Good news: You don't need to be a nature expert, have fancy equipment, or spend hours planning.
You just need a simple, step-by-step system that actually works.
That's what this course gives you.
Thrive Outside: Grow Your Teaching Space is a 4-module course that takes you from "I don't know how to do this" to "I've got this"—in just 4 weeks.
❌ "I don't know where to start."
You've seen the research. You know students need more time outside. But when you think about actually doing it, you freeze. What do you teach? How do you manage behaviour? What if it's chaos?
❌ "I'm not outdoorsy. I don't know trees or birds or insects."
You're worried you need to be a nature expert. You're not. And you don't want to look foolish in front of your students.
❌ "What about behaviour? What if students run away? What if it's chaotic?"
The thought of taking 24 students outside with no walls, no desks, no structure? Terrifying.
❌ "How does this connect to curriculum? I can't justify 'just playing outside.'"
Admin is asking how this addresses learning outcomes. Parents are asking why students are spending time outside instead of "learning." You need answers.
I've worked with over 30,000 teachers who felt exactly the same way.
The problem isn't you.
... you haven't had a clear, simple system to follow.
Hi, I’m Lauren MacLean—an experienced primary teacher, author, and the voice behind the Teach Outdoors podcast (ranked a Top 10 Experiential Podcast).
With nearly 20 years in education and a background in nature-based learning, I’ve supported schools across North America in creating thriving outdoor classrooms that are engaging, inclusive, and sustainable. I’m also a bestselling children’s author, with books like Me and My Sit Spot, Finding Common Ground, Risky Play Gone Away, What Does It Mean to Care About Nature?, Sitting With Nature, and Learning With the Land—all rooted in helping children (and educators) build meaningful relationships with the natural world.
My work is all about making outdoor learning feel doable, joyful, and deeply impactful—whether you're just getting started or ready to expand what’s possible beyond your classroom walls.
Thrive Outside: Grow Your Teaching Space gives you the system.
This isn't theory. This isn't a bunch of Pinterest activities. This is a step-by-step framework for taking students outside regularly, confidently, and effectively.
Here's what you'll get:
✅ Exactly what to do on your first outdoor session (no guessing, no overwhelm)
✅ Four simple routines you can use every single week (circle time, nature walks, sit spots, journaling—that's it)
✅ Curriculum connections for math, science, literacy, social studies, arts, and PE (so you can confidently answer "How does this address outcomes?")
✅ Behaviour management strategies that actually work outside (calm, not chaos)
✅ Templates, checklists, and planning tools (so you're not starting from scratch every week)
✅ A sustainable schedule that lasts all year (not just September enthusiasm that fades by October)
By the end of this course, you'll know how to take students outside regularly without it feeling overwhelming, time-consuming, or chaotic.
Thrive Outside is an online group coaching program with 4 Modules, designed to help educators set up, manage, and sustain outdoor learning experiences with confidence. Each week, we dive into practical strategies, curriculum integration, classroom management, and documenting the learning journey.
Or when we hit our 20 person limit! Once spots are filled, registration will close and a waitlist will open for the next cohort.
✅ You're a K-5 teacher who wants to take students outside but doesn't know where to start
✅ You've tried outdoor learning a few times but struggled with consistency or management
✅ You want research-backed, practical strategies—not just "fun activities"
✅ You're overwhelmed by the idea of outdoor learning and need a clear, simple system
✅ You believe students deserve more time in nature, but you need help making it happen
❌ You're already taking students outside 3+ times per week and have a solid, sustainable practice
❌ You're looking for advanced outdoor education strategies (this is foundational—we have an Extensions course for experienced outdoor educators)
❌ You're not willing to actually try what you learn (this course works if you implement it)
Check out this Extensions course to find new ways to "dig" deeper into your practice!
Learn how to step outside with confidence and create a supportive learning environment.
What You'll Learn:
The research that shuts down skeptics
Exactly what to pack (and what to skip)
Your first nature walk, step-by-step
Outdoor agreements that students actually follow
Discover how to seamlessly integrate outdoor learning into your lesson plans.
What You'll Learn:
Four simple routines that work every single week
Smooth transitions that prevent chaos
A realistic outdoor schedule you can actually maintain
Seasonal adaptations so you go outside year-round
Keep students safe, engaged, and focused in an outdoor environment.
What You'll Learn:
Outdoor learning that checks the curriculum boxes
A toolkit of 15+ low-prep activities you can use tomorrow
Behaviour management strategies that actually work outside
Permission to follow student curiosity (without losing your mind)
Capture and celebrate student growth outdoors.
What You'll Learn:
Documentation that takes minutes, not hours
Communication templates that build buy-in fast
A year-long schedule that actually lasts
Reflection tools that help you improve without burnout
When you enroll, here's everything you receive:
📹 4 modules, 21 mini-modules (~3.5-4 hours of video content)
📄 30+ downloadable templates, checklists, and planning tools (lesson plans, activity cards, supply lists, communication templates, reflection prompts—everything ready to use)
🗓️ Cohort-based learning (start on the 1st of the month alongside other educators—you're not alone!)
