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Project Seasons for Young Learners: Cultivating Joy and Wonder Program

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    Education for Sustainability Graduate Certificates
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An immersive, energizing week on the farm for early childhood educators

July 14–18, 2025

Tap into your own curiosity and joy by connecting with peers; engaging with our farmyard, forest, lake, and wetlands; and learning practical activities and pedagogy you can easily employ in your own place. We’ll use hands-on activities, protocols, and shared learning to examine how the Big Ideas of Sustainability can instill a deep love and appreciation for the natural world in both you and your students.

We look forward to this week every year because no program is the same and it brings together a wonderful community of learners from all over who share, inspire, and support each other.

Cultivating Joy and Wonder is best suited for practicing early childhood educators (preK–2nd grade level), though all educators working with young children are welcome.

Join the Waitlist

Cultivating Joy and Wonder is happening at Shelburne Farms July 14–18, 2025 and is currently full. Complete our registration form to join the waitlist. You'll be notified if a spot opens up.

Register to Join Waitlist(link is external)
  • Participation details: This program is free and includes light breakfast and lunch. In order to register, you must commit to attending the entire program, all day Monday–Friday. Optional accommodations and graduate credits for a separate fee.
  • Optional accommodation fee: $75.00 per night double occupancy room (+10% tax on lodging). $125.00 per night single occupancy room (+10% tax on lodging). Accommodations are on a first come, first served basis. 
  • Optional graduate credits for an additional fee.
  • Note that due to ongoing renovations at the Coach Barn, this program will be offered in the Farm Barn in 2025. Space is limited; early registration is recommended!

What You'll Learn

While we use the farm as a teaching tool, we’ve crafted this experience to support you no matter where you’re located. You’ll learn ways to utilize your community—be it a city, the suburbs, or a rural area—as a vital resource in your early education program. We’ll use a variety of protocols and provide opportunities for rich conversations to enhance our shared learning and inspire your curriculum with fresh ideas.

  • Build knowledge of developmentally appropriate place-based learning and gain tools and resources to use in the future.
  • Cultivate a learning network with peers and facilitators. 
  • Learn how to develop a curriculum that utilizes the natural world by exploring different ecosystems on our campus (farm, forest, lake, and wetland).
  • Increase your capacity to integrate farm to early education and education for sustainability into your classroom curriculum.
See a Sample Agenda

What Participants Say

Overall, my biggest takeaway is an increase in educating about sustainability as a consistent part of my curriculum. My knowledge base has improved significantly. The experiential nature of the Cultivating Joy and Wonder program was wonderful. Hands down the best professional development I’ve ever done.

Carol Wolf
Carol Wolf
Early Childhood Teacher, Abington Friends School

Meet the Facilitators

Jed Norris, Director of Farm Based Youth Programs
Courtney Mulcahy, EFS Professional Learning Facilitator & Educator

What Participants Say

I have many ideas that will change my teaching. The gardening and outdoor, hands-on activities that connect to the Big Ideas of Sustainability were very impactful. I’m going to facilitate learning now by giving kids space to play and have joy.

Samjhana Neupane
Samjhana Neupane
Early Educator, Kopila Valley School, Nepal

Create Your Learning Pathway

Cultivating Joy and Wonder is a great immersion in place-based learning and will introduce you to the building blocks of Education for Sustainability.

After Cultivating Joy and Wonder, we suggest early childhood educators take the program Foundations in EFS.

Interested in graduate credit? Some of our programs, including Cultivating Joy and Wonder, are typically offered for optional credits for a fee.

Connect With Us

Start a conversation with Jed Norris at jnorris@shelburnefarms.org or 802-985-0309 to talk about this program and available graduate credits. Or, complete our request for information form and someone will be in touch.

Request Info

Continue Exploring

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Foundations in EFS

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Education Resources

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1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, Vermont 05482 

Telephone: 802-985-8686

An education nonprofit on a mission to inspire and cultivate learning for a sustainable future through its programs, place, and products. Home to the Institute for Sustainable Schools, our historic campus is a 1,400-acre diversified farm located on the homelands of the Winooskik band of the Abenaki.

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Shelburne Farms is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID #03-0229347)