Bush Kinder

In 2016, Rangeview Pre-School  developed a Bush Kinder program for our 4 Year Old Groups with the help of the City of Whitehorse and Whitehorse Council’s Parkside Education Program Officers.  We are extremely proud that 2026 will mark our 10th  year of enjoying the benefits of learning outdoors in the bush at Yarran Dheran Nature Reserve.

Our four-year-old groups spend every second Thursday at Yarran Dheran Nature Reserve, where the session focuses on a particular nature-based theme such as ‘minibeasts’ or ‘fungi’. The program has been developed in line with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework to support the principles, practices and outcomes that guide the main 4 Year Old program.

Bush Kinder is a series of nature-based kindergarten sessions developed in line with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.   Our Bush Kinder sessions promote and encourage a closer connection with nature, a greater sense of community amongst our kinder groups and appreciation of our environment.  The bushland also provides an opportunity to learn about the Wurundjeri People, the Traditional Owners of the land, and the significance of the land, plants and animals in their culture.

Current research shows that children today are spending much more time indoors, in front of screens and participating in structured activities. Being outdoors and exploring nature helps change these trends as children begin to value and appreciate the joy that nature-based activities can provide for an overall sense of wellbeing and positive identity.

Bush Kinder aims to:

• Facilitate respect and appreciation of nature through experience;
• Encourage creative play with minimal use of direct instruction, tools and manufactured resources;
• Assist in the development of risk assessment skills in a dynamic environment;
• Support kindergarten staff to integrate environmentally aware principles and nature-based play into their daily service delivery.

The Rangeview Pre-school Committee acknowledges the courage of the teaching team in taking children to a bushland setting without fences. As we are committed to best practice for the safety and wellbeing of our children, the Committee has financially committed to funding a fourth educator for all Bush Kinder sessions.

The teaching team relies on support from families, asking parents to provide assistance by attending at least one Bush Kinder session per year.

Furthr details for parents about our Bush Kinder sessions are available in the bush kinder handbook.