Nature Education play and learning pedagogy 

At Woombye our Explorers have the opportunity to spend a whole day out in the natural environment.   Exploring, discovering learning and connecting with their natural surroundings as they foster an appreciation of the natural world, developing an environmental awareness.

These spaces invite open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, and provide a platform for ongoing environmental education. Teaching future generations how to care for and protect their native environment while enjoying being outside.  

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Through self-directed play and hands on experiences children learn in, 

with and from nature.  They develop independence, resilience, patience, 

team building, cognitive and emotional skills as well as foster curiosity, creativity, sustainable living practices and general well-being.

 

Some possibilities include opportunities for children to work together, to use real tools, explore the environment, play games, develop bush skills of knot making, whittling, fire making and cooking, shelter building, storytelling, climbing trees, learning about birds, bugs, and plants, engage in replanting native flora, mining and creating with clays found in the creek bed, engaging in land and bush art and craft - creating stick people and crowns, learning about the care for animals and gardens, laughing together, and creating forever friendships and childhood memories.

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Bush kinda is a ‘wilder' environment where risk and challenge is part of the experiences. Educators support children as they take risks and face challenges, while also instilling a respect for nature.  Being outside is relaxing and stress reliving.  Guided by the natural elements of Fire, Earth, Air and water. Explorers get to experience the weather and the changes to the environment it brings, the way the wind, rain moves, and light moves.   

All of which prepares them for later life while helping them to harness a 

love of the great outdoors from an early age.