Below you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked most about our nature play workshops. If you don’t see what you are looking for, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Bush Kindy Leader Course
This 3-day training is suitable for educators caring for children aged 0-12 with all training content mapped to the Early Years Learning Framework and My Time Our Place.
This course is for educators that are employed in an Early Childhood Service or OSHC program. Teachers at primary schools also find this valuable. This course is also suitable for people setting up their own Nature Play Business – whether that provides playgroup, drop off, holiday or homeschooling programs.
This training will provide educators with the theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to implement a nature play program – Bush and Beach Kindy/Forest School program venturing out of the service into the community meeting regulations, safety requirements and curriculum.
Registrations for our Nature Play QLD courses are via Eventbrite.com.au.
You can find all of our current Bush Kindy Leader Courses here.
On Eventbrite you will find 2 payment options:
– Credit or Debit Card
– Invoice to be paid within 7 days of your registration
If you require other payment plans and options, please contact us on education@natureplayqld.org.au
Yes, there is! If 3 or more educators, from the same service or organization, are attending the Bush Kindy Course at the same time a discounted price applies. Please email education@natureplayqld.org.au to request a discount code to be used when registering.
Click here to read our Workshop Cancellation Policy.
Currently in Australia there is no certified course for Bush/Beach Kindy or Forest School, additionally there is no mandatory requirement to have certification.
It is however best practice to have appropriate training and be equipped with the skills and knowledge required for persons to carry out their job role. This Bush Kindy Leader course is equivalent to the UK Certificate Level 3 course. At the end of this course, you will receive a hard copy printed certificate.
No, there is no previous experience required to attend Nature Play QLD – Bush Kindy Leader Course. This 3-day training is suitable for educators caring for children aged 0-12 with all training content mapped to the Early Years Learning Framework and My Time Our Place.
This training will provide educators with the theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to implement a nature play program – Bush and Beach Kindy/Forest School program venturing out of the service into the community.
Unfortunately, we do not offer an online version of this course as it is very practical in nature. Throughout the 3 days, we reinforce the theoretical knowledge by applying it in practice in nature settings at the venue. We also include a visit to a Bush Kindy at an early Childhood service in action.
Days start at 9 am and finish at 4pm. There is a combination of indoor and outdoor components on each day.
On day 3, in the morning, we will be working within a rainforest visiting a Bush Kindy so this day starts at 8.30am.
- Explore the principles and practice of Learning in Nature through Nature Pedagogy, the Forest School model: the history, ethos, approach, and the benefits for contemporary children.
- Explore techniques to implement these principles and practices in the context of your service play spaces and in the community in nature, beach, and bush settings.
- Explore a ‘typical’ Bush Kindy session, along with the necessary procedures and routines to put in place, including risk-benefit assessments.
- Explore curriculum possibilities across all play spaces indoors and outdoors.
- Explore the links to the Early Years Learning Framework and My Time Our Place.
- Explore curriculum possibilities including Nature Pedagogy, Embedding Indigenous perspectives, sustainability, environmental education, and community connections.
- Explore how to support children’s individual needs within your program delivery and documenting learning experiences to meet curriculum requirements.
- Engage in a collaborative discussion into current barriers restricting learning at the Bush and scaffold strategies to support your setting with overcoming these.
- Explore the requirements of legislation, policies, and procedures and how to meet these.
- Take part in adaptable and practical Nature Learning activities that relate to Australian bush ecosystems.
- Engage in an action plan to take back to your service.
The Bush Kindy Leader Course is delivered by Rebecca Burch, Alex Brown and Rita Pontes.
Click here for their full bio. Our team has extensive experience and qualifications in Nature Pedagogy, and all currently still work in the field in Bush and Beach Kindy programs.
Participants will need to provide their own morning tea. Nature Play QLD will provide lunch and afternoon tea. Please bring your own Keep Cup for hot drinks and your own water bottle as we engage in sustainable practices.
Tea, coffee, water, juice, and biscuits are provided. Please make sure to indicate any dietary requirement when registering. We will do our best to cater for all.
There is a combination of indoor and outdoor components on each day and for a session and day 3 we will be working within a rainforest visiting a Bush Kindy. For this reason, please check the weather and dress accordingly.
– Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that allows you to move around outdoors.
– Do not forget insect repellent, a sun hat and sunscreen.
– If it is predicted to be wet weather – please bring appropriate wet weather gear – a jacket with hood, waterproof pants, boots, or shoes that can get wet (and a change of clothes to be sure). We still will be doing outdoor activities in the rain (just like Bush Kindy).
– Do not forget to bring a pen and highlighter, we will provide you with printed handouts.
– Please also bring your Blue Card or Working with Children Check number as we will be visiting a Bush Kindy – so this will need to be sighted on arrival.
Yes, we include practical Educator Skill sets; Risky Play – Trees, Shelters, Water and Fire Safety and as a Learning Experience, Ropes are a creative Learning Resource and Using Real Tools Safely.
This is on top of many practical activities throughout the course to enrich your skills and repertoire of nature play activities.
