Summer may be over but that doesn’t mean that nature needs to stay outdoors as kids head back to school. In this event José G. González, Cathy Jordan, Ph.D. and Sheila Williams Ridge, Ed.D. will discuss how nature impacts mental health, social emotional learning and cognitive function in support of academic outcomes. Examples of how parents, caregivers and educators can support inquiry and engagement in the outdoors will also be shared as well as how culture, policies and inequalities play a role in a child’s ability to benefit from nature engagement.