Certification Pathway – The Outdoor Pedagogue Journey
A Step-by-Step Journey into Nature and Professional Growth
At Inside Out Nature, our training has grown out of 25 years of experience training teachers around the world, consulting schools, working with educational institutions, and engaging in research and practice.
This wealth of experience has shaped our courses so that they are always current, valuable, and applicable in real teaching contexts.
We designed the Outdoor Pedagogue pathway as a step-by-step progression. Each step takes you deeper into the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to bring children into nature for meaningful learning.
Outdoor Pedagogue Step 1: Understand the roots of outdoor pedagogy, explore the key theories, and experience its benefits through practical activities.
Outdoor Pedagogue Step 2: Gain the tools and confidence to integrate curriculum outdoors, manage risk, apply observation and assessment, and develop practical outdoor skills.
Outdoor Pedagogue Step 3: Step into leadership by deepening your ecological knowledge, practicing advanced skills, mentoring others, and learning how to promote forest and nature schools in your community.
Each step can stand alone, but together they form a complete journey — from understanding the “why” of outdoor pedagogy, to mastering the “how,” and finally to inspiring others.
Professional Accreditation
The Outdoor Pedagogue Pathway is accredited by the CPD Standards Office.
This means:
📜 Recognition: Your training is officially accredited and internationally recognised.
🌍 Mobility: CPD hours are transferable across countries and professional frameworks.
📈 Professional growth: Accreditation supports your career by documenting your skills, knowledge, and continuous learning.
🌱 Quality assurance: Every session is designed with clear learning objectives, structured outcomes, and reflective practice.
CPD hours per step:
- Outdoor Pedagogue Step 1 → 6 CPD hours
- Outdoor Pedagogue Step 2 → 12 CPD hours
- Outdoor Pedagogue Step 3 → 18 CPD hours
👉 Follow the full progression to become a recognised Outdoor Pedagogue Leader.
The Outdoor Pedagogue Pathway at a glance
Understand the roots of outdoor pedagogy, explore the key theories, and experience its benefits through practical activities.
A full day course with 6 CPD hours, combining indoor discussions with mostly outdoor, practice-based activities.
The course aims to:
- Provide participants with a strong theoretical base.
- Offer hands-on activities and outdoor experiences.
- Enable participants to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of children’s learning and development.
- Set the stage for group work and problem solving and create a network of forest school practitioners.
- Inspire and empower participants to reflect upon, and develop, their own practice.
The course covers the following topics:
- The Danish Nature & Forest School Approach
- The Benefits of Outdoor Play
- Risky Play Outdoors
- Outdoor Games and Activities
- Selecting and Setting up an Outdoor Environment
Gain the tools and confidence to integrate curriculum outdoors, manage risk, apply observation and assessment, and develop practical outdoor skills.
A 2 day course with 12 CPD hours, with a strong emphasis on outdoor, practice-based activities supported by indoor reflection and discussion.
The Course aims to:
- Immerse practitioners deeper into the Danish Forest and Nature School pedagogy
- Provide the basic outdoor skills and organizational insights that are essential for organizing and enriching an outdoor program.
The course covers the following topics:
- The Role of the Pedagogue in Nature & Forest School
- Observing, Designing and Assessing
- Promoting and Connecting to Learning
- Outdoor Skills (knots, lashings, shelter building, fire)
- Introduction to First Aid
- Organizing a Nature & Forest School
Step into leadership by deepening your ecological knowledge, practicing advanced skills, mentoring others, and learning how to promote forest and nature schools in your community.
A full 3-day immersive experience with 18 CPD hours offering theoretical components, hands on activities and group work. The course builds upon the knowledge, skills and experiences that the group acquired during the Step 1 & 2 courses and that each individual obtained through their outdoor practice, in order to further empower participants to be leaders in the field of nature-based education.
Topics covered in the course include:
- Creating your nature and forest school culture
- Training and empowering pedagogues
- Communicating and informing parents
- Crisis management
- Spreading the nature and forest school approach
- Environmental sustainability
- Botany
- Hands-on activities and outdoor experiences