Early Years

Characteristics of Early Years Learners

At Arbury Park Outdoor School, each learning program is developed to meet the particular needs and requests of the visiting school. The program and activity choices will vary according to the developmental stage of the group of students.

Learners in the Early Years (Foundation – Year 2) are already active, experienced learners. They:

• are social learners who construct and review their understandings through relationships, language based interactions, play, scaffolding and modelling.
• are motivated to learn through curiosity, imagination and creativity.
• learn through physical activity and develop a complex variety of capabilities.
• use and enjoy repetition for practising and consolidating skills.

 SACSA Framework Learning Bands Introduction 2003

• have an innate desire to explore the world.
• have empathy for the natural world, characterised by a lack of differentiation between the self and the other.
• learn through stories, songs, moving like animals, fostering a sense of wonder.

David Sobel “Beyond Ecophobia” 1996 

Suitable activities for Early Years learners

Freshwater Life, Natures Recyclers, Animal Survival, Web of Life game, Landcare, Plant propagation,Earth art, Earth Walk, Cooperation Games, Appy Arbury, Aboriginal Cultural Studies 

Compare with learners in

Primary Years (Years 3-5)    Middle Years (Years 6-9)