The Strength of Play: Living, Learning, and Leading with Nature
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The Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO) is delighted to invite you to our upcoming Fall Conference, themed “The Strength of Play: Living, Learning, and Leading with Nature.” To register as an individual, click here. To register as a group of 3 or more, click here. To apply for a bursary subsidized ticket, click here.
Who Is This Conference For?
We warmly welcome all individuals who incorporate—or have incorporated—the outdoors into their practice. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Students
- Teachers and educators
- Outdoor and environmental educators
- Early childhood educators
- Land-based educators
- Administrators and academics
- Social workers and inclusion specialists
- Child and youth workers
- Artists and therapists
- Researchers
…and many other passionate individuals committed to learning and leading through nature.
Keynote Speakers
We are delighted to welcome Dr. Beverlie Dietze and Elder Christopher Stock as the keynote speakers for this year’s COEO Conference.
Beverlie Dietze
Dr. Beverlie Dietze is an author, researcher, educator, presenter, and publisher of Canadian Play Outdoors Magazine. She is passionate about supporting children and educators in connecting with the land and discovering the rich learning opportunities that exist in the natural world. Through her work, she advocates for meaningful outdoor play and learning experiences that nurture curiosity, well-being, and lifelong engagement with nature.
Learn more about Dr. Dietze’s work:
https://playoutdoorsmagazine.ca/dr-beverlie-dietze/
Elder Christopher Stock
Elder Christopher Stock is a fifth-generation member of Wahta Mohawk Territory near Bala, Ontario. He is dedicated to bringing Indigenous perspectives, histories, and ways of knowing to life through engaging and interactive cultural experiences. Christopher has worked with schools and school boards across Ontario, facilitating traditional Iroquoian cultural gatherings that promote understanding of Indigenous history, language, and worldview. His work fosters meaningful connections to Truth and Reconciliation through learning, relationship-building, and shared experiences.
Learn more about Christopher’s work:
https://ajourneybegins.ca/about/
Conference Dates
Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, 2026
Location
Camp Muskoka
1745 Fraserburg Rd
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1X3
About the Location
Camp Muskoka is situated on 500 acres along the shores of Cougar Lake in the Muskoka region, just east of Bracebridge. It is approximately a 2.5-hour drive north of Toronto.
We are grateful for the opportunity to gather on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe. This area is also home to the Wahta Mohawks, who relocated to Muskoka in 1881 from Kanesatake (Oka, Quebec), the Moose Deer Point First Nation along Twelve Mile Bay, and the Métis community in the Moon River area.
Languages Spoken
COEO is working towards building an outdoor education community that represents the diversity of outdoor educators in Ontario. One element of this is creating space for our francophone members to share and connect in French. Presentation proposals are welcomed in either language. Registration forms, bursary forms, and conference information are also available in both French and English. At this time, many elements of the conference (such as our annual meeting, many presentations, our awards ceremony) will be conducted mostly in English.
If you have resources in other languages that you wish to share as part of your presentation or time at the conference, COEO would like to make it easier for you to do so. Please reach out to us at conference@coeo.org to let us know how we can support you.
Accommodations
(Included in the conference fee)
Accommodations are shared in small groups within cabins equipped with bunk beds, heating, and air conditioning. Participants may choose between single-gender or mixed-gender cabins.
Please bring your own:
- Bedding (twin/single fitted sheet, sleeping bag or blankets)
- Pillow(s)
- Towel
- Toiletries
Camp Facilities & Accessibility
Camp Muskoka offers a variety of natural and built spaces designed to support learning, exploration, and community connection. The site features forested trails, waterfront access, gathering spaces, and wayfinding signage throughout the property.
Accessibility is an important consideration at Camp Muskoka. Common indoor gathering spaces are accessible by ramp, and accessible cabin accommodations are available. If you have specific accessibility requirements, please let us know during registration so we can support your participation.
Washrooms and Showers
Camp Muskoka offers both gender-specific and all-gender washroom and shower facilities.
Wi-Fi & Cell Service
Cell service is generally reliable throughout Camp Muskoka. Wi-Fi will also be available in designated common areas.
Water Stations
Water fountains and refill stations are available throughout the camp. We encourage participants to bring a reusable water bottle.
Quiet Room & Prayer Space
A designated quiet space will be available during the day for rest and reflection, with access to independent activities. In addition, a dedicated praying space will be available for anyone who requires it.
Food
(Included in the conference fee)
Camp Muskoka will provide delicious buffet-style meals throughout the weekend. A variety of dietary needs can be accommodated—please indicate your requirements during registration or via conference communication.
COEO will also provide snacks. To support health, safety, and pest prevention, we kindly ask that no outside food be brought to the site. If you require specific snack accommodations, please let us know.
Community Guidelines
COEO is committed to fostering a safe, accessible, inclusive, equitable, and respectful environment for all participants. By attending, you agree to:
- Treat all attendees, volunteers, and staff with respect
- Support and celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging
- Help create a welcoming environment for both new and returning participants
Unacceptable Behaviour
Discrimination, harassment, or any form of violence—including threats—will not be tolerated.
All participants, volunteers, and board members are required to agree to a Code of Conduct. Any concerns will be addressed immediately by the conference co-chairs and may be escalated to the Board of Directors for further action.
Camp Muskoka Policies
- No glass bottles (cans or plastic only)
- No alcohol or cannabis at the waterfront
- No outside food or snacks
- Smoke-free facility (use designated smoking areas only)
- No pets. Service animals are welcome. Please indicate this on your registration form so that we can help ensure a comfortable experience for everyone.
- No littering
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your registration, please contact: conference@coeo.org
- 30+ days before the conference: Full refund minus a 3% administrative fee
- Within 30 days: 50% refund
- Within 14 days: 25% refund
- Day of the conference: No refund
Please note: Memberships are non-refundable.
Ticket Transfers
If you can no longer attend, your ticket may be transferred. Please email us at conference@coeo.org to arrange this. The new attendee must hold a valid COEO membership.
Conference Cancellation
If the conference is cancelled, all registered participants will be notified by email and will receive a full refund.
FAQ
- Q: Why the 3% administration fee?
A: COEO uses a platform to securely process payments. This platform charges us a fee for every transaction. We charge this fee on refunds in order to keep our conference prices as accessible as possible and still be fiscally responsible.
- Q: Why the difference in refunds as the event draws closer?
A: COEO works with vendors, camps, and other organizations. Many purchases need to be made well ahead of the event in order to ensure that it runs smoothly and that accessibility and dietary needs are met. As the event draws closer, more of these purchases have been made. COEO needs to honour the contracts that we sign, and in order to price our events affordably, we need to have a refund policy that reflects our contractual responsibilities. We encourage people who cannot make it to transfer their registration wherever possible.
- Q: Are there fees associated with transferring a registration?
A: No, no fees are associated with transferring a registration. We are happy to welcome someone new in the event that the original attendee can no longer attend. The new attendee needs to be a COEO member and to fill out a registration form so that event organizers have their emergency contact info and accessibility and dietary needs met.
Questions or Additional Needs?
If we’ve missed anything or you have any questions, please contact us at conference@coeo.org.