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Teaching First Nations Perspectives Through Nature-Based Early Childhood Education: Insights from Australian Bush Kinder Ethnography
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Teaching First Nations Perspectives Through Nature-Based Early Childhood Education: Insights from Australian Bush Kinder Ethnography

Christopher Speldewinde, Sarah Womersley, Suzanne Infantino and Coral Campbell
GENIUS Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education, Vol.7(1), pp.35-58
30/06/2026
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Education Publications
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Published (Version of record) Open CC BY-SA V4.0

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Abstract

First Nations perspectives nature-based education bush kinder early childhood education
Recent revisions of Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework have increased expectations for educators to integrate outdoor learning and First Nations perspectives into early childhood education. However, limited research explains how educators practically embed Indigenous knowledge within nature-based pedagogies. This study explores how early childhood educators incorporate First Nations perspectives within Australian bush kinder programs. Using an ethnographic approach, data were collected through observations conducted within a longitudinal bush kinder project and interviews with an experienced nature-based educator. Findings demonstrate how educators apply a seven-step pedagogical strategy involving professional learning, curriculum integration, community engagement, culturally inclusive environments, reflective practice, everyday integration, and reconciliation awareness. This study contributes a practical pedagogical framework supporting educators to respectfully embed First Nations perspectives within nature-based early childhood contexts.

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