All parents who have experienced the hunt for a childcare centre know how extraordinarily difficult it is to find a centre that represents everything you want for your child; a warm, fun environment where they want to be and you feel safe leaving them; a home away from home.
As a new member of the community I find myself, once again, in search of the Mecca of childcare centres, when unexpectedly and with some confusion, we spot cows. I’m from the city and used to contending with offices, cafes and masses of people, not farm animals. As we pull into the driveway, we see a well-manicured lawn and architrave above the gate; it could be a country guesthouse were it not for the rainbow flags and “Hold my hand” sign, which suggest something more. The wonder continues as we walk through the door. Drawn by the natural colours and calming environment, there’s wooden furniture, a nature table and soft colours draped around the walls. The wooden dolls house, play kitchen, blocks, and trains transport me to an easier, quieter time before mass-production and multimedia. Void of plastics, bright colours and overly decorated walls, the centre welcomes children in and prepares them to create their own environment.
But my opinion doesn’t count for much. My three year old, the more experienced of us in childcare centres, will have the final say. He is welcomed as family and introduced to the children and their thirsty skipping rope snake. It takes time for his curiosity to overcome his shyness but he moves on to play and it is there, on the grass with only a few blocks of wood and a skipping rope, that he finds his Imagination. A little neglected, overlooked by television and DVDs, a hectic family schedule and sporting endeavours, his Imagination blossoms and he becomes his play.
It’s 4 o’clock and we’ve danced, sung, baked and played in the garden. All too quickly, our day ends. We leave, waving goodbye to our new friends, hopeful for the days to come.
Nature’s Nest Community Childcare Centre is a locally managed Steiner education day care centre run by a committee of parents who want children to be children. Nestled amongst a farming community, away from the main streets of Moruya, the hustle and bustle of modern life is left behind and the children can spend their days in the gardens, pretend play or listening to laughing kookaburras on a nature walk.
In keeping with the Waldorf model of imaginative play and imitated activity, singing, craft, play, gardening, care-for-toys and baking all feature in the routines. Routines, called Rhythms, incorporate rhyme and repetition and encourage personal, social, and moral development through creative play in the natural and human world. Daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms include personal and seasonal celebrations and festivals and allow the children’s songs, stories, and play to represent their lives outside the centre. In conjunction with the Rainbow playgroup and Steiner In The Eurobodalla (SITE) Inc., festivals are celebrated throughout the year and are an opportunity for the centre, children, parents, friends, and family to share stories, songs, and activities with the wider community.
Nature’s Nest has everything you want from a childcare centre, with the added warmth of a home. Whether or not you follow the Steiner philosophy, Nature’s Nest is a beautiful balance of nature and nurture.
“… and so together they travelled over the rainbow bridge
and down the spiral staircase until they came to a big gate.
The child felt a little anxious about leaving his wonderful home,
but with courage in his heart and his Angel beside him,
he went through the gate and
a little boy was born upon the earth.”
B. Patterson and P. Bradley, Beyond the Rainbow Bridge
Article By Britt Barbic
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