Why WildPlay Co Programs Are Worth the Investment
There is not a single family who is not feeling the pressure of the cost of living in Australia in 2024 and at WildPlay Co, we are acutely aware of this. Couple this with the main competition for WildPlay Co being free, government subsidised kindergarten and WildPlay Co programs start to look a little on the pricey side…
That is until you look deeper at our little business and what we offer. Once you understand the costs of running a unique, 100% outdoor, child-led program with authentic play opportunities for your child then you start to see exactly why WildPlay Co Nature Immersion programs are worth the investment.
1. High Insurance Costs for Risky Play Opportunities
One of the features that differentiate WildPlay Co programs from long daycare and government funded kindergartens is our approach to risky play. Defined as “play that provides opportunities for challenge, testing limits, exploring boundaries and learning about injury risk” by Professor Ellen Sandseter, a world-leading expert in risky play and wellbeing in early childhood, we believe risky play is an essential component of nature pedagogy and integral to healthy child development.
At WildPlay Co, children have the opportunity to engage in tree climbing, ropes and construction, using hand tools such as hand drills and hammers, wood whittling and fire and bush cooking. For WildPlay Co to be able to provide these services and keep the kids who attend our programs safe, we need fully comprehensive insurance from a reputable insurer who is familiar with nature immersion services and the unique features of our industry.
Behind staff wages, insurance is the largest monthly expense for our business but it is absolutely essential and we would never consider running without it. The downside of course is that we need to pass part of this cost onto our customers so that we can continue running nature immersion programs in Bendigo. Can you have a nature immersion program without risk? absolutely! but climbing trees, bush cooking and wood whittling are such wonderful ways for kids to engage with nature and teach kids real-life skills therefore we believe risky play is essential to a well rounded nature immersion experience.
2. Ineligibility for Grant Funding
Educational institutions such as schools and kindergartens are typically non-for profit organisations which is a requirement in applying for grant funding. WildPlay Co is not an Education or Care provider therefore we are ineligible for the vast majority of funding opportunities. This means that all of the eco-friendly and sustainable resources that we purchase, professional development that we engage in, contractors that we bring in to provide something special for the kids such as the Wildlife presentation from TZR Reptiles in term 4 last year, all come off our bottom line.
3. High Child to Staff Ratios and Staff Costs
We run high quality and unique nature immersion programs that are 100% outdoors necessitating more staff on the ground due to required child to staff ratios. Our staff are also uniquely qualified in Early Childhood Education and Wildlife Conservation & Eco-System Management. The quality of our staff and the required ratios, while critical for safety and a positive experience for your child, contribute to higher staffing costs.
4. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Resources
WildPlay are committed to sustainability and take our role of raising the next environmental stewards of our planet very seriously. We are acutely aware that in order to demonstrate this we must model that commitment for the children that attend our programs. This means that we buy ethical, sustainable and local resources whenever we can while avoiding resources that have the capacity to harm our environment. Often, these resources and consumables are more costly but the lesson that this teaches the children who attend our programs is priceless not to mention the positive impact on our environment!
Future Plans for Subsidised Programs
Despite the current cost of WildPlay Co programs being greater than traditional education and care settings, they may not always be! We are currently in discussion with the City of Greater Bendigo (COGB) and a number of local community groups about the potential for subsidised programs. This would mean that our programs are more affordable and accessible for a wider range of people in the Greater Bendigo region. We encourage you to reach out the COGB to advocate for more affordable nature immersion programs using the following email address requests@bendigo.vic.gov.au.
In addition to this consultation, WildPlay Co are implementing an equity discount from term 3, 2024. This reduced program rate will apply to individual children who are from marginalised or single parent families. This is our way of acknowledging that not all members of our society are afforded the same opportunities. We hope that this equity discount promotes equal opportunity and inclusion in nature immersion for all children in the Greater Bendigo region.
The Value of Investing in WildPlay Co
WildPlay Co Nature Immersion programs are unstructured, child-led and play-based. Our programs are 100% outdoors with our purpose rooted in fostering healthy child development and a love for the environment while instilling a sense of responsibility to care for our country. We achieve this by providing unique and high quality programs that are staffed by passionate playworkers who love nothing more than taking education outdoors. We consistently have parents and children returning term after term and hear on a daily basis that WildPlay Co was the “best thing we did” and “we’re so glad we found you”. We have the best jobs in the world!
Our programs are more expensive that traditional forms of education and care. This is due to many factors including insurance costs, ineligibility for funding, required ratios and our commitment to purchasing eco-friendly and sustainable resources. However, the benefits of risky play opportunities with more individualised attention for your child as well as the positive impact that using eco-friendly and sustainable resources have on our environment, make WildPlay Co programs 100% worth the investment.
Join us in term 2 in our Nature Playgroup, Bush Kindy or Homeschool Group. Still have questions? Contact us via our website or social platforms.
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