You will receive a free comprehensive start-up pack of resources to take back to your setting including:
-Bush Kindy Leader Training Manual
– Printed Nature Play QLD resources
– USB filled with Nature Play QLD resources, editable documents e.g., Risk Benefit Assessments, Policy inclusions, Sustainable Management Plan, Fire Safety Procedures and much more!
It’s important to share information so that your whole team will grow together on this nature play journey. We give you lots of ideas of how to inspire your colleagues, engage in reflective conversations and upskill your team.
We remind organisations that Nature Play QLD owns the Intellectual Property of the course and it can’t be used to train and provide Professional Development to other teams or services or for profit.
We are a nonprofit organisaton and are happy to help anyone that needs support in building their nature play programs, so please feel free to pass on our contact details so we can help.
We offer a very educator-focused course, with the intention of responding to all your questions and learning from each other’s journeys, that is why we keep our group small. Max 20 – Min 10.
Learning In and With Nature
This 3-day training is suitable for educators caring for children aged 0-12 with all training content mapped to the Early Years Learning Framework and My Time Our Place. This course is for educators that are employed in an Early Childhood Service or OSHC program.
This course is also suitable for people implementing their own Nature Play Business – whether that provides playgroup, drop off, holiday or homeschooling programs. This workshop will provide educators with the theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to embed nature play and outdoor learning into your existing curriculum and play within the boundaries of your service setting. It includes resources to support progression and whole service implementation.
Registrations for our Nature Play QLD courses are via Eventbrite.com.au.
You can find all of our current Learning In and With Nature Courses here.
On Eventbrite you will find 2 payment options:
– Credit or Debit Card
– Invoice to be paid within 7 days of your registration
If you require other payment plans and options, please contact us on education@natureplayqld.org.au
Yes, there is! If 3 or more educators, from the same service or organization, are attending the Bush Kindy Course at the same time a discounted price applies. Please email education@natureplayqld.org.au to request a discount code to be used when registering.
Click here to read our Workshop Cancellation Policy.
At the end of this course you will receive a hard copy printed certificate with the professional development hours included.
No, there is no previous experience required to attend Nature Play QLD – Learning with and in Nature. This 1-day workshop is suitable for educators caring for children aged 0-12 with all workshop content mapped to the Early Years Learning Framework and My Time Our Place. This workshop will provide educators with the theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to embed nature play and outdoor learning into your existing curriculum and play within the boundaries of your service setting. It includes resources to support progression and whole service implementation.
Unfortunately, we do not offer an online version of this course yet as it is very practical in nature. Throughout the day, we reinforce the theoretical knowledge by applying it in practice in nature settings at the venue.
The day is a combination of indoor and outdoor components, starting at 9am and finishing at 4pm. We will have morning and afternoon breaks along with lunch.
- Explore the principles and practice of Learning in Nature through Nature Pedagogy.
- Explore the Forest School model: the history, ethos, approach, and the benefits for contemporary children and learning communities.
- Explore techniques to implement these principles and practices in the context of your service play spaces within the fence.
- Explore nature play resources, including the use of risk-benefit assessments.
- Explore curriculum possibilities across all play spaces indoors and outdoors.
- Explore the links to the Early Years Learning Framework and My Time Our Place.
- Explore how to inspire the whole educator team and families to support nature play developments in your setting.
- Take part in adaptable and practical Nature Learning activities.
- Engage in an action plan to take back to your service.
The is delivered by Rebecca Burch and/or Anya Imhoff. Click here for their full bio. Our team has extensive experience and qualifications in Nature Pedagogy and all currently still work in the field in Bush and Beach Kindy programs.
Yes, participants will need to provide both morning tea, lunch, and a drink at this event to comply with Covid Safe Plan. Please bring your own ‘Keep Cup’ for hot drinks and your own water bottle. Tea, coffee, and biscuits are provided.
The day is a combination of indoor and outdoor components for this reason, please check the weather and dress accordingly and please pack:
– comfortable clothing, shoes
– a sun hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent
– If it’s predicted to be wet weather – please bring appropriate wet weather gear
a pen and highlighter
– Morning tea, a Keep Cup for hot drinks and your own water bottle
– Bring a copy of your Centre Philosophy PRINTED
Learning in and with Nature workshop will provide educators with the theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to embed nature play and outdoor learning into your existing curriculum and play within the boundaries of your service setting.
Introduction to more specific skills as making fire, using tools, playing with ropes, building huts, and whittling are only offer on the Nature Play QLD – Bush Kindy Leader Course or personalised professional development training with Educator Skill Sets.
You will receive a free comprehensive start-up pack of resources to take back to your setting including:
– Learning in and with Nature printed powerpoint and notes
– Printed Nature Play QLD resources
It’s important to share information so that your whole team will grow together on this nature play journey. We give your ideas of how to inspire your colleagues, engage in reflective conversations and upskill your team.
We remind organisations that Nature Play QLD owns the Intellectual Property of the course, and it can’t be used to train and provide Professional Development to other teams or services or for profit.
