Bush Kindy
Bush Kinder is strongly linked to the philosophy and pedagogy of Inglewood Childcare & Kindergarten.
Support for outdoor learning has grown for many reasons including concerns about diminishing child health and lack of outdoor time. The Bush Kinder program aims to connect children with nature, through participation in nature-based experiences with selected resources to enhance children’s outdoor learning.
The QKLG & the EYLF invites educators to consider the outdoors as a space where children can engage in rich play that offers “open ended interactions, spontaneity, risk taking, exploration discovery and connect with nature.” It is without a doubt Bush Kinder provides this!
“We are prewired to explore and investigate” - John Medina ‘Play Rules’
“No other aspect of a child’s life offers this degree of consistent but varied chances for critical thinking and problem solving” - Kahn and Kellert 2002.
A ‘typical’ day at Bush Kinder….
Each session will begin at Inglewood Childcare and Kindergarten at 8:30am. The children will take their drink bottle and Lunchbox out of their bags and place it in the Bush Kinder esky. They will then use the bathroom if needed, put on some sunscreen, get their sun hats, and gather on the mat as a group.
The children will engage in a discussion about the day ahead including what to expect at Bush Kinder, what they are looking forward to as well as a reminder about staying safe. This will include aspects of road safety as well as the importance of staying within the designated boundary when onsite at Bush Kinder.
Once all the children and any helpers have arrived the children will be partnered up and form a line behind the teacher to walk safely to the Location of Bush Kinder.
On arrival the children will be reminded of the boundary and given the opportunity to:
- play,
- discover,
- explore,
- investigate,
- connect, and
- have fun.
As the children become more comfortable in the environment, we will look at introducing different aspects such as a fire, cooking on the fire, and more. After a ‘reasonable’ amount of time the children will be asked to gather as a group, wash hands, sit, chat, and have a snack together. They will then have time to reflect on the Bush Kindy session and begin walking back to the kindergarten.
