The everyday of wonder and curiosity through the eyes of a child brings us a different insight to their learning. No one day is the same at Birdwood Kindergarten. Our environment invites children to explore at their level, and see the riches through the colour of their world. Reflection continues to offer us another perspective, we have used mirrors for the children to notice, invite response and share their thoughts and theories within their voice that have meaning. Our grand old pin oak tree has been shedding her leaves. We have all noticed these trickling down, but what happens when it stops raining leaves? On this beautiful winter day, the children shared their voices, they shared their gestures and celebrated what they saw.

We have noticed that when children play in natural environments, their play is more diverse with imaginative and creative play that fosters language and collaborative skills, which is important development for all young learners. Early experiences with the natural the world have been positively linked with the development of imagination and the sense of wonder. Wonder is an important motivator for life long learning and a tool we use a lot at Birwood Kindergarten to support the children’s ongoing curiosity.

“Whaea the tree is broken.”

“The rain has stopped, the leaves are moving.”

“Wow, I can see the world!”

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see”

Alexandra K Trenfor