Introducing The Timber Tot’s Gumnut’s. At all times we strive to provide children with the best learning environments both inside and outside our building and Education Beyond the Fence is core pillar of the Timber Tots philosophy. Our exciting new initiative extends upon our existing and successful Eden’s Garden program established in 2017, our Yoga Program which exists to improve our children’s mindfulness and Park Excursions which our Educators undertake on a regular basis.

Our Gumnuts Program is designed to incorporate a dedicated Educator who will use our outdoors as their classroom – harnessing the local parklands, netball courts and wetlands which surround us. Children’s interests, room learning focus’ and spontaneous play will be at the core of the programs development, integrating with Physical Education and Nature Play, where the children will be able to learn basic yet fundamental physical skills whilst being immersed in their natural surroundings.

The benefits of physical play have been well documented around the world. The Heart Foundation states that the main benefits are:
• Promoting healthy growth and development
• Helping to achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• Building strong bones and muscles
• Improving cardiovascular fitness
• Improving balance, co-ordination and strength
• Maintaining and developing flexibility
• Improving posture
• Assisting with the development of gross motor and fine motor skills
• Providing the opportunity to develop fundamental movement skills
• Helping to establish connections between different parts of the brain
• Improving concentration and thinking skills
• Improving confidence and self-esteem
• Relieving stress and promoting relaxation
• Providing opportunities to develop social skills and make friends
• Improving sleep

According to Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines children aged between 1 and 5 years of age require at least 3 hours (spread throughout the day) of physical activity. Physical Activity can be anything that makes a child breath faster and increases their heart rate and there are three types of physical activities that can promote healthy growth and development:

1. Endurance activities that include continuous movement of large muscle groups, increase heart rates and are important for healthy heart and lungs.
2. Flexibility activities encourage children to bend, stretch and reach to encourage good posture, increases relaxation and minimises risk of injury.
3. Strength activities help children build stronger muscles which promotes strong bones and muscles.

The Gumnut’s Program will use a mixture of the three types of physical activity including; bike days, ball games, running races, climbing, mutlicultural games and the popular childhood games of tag, duck duck goose, red rover and doggy doggy. The children will also be able to continue to climb trees and rocks, explore the natural surrounds and wildlife and complete nature hunts. Our program is also designed to be outside in all (safe) weather conditions so children enjoy the positives of the program year round and for all ages.