What is Bush Kindy?
Australia’s nature-infused approach to supporting holistic development and wellbeing Bush Kindy is a uniquely Australian expression of nature pedagogy – a way of teaching where children learn in and with nature through play, inquiry, curiosity, and connection. Bush Kindy is a regular, intentional, curriculum-linked program that uses the natural world as a co-teacher and a rich, living classroom.
Not Just “the Bush”
Despite the name, Bush Kindy doesn’t need to take
place in the bush at all. Australian services run
Bush Kindy programs in:
- Creek lines and wetlands
- Beaches and coastal dunes
- Rainforest pockets and eucalypt forests
- Parks, reserves and council green spaces
- School playgrounds and urban nature-play areas
- Gardens, farms, or private properties
Anywhere children can explore natural elements — water, soil, plants, wildlife, weather — can become a
Bush Kindy space.
Not Just for Kindy Kids : Bush Kindy isn’t limited to the “kindy” age group. Nature pedagogy meaningfully supports learning at every stage. It is adaptable and meaningful for:
- Babies - experience gentle sensory exploration — feeling textures, hearing natural sounds, and observing movement in the environment — which supports early brain development and regulation.
- Toddlers - build confidence through climbing, balancing, investigating, and experimenting with nature’s loose parts.
- Pre-Kindy, Kindy & Preschool-aged children extend into inquiry, imagination, social learning, early literacy, STEM and physical challenge.
- School-age children through OSHC programs - further develop independence, resilience, teamwork, and environmental awareness through real-world experiences.
Nature pedagogy can be woven through every age group and every setting. The commonly use
phrase of “bush kindy” more refers to the pedagogical approach rather than the setting of the bush
and the age of the children being Kindy.
The Heart of Bush Kindy: Nature Pedagogy
At its core, Bush Kindy is grounded in the elements of nature pedagogy — how educators intentionally use nature to support children’s learning, development, and wellbeing. This looks like:
- Child-led, inquiry-based play
- Learning about local flora and fauna
- Safe, supported risk-taking
- Connection to local community and place
- Embedding and respecting local culture
Children become investigators, storytellers, scientists, problem-solvers, and caretakers of their
environment.
Influenced by Forest School, Rooted in Australia
Bush Kindy has been shaped by the global Forest School movement that emerged in Scandinaviaand later the UK, where outdoor, play-based learning became a valued and research-backed educational model. While these foundations inspire our work, Australia has developed its own contextualised approach that reflects our unique landscapes, First Nations perspectives, climate, biodiversity, and community values. This evolution has given rise to the distinctly Australian term “Bush Kindy”, capturing our nation’s love for outdoor learning and deep connection to Country.
Linked to Curriculum and Regular Practice
Bush Kindy is not a once-off excursion. It is ongoing, planned, and connected to curriculum frameworks such as the EYLF V2.0, MTOP, and the NQS, supporting learning outcomes across identity, wellbeing, connection, communication, and ecological responsibility.
Regular sessions allow children to:
- Build long-term relationships with place
- Notice seasonal change
- Revisit ideas and deepen inquiry
- Strengthen emotional regulation and wellbeing
Why Bush Kindy Matters
In a world where children are spending more time indoors, in structured routines, and on screens, Bush Kindy offers a powerful counterbalance – restoring freedom, creativity, challenge, connection, and wonder to childhood.
Learning in nature strengthens physical competence, supports emotional regulation, builds resilience through safe risk-taking, and nurtures curiosity through real-world discovery. It also gives educators a meaningful way to embed sustainability, community connection, and cultural understanding into everyday practice, helping children develop ecological awareness, a sense of belonging, and deep respect for the places they live and the Country they walk on.