Class Leaders

I teach Monday evenings at 5:00pm at Noblitt Park in Columbus.

 My name is Maranda. I’m married to Kyle and we have 3 children. We live on 5.5 acres in Brown County and have 1 dog, 3 cats, and 2 bunnies ( and we’ll probably have ducks and chickens soon too!). As a family, we love spending time outdoors hiking, camping, and really any outdoor adventure.   Pre kids, I was an elementary school teacher at a school in Indianapolis. While I loved teaching, I quickly realized that I didn’t want to teach in a traditional classroom. So I went back to school and earned a degree in environmental science/ecology. I got a job at a national wildlife refuge where I led environmental education programs for people of all ages.   I became a stay at home mom when my son was born. After my first daughter was born, a couple of my friends and I started a local chapter of Free Forest School. Free Forest School is an organization that promotes unstructured, child-led outdoor play by hosting regular meetups across the country. I facilitated meet ups until the start of the pandemic.   My family has been involved in Nature Explorers Club since it’s beginning. It’s been a wonderful experience, learning about nature and connecting with other families that love the outdoors as much as we do. It’s been neat to see the club grow and evolve!   In my spare time, I enjoy reading, gardening, hiking, biking, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and cooking. I’m a vegetarian and am always trying to make recipes that even my meat eating family will love. We are also a homeschooling family.  I’m so excited for this opportunity to teach and I can’t wait to explore nature with you!

Reach me at maranda.mynatureclub@gmail.com

I teach the babies group at 10 am on Fridays at Mill Race Park in Columbus.

Hello All! I am excited to introduce myself as your Columbus leader for Nature Babies!
My name is Andrea, I am a mom to 4 great kids married to my husband, Sam. We live a busy life with lots of love and a touch of chaos. 

 We’ve been members of Nature Explorers Club since day one. I have also participated in and led other outdoor education classes before Breanna created it! You’ll likely spend class with my youngest who has been a Nature Explorer since birth. 

I’m passionate about the impact of outdoor education on little minds and it all starts through play as babies. I look forward to getting to know all of you and helping your babies grow and learn!

Reach me at Andrea.mynatureclub@gmail.com

I teach classes in Bloomington and Martinsville

Hi everybody! My name is Morgan and I am so excited to lead  Nature Explorers Club!

My daughter, Kairi, and I began in Nature Babies as explorers! We have loved the experience so much. I am a stay at home mom that loves to get my kiddo out and about as much as possible. I love leading classes with littles and making it as much fun as I possibly can. I love being outside with nature and love being able to teach small minds new things. I look forward to leading!

Reach me at Morgan1.mynatureclub@gmail.com

I teach classes in Carmel

I have been part of the Carmel and Zionsville classes for over a year now. My husband and I have been married for 9 years. Together we have almost 5 year old twins, Ava and Connor, and a 2 year old, Ben, who tries his best to keep up with his older siblings. I am a stay at home mom and I homeschool our kids. I enjoy baking, thrifting, painting, and being outside! We also have two cats, Ziggy and Mozy.

Whether we’re playing in creeks, running barefoot in the backyard, or exploring new parks, we love soaking up as much time outside as possible. When we discovered the Nature Explorers Club over a year ago, it felt like the perfect fit for our family. It has been such a meaningful experience for us, and I’m beyond excited to now step into a leadership role and share that same joy with other families. I hope to meet you and your little explorers soon!

Reach me at Nicole.mynatureclub@gmail.com

Hey nature friends! I’m Laura, the leader of the Zionsville class. 

 I’m married to my high school sweetheart Tim, mama to two beautiful kids and two fluffy dogs. I’ve been teaching with Nature Explorers Club for 1.5 years, and watching our community grow as children and parents make new friends and spend time in nature together has brought me so much joy. 

A passion for access to clean drinking water led me to study environmental science as an undergraduate and environmental engineering in grad school. As a volunteer with Women in Engineering, I taught programs for elementary students that made all things science and nature fun and engaging, and that connection to environmental education has remained important to me. 

I am working towards becoming a certified Indiana Master Naturalist, and have learned a lot over the past decade through my involvement with the Indiana Native Plant Society. I’ve become slightly obsessed with the importance of native plants in home landscaping, which led me to plant over 100 native plants, trees, and shrubs in our yard the past few years. We are slowly seeing more caterpillars, butterflies, and other pollinators happily enjoying our yard. 

I love being outside with my kids and experiencing the beauty of the natural world through their eyes. We love exploring parks and playgrounds, trails and gardens, making friends with trees and flowers and birds along the way. 

There are countless lifelong benefits to spending time outdoors, especially for children with their caregivers, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to share that with more families. I can’t wait to spend time outside with you and your kids, learning, playing, and exploring together! 

Reach me at laura.mynatureclub@gmail.com

Hello everyone! My name is Sophia and I am very excited to be teaching the Noblesville class!

My husband Gavin and I have one daughter named Willow! Willow is two years old and absolutely adores spending time in nature. It has been a true honor to see her confidence bloom as we spend time outdoors in all weather. Spending time with her in nature has been a beautiful reminder to slow down and notice the little things. Whether she stops to notice a tiny mushroom or gathers the bravery to explore a creek for the first time — I’m grateful to be her guide as she finds her place in this world! 

I am also a fifth grade teacher in the community. I have been a teacher for 9 years and love what I do! I love sharing outdoor spaces with my own students, whenever it is possible! I am inspired by childhood whimsy and wonder. I truly believe it’s worth clinging to! 

In my free time, I enjoy reading, visiting local parks & nature centers, collecting plants, cuddling my pup Buzz, and photography! 

I am so excited to connect with families and help foster exploration outdoors!

Reach me at sophia.mynatureclub@gmail.com