Nature Play Collective

The launch and seminar for the Nature Play project is today! Join us from 3:30pm through the Zoom link shared when registering through the event page below.

We look forward to sharing the project's outcomes with you, answering questions and celebrating.🌿🌻🌿

Childhoodnature Play Seminar and Launch Childhoodnature Play Seminar and Launch: QLD Department of Education Horizon Grant

Children learn science in nature play long before they get to school classrooms and labs New research demonstrates the many aspects of nature play that make it a great way for young children to gain STEM knowledge.

Please join us for the Childhoodnature Play Seminar and Launch!

Date: Thursday 23rd September 2021

Time: 3:30pm-6:00pm (AEST)

"We explored children’s activities, ideas and beliefs around nature, and their relationships with/as nature. Understandings were diverse and ranged from seeing humans as separate from, to humans being part of nature – as nature." - extracted from The Mudbook: Nature Play Framework, p. 17

To be presented and discussed:

1. www.childhoodnatureplay.com website
2. The Mudbook: Nature Play Framework
3. Professional Learning Tools for childhood educators

3:30 pm - 5pm - Seminar: Panel discussion with the project research team from

5:15 - 6pm - Launch: Let's celebrate by sharing nibbles and a beverage of your choice (online)! The research team and other participants attending will be available to answer questions and discuss the project with the audience.

The direct Zoom link will be emailed on registration.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/childhoodnature-play-seminar-and-launch-tickets-165705885765

Allow us to next introduce C&K nGundanoo Imbabee Childcare:

Our Service is located on the CQ University Campus, North Rockhampton. Our service was officially named by Mrs Hatfield a Darambal Elder in the local Rockhampton area, C&K nGundanoo meaning Children and Imbabee meaning Learning; Community Childcare Centre. The children attending the service are taught to have respect and to care for the land on which we walk, learn and acknowledge the traditional owners of the land the Darambal People. The service provides large natural outdoor environments where children can use the digging patch, stage and the timber cabin/cubby for their science and enquiry or imaginative play. The digging patch is a muddy area when wet and the children use this space for all different kinds of play experiences. There is a lot of natural shade in the outdoor environments allowing the children to play in a cool shaded space. There is scope for the children to use their imagination in the outdoor areas as the gardens provide the children with access to a range of different experiences. Our teaching team tailor each day’s learning taking into account the interests of the children in the group. The spacious environment at our kindy is thoughtfully planned and well resourced. There is a focus on music, drama, literature and visual arts, and time spent discovering the natural environment outdoors.

Our next participating centre is the incredible Tamborine Mountain Community Kindergarten. This community kindergarten is a non-profit organisation, providing early childhood pre-prep education for children. The kindergarten recognise the first Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as we acknowledge the land on which our service is built. The kindergarten embraces the rich indigenous cultures to inform their practice as they work towards a future of reconciliation and partnership. The kindergarten actively embraces diversity and support inclusion of all children and families as they celebrate and empower the individual differences of their children, families, cultures and community as a strength. Tamborine Mountain Community Kindergarten see all children as active agents who are capable and competent learners and enquirers. The kindergarten believes a sustainable future is everyone’s business, and they regularly review and embed sustainable practices, sustainable environments, education for sustainability and empower children to be active agents for sustainability into the future. They also engage authentically with external agencies and partnerships to support sustainability where possible. Finally, TMCK deeply values artistic expression and creativity as they encourage children to look for different ways of living and being in their education and life pathways.

We've been so busy pulling together the various outputs for the Horizon Nature Play Project that my sharing on social media has been slightly neglected! So, please forgive me for sharing a bunch of our participating centres today! I'm eager to finish introducing you to all our amazing centres so I can start sharing more about the intricacies and insights from the project!

First up today, we would love to introduce you to C&K Weipa Kindergarten & Preschool!

Unfortunately due to COVID-19 we were unable to visit the site in person, but the centre's wonderful director Liz shared with us a wealth and information and photographs of the diverse nature play pedagogies implemented in the far north.

When you enter C&K Weipa Community Kindergarten you will notice the happy 'buzz' of children busily engaged in a wide range of activities:

Playing with friends, building things, making things, painting and drawing, following the obstacle course, swinging, riding bikes, climbing, sliding, gardening, cooking, pretending and reading books. You will also see our wonderful outdoor space overlooking the ocean with shady trees, bike tracks, climbing equipment, boats, mud skitch, swings, children's garden and room for kids to be kids. Our friendly and welcoming staff pride themselves in their relationships with families and the community, as well as their connection to the natural environment and reputation of being a place where 'everyone belongs'.

Our next participating centres to introduce are the Le Smileys group - Le Smileys Kindergarten and Childcare (Berseker), Le Smileys Kindergarten Gracemere (Waraburra), and Le Smileys Childcare Gracemere (Lucas St). All three Le Smiley’s centres are eagerly experimenting with embedding nature play pedagogies, and understand the immense value of nature play to enrich children’s learning and development. For educators at Le Smileys, play is the pivotal component of programs. The environments are carefully arranged so that children have access to a range of resources that challenge to develop new skills or practice recently acquired ones.

Our next amazing participating centre is Nature Explorers. Nature Explorers is part of Pottsville Community Preschool (another of our participating centres).

Nature Explorers is an invitation to play and learn naturally. A space to belong, connect and be happy. An educational program for children with the freedom and space to grow.

Nature Explorers runs a variety of programs including: Playgroup ages 1-4, Preschool ages 3-6, primary school programs and professional development for industry professionals.

For more information, please visit: https://www.natureexplorers.com.au/

Introducing our next participating centre - Community Kids Annerley :) The centre provides quality long day care and education for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years. Community Kids Annerley is proud to have qualified early childhood educators who encourage children to learn through play, based on the Early Learning Framework. Community Kids Annerley staff eagerly experiment with indoor and outdoor nature play to engage and inspire.