BUSH KINDER
OUR PROGRAM
Gembrook Preschool is passionate about the benefits of nature play for young children.
The 2nd year students have access to fortnightly Bush Kinder sessions at Gilwell Scout Camp during Terms 2, 3 and 4.
This is an opportunity for the children to connect and engage with their natural environment. The Bush Kinder experience also includes regular campfire cooking, bush walking, and observation of Australian native flora and fauna.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island perspectives are embedded in our Bush Kinder and onsite programs.
During the facilitated Bush Kinder sessions children learn the following:
- Ability to assess and manage risk
- Building and construction
- Supervised campfire and cooking experiences
- Identify and appreciate local flora and fauna
- Connection to the land and our first people through stories, songs and activities
- Establishing early literacy and numeracy through story telling and play based activities
BUSH KINDER BENEFITS
The development of Bush Kinder reflects the mounting body of evidence that outdoor activities such as exploring natural environments, are beneficial to children and contribute to improving children’s health and wellbeing. The benefits for children being in nature are undeniable. Learning and development can be improved, as well as physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Bush Kinder helps prepare children for the next stage of their lives. Our educators identify individual learning needs for each child and provide open-ended learning experiences which foster children’s love of learning. Group sharing and listening is an important part of our Bush Kinder program as our educators encourage respectful relationships and nurture social development skills. Bush kinder can provide the following benefits for your child:
- Brain development
- Bone and muscular development
- Social and cognitive development
- Emotional wellbeing
- Physical skills
- Socialising and language skills
- Self-esteem
- Patience
- Self-regulation
- Self confidence
- Respect and love for the environment
