AFSA Approved Provider: Hearth Nature Play
Our name reflects our strong values. ‘The Hearth’ connects the child’s heart to the earth. It is a place of comfort and connection, a feeling of being home. Our vision and mission expands on this as it is our vision that children have space and time outdoors immersed in nature, coming to understand, love and care for Country. Our mission is to create a space for children and families to connect with nature through play and exploration in order to promote their ecological understanding and their physical and mental health. We are fortunate to have our own private wild bush space that allows us to offer regular nature immersion in the same place, so children can deeply understand and care for the place and observe changes over time. Our Nature Playgroup attend for 2 hours weekly throughout the term.
We are grateful to play and learn on Wadawurrung Country and acknowledge the Wadawurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the land our program is situated on. We are committed to learning about and honouring First Nations culture in all our programs. This is done in a number of ways including acknowledging Country and embedding local language for animals, birds and plants into our program through stories, song and activities. Wec seek advice from Wadawurrung traditional owners about matters relating to Country and protocols.My husband and 3 sons are proud Gunditjmara men, Traditional Owners of the Country now known as Portland in Southwest Victoria. As a family we are involved in Community life and connected to Community. In my role at Hearth Nature Play I draw on this shared knowledge and expertise, as well awareness of historical and current issues facing First Nations communities.
As an experienced Early Childhood teacher I am a strong advocate for the right of children to learn through play. Unfortunately this is something that has become eroded in formal education settings due to external pressures. We offer guided play with an emphasis on free exploration. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to join in play whilst encouraging their child’s independence appropriate to their age and development. Our programs are child-led, with the guidance of leaders who value and recognise the learning potential of play. Parents or educators attend our programs and this is an important part of our offering as we model and reinforce the importance of Slow Pedagogy and the rhythm of play. As Director of Hearth Nature Play I am involved in ongoing professional development, writing and reading. Some recent examples include the Early Childhood Australia National Conference, the Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network annual conference and The Koori Curriculum Indigenous Art seminar.
Our programs are inclusive and open to all families, regardless of their philosophy about education. Our site has been designed to be accessible by those with a disability with flat access and the installation of an accessible toilet. Parents are able to pay by the session or term to enable access, and relationships are built so that individual circumstances are able to be negotiated to ensure there are no barriers to children accessing the program.
My vast experience as an Early Childhood Teacher, Mentor and now Consultant and Coach means that I am able to share my knowledge with families during our programs. Our whole family/community approach values open communication between parent and educators and our slow pedagogy approach allows for explanation, mentoring and evidence-sharing as part of our everyday practice. My regular newsletter shares my knowledge of the importance of nature play and risky play in the outdoors to a wider audience. I also participate in training Early Childhood services in implementing Bush Kinder programs to improve access for all children and to increase the capacity of educators to offer these types of programs.
Sustainability is lived out in our everyday programs. Children learn about the flora and fauna of the site through firsthand experience. We draw on knowledge from local groups such as the Traditional Owners Corporation, Landcare and Field Naturalists, as well as consulting with a local ecologist and local landholders.
We are committed to implementing the goals for sustainability as outlined in the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, as well as the OMEP Sustainable Development Goals. We aim to reduce consumption of new materials for children’s play but instead cherish the old, using repurposed materials and traditional home and family keepsakes as our equipment. Our access to tank water only and a septic system for the toilet offers daily teaching experiences in water conservation. We are a rubbish-free site, educating children and families about reducing waste.
