or receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
2024 IPA Conference
Join us for the 2024 IPA conference in Greenville, SC! Continuing their quest to celebrate and promote child’s play, the 2024 conference will consist of 4 full days of learning, exploring, connection, and inspiration.
The Grove Family Provider Connection Call
This monthly call offers family providers an opportunity to discuss challenges specific to home-based settings. Connect with peers in similar situations and receive support tailored to the unique and evolving needs in nature- and home-based settings.
The Grove Family Provider Connection Call
This monthly call offers family providers an opportunity to discuss challenges specific to home-based settings. Connect with peers in similar situations and receive support tailored to the unique and evolving needs in nature- and home-based settings.
The Grove Family Provider Connection Call
This monthly call offers family providers an opportunity to discuss challenges specific to home-based settings. Connect with peers in similar situations and receive support tailored to the unique and evolving needs in nature- and home-based settings.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education, or receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education, or receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
Trillium Montessori: Montessori & Ecological Consciousness Summit
Join us for a groundbreaking virtual summit on June 17-19, 2024 that brings together experts, scientists, activists, and educators to explore how Montessori principles and pedagogy can nurture ecological consciousness in children and cultivate a generation of sustainability leaders.
The Grove Focused Call: Nurturing brain development using nature and classroom design with Dr. Kathryn Murray
Designing spaces that calm the brain and embrace the sense of safety, emotional connections between people and objects and opportunities to think, imagine, wonder, and learn are dependent on the environment we create. The environment shapes us and we shape the environment to enable rich, playful learning to happen naturally. This session will provide an overview of the Brain-SET Environments Formula, a revolutionary pedagogy being implemented around the world.
Free to Play Summit
Join us for a complete training on how to talk to parents, colleagues and administrators about play, behavior, and more. You’ll learn to speak powerfully to the brain science and benefits of play and how play nurtures children’s self-regulation, socialization, and focus. And it’s FREE!
Nature-Based Emergent Curriculum: The Power of Place for Planning (Webinar)
This edWebinar will first explore the fundamental principles of the nature-based approach. Then, Dr. Rachel Larimore will explore how we can live these principles in day-to-day teaching practices—especially if the goal is an emergent curriculum rooted in play and children’s interests. By focusing on the seasonal events that occur in our local place in the world, we can intentionally integrate nature into teaching practice—no matter our current situation.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education, or receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
Planning Emergent Curriculum in the Nature-based Classroom
This workshop will explore what we can plan for in implementing nature-based emergent curriculum while also recognizing the parts of emergent curriculum for which we cannot plan.
This is a private professional learning workshop. Please contact us if you’d like to schedule a similar workshop.
The Grove Focused Call: A Conversation with Amy Butler
This month's focused call with be a conversation with educator Amy Butler about nature-based education in elementary settings and her new book "Educating Children Outdoors." Join the conversation live or send your questions in advance!
Rooted in Play: The Power of Place Conference 2024
This is an experiential conference focusing on a place-based approach inspired by educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The conference is being held in a nature-based setting at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center in Carbondale, Illinois.
Ohio’s Annual AEYC Conference (2024)
Join thousands of educators from Ohio, across the nation, and around the globe for an extraordinary experience at the foremost event tailored for early childhood educators, directors, and advocates! Samara’s Chief Visionary, Dr. Rachel A. Larimore, will be presenting two concurrent sessions at this year’s conference!
Starting a New Nature-Based School: Plans, Partnerships, & Devilish Details
Dreaming of starting a school? Confident in early childhood education, but less confident about the business side of things? This webinar is for you!
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education. This is also a place to receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal and relaxed sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
The Grove Focused Call: Adults with ADHD and Neurodiverse Characteristics: How Do I Support My Staff… and Myself?
We know how to serve the children. How about the adults? After this call, you will be ready to clearly recognize and assist staff who have ADHD and neurodiverse characteristics. See how to approach ADHD and neurodiversity not as a problem but an invitation. Walk away with specific tools to enhance the learning environment for everyone! Join us as we gain valuable insights from “The ADHD Whisperer” Rachel B. Selig, M.Ed. Rachel is passionate about removing barriers and supporting inclusivity for adults with ADHD, and neurodiverse characteristics.
The power of place for planning
This workshop, with a mix of presentation and small group work, will focus using the seasons and features of our place in the world to plan for children’s learning. We’ll discuss teacher-led activities as well as materials to include for children’s free play.
This is a private professional development workshop. If you’d like to experience a similar workshop, click here for our speaking services or check out our on-demand workshops.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education. This is also a place to receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal and relaxed sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
Nature-Based Learning: Inspiring & Supporting Staff to Help Children Learn with Nature
This webinar, designed to support program leaders and administrators, will briefly share the core principles of a nature-based approach and a Trail Map for Leading Change toward that approach. With that common language established, Rachel will focus on the steps to support your team to make the shift to a nature-based approach—and keep them happy and inspired along the way.
