"A deep and meaningful connection to nature as a child has so many benefits - and is a key underlying philosophy in all my work. If you are interested as a teacher or a parent how to deepen children's connection to nature - please check out Educated by Nature. They run programs and activities to give children an opportunity to connect and flourish in the outside world. Well done Daniel and Trudi - brilliant work!"  Maggie Dent (The Queen of Common Sense)

Educated by Nature is a small team of passionate nature educators: teachers and playworkers who assist children, parents and teachers develop connections and learn within nature. 

The team is led by Daniel Burton and Trudi Bennett, qualified teachers specialising in outdoor classrooms. Their knowledge base has formed over many years through additional professional development, study tours and participation and presentation at various conferences. Emphasis is placed on engagement with current research, networks and mentoring relationships within Australia and internationally.

At Educated by Nature, staff participate fully in play by modelling sensory risk taking, wondering, adventuring, building and encouraging nature awareness. Programs combine freedom for children to live by their instinctive behaviour, with empathy and understanding for nature and each other. Educated by Nature believes this combination assists children to grow resilience through nature connection. 

Educated by Nature currently offers programs through two main branches: Mud Pies Grove for early childhood aged children and Kids in Nature (KIN) for primary school aged children.

"Absolutely the best thing you can let your kids do. So much fun!!!" Jo (KIN Village Parent)

Mud Pies Grove is delivered through nature playgroups for families and nature play spaces for festivals, childcare centres and schools. Through music, adventures, stories and open-ended play activities, children are encouraged to interact with and explore nature in different ways. Children are supported in their exploration of nature, sharing joyous discoveries, transforming materials using real tools and utilizing natural materials as a resource for play.

Kids in Nature (KIN) offers programs for families, after-school clubs, school holiday programs and incursion opportunities for primary schools. KIN encourages children to work interdependently, creating self and community identity. Children build their own skill base and self-confidence through learning and engaging with traditional hand-skills, inventing and problem solving as well as assessing risk.

Trudi and Daniel also provide schools with the skills, confidence and support to start running educational programs in natural spaces around their school grounds. They assist educators using modelled lessons as incursions and excursions to local natural spaces, reflective professional development sessions and parent workshops. 

Through these programs Educated by Nature aims to increase the mental, emotional and physical health of children and in doing so, foster a deep love for the natural environment.

Visit www.educatedbynature.com for more information.

Testimonials

"I discovered Mud Pies via word of mouth and I'm so happy to be taking my son to this wonderful quality playgroup which has heart and soul. Not only is it inexpensive to attend this group but there are options to sign up for weekly or fortnightly sessions (this is good for me as I have so many other things to juggle in my life). I really like how Mud Pies is educational in a fun and relaxing way. There is some structure but there is no pressure to do anything - the children can explore or just be. I like how I can take my son out into nature feeling safe that we are part of a group rather than just on our own which can be daunting when no one else is around. Daniel and his team of facilitators are truly passionate about what they do. They are caring and nurturing and have a great connection with the children. They know a lot about nature and enjoy sharing their knowledge and the children show such interest too. I like how my son can either join in on some of the activities, eg. reading or helping build a cubby house, or just spend the morning playing with leaves or looking for small insects. I particularly like seeing my son and other children engage in imaginative and creative play in a natural setting without the use of plastic toys. Also, the fact that the facilitators play the Ukulele and sing a unique choice of songs and rhymes in their own unique way really adds to the special experience of this playgroup. I am looking forward to staying connected to the Educated by Nature family as my son grows up as it really is special." Daniela (Mud Pies Nature Playgroup Parent)

"Thanks so much for providing this opportunity to our kids – I did stuff like this all the time as a kid but the ability and opportunity (as in places to go and be free to play with sticks and dead blowies and whatever else took our fancy) for our kids to do it seems to have shrunk considerably over the years. I can tell you that my kids, who came yesterday to the KIN Village at Crawley had an absolute blast and were asking to come again today. Sadly I had already made other plans, but they will be right back with you at the first opportunity next school holidays." Alison (KIN Village Senior Parent)

