Meet Sarah

Welcome to our community of outdoor learners!

My name is Sarah Marshall. I’m a Level 3 Early Childhood Educator and certified Forest and Nature School Practitioner. My family day home, licensed and monitored through BGC Day Homes, has been lovingly operating in Cochrane for over 21 years.

I draw on Reggio-inspired practice and embrace outdoor pedagogy, where children, educators, place and the living world come together as active participants in learning. I’m passionate about creating a nature-rich, play-based environment where children have the time, space and freedom to explore, wonder, take healthy risks, develop their ideas and grow in their own ways.

There is nothing more rewarding to me than learning and researching alongside children. Slowing down to notice their questions, theories and discoveries, and sharing in their wonder and curiosity as they build relationships with the natural world.

Each day is an adventure with our team of explorers.

At the heart of Wild Wonders are the strong, trusting relationships I build with children and their families. Together, we create a warm and welcoming community where children feel safe, respected, capable and deeply valued. A place where relationships flourish, curiosity is celebrated, and there is plenty of sunshine, fresh air, laughter, love - and, of course, PLAY!

Learning Through Relationships, Inquiry & Play

My Core Philosophy

Sensory-embodied, child-initiated fun is the pinnacle of learning through play!

Each day at Wild Wonders unfolds within a gentle rhythm and a warm, nurturing atmosphere. Children aren't simply given activities to complete. Instead, they have the time, space, and freedom to initiate their own play, explore open-ended materials, and discover the countless possibilities and supported risks that the natural world offers.

The Role of the Educator as Co-Learner

I love my role as a co-learner. I trust children and recognize them as inherently capable and competent. By giving them the freedom to stretch themselves, test their ideas, and take an active role in their own learning, their natural interests and inclinations help shape the direction of our days.

Through close relationship, observation, documentation, and reflection, I seek to deeply understand who each child is, their ideas, interests, strengths, and capabilities, to thoughtfully scaffold and extend their learning.

Embracing Outdoor Pedagogy

At Wild Wonders, children spend much of every single day outdoors, exploring Cochrane Ranche and other local natural spaces through all seasons and weather.

I embrace a true outdoor pedagogy, where the unique place, natural phenomena, and the children's emerging interests whisper possibilities. This approach invites us to wonder, investigate, and follow where the learning leads. By slowing down and paying attention, I nurture meaningful, child-led exploration while leaving plenty of room for unexpected discoveries and moments of wonder.

A Family-Centred Community

At the heart of Wild Wonders is our family community. Strong, trusting relationships are fostered through genuine connection, active family engagement, and open communication.

I document and share each child's learning journey with their family, deeply valuing each family's unique ways of being and knowing. I welcome shared decision-making as we work hand-in-hand to support each child's overall well-being, belonging, and growth.

Sensory embodied child-initiated fun - is the pinnacle of learning through play!

Relationships and Respect

As both a mother and educator, I believe meaningful, trusting relationships are the foundation of children’s well-being, learning, and development. I strive to create a safe, loving environment where each child feels valued, respected, and connected. I foster respect for self, others, and the natural world while supporting children’s autonomy, agency, communication, self-regulation, cooperation, and problem-solving. Above all, I care for each child with love, attention, trust, and respect. It is my hope that every child at Wild Wonders feels a genuine sense of belonging, knows their voice matters, and feels empowered to make choices that shape their experiences and their world.

Nutrition & Eating

Meals and snacks are a time for connection, whether gathered around the table or enjoying food outdoors beneath the trees. Children are welcomed as capable participants in planning, preparing, serving and cleaning up, and I love cooking and baking alongside them with fresh, wholesome ingredients.

Our connection to food extends outdoors, from harvesting fruits and vegetables from our gardens to gathering seasonal foods at the Ranche, making cider, brewing rosehip tea and preparing bannock over the fire. These experiences nurture curiosity, independence and an appreciation for where our food comes from.

Families provide a packed, prepared lunch.

Educator to Child Ratio

I accept children into care ages 2 yrs +. I will have full-time availability fall 2027. Please contact me if you are interested in being added to the contact list for future availability.

