Celebrating 10 Years of Nature Pedagogy at WVELC: A Home, Not an Institution

This year, we celebrate a remarkable milestone—10 years since Woden Valley Early Learning Centre (WVELC) began its dedicated journey into nature pedagogy. More than just a philosophy, this approach has become the beating heart of our daily practice, shaping not just the environment but the lives of the children, families, and educators within it.

But nature pedagogy is not a garden bed. It’s not a worm farm. It’s not a chicken in a coop.

It’s a way of being—a deep, responsive relationship with the natural world, grounded in research and children’s developmental needs. And after a decade of commitment, we can say with confidence: it works.

🌱 Why Nature Pedagogy?

Research continues to confirm what our hearts already know—children thrive when they are connected to nature. At WVELC, we’ve seen first-hand how a consistent, intentional relationship with the outdoors contributes to:

• Reduced challenging behaviours: With open-ended environments and meaningful, self-directed tasks, children regulate emotions more naturally.

• Separation without tears: The natural world provides a calming transition from home to care, easing anxiety for both children and parents.

• Stronger language and communication: Whether it's storytelling under a tree, negotiating roles in bush play, or explaining the life cycle of a butterfly, children’s language skills flourish in authentic contexts.

• Improved collaboration: Shared experiences in nature foster genuine teamwork, empathy, and problem-solving.

  
  

These are not short-term outcomes—they’re deep developmental shifts made possible by years of consistent, thoughtful practice.

🌱 More Than a Pretty Garden

Too often, services misunderstand nature pedagogy as something decorative—install a vegetable patch, get some hens, and tick the “nature” box. But real nature pedagogy can’t be bought or borrowed. It must be lived, reflected upon, and embedded across every layer of practice.

At WVELC:

• Children play and learn outside every single day, in all weather conditions (with appropriate gear!).

• Nature is not a “scheduled activity”—it is a living, breathing classroom that evolves with the seasons.

• Educators plan emergent experiences grounded in children’s natural curiosity about the world around them.

• Risky play is embraced, not avoided. We believe children grow stronger and wiser when trusted to climb, build, and explore.

• Nature is a co-teacher—not a backdrop. It helps children negotiate space, notice detail, develop patience, and build resilience.

🌱 A Home Away from Home

Our nature-based approach is about more than curriculum. It’s about creating a home-like environment where every child feels a deep sense of belonging, agency, and freedom to be their whole selves. WVELC is not an institution. We are not a business harvesting children for profit.

We are a community—a collective of passionate educators, families, and children, committed to raising kind, capable, and environmentally conscious humans.

And you can’t fake that.

🌱 Looking Back, Growing Forward

As we reflect on this 10-year journey, we are filled with gratitude—for the trust of our families, the dedication of our educators, and the wisdom of the land that guides our pedagogy. Our hope is to inspire others not to replicate what we have done—but to dig deeper into their own environments, values, and relationships with nature.

Nature pedagogy isn’t a trend. It’s a responsibility—and a gift.