Wild Ones @ Djaning

Wild Ones is a Forest/Bush School run at Djaning for children and teenagers aged from 2 – 16.

Mondays: Young Ones (2-6 year olds) 10am – 12pm.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Bush School (6-10 year olds) 10am – 2pm.

Wednesdays: Tweens and Teens (10-16) 10am – 2pm.

• See below for details and pricing of each day.

Bush kindy

Our bush kindy is for 2-6 year olds.

Our sessions run from 10am until Midday with a healthy morning tea provided.

We offer nature play, craft and bush skills in a beautiful environment by the creek. Parents are invited to join their little ones in a supportive environment fostering a love of the outdoors. We’ll make fires together, learn the basics of carving, play games designed to test their skills of tracking and observation- but most importantly their love of sticks, trees, insects, leaves and all things nature! 

We have an ‘adventure camp’ set up that allows the kids to be far from homely distractions. We ask that parents come and enjoy the simplicity of the camp with their young ones, sit back and relax around a fire or by the creek while your child enjoys all the activités we have on offer!

We meet at ‘The Shelter’ near the car park, a beautiful covered open air space for morning check ins (also good for rainy days!) before heading off to our ‘adventure camp’, a short walk away with basic facilities and all the gear needed for a fun morning in the ‘bush’! We then head back to the shelter together for a check out circle. 

Bush School

Tuesday & Thursday: 10am – 2pm. Activities for ages 6-10 (S1, S2, S3)

Mornings: Craft, geography, STEM, environment & land based activities (such as working with clay, natural building, investigating habitats and our environs, nature based craft such as tree rubbings, leaf etchings, carving, and general hands on experiencial learning) – Guided activities for all ages.

Afternoons: We go ‘adventuring’! Creek play, cubby building, food harvesting, tree climbing, foraging, tracking and generally exploring the wonders on offer here on Djaning. This is child led nature immersion at it’s best.

For the Older Ones

Wednesdays: 10am-2pm. Activities and learning for ages 10-16.

These days are specifically aimed at the adventurous older kids, offering them a unique opportunity to enter a world of exploration and creativity. Those with curious minds and a strong desire to know the specifics of creating a better world will find these sessions perfect. We focus on getting hands-on experience in regenerative practices,(agro-ecology, horticulture, landscape design, green-architecture, food harvesting, preservation and production among others) bush craft, and survival skills, utilising both ancient and modern techniques.

Through a multitude of engaging activities, this group will learn how to harness the power of nature, develop problem-solving skills, and cultivate a sense of responsibility towards the environment, all while fostering teamwork and building lasting friendships with their peers. Our holistic approach will equip them with practical knowledge and a passion for Earth stewardship.

Syllabus Outcomes

Whilst all our days at Djaning are essentially outdoor and have a strong environmental education basis, our daily activities regularly delve into a wide range of curricula, meeting syllabus outcomes from numerous subject areas. Our whole day adventures, half day hangouts and shorter lessons all have cross curricula priorities of sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander histories and cultures.

At the end of every session we provide a detailed explanation of the days activities, photographs and NSW Department of Education Syllabus Outcomes within the following areas:

Our subject areas for ages 6 – 12 (ES1-S3):

Science and Technology, Human Society and it’s Environment (HSIE), Creative Arts, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), and Aboriginal Language (Bundjalung).

Our Subject areas for ages 12 – 16 (S4-S5):

Geography, Science & Technology, HSIE, PDHPE, Creative Arts (visual arts, drama, music)

We also offer tailored, immersive learning journeys within these subject areas for Ages 16-18 (S6 – depth studies):

Earth and Environmental Science – Module 4 Human Impacts & Module 8 Resource Management, Society and Culture, Visual arts & Music, Geography and Biology.

The Facilitators

As working partners and individually Laura and Fionn have over 20 years experience as nature mentors, environmental educators, classroom educators, and permaculture designers and implementers. They have run homeschool groups for the last 9 years and are passionate about sharing their skills and knowledge, and in turn learning from bright young minds. They caretake a 25 acre paddock in the heart of The Channon in which they plant trees, grow food, and enjoy sharing their space. See the About page for more information about the property and its caretakers.

COST:

Mondays 2 – 6 y.o, 10am – 12pm, $180 for 9 week term.

Tuesdays and/or Thursdays 6 and up, 10am – 2 pm, 1 day $450 for a 9 week term.

Wednesdays 10 and up, 10am – 2 pm, 1 day $450 for a 9 week term.

Discounts for siblings and multiple bookings.

For more info contact:

Laura & Fionn
djaningdesign@gmail.com

“…it is Country that becomes the ancient and modern academy, the teacher and the sage and the mother, where knowledge sits waiting to be seen, understood, felt and heard, ready to be taught and learned…” – Dr. Debra Dank