We are a nonprofit organisaton and are happy to help anyone that needs support in building their nature play programs, so please feel free to pass on our contact details so we can help.
We offer a very educator-focused course, with the intention of responding to all your questions and learning from each other’s journeys, that is why we keep our group small. Max 20 – Min 10.
Embedding Outdoor Learning
This 1 Day Workshop is suitable for Primary School Teachers, Principals, Head of Curriculum, Teachers’ Aides and Homeschool Educators with all workshop content mapped to the Australian National Curriculum (ACARA) and Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL).
This workshop will provide primary school educators with theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to embed regular outdoor learning opportunities at their school or in their learning spaces, whilst supporting ACARA and AITSL. The focus of the workshop is on planning, delivering, and reflecting on curriculum lessons taken outside of the classroom and includes extensive resources to support progression and whole-school implementation.
Registrations for our Nature Play QLD courses are via Eventbrite.com.au.
You can find all of our current Learning In and With Nature Courses here.
On Eventbrite you will find 2 payment options:
– Credit or Debit Card
– Invoice to be paid within 7 days of your registration
If you require other payment plans and options, please contact us on education@natureplayqld.org.au
Yes, there is! If 3 or more educators, from the same service or organization, are attending the Embedding Outdoor Learning Workshop. Please email education@natureplayqld.org.au to request a discount code to be used when registering.
Click here to read our Workshop Cancellation Policy.
At the end of this course you will receive a hard copy printed certificate with professional development (CPD) hours included.
No, there is no previous experience required to attend Nature Play QLD – Embedding Outdoor Learning Workshop. It will provide primary school educators with theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to embed regular outdoor learning opportunities at their school or in their learning spaces, whilst supporting ACARA and AITSL. The focus of the workshop is on planning, delivering, and reflecting on curriculum lessons taken outside of the classroom and includes extensive resources to support progression and whole-school implementation.
Unfortunately, we do not offer an online version of this course yet as it is very practical in nature. Throughout the day, we reinforce the theoretical knowledge by applying it in practice in outdoor settings at the venue.
The day is a combination of indoor and outdoor components, starting at 9am and finishing at 4pm. We will have morning and afternoon breaks along with lunch.
- Discuss the researched impact of regular outdoor learning on children’s physical, social and intellectual development, mental health, and resilience.
- Explore through a series of case studies of videos, photos, and stories of primary schools in Queensland and how outdoor learning can become a key component in whole school philosophy and practice.
- Explore how to embed and timetable regular outdoor learning experiences into your curriculum programming, supporting the National Curriculum.
- Take part in a group with likeminded teachers working within your age phase, to participate in a diverse range of practical outdoor learning ‘lessons’
- Discuss and practically explore how to maintain student safety outside of the classroom through the development of risk-benefit assessment, policies, and procedures and most importantly by empowering your students.
- Explore how nature pedagogy can be implemented across play and learning spaces including with loose parts and nature play.
- Discover a range of implementation techniques to engage and inspire parents, colleagues, your senior leader team, the local community and of course your students.
- Develop an ‘action plan’ to record your next steps to implementation at your school.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL) Addressed
- Know students and how they learn – 1.1, 1.2
- Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning – 3.2, 3.3
- Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments – 4.1, 4.3, 4.4
- Additional standards addressed – 5.1, 7.3
The Embedding Outdoor Learning Workshop is delivered by Rebecca Burch and/or Anya Imhoff. Click here for their full bio.
Yes, participants will need to provide both morning tea, lunch, and a drink at this event to comply with Covid Safe Plan. Please bring your own ‘Keep Cup’ for hot drinks and your own water bottle. Tea, coffee, and biscuits are provided.
The day is a combination of indoor and outdoor components for this reason, please check the weather and dress accordingly and please pack:
– comfortable clothing, shoes
– a sun hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent
– If it’s predicted to be wet weather – please bring appropriate wet weather gear
a pen and highlighter
– Morning tea, a Keep Cup for hot drinks and your own water bottle
The Embedding Outdoor Learning workshop will provide educators with the theoretical and practical knowledge and ideas, to embed outdoor learning into your existing curriculum and play at your school setting.
Introduction to more specific skills as making fire, using tools, playing with ropes, building huts, and whittling are only offer on the Nature Play QLD – Bush Kindy Leader Course or personalised professional development training with Educator Skill Sets.
You will receive a free comprehensive start-up pack of resources to take back to your setting including:
– Embedding Outdoor Learning printed PowerPoint and notes
– Printed Nature Play QLD resources
It’s important to share information so that your whole team will grow together on this nature play journey. We will give you ideas of how to inspire your colleagues, engage in reflective conversations and upskill your team.
We remind organisations that Nature Play QLD owns the Intellectual Property of the course, and it can’t be used to train and provide Professional Development to other teams or services or for profit.
We are a nonprofit organisaton and are happy to help anyone that needs support in building their nature play programs, so please feel free to pass on our contact details so we can help.
We offer a very educator-focused course, with the intention of responding to all your questions and learning from each other’s journeys, that is why we keep our group small. Max 20 – Min 10.
