Authors: Doug Fargher and Louise Dorrat

This article was written on the lands of the Wurundjeri and the Wathaurong People of the Kulin Nations.Wherever we are across Australia, we are on Aboriginal land. We acknowledge Elders & recognise their central place as teachers across early years learning communities.Aboriginal people have been teaching children in the bushfor more than 60,000 years.

A couple of children listen to the song of a currawong as they sit safely on the branch of a tree they have climbed. Some children splash in muddy puddles, others co-operate to drag a log they will soon balance upon. Their educators are early childhood professionals, and they understand the needs of each individual child and recognise the learning that is occurring. This teaching method is not a hands-off approach or merely ‘letting the children play’. The technique is intentional in both a planned and responsive manner – this is Bush Kinder.

Bush Kinder was created a little over ten years ago as a positive response to the changing face of childhood; children spending less time outside, a rise in obesity, less fitness, an increase of near-sightedness, a growing number of mental health concerns, alienation from community and disconnection from nature (Louv, 2010).

Many years working with parents, academics and the Victorian Department of Education and Training resulted in the Westgarth Bush Kinder program in 2011. More and more early childhood services across Australia are recognising the benefits of Bush Kinder, where children are regularly spending time each week outdoors using only what nature provides. This has resulted in a Bush Kinder movement across Australia with more than 150 Bush Kinders in Victoria alone.

What are the benefits for children?

Children who spend more time outdoors in nature are happier, healthier, stronger, smarter, kinder and more social (White, 2004). Additional benefits for children include:

Reduces stress
• Children’s stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces.
• Even a view of nature — green plants and vistas — helps reduce stress among highly stressed children. Further, the more plants, green views and access to natural play areas, the more positive the results.

Improved concentration
• Exposure to natural environments improves children’s cognitive development by improving their awareness, reasoning and observational skills.
• Children with views of and contact with nature score higher on tests of concentration and self-discipline. The greener the environment, the better the scores.
• Children with symptoms of ADD are better able to concentrate after contact with nature.

Improved physical skills and health
• Children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness including coordination, balance and agility, and they are sick less often.

Social benefits
• Natural environments stimulate social interaction between children.
• Children who play in nature have more positive feelings about each other.
• Enhanced language and collaborative skills.

School readiness
• Bush Kinder is underpinned by uninterrupted play which strengthens the dispositions of learning children need to be ‘ready for school”. Children create, improvise, discover, investigate, hypothesise, imagine, collaborate, negotiate, persist, share, resolve conflict, form attachments, have empathy for others and self-regulate (Dockett & Perry, 2014; DEEWR, 2010).

What are the challenges of Bush Kindy and how are they managed?

• Snakes, spiders, and bugs
Many children don’t have experience with nature, so it is not surprising they might have a fear of it. Educators liaise with rangers to differentiate perceived danger from real danger. Where the danger is real, strategies are formed to keep children safe. After spending time outdoors and building a relationship with nature, children develop a love and a healthy respect for the inhabitants of the bush.

• Dogs off lead
Children are taught to stand still with their head down and their arms by their sides with their fingers clenched to detract attention. Educators are always nearby to help.

• Injuries
There is no evidence to suggest that Bush Kinder is any more dangerous than on-site programs. Educators keep children safe whilst at the same time supporting children to take measured risks.

• No bush
Some areas lack wild natural bush or beach spaces. Any outdoor space is better than none. Advocates for nature play have collaborated with parks management in many areas to create wild natural play spaces for children.

• Destruction of nature
Picking flowers and moving sticks and rocks is a normal part of children’s play. However, this may have some negative environmental impact if a space is overused. Choose not to play in critical wildlife habitats and areas with vulnerable plant life. The children who play in nature come to love it and want to protect it.

• Weather
Some people see weather as something to escape. If the weather is ever dangerous, it’s time to be inside. In hot weather, the trees provide an abundance of shade and children are encouraged to drink plenty of water. In the colder months, children are rugged up with gloves, hats, scarves and wear wet weather long pants, coats and gumboots. The Westgarth Bush Kinder has only been cancelled a few times due to electrical storms.

What can Families do?

Families are children’s first and most influential teachers:

• Schedule extended periods of time in nature with children.
• Ensure children have the appropriate clothing to experience all weathers.
• Allow time for your toddler to explore and jump in every puddle on walks around your community.
• Support a child-led inquiry model of learning. Children are intelligent, competent, capable and inquisitive. When a child asks a question, you can support their learning:
That’s a good question
It looks like you’re trying to work out…
What do you think?
• Join or create a bush playgroup – many Bush Kinders began as parent initiatives.

Additional Resources

Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network
https://earlychildhoodoutdoorlearning.weebly.com/

Kids in nature network
https://www.kidsinnaturenetwork.org.au/state-of-nature-play-report-2018

Project Wild Thing (A documentary by David Bond about getting children back in nature)
https://vimeo.com/67763495

Risky play, well-being and outdoor education in early childhood
https://ellenbeatehansensandseter.com/

Bush Kinder guidelines – Victorian Department of Education and Training information
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation/Pages/bushkinders.aspx

Westgarth Bush Kinder
http://www.wgkg.vic.edu.au/bush-kinder

Nature Play Australia
https://www.natureplay.org.au