Lead Play Educator

Play Educator — Full-Time Childcare

About the Role

We are seeking a warm, enthusiastic, and nature-loving Play Educator to join our full-time childcare team. This is an opportunity for someone who believes children learn best through play, exploration, meaningful relationships, and connection with the natural world.

Our school is rooted in nature-based education and child-led learning. Our educators create a safe, engaging environment where children can take appropriate risks, follow their curiosity, build confidence, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

The ideal candidate is nurturing, playful, dependable, and comfortable spending a large portion of the day outdoors in all kinds of weather.

What You'll Do

• Create a warm, welcoming, and emotionally supportive environment for children.
• Facilitate child-led, open-ended, and nature-based play experiences.
• Spend meaningful time outdoors exploring, observing, building, creating, and discovering alongside children.
• Support children's social-emotional development, independence, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Observe children's interests and use those observations to extend their learning through play.
• Encourage curiosity, creativity, imagination, movement, and appropriate risk-taking.
• Help children develop confidence and responsibility through hands-on experiences.
• Support daily routines including meals, rest, toileting, transitions, and personal care as appropriate.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and thoughtfully prepared learning environment.
• Build positive and respectful relationships with children, families, and fellow educators.
• Communicate with families about children's experiences, growth, interests, and daily activities.
• Work collaboratively with the teaching team to create meaningful experiences for each child.
• Follow all health, safety, licensing, and school policies and procedures.
• Model kindness, respect, patience, curiosity, and a genuine joy for being with children.

Our Ideal Educator

You may be a great fit for this role if you:

• Truly enjoy playing alongside children rather than simply directing their activities.
• Believe children are capable, competent, curious individuals.
• Have a genuine appreciation for nature and outdoor learning.
• Are comfortable getting messy, muddy, wet, and wonderfully involved in children's play.
• Are patient, observant, adaptable, and emotionally attuned.
• Enjoy creating experiences from simple, natural, and open-ended materials.
• Can confidently support a group of children while remaining responsive to individual needs.
• Value respectful, positive guidance rather than punitive discipline.
• Are dependable, communicative, and able to work effectively as part of a team.
• Bring creativity, humor, energy, and a sense of wonder to your work.
• Are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every child feels seen, valued, and supported.

Qualifications

• Previous experience working with children in a childcare, preschool, early learning, camp, teaching, or similar setting preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Early childhood education coursework or a related degree is a plus.
• Current CPR/First Aid certification or willingness to obtain it.
• Ability to meet all applicable childcare licensing and background-check requirements.
• Ability to safely participate in outdoor activities and remain active throughout the workday.

Schedule & Position

Position: Play Educator
Employment: Full-Time
Setting: Nature-play-based childcare/school
Schedule: Monday–Friday

Why Join Us?

We believe that childhood should be filled with wonder, adventure, connection, and plenty of time to play. Our educators have the opportunity to slow down, get outside, follow children's interests, and create meaningful learning experiences through everyday moments.

If you are passionate about children, nature, and play—and you're looking for a workplace where those values are at the heart of the day—we would love to hear from you.

Come play, explore, and grow with us!