Bush Kindy Learning

Local Logan, QLD educators, please come and join me at Gunya Meta Inc kinnections breakfast this Friday 2nd October 2026. A wonderful opportunity to slow down, enjoy good food, network, share in culture and have a yarn.

Honoured for my workshop at Outsiders: Play Advocates Planning for Play 2026 to be featured in the QAOEECL Queensland Association of Outdoor & Environmental Education Center Leaders Newsletter this month as a highlight of the conference!

"...Highlight of the conference was a workshop facilitated by Areta Farrance, Director of Bush Kindy Learning. A particularly powerful part of Areta's workshop was exploring the idea of “reclaiming our play instinct. We reflected on what type of play we are drawn to, how we engage in play and what stops adults from playing.The workshop reminded us that play is not simply something we provide for children; it is a way of connecting with them. When we are willing to enter their world, follow their ideas and genuinely play alongside them, we create opportunities to build relationships, understand their perspectives and see learning through their eyes."

Thank you Cara Binney & Hayley Roberts, Teachers of Currumbin Valley EEC Tallebudgera Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre for joining me in the workshop and sharing such valuable reflections on how these learnings resonated with your practices in nature based settings.

For the full article please visit

https://epublisherapp.com/public/newsletter/ViewNewsletter?u=SXRlTVRuandpUW1Zb25McUxEaDhKZz09&newsLettertype=NkYrWGJsUHN3N29sZVZHNXJrR3M3QT09&orgId=VHJCZHdPYVl0MnVPUXJzZVl0d1RQUT09&issueId=VUNwM2c2R05sUFNWWitqSDBzdWJCUT09

For more information about their day programs please visit:
https://currumbinvalleyeec.eq.edu.au/programs/day-programs

I had such a wonderful adventure up the coast this past weekend to visit Taribelang Bunda Country, Bundaberg, QLD, Australia in supporting the incredible teams at Bundaberg Early Learning Centre and Piper Central World of Learning with professional development training.

We did a full day deep dive into bush kindy theory including the benefits of challenge, difficulty & risk taking in nature play for children.

Developed a risk benefit approach to outdoor play environments and had an excellent discussion about ways to navigate the realities of early learning environments and advocate for rich, deep & uninterrupted play.

Followed by a "Wood Work With Real Tools" workshop using peelers & pen knives for whittling, wood chopping and sawing, hammering, drilling, sanding and crafting!

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and working with you all and can't wait to see how these new skills and knowledge will inspire new nature play opportunities for the children attending your services.

Supporting healthy emotional regulation, problem solving, divergent thinking skills, physical and mental health and a joy for the great outdoors... just only scratches the surface of what bush kindy experiences offer children.

I wonder where I will go to next!?!

See if you can spot Miss Areta - AKA "the bush kindy lady" in this clip! 👀

Thanks Australian Institute of Play for this amazing documentary. This is the beginning of many more I am sure!

Advanced Community Screening of the 'Neighbourhood Backyard's Documentary' Before we launch this film for the world to see, first we showed it...

In the dappled light of a warm spring morning we studied leaves on Wednesday!

I love spontaneous small group times with multi age children.

We first collected as many different fallen leaves as possible.

Then we studied them.

Sorting first by colour. Then size... largest to smallest then by old to new... then counted how many by how old we are!

Guess who collected the most by age! 🙋🏼

Lastly we held each one up to the trees to acknowledge which leaf fell from which tree and we thanked them for making new composted soil for us with their fallen leaves.

It was interesting to see how the leaves are like us.. some big some small .. some old some new... Some fallen to the ground to make new soil for the new generations to grow. Nothing is lost... only recycled back into our knowledge and our generational learning from one another.

Who would have thought leaf study could be so profound and so spiritual!

I love I have the opportunity to stay present, intentional and connected with Country.

People often ask me who and what has influenced my practices at Bush Kindy?

Here they are ..

1. The Environment - On Country - The natural surroundings, land, sky, plants, animals, weather and seasons mostly govern the way things go and we pay attention, study and listen.

2. The Children! Children provide the company! The inquiry, curiosity, imagination, inventiveness, strengths, ideas and skills to play.

3. Doug Fargher and Westgarth Kindergarten/Darebin Parklands - The founder of bush kinder in Australia - the approach that requires no additional items to be brought into the space other than nature itself, children, adults and simple safety equipment, spare clothes and food/drinking water.

4. The Community and Cultures - I adapt my program depending on the community and their interests - hence why I sometimes break the rules of a traditional bush kinder setting (as discussed in point 3) and bring in extra resources to bridge the gap between indoor learning and outdoor learning - especially for those who may find pure nature immersion to be a challenging step at times. I generally slowly try to remove these items over time as the children become more connected to nature alone.

