Out & About Kinder
At Thornbury Kindergarten we offer an exciting Out & About program for half of our kinder groups.
As part of this program, children spend four hours per week experiencing the learning waiting to happen outside the kinder door – at local parks, at nearby schools, during trips to Preston Market and elsewhere. The children learn to take public transport or walk safely as a group, gradually building resilience, independence and a sense of achievement along the way.
They bring that learning back to Home Kinder, where they spend their remaining 11 hours per week. The custom-designed outdoor space emulates a nature setting, and is structured to facilitate self-directed play and continue the friendships and bonds created while Out & About.
All groups include both three and four-year-old enrolments, as mixed-age groups facilitate our community-learning model and are considered best-practice for early childhood learning settings.
All Out & About sessions have an extra staff member (three in total) and are above the required care ratio - this means staff can carefully manage and support the children. To learn more about how Out & About Kinder works (including weather contingencies, safety planning and more), take a look at the:
The Benefits of Getting Out & About
Out & About Kinder gives children natural opportunities to establish healthy habits as they move their bodies; playing, running, climbing and jumping as well as walking to their destination.
It helps children develop positive, meaningful connections to people and places and helps children to see themselves as active contributors to the world. As children’s sense of connection to trusted people and community increases so too does their sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Children are supported and scaffolded to learn the safety processes until the group is deemed ready for its first trip. Initial ventures are limited by the group's endurance and they will often return to familiar sites until their resilience increases and they are ready for greater adventures. As children meet each successive challenge and grow, the develop a sense of confidence and self-worth that is invaluable as they go on to school and beyond.
My daughter loves Out & About days. How cool it was sitting 'on the top of the bus' (back seats) or eating pancakes at Preston Market. Such a great opportunity to get familiar with traffic and public transport rules as well.
Olga, mum of Lily (5 yrs)