The Nature School

About this program

The Nature School offers an alternative outdoor education program across six locations in the Greater Toronto Area, operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). The program delivers inquiry-based, experiential, play-based, and place-based learning entirely in outdoor settings throughout the school year. With locations at Toronto Zoo, Claireville Conservation Area (Brampton), Claremont Nature Centre (Pickering), Kortright Centre for Conservation (Woodbridge), Lake St. George Field Centre (Richmond Hill), and The Nature Centre at Bruce's Mill (Whitchurch-Stouffville), families can choose from multiple sites across the region. The school's mission centers on providing a supportive outdoor student-led learning environment that empowers, motivates, and develops the whole child—physically, socially, cognitively, linguistically, emotionally, and spiritually. The program emphasizes environmental stewardship, risk-taking in a nurturing environment, and connecting school experiences to students' life experiences.