What if connecting your children with nature everyday was simple and already planned for you?

✺

Welcome to

A Year with Nature

Bring nature into your family's everyday rhythm - without extra planning, gear, or guesswork. A Year with Nature is a done-for-you, undated calendar of 365 daily seasonal invitations to deepen your family's connection to the living world. Created for families with young children ages 3 to 12.

If you're a parent or caregiver who wants your child to grow up knowing the sound of birdsong, the smell of spring rain, and the feel of winter's sun, but isn't sure exactly how to start, this calendar for you.

You already know this

Screen-based childhoods

are the norm,

and children are suffering for it.

Time in nature shapes how children move, learn, regulate, and relate to the world. It supports their bodies. Their nervous systems. Their sense of belonging. You don't need anyone to convince you of that.

But actually getting children out into nature... that can sometimes feel hard.

"What would we even do out there?" You glance outside, you want to go, and you draw a blank.

"Do we even have the right stuff for this?" No gear, no plan, no idea where to start.

"I never grew up doing this myself." You can't teach what nobody taught you.

"Doesn't this take years to actually build?" Real connection with nature feels like something other families have, not something you start on a random Tuesday.

Maybe it's been weeks (or years, or never) since you felt the particular quality of sunlight in winter, or smelled the earth after an early spring rain. When was the last time you and your child truly witnessed what was happening right outside your door?

You want them to grow up rooted. Wonder-filled. Connected to something larger than screens and over-packed schedules.

But instead, the seasons keep turning, and the distance between your family and the living earth keeps growing.

It doesn’t have to be like this.

What if there was a way to make nature-based childhood feel doable, instead of one more thing to figure out?

Here's the truth

Most resources fail you one of two ways.

Too many options.

A long list of ideas, and you're still the one who has to choose. More ideas. More thinking. More planning.

Wrong assumptions.

That you have a free afternoon. That you already know the qualities of each season and what to pay attention to. That you are comfortable with your own relationship with nature.

A Year with Nature works differently. We did the planning. We dropped the assumptions. You can start exactly where you are, today.

Just one small, seasonal invitation a day - built by forest school teachers who've spent years guiding hundreds of children and families through the seasons of the Pacific Northwest, so you don't have to figure any of it out on your own.

Because that's how real connection with nature grows - not through more effort, but through simply showing up, every day, season after season, year after year.

Imagine how it will feel to open the door each day already knowing exactly what to do and watch your child grow up rooted in the rhythm of the seasons.

Say goodbye to...

Staring outside, drawing a blank on what you'd even do out there
Wondering if you have the right gear, the right plan, and no idea where to start
Carrying the quiet worry that you can't teach what nobody taught you
The seasons pass, half-noticed, while the distance with nature quietly grows

and hello to

Glancing at the calendar and knowing exactly what today's invitation is
Walking straight out the back door - nothing to gather, nothing to figure out first
Feeling steady and capable, season after season, simply by showing up
Noticing the light change, the air shift, the first signs of a new season - together, as a family

If something in you is whispering “yes,” then…

✺

welcome to

A Year with Nature

The seasonal, done-for-you guide to everyday nature connection for families- so you can watch your child grow up rooted, wonder-filled, and at home in the natural world. With A Year with Nature, all you need to do is open the door and step outside together.

Here's what's inside...

365 Daily Nature Invitations

Twelve months of simple, doable prompts that fit into busy family life. No elaborate plans, no gear or supplies, no perfect conditions required.

Each day offers a single invitation to step outside and notice. To pause and connect with the natural world.

Inside you're getting:

365 nature connection prompts that take no more than 5 minutes (or longer if you wish)
12 Monthly themes that follow the seasons
- Winter: Root, Rest, Rise
- Spring: Emerge, Grow, Bloom
- Summer: Flourish, Radiate, Explore
- Fall: Ripen, Gather, Release
Invitations that remove decision fatigue and deepen connection over time
Flexibility to start at any time in the year, skip days, or repeat favorites

This is the gentle structure that makes daily outdoor time finally feel possible instead of like one more thing on your "to-do" list.

