Spending more time outdoors in bush kinder programs benefits everyone. “I continue to find joy in the sheer delight that children can find of simply being in nature, with no toys or equipment.” Lyndall Rye, early childhood teacher at Havilah Road Preschool.
Havilah Road Preschool is a recipient of a grant in 2023 (round 1) of the Bush Kinder Grants Program. Their weekly bush kinder program started in May 2024 with 58 children participating across two integrated 3 and 4-year-old programs.
To support full participation, the service purchased high quality outdoor all-weather suits and gum boots for the children. They bought binoculars, magnifying glasses, compasses, a first aid kit and a wagon to transport their belongings.
The children are learning to be creative, improvise and use their senses more. They enjoy walking while learning to be observant. This includes sitting and listening to the sounds in the environment, noticing shapes, picking up sticks and rocks to explore. They observe the movement of clouds, feeling the cold air, splashing in puddles and touching the wet grass.
Listening to the frogs after the rain has been a program highlight. When the children were too noisy, the frogs stopped croaking, so now the children stay quiet, to hear the frogs again.
The program helped Havilah Road Preschool learn how to care for the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung people. Learning in nature allows children to grow and develop by encouraging connection to the world around them.
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