The global federation connecting national forest kindergarten associations, educators, and researchers — sharing standards, knowledge, and voice across borders.

The International Association of Forest Kindergartens brings together educators, researchers, and leaders who believe that early childhood belongs outdoors — where curiosity, resilience, and well-being naturally grow.

Children thrive in nature.

Our mission is to make this the global standard.

IAFK is a global federation of forest kindergartens, nature-based programs, national associations, educators, and researchers — built from the ground up by the people who do this work every day.

We are not a regulator. We do not issue global licences, impose uniform standards, or sit above the national associations that have spent years building what works in their own context. What we do is connect them — so that what Japan has learned about safety, what Germany has built in policy, what United Kingdom has pioneered in research, and what Slovenia is beginning to scale can travel across borders and strengthen the whole movement.

Who We Are

We were founded in Slovenia — a small country with a growing forest kindergarten culture and a strong belief that the best ideas in education should not be limited by geography.

Our founding team brings together expertise in outdoor pedagogy, early years research, and nature-based learning from around the world. We are practitioners and researchers who believe that building the global infrastructure for this field is itself a form of service to children.

We are building IAFK to last — which is why we are building it slowly, carefully, and together with the national associations and practitioners who will make it real. Founding members are not our audience. They are our co-authors.

We advance the well-being, development, and lifelong resilience of young children by promoting nature-based early childhood education worldwide.

Through global collaboration, we:

• connect educators, researchers, and institutions,

• share knowledge and best practices,

• support the development of quality standards,

• inspire transformative approaches to early learning.
  

We work alongside national associations and networks, not above them. Our role is to connect and amplify — not to regulate or replace.

Our Mission

Why It Matters

In a rapidly changing world, children need more than academic preparation.

They need:

• resilience,

• emotional balance,

• connection to themselves, others, and nature.

Forest kindergartens provide a proven environment where children develop these essential life skills — naturally, holistically, and sustainably.

What We Make Possible

Forest kindergartens are growing on every continent — but the knowledge, standards, and research that support them are still locked inside national borders. IAFK is the connective layer that changes that.

Here is what becomes possible when the global movement works together:

A quality framework that travels across borders
Forest kindergartens in Czech Republic, Korea, USA, and Australia all have something to teach each other — but there has been no shared language to make that exchange possible. IAFK develops the minimum principles of quality that any program in the world can recognise, adapt, and build on — without replacing the national standards that already work.

A research bridge that turns evidence into daily practice
The evidence for nature-based early childhood education is growing — but it rarely reaches the educators who need it most. IAFK translates research into practical resources, standardises how outcomes are measured, and creates the evidence briefs that help practitioners and policymakers make confident decisions.

A collective policy voice that no single country can build alone
Children's right to nature, safety frameworks for outdoor learning, the recognition of forest kindergartens in national education systems — these are challenges that cross borders. IAFK gives the global movement a coordinated voice on the issues that matter most, while respecting the legal and political context of every country it serves.

A global directory that makes every program visible
Thousands of forest kindergartens and nature-based programs exist around the world — most of them invisible to each other. IAFK's global directory connects programs, educators, and researchers across countries, creating the visibility and community that has never existed at this scale before.

A professional home for educators everywhere
Whether you are building a program from scratch in a country with no framework, or deepening your practice in a mature national movement, IAFK offers the community, the resources, and the peer connections that make the work less lonely and more impactful.

Data. Connection. Impact.

We are developing an application that enables forest kindergartens and researchers to collect meaningful data and scientifically demonstrate the impact of nature-based early childhood education.

At the same time, it simplifies communication between kindergarten leaders, educators, and parents — supporting stronger collaboration and everyday efficiency.

A platform connecting research, data, and practice — demonstrating the power of outdoor education.

Founding Experts

Dušan Bartůněk, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Henderson, Ph.D

Uroš Jelen

Dušan Bartůněk is a visionary educator and a pioneer in the field of outdoor learning and experiential pedagogy. With over 25 years of experience, Bartůněk serves as the Managing Director of Outdoored, where he has led hundreds of international training courses across Europe—from the forests of Sweden to the landscapes of Iceland and Cyprus. His work focuses on transforming "nature into a classroom," utilizing sensory-based learning and experiential games to foster resilience, creativity, and ecological awareness in both students and educators. His leadership in the IAFK represents a significant step forward in uniting forest kindergarten movements globally and ensuring that the next generation thrives in harmony with nature.

Elizabeth Henderson is a distinguished researcher and a pioneer in the field of nature pedagogy and early years wellbeing. With over 40 years of experience in education, Dr. Henderson is the founder of the transformative Nature Nurture project and the "Wee Green Spaces" initiative in Scotland, which has paved the way for integrating the natural world into early childhood care. Her work focuses on "narrating the heart of practice," utilizing sensory-based nature experiences and therapeutic outdoor engagement to foster deep emotional resilience and ecological belonging in young children. Her leadership in the IAFK is instrumental in bridging rigorous academic research with grassroots practice, ensuring that the global forest kindergarten movement remains grounded in child-centered and restorative values.

Uroš Jelen is a specialist in kinesiotherapy and a leading expert in the integration of physical movement within forest pedagogy. With extensive expertise in sport science and advanced training from institutions in the UK and Germany, Jelen has dedicated his career to the "natural movement" of children. As a core professional contributor to the Slovenian Network of Forest Kindergartens and Schools, his work focuses on how the diverse, uneven terrain of the forest serves as a unique classroom for neuro-motor development and physical resilience. His approach bridges the gap between kinesiotherapy and outdoor play, empowering educators to view nature as a primary tool for children's healthy brain development and long-term well-being.

Founding Members — Shape What This Becomes

Founding members are not joining an organization. They are building one.

As a founding member of IAFK, you will:

• Have a permanent place in our founding record — recognized as a builder of the global forest kindergarten movement

• Shape our governance — voting rights on IAFK's founding charter, quality framework, and core principles

• Influence the global directory — your input defines how forest kindergartens are recognized worldwide

• Connect with peer leaders globally — direct access to national associations, researchers, and educators across countries

• Receive your founding badge — a mark of recognition for your organization or practice

Founding membership is open until April 30, 2026. This is your window to be part of the beginning.

A global community of people who believe that play, movement, wonder, and nature are not extras in a child's life — they are the foundation.

Global Directory Member

Be visible. Be connected. Be part of the global map.

We invite forest kindergartens, nature-based initiatives, and organizations worldwide to join our Global Directory.

By becoming a free member, you will:

• be featured on our global map

• present your work to an international audience

• connect with a growing global network

This is the first step in building a worldwide community.