My fall 2026 team:

4.5 yr. old full time
4.5 yr. old full time
4 yr. old full time
2 yr. old full time
2 yr. old full time
Drop-in (not accepting drop-in care at this time)

I have a small team of 5 children. This enables me to provide attentive, sensitive, responsive care to each individual child, in a relaxed and warm, family-like atmosphere. The low ratio improves safety outside and allows me to facilitate more personalised learning experiences.

Nature Exploration
TIME SPACE FREEDOM

When children come to Wild Wonders Nature Play, they step into a world where the rush of schedules and adult-driven agendas fade away. Here, the natural world becomes their classroom and their playground.

As an educator and facilitator of nature play, I trust in children's abilities, value what they are doing, and support their learning through observation, connection, and care. I believe in giving children the freedom and time they need to fully engage with their environment and follow their own ideas.

Children thrive when given uninterrupted time to immerse themselves in play. These long stretches allow them to become deeply involved, follow their curiosity, and return to their explorations again and again - entering a state of flow that nurtures authentic, meaningful learning.

With space and freedom to explore at their own pace, children naturally become scientists, builders, storytellers, and problem-solvers. The outdoors offers a rich, dynamic environment filled with endless possibilities for discovery, creativity, and wonder that no indoor classroom could ever replicate.

At Wild Wonders, children visit their cherished nature sites every day. With unhurried time, a strong sense of place, and the freedom to follow their imaginations, they engage deeply in joyful, purposeful play. These moments of connection with nature and each other leave lasting impressions - rooted in both heart and mind.

Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart.
– Richard Louv

Indoor & Backyard Learning Environments

Our indoor play environment is on the main floor of my home, with an open design and large windows facing both east and west bringing in the warmth of natural lighting.

I strive to create a warm and calm environment that invokes wonder, investigation and curiosity, creativity and problem solving. The set up of invitations to play and provocations are full of rich open-ended materials. It is a responsive and intentional space that is always evolving and changed frequently. Children can make choices independently about what they will use and how they will use it.

Our spacious, fenced backyard is a natural haven for play and discovery, surrounded by mature trees and bushes that invite children to climb, build shelters, and pick seasonal fruits. The outdoor space is thoughtfully designed to spark imagination and connection with nature.

We care for vegetable and herb gardens, where children help plant, tend, and harvest. The yard also features a climbing area made of wooden stumps, a mud creation station for concoctions, a playhouse, ramps, a sandbox, and a playground filled with seasonal toys and equipment.

And then there are our summer visitors, the gnomes. Each year, these cheerful little garden friends move into the yard and become part of the children's imaginative world. They have a habit of changing hiding places overnight, leaving children eager to discover where they have settled each morning. Through this playful tradition, the gnomes become characters in children's storytelling, conversations and imaginative play, adding a little wonder and whimsy to our everyday outdoor experiences.

Professional Learning & Practice

My professional learning is grounded in both extensive experience and a commitment to continually evolving my practice.

In May 2020, I completed the Forest and Nature School Practitioner course through the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada and Forest School Canada. This experience deepened my understanding of Forest and Nature School pedagogy and strengthened my commitment to learning alongside children through meaningful experiences in the natural world.

In 2025, I graduated with Distinction from Lakeland College's Early Childhood Education Certificate program.

In 2026, I completed Red Deer Polytechnic's Immersive Workplace Advancement Early Learning and Child Care Diploma, graduating on the President's List for exceptional academic achievement and earning my Level 3 Early Childhood Educator certification.

The Immersive Workplace Advancement program connected current research and evidence-informed practice directly to my everyday work. Through reflective practice, responsive relationships, inclusion, family engagement and professional inquiry, I was able to continually examine and strengthen my practice within my own early learning environment.

I believe some of my greatest strengths as an educator come from bringing together over 21 years of hands-on experience with current research, professional learning and reflective practice. My approach continues to evolve as I read, research, attend professional learning opportunities and learn alongside other educators and children.

My professional learning includes practitioner inquiry, asking questions about my own practice, documenting what I notice, and using evidence and reflection to understand how children learn in relationship with people, place and the natural world.

I am an avid reader of early childhood research and professional literature, particularly in the areas of child development, play, outdoor pedagogy, Forest and Nature School, and nature-based early learning. I believe being an experienced educator does not mean having all the answers, it means remaining curious, reflective and open to learning.