Nature for Every Student
Hi Teachers,
Thanks so for your enthusiasm and commitment to bringing more nature into your classrooms! Your engagement helps ensure that every student gets the chance to get outside, explore, and learn from the natural world each year. Below you’ll find easy links to schedule a field trip for your class, along with resources to help you bring even more nature and environmental education into your teaching practice.
Schedule a Field Trip for Your Class
Why Outdoor Learning Matters
Nature-based field trips spark curiosity, reduce stress, and help learning feel more real. Time outdoors supports student well-being while strengthening focus, collaboration, problem-solving skills, and environmental literacy. Over 20 organizations provide outdoor education field trips in across San Francisco. Use the links below to schedule a trip for your class.
Search Field Trips by Location
Transportation can often be a barrier to Field Trip participation. Use this map to find opportunities near your school or accessible by public transportation
Search Field Trips by Catalog
Use this catalog to search by grades served, cost, type andmore.
Teacher Resources
Want to lead your own field trips to a park, teach a class outdoors, or bring more nature into your classroom? Below you’ll find helpful resources, including curriculum and class ideas, to get you started.
Did we miss something? Help us grow this resource list by emailing info@sfchildrennature.org.
Finding Urban Nature: An Educator’s Guide to Exploring SF Natural History
Learn about parks and natural
areas near your schools to feel comfortable exploring these
areas with your students.
NAAEE: Guidelines for Excellence in Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs
Learn about parks and natural
areas near your schools to feel comfortable exploring these
areas with your students.
Guide: Create-with-Nature Play
How to set up and host your own nature play program.
Why Nature?
- SF Children & Nature | Why Nature?
- Natural Learning Initiative | Benefits of Connecting Children with Nature
San Francisco Resources
- NPS & Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy | Finding Urban Nature
- SF Rec & Park Urban Agriculture | Planting Guides for Local Microclimates
Curriculum (0-5)
- NAAEE | Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence
- NAAEE | Early Childhood Environmental Education Rating Scale
- Playground Ideas | Early Childhood Education Handbook
- Natural Start Alliance | Nature Field Trips: Making Learning Come Alive for Young Children
- Natural Learning Initiative | Preschool Garden Activity Guide
Curriculum (K-12)
- Beetles | Resources for Outdoor Science Programs
- City Blossoms | Resources for Educators (Curriculum, Greenhouse, and Gardens)
- Learning through Landscapes | Woodland Play in Schools
- Learning through Landscapes | Outdoor Learning Curriculum Guides
- Learning through Landscapes | Grounds for Change: Embedding outdoor learning in teaching practice. A practical guide for headteachers and senior leaders working in urban settings
- Learning through Landscapes | Play Out of Hours
- NRPA | Wildlife Explorers initiative that connects youth to nature by leveraging existing out-of-school programming
- Childhood by Nature | Top FREE Nature-Based Learning Curriculums for Schools and Homeschools
Professional Development
- Bay Area Wilderness Training | Outdoor Leadership Training
- Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education | Programs, Workshops, and Conference
- BEETLES: Science and Teaching for Field Instructors | Professional Learning Sessions and Leadership Institutes
- Justice Outside | Field Leadership Development
Playworkers & Facilitating Play
- SF Children & Nature with Zach Pine | Guide: Create-with-Nature play
- Alliance for Childhood | The Playwork Primer, an introduction to play and playwork.
- Playground Ideas | Play-Based Teacher Training Manual
Creating Outdoor Learning Environments
- SF Children & Nature | Nature Exploration Area Playbook and Design Guide
- Natural Learning Initiative | Nature Play & Learning Places: Creating and managing places where children engage with nature
Nature Everyday!
Did you know children in San Francisco have the right to play and explore in healthy environments throughout the City? The San Francisco Childrens Outdoor Bill of Rights was passed in 2014 to ensure that our San Francisco children and youth have equitable access to nature. SF Children & Nature invites you to attend and celebrate nature all year.