Angela J. Hanscom
Balanced and Barefoot: Why Nature Supports Emotional and Sensory Development
This session explores the deep connection between movement, nature, and the developing brain. Angela Hanscom, pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook, shares how outdoor time supports emotional regulation, focus, and social development in ways that indoor environments often cannot. Grounded in neuroscience and real-world experience, this talk will shift the way you view outdoor play from something extra to something essential.
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Understand the link between nature play and sensory integration in early childhood
- Recognize common signs of sensory dysregulation and how nature can support balance
- Learn why children need more movement, risk, and unstructured outdoor time to thrive
- Gain strategies for using outdoor time to reduce emotional outbursts and improve focus
- Feel empowered to prioritize nature, even in busy or urban environments
AUDIO VERSION
Angela J. Hanscom
Angela J. Hanscom is a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook - an award-winning developmental and nature-based program that has gained international popularity. She is the author of "Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children". Hanscom is also a frequent contributor to The Washington Post and in 2019 won the Small Business of the Year Award for the State of New Hampshire.
Discussion
Your questions will be answered after the conference.
Add a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This discussion gave me so much insight into how they are leaning forward, core strength, etc. It’s always a fantastic thing to see how to help children more with their academic skills. But this isn’t a very important aspect to also help them. Thank you so much
Thanks for much for sharing that nature supports emotional and sensory development.
There is more research that tells us that children are not going outside to plat and are inside.
Children’s immune system would be better if they play outside more.
Interesting to know that children coordination and muscle strength was not strong. I enjoyed listening and watching the children happy little faces being outside.