“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is: Natural elements.
Element 3.2.3: The service cares for the environment and supports children to become environmentally responsible
Does your service provide a range of natural resources to support children’s learning and promote awareness about sustainability?
Does your Service conduct a comprehensive sustainability audit which includes a “natural elements” category?
Where possible, services should seek out resources that are made of natural fibres rather than plastics and other synthetic materials. Providing children with natural materials in the learning environment has many benefits:
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- Promotes sustainability; Natural fibers such as cotton, wool, bamboo, and hemp are renewable resources that can be grown and harvested sustainably, reducing the environmental impact compared to synthetic materials
- Promotes environmental awareness; Using natural fiber resources provides an opportunity to teach children about sustainability, renewable resources, and the environmental impact of different materials. Educators should remember to use teachable moments to ask questions that spark interest and activate young minds
- Supports sensory stimulation; Natural fiber resources tend to be softer and more comfortable than synthetic materials, providing a more pleasant sensory experience for children which supports them to explore, problem solve and be creative in their play
- Biodegradability: Natural fiber resources are biodegradable, therefore they break down naturally over time, reducing the amount of waste generated by the Service
- Supports connection to nature; Natural fiber resources help children develop a connection to the natural world by using materials that come from plants and animals.
Sustainability audit:
Ensure your sustainability audit includes a comprehensive checklist of quality practices for fostering the use of natural materials and engagement with the natural environment including:
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- Children contributing to the care and maintenance of plants in the indoor and outdoor environments
- Natural elements are a part of the fixed play and learning environment, e.g., seating, pathways, logs, gardens etc.
- Natural sensory elements are incorporated into a range of learning experiences, using a wide range of natural materials
- Opportunities are provided for children to care for pets/animals
- Children are taught about the life cycles of living things
- Children are encouraged to build and create with natural materials such as sand, mud, branches, bark, shells, pinecones etc.
- Children have opportunities to be involved with growing herbs, fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers and use these for cooking, where possible.
It is not necessary to throw out existing resources or equipment, but rethink when purchasing new equipment or resources and try to choose those that are made from natural materials.
Natural elements that have been extracted from the natural environment must be safe and age appropriate. Ensure that the materials selected do not pose any risk to children i.e. choking hazards and sharp objects and ensure children regularly wash their hands.
A wide range of natural elements can be incorporated into the educational program for both indoor and outdoor, structured and non-structured experiences. Involve children in the collection of natural materials, encourage questioning and discussion about what’s being collected and the range of possibilities for their use to spark curiosity and support children’s evolving environmental awareness.
Natural elements to incorporate in the indoor and outdoor learning environments:
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- Sand, dirt and mud
- Twigs, sticks and branches of different sizes, shapes and colours
- A variety of flowers of differing sizes, shapes, clolours and scents
- Seashells of varying shapes and colours
- A variety of different coloured leaves
- Different coloured/shades of bark
- A variety of pebbles and stones with varying textures, colours, shapes and sizes
- Grass of varying shades
- Selection of pinecones in varying shapes, textures and sizes
Promote the use of natural elements with families by showcasing children’s creations and sharing learning stories about planned and unplanned experiences involving natural elements. Provide families with information and resources to encourage outdoor play and exploration of the natural environment at home and outside of the Service.
Resources for families:
Nature play ideas and activities in your backyard
Early Learning Nature Play Experiences (for infants and toddlers)
10 ways to nature play from a balcony
Nature Play: 49 things to do before you’re 5
Resources for Services:
ECA Learning Hub- Natural play in your environment, Embedding sustainable practices
Environmental Education in Early Childhood
Learning and playing with: Sticks, Dirt, Leaves, Pebbles
Within System7 go to Quality Area 3/Module 11 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
The Childcare Centre Desktop has a range of resources to assist services with being environmental responsible. These include Sustainability Commitment Statement, Sustainability Audit, Outdoor Environment and Playground Safety Audit, Environmentally Responsible Policy, Environmental and Sustainability Officer Position Description and much more.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links:
Childcare Centre Desktop – Childcare Centre Desktop
National Quality Standard – QA 3/ 3.2.3- Environmentally responsible
National Regulations – 73, 110
System7 Module – QA3/ Module 11
If you have any questions send us a note via the Contact page here!
