Making Connections with Nature…

“If we really want children to thrive we need to let their connection to nature nurture them.”
Claire Warden, Educational and Experiential Pioneer

Young children generally have an innate desire to explore the natural world. This curiosity helps them to learn about, and make connections with, the world around them.

The children in our Early Learning Centre often spend time observing objects from nature and the natural world. Our Early Learning philosophy places significant emphasis on the importance of nature and our young learners are provided with many opportunities to learn about the natural world through our programs.

The children regularly engage in investigation and research regarding the origins of trees, plants, natural items and the seasonal changes. Often, the children represent their interpretations through the ‘hundred languages’.  As the children learn more about nature, they begin to understand, connect with and respect the natural world.

The current seasonal changes in the gardens around us provide the perfect catalyst for investigating nature. Which tree did this leaf come from? How did this pine cone grow? Why do the leaves change colour? The children are currently engaging in learning in their classrooms in relation to these seasonal changes. Observations are made as the children walk around the gardens in our school and stop to take time to observe and discuss the transformation of the trees.

Our outdoor learning space in the ELC provides a myriad of opportunities for engaging with nature. Recently, the children have planted seedlings and are currently nurturing the seedlings as they grow into plants. The plants, trees and natural elements in the playground also provide opportunities for exploring different textures and surfaces. The integration of water, sand and mud provide further learning opportunities about these natural elements.

The importance of learning and connecting to nature cannot be more highly emphasised.

ELC Uniform

With the change of seasons, the children attending the Early Learning Centre will now transition into uniform pieces for the cooler weather. This includes the St Catherine’s tracksuit pants, polo t-shirt, rugby jumper, polar-fleece jumper, skivvy and/or vest. These uniform pieces can be worn interchangeably according to the weather on a given day. Casual clothing items cannot be worn with the ELC uniform. The children must be dressed in full St Catherine’s ELC uniform at all times. All items are available through our uniform supplier – Bob Stewart, 150 Waverley Road Malvern East.

Ms Sarah Bethune
Acting Head of ELC
Imaginative Role Play

The children returned from holidays eager to play in the ‘baby nursery/hospital’ set up in the corner of the classroom. This imaginative play area was set up to celebrate the exciting news of Emily’s baby brother recently being born. The children have enjoyed taking on the roles of a patient, doctor, nurse and even visitors coming to the hospital.

Imaginative play is essentially when children are role-playing and are acting out something that is of some interest to them. They are practising their social and emotional skills as they experiment with how to negotiate roles in play. Children learn from experience and from what happens around them. To absorb those experiences and make sense of the world, they need to be engaged in imaginative play.

The children are currently sharing baby photos of themselves to build on their understandings about babies, and reflect on the differences between their first few years of their lives and now.

Mrs Helen Nicolaou
Blue Gum Room Teacher