GOLD COAST BUSH KINDY BUS TOUR
The Gold Coast Bush Kindy Bus Tour will take you on a journey of inspiration as you explore and discover Bush Kindy sites to learn more about nature pedagogy and nature immersion programs delivered by early childhood settings.
Workshop Details
Available Dates
8 March 2025
Gold Coast.
Departing and arriving
back to Nerang
Cost $295
NOTE: This is a per person price. Contact us to discuss your group inservice and customised booking requirements.
About the workshop:
The Bush Kindy Programs have been chosen to showcase diverse settings and unique programs across the Gold Coast. Each has unique sites including rainforest, creek exploration, coastal and bush both of private and public community sites.
We will hear from experienced and qualified Bush Kindy leaders about their programs and key elements of their educational practices that make their programs unique and so successful. Each guest speaker will talk about diverse topics to enrich your learning about Nature Pedagogy and provide a Q&A session to answer your questions.
The day will cover:
Topics that will be explored and discussed by our Guest speakers and Bush Kindy Experts;
Risky play culture and how it links to building children’s resilience
Communicating and advocating your nature pedagogy philosophy to families
Crossing boundaries and connecting contemporary practices with nature pedagogy.
The learning links between the Centre and Bush Kindy visits and exploring documentation
The value of the journey to our sites
How to explore risky play with young children.
The partnerships with community and the value they bring
How Bush Kindy programs support child led play and learning
The Bus Tour will launch from Gold Coast before heading south to visit a range of Bush Kindy sites including;
Clearview Early Learning & Kindergarten, Nerang
Kids World Gilston
Little Saints Early Learning Centre, Tallebudgera
Cottonwood Learning – Beach Kindy, Currumbin
The Bus Tour will include opportunities for networking and building connections with like minded nature play enthusiasts, to share the love and get new ideas. All participants will receive resources to support them on their nature play journey and we will have time for reflection and devising an action plan, so you have the next steps ready when you return to your service. And we will of course make it fun and full of learning with some Play Challenges!
What to expect:
All meals, refreshments and drinks catered and provided.
Arrival and Departure point is Clearview Early Learning in Nerang, with the tour starting at 8am and the bus returning at 5pm.
If you are booking 3 or more participants from the same single service please contact hello@bushkindyaustralia.com.au or 0473 021 887 to attain a discount code before registering.
When you click on next link in Humanitix – we ask that educators complete the registration form themselves (not Directors) as there are personal health and background questions they need to answer. At the end they can click by credit card or Pay by Invoice and it will be sent to the centre. This is why tickets are limited to one at a time.
LET’S MEET THE AMAZING PROGRAMMES WE WILL BE VISITING
Clearview Early Learning & Kindergarten
Clearview is an established centre nestled in a beautiful semi-rural environment. The pedagogical practices of the educators focus on passion for outdoors, learning in nature, unstructured, risky/challenging play whilst scaffolding and facilitating the children to develop holistically.
They believe that Nature Play sessions, Bush Kindy adventures and spending time outdoors, away from the traditional classroom setting, assists with the overall development and wellbeing of all children. Regular visits to the same natural settings enable children to connect to their surrounding environment. By nurturing connections with nature and others, they foster stewardship of the earth and a sustainable future.
Clearview have a well established program delivering excellence in practice and are partners with Cottonwood Learning and play a key role in the Bush Kindy Leader course, inspiring educators from across the State and beyond.
Kids World Gilston
Kids World Gilston’s BEE HAPPY Bush Kindy program transcends conventional boundaries, seamlessly blending contemporary and natural environments to offer children and families optimal learning experiences. With a commitment to fostering a deep connection with the natural world, BEE HAPPY actively encourages children to engage in hands-on learning while embracing nature. Educators play a pivotal role in this process, challenging children through thought-provoking discussions and facilitating additional experiences that stimulate further reflection and learning. Embracing the principles of slow pedagogy, the program cultivates authentic and enduring relationships among children, educators, and families. This deliberate approach allows participants to venture beyond their comfort zones, embarking on a journey of self-discovery while building confidence.
The Adventure Playground deviates from conventional settings, embracing what adults often categorise as ‘junk.’ It is a magical realm for children, with treehouses crafted from discarded fence panels, tyres, and milk crates. Car doors and pallets create perfect hideouts, while a donated half motorbike takes centre stage in imaginative play. The plastic slides, intentionally loose, offer flexibility, allowing children to relocate them at will. This setup provides ample space for risk-taking, learning from mistakes, active engagement, and collaborative, authentic learning experiences among peers.
Little Saints Early Learning Centre, Tallebudgera
Little Saints provides an enriched learning atmosphere that holistically challenges each child’s insatiable desire to explore, discuss, discover and create. They have provided a learning environment that offers daily opportunity for exploration, discovery, choice and decision-making. This is within their innovative and creative nature play scape within the centre grounds as well as exploring further into the community through the Bush Kindy Program.
Little Saints are committed to embedding nature pedagogy in all aspects of their service delivery and with all ages. They are particularly innovative in providing play spaces for toddlers that are stimulating, challenging and incorporate ‘risky play’ elements that maximise children’s learning.
The Bus Tour will visit both the playground and the bush kindy site.
