Being with Babies Outdoors with Dr Nicola Kemp, Dr Jo Josephidou and Polly Bolshaw

This online event shares insights from the researchers of the Froebel Trust funded research project 'A Froebelian inspired nature pedagogy in urban babyrooms.' The researchers explored their work with babyroom educators and the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to develop a Nature Engaging and Nature Enhancing pedagogy for babies (babyNENE).

Find out about the small steps that can make a big difference to babies, the adults who care for them, and our shared world.

This interactive webinar introduces the babyNENE framework which supports educators in being outdoors with babies.

We’re exploring the possibility of launching a network to support educators and researchers working with babies and young children from birth to three years of age. If you’d be interested in joining this network once launched, please complete our expression of interest form.

About the speakers

Kayla Halls started her career working in nurseries across the US and UK, with a particular love for the baby room. She now works as a Research Fellow at Middlesex University specialising in the early years workforce and provision for children aged 0-2 years old. Kayla's current projects include Achieving high-quality provision in the baby room of English nurseries and evaluating Sound Start, a programme run by Creative Futures.

Dr Nicola Kemp joined the Froebel Trust Executive Team in July 2025 as Director of Insight and Impact. She is a Visiting Reader in Education for Sustainable Futures at Canterbury Christ Church University. With an academic background in rural and environmental geography, her research interests include children’s connection with nature, outdoor learning and sustainability education.

Jo Josephidou is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood and Associate Head of School for Research and Knowledge Exchange in the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport at The Open University. She worked as an Early Years teacher for many years and now enjoys researching into appropriate pedagogies for young children. She has been working with Nicola for seven years, and more recently Polly, on investigating what happens for very young children in formal settings and how practitioners can be supported in taking babies outdoors, both for their own and the children’s wellbeing.

Polly Bolshaw is a Senior Lecturer in Early Years at Canterbury Christ Church University. Previously she worked as an Early Years Professional in a Sure Start Children’s Centre. Research interests include the experiences of young children outdoors and research methods for undergraduate students. She is currently undertaking a Professional Doctorate at The Open University about babies’ perspectives of the outdoors.