Mini vic.gov.au

This is a low bandwidth version of vic.gov.au. Contents may not be up to date. © Copyright State Government of Victoria

Bush kinders

Explore how outdoor learning benefits children and get access to grants and planning resources.

On this page

What is bush kinder?

Bush kinder programs are educational sessions for children that take place outdoors in nature. These natural spaces can include:

Children at bush kinders get to learn through play with natural materials outside. It’s like a fun classroom in nature.

Experts in children’s learning say outdoor play is important for children’s learning and wellbeing. It helps children grow physically and mentally and helps them learn how to handle risks. This approach lines up with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF)(opens in a new window) and the National Quality Framework (NQF)(opens in a new window).

The benefits of bush kinder

Spending more time outdoors in bush kinder programs can make a big difference for children. It helps with:

  1. Wellbeing and physical development, like strength, co-ordination, balance, eyesight and endurance.
  2. Understanding things like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in a hands-on way.
  3. Learning to make smart choices and explore new things while staying safe.
  4. Feeling closer to nature and caring about environmental sustainability as they grow up.

Planning for a bush kinder

Services should consider the planning and development of a bush kinder program.

This includes:

For support in your planning, refer to these resources:

Bush Kinder Grants Program

The Bush Kinder Grants Program applications are closed.

We’re investing $3.6 million over 4 years to deliver bush kinder programs in 150 kindergartens each year. Each of these kindergartens gets a $6,000 grant to help them create nature programs. This means more chances for children to play outside and learn.

A list of services successful in the 2025 grant round is available on the Bush Kinder Grants Program webpage.

Case studies

Supporting full participation through the Bush Kinder Grants Program

Havilah Road Preschool talk about the benefits of bush kinder.

Child’s Play Torquay, Surf Coast Shire

Child’s Play Torquay tell us how the Bush Kinder Grants Program gave children more opportunities to learn in nature.

Bush kinder videos

Koorie Kids Shine

Watch this video to see how bush kinder and learning outdoors make a positive difference for children.

The short video is for educators thinking about bringing the local natural environment into learning. It’s also useful for kindergartens interested in starting a bush kinder program.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/793199299?autoplay=0

Koorie Kids Shine

View transcript

Child’s Play Early Learning Centre, Torquay – Beach Kinder

What the video below to see a beach kinder in action and learn how brining children into nature allows them to learn, play and grow.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/1018173672?autoplay=0

Torquay Beach Kinder

View transcript

Yarra Bend bush kinder

Watch the video below to see how children learn and explore in nature, showing the benefits of outdoor learning.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/824984959?autoplay=0

Yarra Bend bush kinder

View transcript

Outdoor Pedagogy Portal

All educators in Victoria can use the Victorian Educators Outdoor Pedagogy Portal for free. This portal is designed to inspire outdoor teaching and support diversity in learning environments. It offers:

Victorians Value Nature

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is working on a program to help people in Victoria feel more connected to nature. They’re studying and testing ways to encourage everyone to appreciate and protect biodiversity.

This program, called Victorians Value Nature, is part of a 20-year plan: Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037. It involves a large group of people working together, and they check progress every year with a community survey.

Education & training

Updated 27 March 2026

About the VIC Government

Grants and programs

Jobs and careers

Arts, culture and heritage

Business and the workplace

Communities

Education and training

Environment, water and energy

Finance and economy

Health and social support

Housing and property

Law and justice

Safety and emergencies

Science and technology

Sport and recreation

Traffic and transport

Working in the Victorian Government