The fragrance of dewy grass, eucalyptus, sweet peas, dirt, mint. The sound of bird song and leaves rustling, tinkering as they brush into one another overhead. Fresh wind glides upon the face. A scattering of gum leaves intermingled with woodchips carpet the ground beneath feet. The immersive nature of the CERES environmental space on the edge of Brunswick, stretching down the hill and toward Merri Creek, awakens the senses.
The playgroup children gathered on the mat are alert to the granule detail, feeling into the wonder of plant life, bug life, community life.
Often, people speak of connecting with their inner child. Here at CERES Nature Playgroup, the child is connecting with the earth, with others and oneself.
The pursuit of meaning is reached through play and the examination of the seasonal rhythms of life itself.
The families acquire new understandings during each session. Sometimes these learnings are distinct, they are guided, yet sometimes new information is absorbed subliminally, by osmosis. On this particular day the children are enraptured by the topic of pollination, led by their knowledgeable and vibrant teacher Kate.
“Do you know what other animals pollinate?” Kate asks.
“Bats!” one little boy enthusiastically shares.
“That is right!” responds Kate kindly, praising their zeal.
“I think it is crucial,” said Kat Young of the nature play experience here.
Kat is the student programs manager at CERES and takes great joy in helping to create opportunities for families to form a relationship with the outside world.
“There is so much disconnect already but I think there is a real yearning from kids and from parents to come back, to take things a little bit slower, to get back to the basics, connect with the earth and we find that the sooner the children can connect to the earth, the sooner they care for the earth. It takes away so many barriers as they get older, looking after the environment and the planet.”
There is an individuality, and indeed creativity, that runs through each session. The nature playgroup has a teaching team of three- Kate, Kate and Sarah. They each run a different day of the week and plan their sessions around the local season and the transitional indicators that are visible onsite - all of which the children look for and observe.
“There is also a really strong emphasis on embodied movement,” said Kat. “If it is the wombat day, we will be a wombat.”
“Kate plays a lot of games, we will do a bit of yoga today so there is both structured and unstructured opportunities for play, it is so essential. There is so much learning that happens through play, free play, loose parts play and curiosity so it is very important to us.”
Sally, a mother of twins, has been coming to CERES Nature Playgroup for several years now.
“It is very gentle and…” she pauses and reflects:
“The program really just pulls them out of whatever dynamic is going on, really excited about what the topic might be and then we can read books about it during the week, related to the topic.”
Sally said that the attentiveness and awareness that her children have of their surroundings and nature is beneficial- and then they are interested in doing things in nature at home.
“I think something that we really appreciate is the attention. It is very place based and there is an Acknowledgement of Country and how those values go through the whole program I think are really distinctive.”
“We learn lots of things as a family from the sessions and we have met some other parents and kids who no longer come but we still meet up with, so it has been a good social avenue for us as well.”
“Also, Kate is so good as an educator, so engaging and they are just always really into it.”
The children move into a grassy circle and pretend to be seeds, growing more- a wonderful analogy for the speed with which children absorb what is in their environment and grow with speed when nurtured.
“It plants the seeds without being explicit about it. It is an awareness of place and being part of a community as well that I really appreciate for sure,” said Sally.
While having a stint living overseas in Canada, Sally said that they missed the holistic nature of the CERES playgroup. She hopes they can continue to come here.
“It has kind of made CERES a part of our lives and we come and do other things. That is a really good resource for us, having a relationship with it.”
There are many places to explore at CERES: winding dirt paths, garden beds, veggie patches, a hammock, mud kitchen and more.
“So the kids are free to either engage in the more structured element of the playgroup or they can go off explore and adventure and have their own experience and connect with other kids,” said Kat Young.
As the group walks the paths beside the garden beds looking for seeds, mother Lauren echoes Kat’s sentiments, embracing the relaxed nature of the session.
“It is the freedom for the children to explore on their own independently without always needing to be a part of a group setting so that kind of freedom, the creativity that comes with being able to be independent when making choices is what I really like- and you get to be in a garden or a farm sort of environment and you are in the inner-city, it is really cool.”
For Lauren herself, she has enjoyed making connections in the community, with other parents: “That is important and also for Lou, my daughter, to explore other friendships outside of our group and her childcare.”
Ellie is originally from the UK and loves how much she has learned about native landscapes, alongside her kids.
“I learn something every week.”
Kat Young nods along, enthused by the adult’s knowledge building, too.
“What’s not to love, really,” said Ellie.
“It is outdoors, all the stuff that you don’t have in your own back garden and Kate is unreal in explaining and keeping my three-year-old occupied for a little minute while I try and focus on the other two. It is amazing- she is so good at explaining everything to the kids.”
Ellie comes with a friend and loves how it compels her to get out of the house for something enriching on a Monday morning.
“Getting you out of the house is awesome and it is awesome to come to. I think that is the key thing for me. If I didn’t do it with my three kids I would probably end up playing in the garden or whatever and it is just not the same as being here and looking at seeds, or looking at tadpoles or spotting birds or any of that.”
The group moves around to a flower bed bursting with orange calendulas, tilting their head towards the sun. Together they collect seeds.
There have been stories, music, an acknowledgement of the living land- and many conversations had in-between, inspired by everything that is around.
“The actual guided activities and learning are so engaging, I don’t think we have ever really moved away to do those things,” said Sally as her children gather around Kate, eager to know what comes next.
Have you ever stopped to wonder why as a child, the ocean waves do not feel too cold to run into, or why the sunset they draw is awash with more colours than what the primary palette often confines us to, or why they are infatuated with a rock, stick or herb they found on a walk. There is a pull to nature, an innate biophilia for which we all depend, but at times can lose sight of how incredible the components of the outside world truly are. Here at CERES, the families are tuned in.
“Being part of a community that has such a shared value, caring for the earth and educating, in a really generous and gentle way,” said Kat.
“It is a really unique space to create a bond of being outdoors and discovering and learning and to build intergenerational relationships as well.”
“We often get grandparents bringing their grandkids which is a special bonding time for them.”
The group is calm and relaxed as they place their seeds in homemade recycled paper pots.
“I think for kids to really get their hands dirty, be in a group, start working on those social skills whilst being outdoors is magic. Magic to watch.”
Magic, as they will see their seed grow over time. Magic in the way that they are aware of the seasons. Magic how these very young children already have a great appreciation for the environment and the ways that they can care for it. Magic in all the ways they look around in a true state of wonder.
Enjoy making discoveries and memories at CERES Nature Playgroup. Join HERE.
Article by Sinead Halliday