Planning Emergent Curriculum in the Nature-based Classroom
This workshop will explore what we can plan for in implementing nature-based emergent curriculum while also recognizing the parts of emergent curriculum for which we cannot plan.
This is a private professional learning workshop. If you’d like to experience a similar workshop, click here for our speaking services or check out our on-demand workshops.
Evaluating Natureness: How to use the Nature-Based Education Rating Scale to improve nature-based early childhood teaching (Session 3)
Part 3 of 3 in a webinar series on using the Nature-Based Education Rating Scale (NABERS). NABERS is a tool crafted specifically for early education practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to help them effortlessly gather standardized information, assessing education settings in crucial areas such as: program goals, curriculum practices, staffing, environment, community partnerships, and family engagement.
*The recordings for all 3 installments in this webinar series are available to Grove Members. Click here to join today!
Evaluating Natureness: How to use the Nature-Based Education Rating Scale to improve nature-based early childhood teaching (Session 2)
Part 2 of 3 in a webinar series on using the Nature-Based Education Rating Scales system (NABERS). NABERS is a tool crafted specifically for early education practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to help them effortlessly gather standardized information, assessing education settings in crucial areas such as: program goals, curriculum practices, staffing, environment, community partnerships, and family engagement.
*The recordings for all 3 installments in this webinar series are available to Grove Members. Click here to join today!
Non-Profit or For-Profit? Finding the Best Path for Your Program (A Natural Start Alliance webinar)
Join nature-based education consultants David Catlin and Samara’s founder Dr. Rachel Larimore to get answers to this and other questions about the pros and cons of each of these different pathways. Rachel and David have developed a new resource to help programs consider their options, and they'll provide an overview, and take your questions during this webinar.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education. This is also a place to receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal and relaxed sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
Please note this event is only for members of The Grove. Not a member? You can join The Grove here to access this event & more.
Evaluating Natureness: How to use the Nature-Based Education Rating Scale to improve nature-based early childhood teaching (Session 1)
Part 2 of 3 in a webinar series on using the Nature-Based Education Rating Scales system (NABERS). NABERS is a tool crafted specifically for early education practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to help them effortlessly gather standardized information, assessing education settings in crucial areas such as: program goals, curriculum practices, staffing, environment, community partnerships, and family engagement.
*The recordings for all 3 installments in this webinar series are available to Grove Members. Click here to join today!
Why do we do THAT?!: Making Intentional Decisions in the Nature-based Early Childhood Classroom
*The recording of this webinar is available to Grove Members. Click here to join today!
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education. This is also a place to receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal and relaxed sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education. This is also a place to receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal and relaxed sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
The Grove Focus Call: InstaGrowth: Using Instagram to boost enrollment in nature-based schools
Each month inside The Grove is a focused live video conference call on a particular topic. The format includes a brief presentation followed by open discussion among attendees.
From your profile to your posts, Instagram can help grow your audience and deepen a sense of community with your families. Learn how to easily engage and grow your enrollment with Lauren Litt, a social media coach and fractional Chief Marketing Officer. Join us as Lauren shares valuable tips and insights on how to leverage Instagram to attract perfect-fit families.
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to join The Grove, a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together, and attend this call. (Please note, members have access to recordings of all previous presentations.)
The Grove Drop-in Office Hour with Rachel
Drop-in Office Hour with Dr. Rachel Larimore is a one-hour sessions where Rachel is available on Zoom for Grove members to drop-in for a conversation. This is a great chance to get answers to your questions about nature-based early childhood education. This is also a place to receive tailored feedback from Rachel specific to your situation. We offer these informal and relaxed sessions for Grove members so they can more easily join at time that suits them—and without the feeling of “oh, the call already started so I can’t join.” Rather, Rachel is present for 1 hour and she’d love to see you!
This event is for Grove members only. Click here to learn more about The Grove—a community of nature-based educators learning and growing together.
Getting Started with Nature-based Early Childhood Education
This workshop, with a mix of presentation and small group work, will focus on the foundations of nature-based early childhood education. We’ll discuss the benefits of benefits of outdoor play, preparing the indoors, outdoor play area, and areas beyond the fence for learning. We’ll also discuss teacher-child interactions to support learning.
This is a private professional learning workshop. Please contact us if you’d like to schedule a similar workshop or check out our on-demand workshops here.
The Grove Focus Call: Mind Full or Mindful— Exploring benefits, practices and possibilities for children and teachers
Teaching young children is a joyful, and challenging endeavor. The most effective teachers are somehow able to maintain a mental calmness and stability (equanimity) as they go about the complex task of helping a diverse group of young children learn to navigate the intricate world that is an early childhood classroom. How is this possible?