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Nature-based education has been increasingly recognized as a socially responsible approach to nurture curiosities in the hands, heads, and hearts of children. Research in the last ten years suggests that children who attend forest preschools, as opposed to traditional preschools, demonstrate growth in all domains of early childhood development. Domains include cognitive growth, executive functioning, physical development, linguistic proficiency, and socio-emotional well-being. In addition to cultivating these areas two Waldkindergarten or forest schools, studied in this chapter nourish as additional component—connectedness, compassion, and care for nature. There has been a steady increase in nature-based preschool programs as alternative approaches to traditional, indoor classrooms. With the expansion of programs, globally, and heightened awareness around environmental issues in the Anthropocene, nature-based education is increasingly recognized for cultivating socially responsible approaches that yield sustainable practices. This chapter reports on an exploratory study that synthesized two fieldwork experiences in German Wald-kindergarten, one in the north near Denmark and one in south, near the foothills of the Alps. Through a qualitative, thematic analysis of fieldnotes of direct and partici-pant observation, interviews with facilitators and analysis of student-created artifacts, this chapter explores how time in nature can be reconceived as a space to cultivate a connectedness to nature that fosters a commitment to conservation and sustain-ability. Primary goals of this research are to identify practices that center children learning with nature and, subsequently, to reconceptualize forest school practices in contexts outside of northern Europe. This research interrogates ways in which forest schools serve as spaces to engage in work around environmental stewardship while problematizing the accessibility of nature-based programs. Whilst reflecting upon lessons from Waldkindergarten, this chapter explores how nature-based Education provides opportunities towards a sustainable future for cultivating children’s curiosities in timeless traditions. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024.