💬 Weekly Q&A support (I check the comment section every Thursday and answer questions—you have support when you need it)
📂 3 months of access (take the course at your own pace, revisit modules as needed)
Not sure if 3 months is enough? Most teachers complete the course in 4-6 weeks. You'll have plenty of time to watch, implement, reflect, and revisit.
I've worked with over 30,000 teachers to help them get outside with ease.
And here's what they all had in common:
❌ They didn't need more information. They needed a clear system.
❌ They didn't need to be nature experts. They needed permission to learn alongside their students.
❌ They didn't need elaborate plans. They needed simple, repeatable routines.
This course gives you all three.
"I've been teaching for 12 years, and I've always wanted to take my students outside more, but I just didn't know how. This course gave me the confidence and the step-by-step plan I needed. We're now going outside twice a week, and my students are more engaged than they've been all year."
"The biggest shift for me was realizing I don't need to be a nature expert. This course showed me how to be a guide, how to ask questions, how to learn alongside my students. And honestly? That's way more fun."
"I tried taking my class outside last year and it was a disaster. Total chaos. I didn't try again. This course showed me what I was missing—clear routines, consistent signals, simple structures. Now outdoor learning is the calmest, most focused part of my week."
"I was so worried about curriculum. 'How is this addressing outcomes?' This course showed me how outdoor learning connects to math, literacy, science, social studies—everything. Now I can confidently tell admin and parents exactly what students are learning outside."
Enroll anytime (you'll be added to the next available cohort)
Cohort starts on the 1st (you get access to all modules immediately)
Go at your own pace (suggested rhythm: 1 module per week for 4 weeks, but you can go faster or slower)
Weekly Q&A support (I check the comment section every Thursday—ask questions, get answers)
3 months of access (revisit modules, download resources, implement at your own pace)
Next cohort starts: May 1st
Enrollment closes: May 1st or when enrollment caps out at 20 people.
What you get:
4 comprehensive modules (21 mini-modules, ~3.5-4 hours of video)
30+ downloadable templates, checklists, and planning tools
Cohort-based learning (start alongside other educators)
Weekly Q&A support (I respond every Thursday)
3 months of access to all materials
Cohort-based learning works because you're not doing this alone. You start alongside other educators, you share questions and successes, and you build momentum together.
Here's why: This is a cohort-based course with live support. Once you enroll, I'm investing time in supporting you—answering questions, providing feedback, cheering you on. I can't offer that same support to someone who's already gotten a refund.
That said, I'm confident this course will give you exactly what you need to start taking students outside with confidence. Over 300 teachers have gone through this system, and it works—if you implement it.
If you're on the fence, here's my advice: Read through this page again. Look at the modules. Read the testimonials. Ask yourself: "Do I want to take students outside regularly, and do I need a clear system to make it happen?" If the answer is yes, enroll. If the answer is "I'm not sure," wait until you are.
You've got questions. We've got answers.
Yes. You don't need to be a nature expert. You don't need to know tree names or bird calls. This course teaches you how to guide students in observation, curiosity, and wonder—not how to be a wilderness survival expert. If you can ask questions and notice things, you can do this.
Absolutely. You can do outdoor learning in a schoolyard, a park, a grassy field, even a paved area with some trees. Outdoor learning isn't about the "perfect" natural space—it's about getting students outside regularly in whatever space you have.
As little as 30 minutes, 1-2 times per week. That's it. You don't need to be outside for hours. You don't need to go outside every day. Consistency matters more than duration. This course shows you how to make 30-45 minute outdoor sessions impactful and sustainable.
This course gives you the tools to address pushback confidently. You'll get research talking points, curriculum connections, email templates, and strategies for communicating the value of outdoor learning to admin, colleagues, and parents. You won't be defending yourself—you'll be educating them.
Yes. Chaos happens when there's no structure. This course gives you clear routines, consistent signals, and behavior management strategies that create calm, focused outdoor sessions. You'll learn how to set boundaries, teach transitions, and build predictability—so outdoor learning feels manageable, not overwhelming.
Yes. This course is designed for K-5 teachers, and the strategies are adaptable across grade levels. The core routines (circle time, nature walks, sit spots, journaling) work for all ages—you just adjust complexity, duration, and expectations based on your students.
Most teachers finish in 4-6 weeks. The course is designed to be completed in 4 weeks (1 module per week), but you can go faster or slower. Three months is more than enough time to watch all the videos, try the strategies, reflect, and revisit modules as needed.
Outdoor learning doesn't have to be hard.
You don't need to spend hours planning elaborate lessons. You don't need to be a nature expert. You don't need perfect weather or perfect outdoor spaces.
You just need a system.
This course gives you that system—step-by-step, simple, proven.
So many teachers have used this exact framework to take their students outside regularly, confidently, and joyfully. They started where you are: overwhelmed, uncertain, worried about behaviour curriculum and time.
And now they're doing it. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year.
You can too.
Your students need this.
They need time outside. They need to slow down, notice, wonder, and move. They need to feel the ground under their feet and the wind on their faces. They need to discover that learning can happen beyond four walls.
And they need you to make it happen.
You don't have to do it perfectly. You don't have to do it all at once.
You just have to start.
This course shows you how.
Get Ready to Thrive Outside TOGETHER