HELPING YOUR CHILDREN TO DISCOVER THEIR WILD SIDE

Author: Laura Matthews

Do you remember those days as a child, playing in the garden or at a friend’s house with water, dirt, sticks and stones? No matter where you live, whether tiny home, apartment or house, instil in your children a love for nature through messy, wild play. Laura from Wildhood Bush Kindy introduces us to her outdoor play groups where coming home dirty is a given.

What is Wildhood focused on?

We hope to ignite a lifelong love of nature in our children. Our aim is to create a relationship between the child and nature, one they can always return to in times of stress and uncertainty, to breathe and just be.

How did Wildhood come about?

Wildhood was created out of a vision, a place where I would love to see my children spending their days learning. A safe space where children can be in nature, to play in all weather and experience the change of seasons. To take safe risks and follow their interests, make friends and socialise. But also a place where they are pushed to be resilient, persistent, kind, adventurous, creative, imaginative and strong.

What should children and parents expect from a Wildhood session?

Be prepared to get messy, try new things, to take safe risks and play in nature with paired-back resources.

What is “Risky Play”?

Risky play encompasses experiences that might encourage a child to push past their limits and try new things. This includes experiencing adrenaline and navigating how to manage high pressure situations. All our courses are designed to build resilience, confidence and independence. These include physical activities such as whittling, tinkering with tools, fire-lighting, or climbing rocks and trees. Or it could be as simple as getting wet from the rain, getting messy from mud or touching a bug.

Why is “risky play” important for children?

Risky play helps children understand consequence to action, and builds resilience and confidence. By trying new things out, children learn to understand the capabilities and limits of their body, and gain insight into how to handle feelings of nervousness, fear and excitement. It also reduces the risk of injury long term, as the children engaging in risky play have a better understanding of their limits and physical capabilities.

What programmes does Wildhood offer?

Wildhood currently offers three programmes for children in their early years.

Nature Playgroup

This programme is for children aged 0-6 years and requires a guardian’s attendance. Nature Playgroup runs for one and a half hours and is all about experiencing nature in wild spaces in rain or shine. We get messy in the Mud Kitchen, bug hunt, get creative, float boats in the creek, and so much more. This programme is also perfect for parents, grandparents and guardians to meet local families and socialise.

Bush Kindy

Our Bush Kindy session is a three-hour drop-off programme for 3-6 year olds. These sessions are run in all weather, so good wet weather gear is a must! We bush walk to shallow creeks and waterfalls, tinker with tools, climb trees and rocks, rig up swings, cook on the fire, nature craft, read books and build shelters. On rainy days, we even bring out a slip and slide!

In-Centre Sessions

These sessions bring a little Wildhood into early childhood care centres and primary schools. We focus on creating a space where children can try out tools, pulley systems, discover bugs, get messy in the Mud Kitchen and get creative with nature. We want to inspire educators to bring more childled, open-ended, nature play into their curricula.

Find more information, visit: www.wildhoodbushkindy.com.au

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