In this wide ranging conversation Llewellyn and Melanie reflect on what SAKGF and early childhood sector partners are learning through the early years kitchen garden pilot project 2016-2019.
Edges in a children's centre rural NSW, Australia - Photos: Llewellyn Wishart Early childhood practitioners, children and families ever thought about that slightly wild, weedy corner or edge of your kindergarten or childcare centre outdoor space? Do you want to "tidy it up" at the next working bee coz it's messy, unsightly or potentially non-compliant?... Continue Reading →
How can early childhood educators be supported to teach outdoors? Moving to learn outdoors can mean so many things...
What do children need for active play in the outdoors? In-depth research with six early childhood educators revealed what mattered to them when thinking about young children moving and being active in outdoor learning environments. According to these educators children need to: explore and practice fundamental movements; have freedom & open space to... Continue Reading →
Formidable Vegetable Sound System have done it again with a quirky poignant tribute to one of Permaculture's founders Bill Mollison who died last year. Check it out here:  While your at it if you are looking for fun music to get children and grown-ups singing, dancing and more eco-literate you can't go past Formidable... Continue Reading →
Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens Photo: Llewellyn Wishart Developing nature-rich outdoor environments for young children takes conviction, creativity, planning, negotiation, design sense and skills in early childhood pedagogy. Early childhood educators here in Australia are being offered more and more professional development in this area with flow-on benefits for children, families and even... Continue Reading →
Dance-movement therapist Dr Suzie Tortora's research into embodied parenting and infant-parent communication has much to offer about the power of movement as a form of subtle embodied communication in infancy, early childhood and across the lifespan. Dr Tortora's research challenges assumptions about the nature of communicative development as largely a question of the acquisition of... Continue Reading →
Our recently published research sheds light on what young children might need more of in their outdoor learning environments. How do we stimulate well rounded play, physical activity, motor development and simply the joy of being outdoors? In a word think "diversity". Built and natural design elements with variable surfaces, inclines, levels and terrain make... Continue Reading →