"My eldest, 13, was fortunate to have Daniel and Trudi as her classroom, indoor and outdoor, teachers for her favourite years of primary school. She is now looking forward to KIN workshops in order to maintain contact with Daniel and Trudi, their expertise and the positive environments they create.  My youngest, 8, took part in Bush Inventors as an after school activity. She was very excited to acquire her own tool box, loved working together with others to create beautiful projects. Thank you Daniel and Trudi for facilitating amazing learning." Megan (Bush Inventors' Club and KIN Village Parent)

"My youngest daughter attended the homeschool group for a term and joined her older brother to attend Bush inventors. She loved both and had a fantastic time. My son loved the inventors group. The children were able to explore and investigate with support, knowing that help was to hand if they needed it, but also that they were free to try things out, make mistakes, and learn from that experience. As a teacher at the school that Bush Inventors is held at, I have been delighted by the enthusiasm of the different students who have attended the group. Every week they return to class full of news of what they have done the afternoon before. Many of the activities have fed back into what we've been able to connect to in the classroom which makes it even more special. Thanks - a great opportunity for children! (And their parents!)" Renee (Classroom Teacher and Parent)

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In 2014, when we told our upper primary students that we would be setting up our own ‘Wild Space’ enterprise, one of the students asked if we would be working for ‘pinecones’ too or if we were working for real money. 

Starting up a social enterprise, we often feel we are working for pinecones. We have managed to scrape enough ‘real money’ together to book our airfares and the main training course. There are a lot of amazing people we would like to visit and learn from but we are afraid that the bus drivers, hostels and supermarkets will not trade in ‘pinecones’ with us.  

This is where you come in. We are asking for support to make this the richest and most educational experience possible so that we can return to Australia with the knowledge and skills to enhance the nature connection experiences for the Western Australian community.

There are numerous amazing nature connection programs in the USA and UK. We are venturing on a study tour and training mission to connect with these people in perso - learning new skills, techniques and programs to bring back to families and schools in Western Australia.

Throughout this adventure we plan to record and upload a video blog to help support the nature connection community. Here are some of the programs we intend to visit with the funds raised:

• IslandWood - Outdoor Learning Centre, Bainbridge Island, Seattle
• Wolf Camp and the Conservation College - Lake Sammamish, Seattle
• Wilderness Awareness School - Nature Connection and Survival Skills School, Dauvall
• Brightworks - Tinkering School, San Francisco
• Nature's Theatre - Outdoor storytelling, Sacramento
• Nature Kids Institute - Nature Connection Advocacy and Communication, Sacramento
• 8 Shields - Art of Mentoring training, Camp Navarro
• Ithaca Children's Garden - Anarchy Zone Adventure Playground, Ithaca
• Play:Ground and other Adventure Playgrounds - New York City
• Cowgate Under Fives Early Childhood Centre - Nature Pedagogy, Edinburgh
• Auchlone Nature Kindergarten - Founded by Claire Warden, Perthshire
• International Association of Pedagogues Conference - Trudi speaking alongside David Sobel, Anders Farstad & Claire Warden, Scotland

Over the last year we have refined how we can best provide nature connection opportunities for families in Perth. We have set up regular Mud Pies Nature Playgroups, run successful KIN Village school holiday programs, have established two after school Bush Inventors’ Clubs, developed a partnership program with libraries and have provided one-off events for families with young children.

Although the benefits of nature connection are well documented and widely known work still needs to be done on finding ways to reduce the barriers. Families, schools and individuals still find it difficult to make nature connection, time outdoors and a return to basic play elements a valued part of everyday routine. 

Nature connection looks different for different people. We see this adventure as an opportunity to expand our repertoire and increase the tools we have to offer a more diverse range of nature connection experiences for children.