Ep 34 | Adventure Walkers: Why Kids Need Creeks, Logs, Frogs, and Freedom

What happens when a chemist wanders out of the lab and into the woods with children? Adventure, of course.  In this episode of Play Nature Podcast Rusty talks with Jim McCullough, founder of Adventure Walkers about forest kindergarten, playwork, risky play, and the wild magic that happens when adults stop steering so much and start saying yes. Jim shares his story of how working in a preschool turned into taking walks with kids. Soon Jim was on a journey to start a forest kindergarten pilot in the woods behind a preschool, and later building Adventure Walkers, a roaming, creek-splashing, log-balancing, frog-finding laboratory for childhood. Jim and Rusty talk about risk, trust, reflection, and why “safe enough” may be better than trying to make childhood perfectly safe. Listeners will come away with a big invitation: start small, try a pilot, follow the children, and let the woods do some of the teaching. Top Three Takeaways from Jim McCullough: Risk is not the enemy. Children need space to try, pause, climb, wonder, and decide what feels possible. The adult role is quieter than we think. Watch. Wait. Reflect. Step in when needed, but don’t poke holes in the play flow. Start with a pilot. You don’t need a perfect plan or a fancy outdoor classroom. Take a small group outside. Find a creek. See what happens. Links:  adventurewalkersrva.com Instagram @adventurewalkersrva Facebook @AdventureWalkersrva   Learn More: rustykeeler.com | @rusty_keeler_designs  Rusty’s FREE Outdoor Loose Parts Guide