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

Bush Gathering group is now ECO Learning Network

The Bush Gathering group has grown and now represents a large number of outdoor groups, services, and educators.
The Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network is a forum for educators to share their experience of providing early childhood education outdoors, learn from each other, and promote outdoor learning for young children.
It is wonderful to see the growth of the bush movement. 

http://earlychildhoodoutdoorlearning.weebly.com

More Nature in Early Childhood Services

Last week I had the pleasure of running professional learning sessions for educators in Banyule and Boroondara. It is great to hear that many participants are already incorporating nature and the outdoors into their programs. They are noticing the benefits and are are looking at ways to extend their practice.

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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Nature is a shared language

Bush Kinder was honoured to be a part of the 2013 AGECS annual general meeting tour. Amongst those who attended was Jade Fraser from FKA Children's Services. Together with Jade I wrote an article for the newsletter 'Resource'.

In the article we discuss how natural environments encourage children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to participate and develop a sense of belonging to place and community. Nature is the shared language.

Bush Kinder in Fairfax media

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Going bush!

Wednesday 31 July 2013

Remember climbing trees and jumping in puddles? Playing in nature was an important part of growing up for most of us. Research suggests that children who spend more time outdoors in nature are happier, healthier, stronger, smarter and more social. Let’s look at ways of reconnecting our children with nature and the outdoors.

Doug Fargher will present this session for parents and guardians of young children.

Doug Fargher is the founder of Bush Kinder, and has been working in Early Childhood for more than 20 years. He is also the proud father of four children. Doug has a passion for allowing children to learn through play, outdoors in nature. Doug is teaching in theBush Kinder program and directing its implementation, as well as consulting and speaking nationally about connecting children with nature.

Places are limited. Registration and payment must be received prior to the session. No refunds or exchanges.

http://www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/Connect/Events/Going_bush

Dunkeld Bush Kindergarten

Even farm kids in the bush need Bush Kinder.

Dunkeld is at the foot of the Grampians in rural Victoria. Dunkeld kindergarten now run a very successsful Bush Kinder program. My colleague Ben Goodes and I happily supported the forward thinking educators and parent community at Dunkeld get started with a Bush Kinder to suit their specific needs. Congratulations Dunkeld! 

Click image to watch ABC Video of Dunkeld Bush Kinder

Click image for the Dunkeld Bush Kinder story

Bush Kinder and Regulations

Bush Kinder has challenged many educators view on what early childhood education should look like.
Over the past fortnight I have been fortunate to make conference presentations and engage in discussion with many inspired educators at the City of Yarra and Wyndham City. These Councils see the benefits that engaging children in nature will have on their community.
Too often as educators we do not follow through with great ideas in fear of regulations. Sadly we do this even when we know our ideas are good for children.
As advocates for children we need to question and read more deeply. Australian law and regulations can and does support good curriculum ideas. The Australian National Quality Framework certainly supports educators providing meaningful learning experiences to children. When offering great ideas like Bush Kinder, educators will be challenged to justify why they are offering it. It is important to recognise and articulate why and how Bush Kinder benefits children, their community and the wider world.

With Claire Warden at Wyndham's educators conference.

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 Kinder Evaluation Report

Click image to open report

Thank you Sue and Barbara a beautifully written report.

Bush Kinder at KU Conference

Sue Elliott and I are looking forward to presenting at the KU conference.

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

Bush Kinder presentation University of Melbourne

I had the pleasure of lecturing to a group of Master of Teaching students at the University of Melbourne.
Some students were clearly aligned to Bush Kinder with their existing teaching practice and philosophy, others were challenged.
I enjoyed hearing stories from students with diverse world and cultural backgrounds.
Industrial, urban and country environments all provide opportunities for children to engage with nature.
One student told of playing in a paved courtyard with stones, burnt matches, another of waiting for a flower to bloom that signified holidays with her family. Memories of a childhood in nature evoke powerful and positive emotional responses.
Thank you to the students for your insightful questions and to Sarah Young  [teacher/ lecturer/ clinical specialist] for your guidance and the invitation.

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. 

Dirt Doesn't Hurt

An early years forum looking at mental health in the early years.

Launch of the "Dirt Doesn't Hurt" resource.

Enabling children to experience natural play, independently

How do we enable families to give their children more opportunities for independent, outdoor, creative, messy play?

How do we support them to let their children build confidence, take educated risks, and become resilient?

How can we pass this information on to parents, and model these behaviours in our settings – bringing our communities onside

Presenters: Kim Coulter, Doug Fargher, Vanessa Wiggenraad, Leigh Bartlett

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