5. Reggio Emilia Approach - Project based learning that emerges and builds over time viewing the child and the community as having incredible capabilities and multiple ways of expressing throughout the learning journey

6. Maria Montessori - Viewing children as valuable members of society, embracing nature as a teacher and a place to build real world skills and responsibilities.

7. Rudolph Steiner - Life has rhythms and stories that hold meaning. Children are spiritual beings and require time to slowly grow their roots and are not to be rushed.

Many more too... That's all I can think of off the top of my head for now... I'll keep thinking of more...

I did that all from memory so apologies to all the theoretical nerds out there if I have any of these wrong! Let me know!

What influences your bush kindy program?

Photo: Bunya Mountains of Wakka Wakka Nation

It's National Child Protection Week.

In my mentoring sessions, I often step by step assess outdoor learning environments for 'safety' with educators.

And I want to point out... safety is not always about the physical safety and also safety is not always about being 'calm' or 'still.'

A child who has climbed, balanced, tested a branch and backed off one that felt wrong has been practising something very important to the whole early years development process...

They are learning to read their own interoceptive body's signals. The flutter in the stomach that says 'this is too high', 'this is too fast', 'this is not okay'.

Not to mention the butterflies of excitement when you reach the top of the tree stump on your own!

These early warning signs are protective signals in the brain that children need to develop. Risky play is where children get to feel them, name them and act on them.

I also observe that children talk differently outdoors. Walking side by side, hands are busy, no table between you and no eye contact required at times.

Educators who work in natural settings will tell you that is often when deeper conversations can come up and be expressed in a relaxed setting.

Keeping children safe is not only about fences and forms. It is about raising children who trust what their body tells them, and who have adults nearby who will listen and be present.

How are you offering safe and emotionally protective environments through nature play?

Learn more at childprotectionweek.org.au

On Thursday I joined round two of Play Australia national play summit series in Brisbane, and it was a genuinely fantastic day to spend time on such an urgent and important topic!

The summit tackled something that sits at the heart of childhood but rarely makes it onto the policy agenda...a child's right to play!

We heard from guest speaker Scott Mackenzie of Sport NZ, alongside Play Australia CEO Robyn Monro Miller AM, CF.

As Scott so succinctly said "Play is a pathway to well-being"

Just as valuable was the practical session, where every delegate had a hand in shaping the first stage of a national campaign to protect, promote and provide play for all children living in Australia.

This is the second of three summits Play Australia is hosting through 2026, each one building on the last, all working toward a national Plan4Play.

Play is not a luxury "add-on" to childhood. It is essential to children's health, wellbeing and development, and it is well past time our national agenda reflected that.

I am proud to say that Bush Kindy opportunities will be part of that road map!

Bush Kindy Learning
Bush Kindy Teaching

Thanks to Play Australia for the invitation. Looking forward to Round 3!

Had such a wonderful time guest speaking for We Belong Education 💚

Highly recommend you like, follow and share this podcast as there is such a fantastic array of speakers sharing incredible stories and insights!

What happens when we give ourselves permission to play? 🌿

In this episode of the We Belong Education Podcast, we explore playfulness not just as something we create for children, but as something adults and educators can experience too.

Join Dr Saurubh Malviya, Helen Pentecost, and special guest Areta Farrance, founder and director of Bush Kindy Teaching and Learning, as they talk about play, connection, authenticity, and what happens when we let go of our adult agendas.

Because sometimes, play isn't about becoming a child again. It's about giving ourselves space to be curious, silly, present, and connected. 💛

🎙️ Ep. 17: Playfulness Among Us

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
Spotify: bit.ly/webelongeducationpodcastspotify
Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/webelongeducationpodcastapple
YouTube: bit.ly/webelongeducationpodcastyoutube

💚 Happy Educators Day! 💚

To celebrate, I share with you a podcast you can access on your streaming services via We Belong Education: Spotify. You Tube. Apple Music.

It was truly an honour to be a special guest on the We Belong Education podcast this week discussing the playfulness among us adults and how it can be a hidden treasure when it comes to connection, understanding and self-reflection.

Thank you Dr Saurabh Malviya and Helen Pentecost for making the time to engage in such a long and rich conversation.

I hope our listeners enjoy as we deep dive into such topics alongside some playful banter about puppetry, sock wars, cricket and fashion.

You Tube access here:
https://youtu.be/Edkjvlln9Ec?si=x7cK9EzHMTv_M_jt