Parents with kindergarten-age children who want them to learn about nature are being encouraged to enrol them in Maribyrnong’s second bush kinder set to start early next year.
Braybrook Early Learning Centre teacher Annie Wormald said the Churchill Avenue centre is starting bush kindergarten in 2023 due to its benefits in instilling understanding in STEM topics.
She said the program is invaluable for young children.
“It’s learning in nature with nature,” Ms Wormald said.
“It builds resilience.”
Ms Wormald said bush kinder allows children to play at a slow pace at a local nature park, while they explore and engage with nature, so that nature can become its own teacher.
“Nature can teach us about a tree and provide information on a season or habitat for animals,” she said.
Ms Wormald said the program originated in Nordic countries in the early 2000s and, as well as teaching about science, it teaches children a number of hands-on skills like making things with sticks and drawing in the sand.
She said the program also encouraged children to tackle challenges like balancing on logs.
“We help them go through that process and be brave,” Ms Wormald said.
The Braybrook Early Learning Centre at 107-139 Churchill Avenue in Braybrook is currently taking enrolments.
Details: Yena on 9188 5880 or braybrookelc@onetree.org.au
Dora Houpis
