Play is Learning. Connection is Key.
Children thrive when they feel safe, connected and confident to explore their surroundings.
Whether your child is just beginning to explore or is already confident to explore their surroundings, our sessions provide a safe, inspiring space to grow through nature-based play.
Our sessions are thoughtfully designed to support children’s natural learning instincts through play, curiosity, questioning and exploration. We don’t need to educate children. We need to create the environmental conditions that will allow them to educate themselves. Children from babies to early childhood and beyond can follow their curiosity and develop at their own pace in our sessions.
We encourage mixing ages and not putting children into sessional age brackets.
This removes the concept that children should be at a certain stage of their development according to their chronological age.
It is my observation, experience and now belief that by interacting with diverse peers across various age groups and levels of ability and competency, children build confidence in their own abilities and become independent learners. Multi-age play exposes children to real life social structures, where people of different ages interact, connect and collaborate.
Founder of Nurture in Nature Play
Hi, I’m the heart behind Nurture in Nature Play!
I’m an early childhood educator and mum of two, fiercely passionate about the magic that happens when children connect with nature. With over 12 years of experience running preschool and neurodevelopment programs across NSW and VIC, I’ve seen how outdoor, sensory-rich play can transform a child’s learning, confidence, and joy.
Nature play isn’t just beautiful, it’s powerful. And while the benefits are clear, making it happen takes intention, creativity, and heart. I’m here to help families and educators bring meaningful, nature-based play to life, safely, thoughtfully, and with purpose.
Let’s raise curious, resilient, nature-loving kids, one muddy puddle at a time.
Experience
Based on my experience in Early Childhood Education, I have found that when children are encouraged to engage their senses, they become more actively involved in learning. This enhances their ability to process and retain information, verbalise their experiences and build confidence and self-esteem.
Encouraging children to engage with their senses can be especially beneficial for neurodiverse learners. Research suggests that environmental stimuli play a significant role in shaping neuroplasticity and overall brain function (Figueiro & Law, 2025).
Professionalism
Understanding the benefits of nature play is a great first step, but intentionally putting it into action requires thoughtful planning and commitment.
As a qualified early childhood educator with a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education from Melbourne University (1997), I draw on both experience and evidence-based practice to support meaningful learning outcomes.
The Early Years Learning Framework (Department of Education, 2022) defines intentionality as an educator’s purposefulness, thoughtfulness and deliberateness when creating highly engaging and meaningful play. experiences
In practice, this means creating enriching nature play sessions in a meaningful and impactful way. Professional intentionality ensures that accessibility barriers are minimised, safety is prioritised without limiting discovery, and activities feel both purposeful and organic.
Child-Led
Nature play, being largely unstructured and child-led, fosters children’s emotional development, imagination, independent thinking and problem-solving skills. Through rich sensory experiences, children not only deepen their ecological & environmental awareness but also make a deep connection to the natural world.
Encouraged to navigate minor challenges and risks, they build resilience, boost self-confidence and experience positive emotions such as joy.
Multi-age interaction
Children from babies to early childhood and beyond can follow their curiosity and develop at their own pace in our sessions.
We encourage mixing ages (and not putting children into sessional age brackets).
This removes the concept that children should be at a certain stage of their development according to their chronological age.
Why Choose Us
Cognitive Skills
- Problem Solving & Critical thinking skills
- Spatial awareness & navigation skills
- Creativity & Imagination
- Memory improvement
- Concentration & Attention Span
- Curiosity
Social & Emotional
- Co-operation & teamwork
- Negotiating & sharing
- Emotional regulation & self-soothing
- Leadership skills
- Emotional resilience & reduced anxiety
- Empathy & Social awareness
Physical
- Muscle strength & Co-ordination
- Fundamental movement patterns
- Core Fine motor skills
- Balance & Agility
Language / Communication
- Every child to have a voice
- Verbal & non-verbal cues
- Expressive & descriptive language
- Conflict resolution
- Listening skills & receptive language
Environmental Awareness
- Seasonal changes
- Weather patterns
- Plant lifecycles
- Wildlife behaviours
- Landcare
Immune System Function
- Microbial diversity
- Vitamin D production