More than a cluster of sawflies: understanding young children’s application of science skills in nature-based learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Despite playing an important role in early childhood education, the science teaching and learning that occurs in nature-based contexts such as forest school and nature kindergartens remains under-theorised. Utilising recent research to understand how science skills form an important part of children’s learning, this research is situated in the context of bush kinders, an Australian response to the European forest approach to early childhood education and care. There exist several teaching models to support how science skills can be taught to young children. Purpose This paper considers how young children’s play exhibits science skills and educators have opportunities to make children’s play-based learning meaningful in ‘bush kinder’. It is influenced by Piaget’s developmental work and its relationship to young children’s meaning making of science concepts can be enhanced by time spent in bush kinders. Design and method This study draws upon ethnography as its methodological approach and qualitative data that was collected as part of a longitudinal study between 2015 and 2023. Sample Fifteen Educators and 220 children from five bush kinders participated in this study. Results Using three vignettes as data, the interrogation and analysis of children’s learning of science skills whilst participating in nature play occurs here through the application of five inter-connected science skills. The analysis leads us to propose that bush kinders allow children to connect with nature and develop science skills. Conclusions The analysis of these data and their consideration of the skills is valuable in generating a broader narrative that provides deeper insight into the learning experience of science education in early childhood education and care in nature-based contexts.