Help kids to love the outdoors

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“Those natural tools create open-ended imaginative play that we could never do with a man-made or built piece of equipment or art supply. We thought
if we did it properly, then we’d have a model that other services could take on that, potentially, benefits all children.” Doug Fargher
http://www.aww.com.au/mother-and-baby/expert-advice-for-mums/outside-play-24574

Growth of the Bush Kinder movement

The massive growth in the number of bush kinders demonstrates Australians thirst to reconnect children with nature. 

The more time children spend in nature the happier, healthier and smarter they are.

abc radio 774 Hilary Harper talks to Doug about Bush Kinder

https://soundcloud.com/774-abc-melbourne/teacher-doug-fargher-joined-hilary-harper-to-talk-about-bush-kinder

Over-protected, over-organised ... why kids need time to play

“Through challenging themselves children learn that muddy puddles are slippery and rocks are hard – they have a lot more capacity than adults give them credit for,”      more

Better out than in: Westgarth bush kindergarten plunges kids back into nature

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Greening Australia at Melbourne Museum

Together my colleague Annie Jenkins and I had the pleasure of sharing Bush Kinder stories at the Melbourne Museum.
It was fantastic to see interested representatives from the Children's Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne, the Werribee Open Range Zoo, Merri Creek  and rangers from parks within the City of Melbourne. These forward thinking people are all looking at ways of providing appropriate wild play spaces for children.
Educators working in early childhood, primary and outside school hours care were also participants in our workshop. They saw clear educational benefit in spending more time teaching their students outdoors in nature.

Bush Gathering

Educating outdoors in nature is increasingly happening at locations all over Australia. Sue Elliott and I invited a group of Victorian educators to meet and share some of the great work they are doing.

Today we met at the Darebin Parklands environment centre. 

I loved hearing how strong and different philosophical belief shaped pedagogical practice. Passionate educators articulated that it was essential to maintain the vibrant educational community we are in. How we educate must be shaped by the context in which we work. We have a lot we can learn from each other. There is not, and should not be a one size fits all approach to educating in the outdoors. 

Bush Kinder Evaluation Report

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Thank you Sue and Barbara a beautifully written report.

Bush Kinder for Gowrie Australia

Gowrie are a leading training, research, and resource agency in Australia.

At the end of 2011 I was approached to write an article for their journal

Here is a link. Reflections Winter 2012 issue 4

Climbing trees

“Once a symbol of an idyllic childhood, this nature-loving pastime is so significantly on the decline that only 19% of Australian children enjoy a clamber in their local tree” Planet Ark research 2011

How high are children allowed to climb at Bush Kinder?

Children have different levels of confidence and ability. Reaching for that first branch may require an educator to be beside a child ready to catch. It may also be appropriate for an educator to watch from afar with a child many metres up a tree. 

Bush Kinder cover story for Inspire magazine

A great article about our Bush Kinder in the [DEECD] Victorian Education Department's magazine Inspire.    Click for the full story