Companion Guide

Everything you need to feel oriented before you begin. You'll find our framework for working with the seasons, examples of how to make the calendar work for your busy life, and an overview of each season and the lessons it holds.

Inside you're getting:

Explicit permission to make this yours - skip days, repeat favorites, start in July - you never feel like you're doing it wrong or falling behind
Our seasonal framework - a way of understanding the seasons, not as fixed dates on a calendar, but as a living rhythm - so you start to connect to the pulse of the Earth
Four Seasonal Resonance pages - an introduction to the quality of each season - so you can attune to each one as you move through the year, without guessing
A simple overview of each guide and bonus, so you know what is included and exactly where to find the resources you need

Sit Spot Guide

One of the most powerful practices woven through this calendar is the sit spot. A practice of returning to the same outdoor place again and again.

With time, this practice builds a kind of noticing and relationship that deepens naturally without effort or instruction.

This 3-page quick-start guide will help you:

Choose a sit spot that works for your family (it can be right outside your door)
Support children in noticing without needing to teach or explain
Build relationship with place through repetition, not novelty
Make this practice feel simple and sustainable, not precious or complicated

Nature Noticing Guide + Printable Wheel

Integrated into the calendar is the practice of noticing and recording nature's seasonal patterns of change using a simple printable "nature noticing" wheel.

This guide gives you everything you need to use the wheel with confidence, recording what you observe through color, drawings, or simple marks.

No pressure. No perfection. Just a beautiful record of your family's year in nature.

This 4-page quick-start guide will help you:

Understand the practice of "noticing nature" and why it deepens seasonal awareness
Use the printable wheel with young children (no artistic skill required)
Know what to notice and how to record it simply
Make this practice feel doable, not like one more thing to manage

Get all of this today for

only $17

Begin your year with nature

Instant PDF download. Lifetime access.

And, you'll also receive these bonuses

4 Seasonal Scavenger Hunts

One scavenger hunt for each season, designed to invite your family outside with curiosity and wonder.

Each printable PDF guides you to explore the season through four pathways: look, listen, touch, and smell—with about 30 simple prompts per

season.

Organized by sensory experience (not just visual searching)
Accessible for young children and engaging for the whole family
No pressure to "find everything"—these are invitations, not checklists
Perfect for nature walks, backyard time, or park visits
Use them once or return to them all season long

4 Original Stories — A Year with Bobby and the Apple Tree

Gentle read-aloud stories that mirror the seasonal themes and rhythms woven through the calendar.

Each story follows Bobby as he visits his apple tree again and again, noticing the subtle shifts of each season—from winter's bare branches to spring's first buds, summer's fullness, and autumn's letting go.

Simple stories that help children understand: the year moves in cycles, and so do we.
Stories reinforce the seasonal themes through narrative
Repetitive story structure and familiar rhythms help young children anticipate and remember
Offer children a way to see themselves in the practice of returning and noticing
Can be read aloud or memorized and told

12 Seasonal Caregiver Reflections

Each month includes a reflection page designed to ground you in the season you're moving through—not just as a guide for your children, but as an individual navigating your own relationship with nature and rhythm.

Gentle prompts for noticing. Invitations for journaling. Reminders that you don't have to have it all figured out.

Because when you feel supported and held, your whole household feels it too.

Seasonal wisdom that helps you understand why each month feels the way it does
Reflection prompts that reconnect you to your own needs, not just your children's
Permission to move at the pace that serves your family, not the one culture demands
A quiet companion for the inner work of slowing down

all you receive in

A Year with Nature

365 Daily Nature Connection Invitations across 12 seasonal themes
The Companion Guide so you feel held from Day 1
Sit Spot Guide with prompts woven into the calendar throughout the year
Nature Noticing Guide + Printable to witness and record the year's unfolding
BONUS #1: 4 Sensory Scavenger Hunts for playful seasonal exploration
BONUS #2: 4 Original Stories following Bobby and the apple tree through the year
BONUS #3: 12 Monthly Caregiver Wisdom Pages to ground and support you

TODAY FOR

ONLY $17

Instant PDF download. Lifetime access.

meet your guides

We're Kathryn and Mariah

co-founders of Kin of the Earth and Wild Beginnings Forest School in Olympia, WA.

