Nature-Based Director- Preschool | Homeschool | Early Childhood | Nature Play | Outdoor Education

The Nature-Based Director Podcast is for nature-loving, child-centered educators, founders, and directors who want to build and lead thriving nature- and play-based programs without losing themselves in the process. Whether you're dreaming of starting a nature school, forest school, outdoor preschool, or nature-based early childhood program—or you're already deep in the work of leading one—this podcast offers practical guidance, honest conversations, and encouragement for the real-life challenges of outdoor education and program leadership. Each episode explores topics like how to start a nature-based program, forest school leadership, outdoor learning, child-led play, enrollment, finances, staffing, policies, behavior and big emotions, teacher burnout, sustainable leadership, and navigating the unexpected as a program founder or director. Hosted by Ade Hofmann, M.Ed., founder of Nature Play All Day and an educator and leader with nearly a decade of experience in nature-based schools and programs, this podcast is a place for both the practical questions and the things leaders don't always say out loud. Because building something rooted in nature, play, and community is beautiful—but it can also be lonely, overwhelming, and full of decisions you never expected to make. Here, you'll find tactical next steps, real-world stories, leadership support, and encouragement to help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence. We'll talk about how to transition from the conventional classroom to outdoor learning, how to start and grow a nature-based program, and how to build sustainable rhythms and routines that support your children, your team, your families, and you. This work is not about doing it perfectly. It's about learning to trust the process, steward the program you've been entrusted with, and lead without sacrificing yourself in the name of your mission. If you believe that children belong outside, that play is meaningful learning, and that nature has something powerful to teach us, you're in the right place.