Bush Kinder
Our bush kinder program provides opportunities to experience nature and its elements across the seasons, recognising the place that nature has in Australia and the significance of the land in Indigenous Australian culture in particular here on Wurundjeri land. Whatever the weather, children are encouraged to deeply engage in play, exploration and learning in a natural environment.We create an understanding and commitment to care for our world, others and ourselves through gardening, recycling and in taking care of our immediate environment. Children are encouraged to share, work together, care for each other and respect the needs of others by engaging with others and by taking responsibility for their own decisions and actions.
What is bush kinder?
Bush kinder programs provide educational sessions, where the classroom is outside in nature. It emphasizes play-based learning and connects children with nature.
What are the benefits?
Bush kinder offers many benefits for young children. Research shows that spending time in natural environments has a wide range of benefits for children.
Key Advantages:
• Connection with Nature: Children engage directly with the natural environment, fostering a sense of wonder and appreciation for the outdoors.
• Physical Development: Outdoor play promotes physical activity, improving motor skills, coordination, and overall fitness.
• Social Skills: Kids learn to cooperate, share, and resolve conflicts while interacting with peers in a dynamic environment. Children demonstrate more collaborative play during bush kinder.
• Creativity and Imagination: The natural setting encourages imaginative play, allowing children to explore and create their own games and narratives. This commonly continues at home, where children are found to be more likely to collect natural materials like rocks and twigs for imaginative play.
• Emotional Resilience: Being outside helps children learn to manage risks and develop confidence in their abilities.
• Respect and equity: children participated in less gender stereotyped play at bush kinder than in the typical classroom setting.
• Environmental Awareness: Early exposure to nature cultivates a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the environment. Parents have reported children had greater interest in nature and positive attitudes to natural elements.
• Holistic Learning: Bush kinder incorporates play-based learning that can enhance cognitive skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
• Mindfulness and Well-being: Time in nature can reduce stress and promote mental well-being, encouraging mindfulness and emotional regulation.
Benefits of risky play during bush kinder?
Risk taking is an important element of children’s play and bush kinder provides many learning opportunities including:
• Providing children with a chance to learn how to manage risk and develop an understanding of safety.
• Allowing children to explore their desire for risk in a controlled and supervised situation. This reduces the likelihood they will seek out greater unmanaged risks for themselves.
• The opportunity to participate in experiences that build on their individual capabilities, such as climbing trees, jumping from a height, balancing and sliding.
• The opportunity to practice and improve their movement skills and spatial awareness.
Bush kinder is a part of the Pre-Prep (4-year-old) kinder program at Gray Court Pre-School.
