YCDCo Helps Establish Bush Kinder Program
Author: Jennie McKern, Yackandandah Kindergarten
yackandandah.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au / 02 6027 1560
3 September 2021
In September 2018 the Yackandandah Kindergarten successfully applied to YCDCo for a Community Initiative Scholarship grant and received $2547. This grant paved the way for realising Stage 2 of the Bush Kinder Experience.
In operation since 1977, the kinder had grown to 5 permanent staff and 60 families by 2018 and Kindergarten Director Marisel Blefari was looking to extend learning opportunities for current and future families.
Through the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the landowner behind the Kindergarten in 2017, the kinder now had access to approximately 2 acres of privately owned land with creek frontage adjoining the kinder site. The land itself was an important corridor for wildlife as it linked the Yackandandah Creek with the Baranduda Regional Park. This project was to restore and regenerate the area to become a “nature’s classroom”. In its purest form, there was to be no play equipment but plants, trees, rocks, sticks, animals, mini beasts and a whole world of discovery to be explored. Development and ongoing works were planned for specific stages, with community working bees and collaborative relationships with kinder families, the local LandCare Group, Yackandandah Men’s Shed, NECMA, the Biodiversity Conservation Trust and the North East Koori Engagement Support Officer.
Now in 2021, we have achieved our vision that the Bush Kinder operates as a core part of the kinder curriculum. Children are experiencing open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature. They are learning first-hand about the unique Australian environment as they identify bird species, indigenous plants, aboriginal culture and about water quality and life contained within streams. Whilst addressing the Early Years Leaning Framework criteria to promote children’s learning and development in a safe and stimulating environment, what really matters to our children is that they are finding joy, laughter, creativity and free-play in their own “nature’s classroom.”
As we move into 2022 and beyond, our Bush Kinder will continue to enjoy hosting visits from environmental educators to provide environmental education on the importance of caring for the environment and supporting biodiversity. We acknowledge our very valued collaborative partnerships with the Yack Mens Shed, Wodonga Bunnings and the Yack Lions Club; whom have generously donated labour & materials for projects, gardening tools & plants and all-weather suits for outdoor play respectively.
Always delighted to introduce people to our bush experience, we think that with the help of parents and our local community, the scope to add more learning dimensions could be endless.