Through our in-person programs, we've supported hundreds of families, watching children thrive with daily nature connection and caregivers flourish when they feel rooted in the wisdom of the seasons.

As forest preschool owners, teachers, and mothers ourselves, we've learned this:

Nature connection isn't built through the biggest adventures or elaborate excursions. It's built through rhythm and return—simple, repeated moments outdoors that create relationship, trust, and belonging over time.

A child who visits the same tree every week develops a different kind of knowing than one who hikes a new trail every weekend—both are valuable, but one builds deep familiarity with place and season. The relationship comes from return.

That's why we created A Year with Nature.

We believe every family deserves access to nature connection practices that actually fit into real life—not just in theory, but in practice. This calendar is everything we've learned distilled into something low-pressure and high-impact—designed to help you weave seasonal rhythm into your days, wherever you are.

Years of observing how children learn and thrive through repeated nature-based rhythms

Training in nature-based early childhood education, parent coaching, and seasonal living practices

Mothers navigating the same challenges of busy family life

Creators of nature connection resources used by families nationwide

Here's what families are saying about our approach to nature connection

These reviews are from families who've experienced our forest school programs—built on the same philosophy of rhythm, return, and seasonal living that guides A Year with Nature.

✺ Emma says...

"Mariah and Kathryn are amazing human beings. They're knowledgeable educators and just SO patient with the kids they care for."

My kiddo gained a lot of outdoor confidence at the end of her time there (she was not an outdoorsy person before!), including being able to identify native plant and wildlife. Cannot recommend this school enough.

✺ Evan SAYS...

"The teachers are amazing and the kids get ample time to play outside."

Wild Beginnings is an excellent nature oriented preschool in the Olympia region.

✺ Ruth SAYS...

"Kathryn & Mariah are warm, lovely, and great with communication - they even sent photos and videos and my child always left their care with a smile and nothing but positive comments and memories."

They also made it a priority to check in and highlight my child's strengths and successes over the course of the day. Children are not forced into participating and are met where they are at emotionally and developmentally.

try it risk free

Your Peace-of-Mind Guarantee

We want you to feel completely at ease as you begin this journey.

If A Year with Nature doesn't feel like the right fit for your family—for any reason at all—simply reach out within 7 days of purchase and we'll refund you in full. No questions asked, no hoops to jump through.

Why? Because we believe this calendar will become a quiet companion you return to again and again. We've watched it support families in building the kind of outdoor rhythm that feels sustainable, not stressful. But we also know that every family is different, and what works beautifully for one may not serve another.

If it's not what you need right now? We understand. Just let us know and we'll make it right.

There's truly nothing to lose—and a whole year of gentle nature connection to gain.

"But wait - I barely have time as it is ..."

We hear you. And here's the truth:

This isn't about adding more to your day. It's about taking something off your plate.

Right now, even the idea of more time outside feels like a burden - the researching, the deciding, the figuring out what to do. A Year with Nature removes that. You don't have to think of the activity. You just have to show up for it.

Most invitations take as little as 5 minutes and can happen in your own backyard or balcony.

You don't need to do every prompt. You don't need to start on January 1st. You can skip days, repeat favorites, or choose just one invitation per week.

The families who benefit most from this calendar aren't the ones with endless free time—they're the ones who need a gentle structure to help outdoor time actually happen instead of staying on the "someday" list.

This doesn't add to your mental load. It lightens it.

Does This Sound Familiar?

