Bush Kinder Program
Nature-based learning that nurtures curiosity, confidence and connection.
At Explorers Early Learning, Bush Kinder gives children the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and learn in the natural world. Through regular outdoor experiences in local bushland, parks, reserves, beaches and community spaces, children are invited to explore, investigate, imagine and connect with the environment around them.
Our Bush Kinder program is part of our Learning for Life Curriculum and is offered across Explorers centres as part of our commitment to rich, meaningful and play-based learning.
For children in our Kindergarten program, Bush Kinder supports the development of confidence, resilience, independence and a strong sense of belonging. It is learning with muddy hands, curious minds and open hearts.
What is Bush Kinder?
Bush Kinder is a nature-based learning program where children spend time in outdoor environments such as bushland, parks, community reserves, beaches and natural play spaces.
It is not simply a walk outside. Bush Kinder is an intentional learning experience where nature becomes part of the curriculum. Children might climb over logs, dig in the soil, notice changes in the weather, collect natural materials, listen for birds, investigate insects, build with sticks, create imaginary worlds or ask big questions about what they discover.
Through these experiences, children learn through play, movement, observation, collaboration and wonder.
At Explorers, Bush Kinder connects beautifully with the way children learn through our Learning for Life phases: Experiencing, Assembling, Making and Reimagining. A child may first notice a fallen leaf, then compare it with others, use it in a creative project, and later revisit the idea through storytelling, drawing, construction or discussion with peers.
Why Bush Kinder Matters
Children thrive when they have space to move, explore, test ideas and connect with the world around them. Bush Kinder offers a rich outdoor learning environment where children can build confidence in their bodies, trust in their ideas and care for the natural world.
Through Bush Kinder, children are supported to:
- Build resilience, independence and confidence
- Develop gross motor skills through climbing, balancing, running, digging and exploring
- Strengthen social skills through collaboration, negotiation and shared discovery
- Support emotional wellbeing through calm, open-ended time in nature
- Develop curiosity, problem-solving and early STEM thinking
- Build respect for nature, sustainability and the environment
- Use imagination, creativity and language in meaningful ways
Bush Kinder at Explorers
At Explorers, Bush Kinder is part of who we are and how we believe children learn best.
Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, we see children as capable, curious and full of potential. We believe the environment plays an important role in children's learning, offering opportunities to investigate, create, communicate and make meaning.
In Bush Kinder, the natural world becomes a powerful learning environment. A stick can become a tool, a wand, a bridge or part of a shelter. A puddle can become an experiment in movement, depth and reflection. A trail of ants can spark questions about homes, teamwork and living things.
Educators observe, listen and guide children's thinking, while allowing space for children to lead their own learning. This is where confidence grows. This is where curiosity deepens. This is where children begin to see themselves as capable contributors to their world.
Who Participates in Bush Kinder?
Children enrolled in our 3 and 4-year-old Kindergarten rooms are invited to participate in Bush Kinder experiences.
Each centre plans its Bush Kinder program based on the needs of the children, the local environment and appropriate safety considerations. This means the experience may look slightly different from centre to centre, while still being grounded in the same Explorers approach to nature-based learning.
Families receive information from their Centre Leadership Team about program dates, locations, consent forms and what children need to bring for their Bush Kinder days.
Where Does Bush Kinder Take Place?
Bush Kinder experiences take place in natural environments close to each Explorers centre. Depending on the centre location, this may include:
- Local bushland
- Community reserves
- National or regional parks
- Nearby beaches
- Natural outdoor spaces within the local community
For some centres, children may also have the opportunity to visit Explorers Somerville, our nature-based learning precinct on the Mornington Peninsula.
Somerville is a special expression of our commitment to outdoor learning. Set among farmland and natural landscapes, it gives children the space to explore, investigate and connect deeply with nature. While Bush Kinder experiences are offered across Explorers centres, Somerville allows this philosophy to come to life on a larger scale.
Learning Through Nature, Guided by Educators
Bush Kinder is child-led, but it is not unplanned.
Our educators thoughtfully prepare for each experience, considering the children's interests, the learning possibilities of the environment and the safety of the group. They support children to make choices, assess risk, care for one another and reflect on what they have discovered.
A Bush Kinder session might include:
- Exploring natural materials such as leaves, bark, sand, stones and water
- Investigating plants, insects, birds and seasonal changes
- Building, balancing, climbing, digging and moving through natural spaces
- Storytelling, imaginative play and group collaboration
- Quiet observation, reflection and conversations about the environment
- Learning about sustainability, care for Country and respect for living things
These experiences often continue back at the centre, where children may revisit their discoveries through drawing, construction, dramatic play, storytelling, research, group projects or creative expression.
How Bush Kinder Supports School Readiness
Bush Kinder also plays an important role in children's transition to school.
Through outdoor learning, children practise many of the skills that support a confident start to school, including independence, communication, persistence, problem-solving, emotional regulation and working with others.
They learn to manage their belongings, follow group expectations, listen to educators, make decisions, try again when something is tricky and share their ideas with confidence.
Most importantly, children build a strong sense of themselves as capable learners.
Bush Kinder and the Learning for Life Curriculum
Bush Kinder is not separate from our curriculum. It is an important part of it.
Through our Learning for Life Curriculum, children are supported to learn through meaningful play, strong relationships, thoughtfully designed environments and intentional teaching.
In Bush Kinder, this comes to life through real-world experiences. Children are not simply told about nature, sustainability, movement or problem-solving. They experience it. They test it. They return to it. They build theories, share ideas and reimagine what is possible.
This is the kind of learning that stays with children because it is connected to their bodies, their senses, their relationships and their world.
Ready to experience Bush Kinder at Explorers?
Bush Kinder is one of the many ways children at Explorers build confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.
Visit your local Explorers centre to learn more about our Kindergarten program, meet our educators and discover how Bush Kinder comes to life in your community.
Find a centre near you and book a tour to take the first step.
Frequently asked questions about Bush Kinder
Is Bush Kinder available at all Explorers centres?
Yes. Bush Kinder is offered across Explorers centres as part of our Learning for Life Curriculum. Each centre plans its program based on local outdoor environments, children's needs and safety considerations.
Is Bush Kinder part of the Kindergarten program?
Bush Kinder is offered to children in our 3 and 4-year-old Kindergarten rooms. It supports the learning, independence, confidence and social development that are so important during the Kindergarten years.
Where will my child go for Bush Kinder?
Locations vary by centre and may include local bushland, parks, reserves, beaches or community spaces. Your Centre Leadership Team will provide specific information about your child's Bush Kinder location.
What will my child need to bring?
Families will receive information from their centre about what to pack. This may include weather-appropriate clothing, enclosed shoes, a hat, drink bottle and any other items needed for the day.
Is Bush Kinder safe?
Safety is carefully considered as part of every Bush Kinder experience. Educators plan ahead, complete risk assessments, prepare children for outdoor learning and support them to understand safe ways to explore, move and care for themselves, others and the environment.
How does Bush Kinder connect to Reggio Emilia?
Our Reggio Emilia-inspired approach values children as capable, curious learners and recognises the environment as an important teacher. Bush Kinder gives children time and space to investigate, ask questions, collaborate, create and make meaning through real experiences in nature.