Breaking Down the Differences: WildPlay Co vs. Traditional Education Settings
We are parents ourselves therefore we understand the challenges of navigating those early years when you are deciding on care or school for the most important little people in your life. Long daycare, family daycare, three and four year old kindy, school…the decisions never end!
Here at WildPlay Co we offer an alternative to traditional forms of education which you can access in place of childcare or school or in conjunction with. Read on to find out how we differ to an early childhood centre and a school and why nature immersion could be just what your child needs this year.
So if we’re not childcare or school, what are we?
WildPlay Co is a private Nature Immersion service. We are an extra-curricular, outdoor activity provider similar to others sports/activities you may enroll your child in such as swimming, martial arts or dancing. We run programs, some of which are ‘stay and play’ such as our Nature Playgroup but also have a drop-off option for our Bush Kindy sessions, Homeschool program and school holiday workshops. Our sessions range from 90 minutes to full day programs and can be booked either casually per session or by the term. Although we are not an education service provider, we do adhere to the National Quality Standards set by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACEQUA) in relation to child safety, staff to child ratios and qualification requirements.
The Key Differences between Bush Kindy in an education setting and our Bush Kindy
The term ‘Bush Kindy’ comes from the education sector where Kindergartens offer regular time in the schedule to attend an outdoor space. There are a handful of Kindergartens in Bendigo who offer a Bush Kindy option with this feature alone being a major drawcard for the centre in terms of enrollments. The Nature Immersion industry borrows the term ‘Bush Kindy’ to describe the program that is offered for children of kindergarten age (3-6 years). The problem however, is that although Bush Kindy in an education setting has some similarities to Bush Kindy in a Nature Immersion setting, there are some very important, key differences which may influence your decision on which one to choose, or whether or not to combine both options.
Curriculum
Bush kindy in an education setting is combined with a traditional kindergarten curriculum. On the other hand, WildPlay Co bush kindy is driven by a child-led, inquiry-based philosophy that values environmental sustainability and unstructured play. We don’t teach, instead we hold space for the children to learn through play.
Rain or shine!
WildPlay Co programs run completely outdoors, rain or shine! Of course, we have an extreme weather policy and child safety is our highest priority however, we aim to appreciate the outdoors in all weather conditions while building resilience to cope with being uncomfortable.
Supervision
Due to the increased risk that outdoor environments provide, the WildPlay Co staff to child ratio is considerably higher than that of an early childhood service provider. For the Bush Kindy program, our child to staff ratio is 1:7 meaning the maximum number of children in a group will be 14 with two Nature Playworkers facilitating the session.
Risky play
One of our core values is embracing authentic play opportunities. Sometimes, this involves an increased level of risk such playing with sticks, cooking on a campfire, climbing trees or using hand tools. Although we acknowledge the risk (and have the appropriate risk mitigation steps in place), we place a greater emphasis on the benefits to the child of experiencing these play opportunities. We believe that having the opportunity to engage in outdoor risky play in a safe and supervised manner is essential to the healthy development of all children.
What if my child is already attending Kindergarten?
Our programs can be accessed either in place of traditional forms of care/schooling or in combination with. The only barrier to attending both childcare/kindergarten and WildPlay Co Bush Kindy is trying to get the days to align! (there’s also the small issue of your child enjoying Bush Kindy so much that they may not want to go back to regular Kindy but that’s a topic for another day!)
Some of the more common reasons that people access our programs are;
Looking for socialisation due to not attending childcare
Attending childcare and looking for an extra curricular activity to do on an alternate day that includes an outdoor focus
Looking to combine traditional kindergarten program with more outdoor time
Homeschooling/unschooling children and looking for a group that meets regularly in the outdoors to engage with other kids of varying ages and to connect with the natural world
Book now to see the difference a Nature Immersion program can make to your child
Whatever your reasons, please know that whatever works for your family, works for us too and that if you have any questions about our programs and how they might fit into your future plans please read our FAQ’S page or get in touch! Or maybe you’ve read enough and know that WildPlay Co programs are perfect for your little ones. In that case, book now! Casual sessions and term bookings are available for our Nature Playgroup, Bush Kindy and Homeschool groups.