You're a parent or caregiver of young children (ages 3-12) navigating the tension between wanting more outdoor time for your family and the reality of busy days, limited energy, and not knowing where to start.
You understand that daily connection with nature, even in small moments, shapes childhood in profound ways, building relationship with place, season, and the living world.
You don't have access to forest school, you're not an "outdoorsy" family, and you don't live near wilderness but you still want your children to grow up with dirt under their nails and wonder in their days.
You're craving a slower, more seasonal rhythm for your family—one that feels grounded in something real and true, not driven by productivity or the dominant culture's pace.
If you were honest with yourself about how consistently your family connects with nature right now, you'd rate it inconsistent at best and you're ready for gentle structure that actually helps.

If you've said yes to any of these,

A Year with Nature has been crafted just for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this designed for? My kids are different ages—will this still work?

The activities are sensory-rich, simple, and adaptable, making them meaningful across early childhood through elementary years. This calendar is crafted for children ages 3–12, however younger siblings can absolutely join in with simple support. Teens may enjoy the caregiver reflections — explored together you may find they spark beautiful, deep conversations.

We live in the city without easy access to wild spaces. Will this still work for us?

Absolutely. These invitations are designed to work wherever you are—backyard, balcony, city park, sidewalk, or neighborhood trail.

Nature connection doesn't require wilderness. It requires attention.

Many prompts can happen right outside your door: noticing the sky, feeling the ground beneath your feet, watching how light changes through the day. The living world is everywhere, even in cities, we just need to pause long enough to notice.

How much time will this take each day?

As much or as little time as you want to spend exploring the invitations as a family. Most prompts can be completed in 5 minutes or less, and many can simply be woven into the natural flow of your day.

These are not tasks to “keep up with” — they are gentle invitations you can stretch or shorten depending on your family’s rhythm, energy, and interest.

Do what fits. Leave what doesn’t. Let it be simple, let it serve you.

Do I need special supplies?

These daily invitations require no additional supplies. The only thing you might need is the printable "nature noticing" wheel and some crayons or colored pencils, if you choose to do this practice.

Do I need to be “outdoorsy” to use this?

Not at all! Though we do hope this gets you and your family outside and exploring what each season has to offer.

Every invitation can be adapted for your home, yard, balcony, or neighborhood. Some can even be done inside while simply looking out the window.

This is about connection, not wilderness adventure — noticing, slowing, being present. No special outdoor knowledge required.

What if we miss days? Can we start mid-year?

This isn't a rigid program or a checklist to complete. You absolutely can miss days—and you will.

You can start on January 1st or jump in mid-July. You can skip weeks, repeat favorite prompts, or choose one invitation per week instead of daily.

There's no "falling behind" because there's no timeline you must follow. This is designed to serve your family's rhythm, not control it.

How long do I have access?

You’ll have lifetime access.

Download the files once, and they’re yours forever — you can revisit this rhythm year after year.

What happens once I check out?

You’ll receive an email with your download links.

Everything arrives in an easy-to-open PDF format, ready to print or use digitally. No complicated log-ins. No portals to navigate.

Just simple, immediate access so you can begin whenever you’re ready.

One last thing...

No matter what you choose today, whether you add A Year with Nature to your family's rhythms or not, please don't wait to step outside.

Your children don't need you to be an expert. They don't need elaborate plans or perfect conditions. They need you to pause with them. To notice the sky together. To feel the ground beneath your feet.

Because here's what we know after years of watching families move through the seasons:

The days are long, but the years of childhood are short. And the simple practice of returning—to the same tree, the same path, the same rhythm—builds something that lasts far beyond childhood. It builds belonging. It builds trust in the cycles that hold us all.

A Year with Nature is our offering to help you create that kind of return. Not through pressure or perfection, but through gentle structure that makes outdoor time feel do-able instead of "one more thing" to do.

This calendar holds 365 invitations.

But really, it holds just one:

Go outside. Notice. Return.

We'd be honored to walk alongside your family through the seasons of childhood.

With warmth,
Kathryn & Mariah