When our children are around 4 years of age, we start thinking about getting ready for school. The problem is, we tend to think being ready for school means learning some literacy and numeracy. Believe it or not, that’s the easy bit. Those concepts will be much easier to learn when all the other stuff is in place first. We want our children to be ready for LIFE. At four years old, they are bursting to take their learning and development to the next level, so that’s what we do!

Adventure Club: Taking Skills to the Next Level

In January, we set out on our year-long journey in the wild spaces of Kombumerri Country with Adventure Club, our group of preschoolers. Fast forward almost a year, and these five-year-olds now conquer 3-hour off-track bushwalks with ease. They are now experts at climbing rocky gullies, swimming in rock pools, bush bashing through the scrub, making up games on the spot, sitting quietly to notice and appreciate nature.

Our young explorers have learned, hands-on, what textbooks can never teach. From navigating new adventurers each week, to identifying local plant species using botanical names, they’ve learned so much about the bush, and about themselves. These children are living proof that education isn’t just about the four walls of a classroom.

Life Skills Forged in Nature

As they’ve evolved in Adventure Club, these preschoolers have developed a remarkable sense of self-reliance and responsibility that will serve them well in the school environment and beyond. They can tie knots, thread a sewing needle, start a fire and whittle a stick. They have packed their own bags and lunches, set up base camps and folded tarps like seasoned outdoor enthusiasts.

Out in wild nature, they’ve mastered the art of sociocratic discussion. This involves listening to the ideas and thoughts of each person before making a group resolution. Navigating group dynamics, resolving conflicts, and making group decisions have become second nature to them. These are life skills that no textbook can fully teach, and our young adventurers have already mastered them.

Our preschoolers have faced their fair share of challenges as they’ve learned all these new skills. That’s the thing about learning – it takes time and practice, and until you are good at something, and it can feel hard! They’ve learned to trust themselves, and to mentor each other. Don’t you think this experience will be their greatest asset when dealing with the ever-changing conditions of school life? Being ready for school means being ready for challenges.

Transitioning beyond traditional ideas of preschool, our nature-loving group immerses themselves in learning experiences that transcend conventional boundaries. Their nature journals are brimming with detailed illustrations and scientific names of local species. The journals are filled with and stories of their adventures, showcasing their developing nature sense, wisdom and cultural awareness.

Redefining School Readiness

So, if you are already thinking about how to help your child get ready for school, don’t worry about literacy and numeracy! That comes naturally when children develop curiosity about the world around them. We certainly hold space for that.

How do we know when children are ready for school? We believe that our children challenge conventional notions of “being ready for school” because they are:

• confident in their body autonomy,
• able to speak up and how to make themselves heard,
• great listeners and know that everyone’s opinion matters,
• curious learners. They wonder things and how to find answers if they want them,
• can tell stories and share the wisdom of their experiences,
• look at challenges as though they are adventures rather than hardships.

Are Schools Ready for Our Birdwings Children?

Now that we’ve established our young learners’ readiness, the real question arises: Are schools prepared to support the skills these little dynamos bring? Traditional education systems often fall short in providing the flexibility, holistic development, and outdoor experiences that our young explorers have enjoyed.

A good education system will RESPOND to children’s learning. Children arrive already with so many skills and great depth of knowledge. Indeed, there is little in the Early Years Learning Framework (Australia’s early childhood curriculum) which focuses on preparation for school. Rather, the EYLF places priority on being fully engaged with children in the present moment (more about that in THIS LINK).

We believe that our Birdwings children are curious, adaptable, easy-going and are fully prepared for the journey ahead. Let’s just hope that our schools are ready for them when we unleash them on the world! Schools, are you ready? Here they come!

P.S. In a final note, our preschool group is our Thursday Adventure Club, exclusive to those who’ve taken the essential first step in gentle learning and nature awareness through our Little Birdwings Bush Kindy program. Many of our Adventure Club children have been on the learning journey with us since they were toddlers with their parents in our nature play group.