Research consistently shows that children today spend significantly less time outdoors than their parents did at the same age. The average Australian child now spends less than 2 hours per day outside. This matters enormously for their physical, cognitive, and emotional development.
What nature play does for children
- Builds risk assessment and physical confidence through uneven terrain, climbing, and loose parts
- Reduces stress and anxiety — exposure to natural environments lowers cortisol levels in children
- Develops sensory processing through varied textures, sounds, and temperatures
- Builds environmental connection and sustainability values from an early age
- Supports vitamin D production and healthy sleep patterns
- Encourages creative, open-ended play that is harder to achieve indoors
There is no such thing as bad weather for outdoor play — only inappropriate clothing. We go outside every day at Jenny's ELC, rain or shine. Please ensure your child has a hat, sunscreen, and weather-appropriate clothing in their bag.
Our outdoor environments
Our outdoor spaces are designed as genuine learning environments, not just playgrounds. They include vegetable gardens, sandpits, water play areas, loose parts collections, and natural materials that invite open-ended exploration. Children help plant, tend, and harvest from our gardens — building a direct connection to where food comes from.