Welcome to Bush Kinder

Bush Kinder is The Farmhouse’s nature-based Kindergarten program, where children are provided daily opportunities to connect with nature and the outside world during their year before school.

Bush Kinder children are delivered all of obligatory aspects of a kindergarten program, but in an exciting environment which fosters inquisitiveness and exploration, joy and enthusiasm.

These children also relish regular, valuable bush experiences through which a sense of belonging and connection to the land and seasons is fostered.

How we are different

Actively utilising the outdoors as a classroom, along with regular visits to the Howqua Hills historic area, builds children’s confidence, character, trust and resilience, as they develop their understandings of the interdependence between land, people, plants and animals.

Bush Kinder provides children with an overwhelming opportunity to develop to their full potential in an environment in which they feel safe, secure and supported.
The freedom to explore responsibilities and rights, and to gain an understanding of how their actions and responses affect others, empowering children to make choices and appreciate the value of fairness.

In caring for The Farmhouse animals, children develop compassion, responsibility, curiosity, empathy, self-esteem and of course….pure joy.

Group programming

There are two Bush Kinder groups to choose from, each offering 15 hours of four-year-old kinder education, as per government regulations.

Feel free to choose the group that works best for your child and your family.

For those who would like more than two days of early childhood education for their child, we offer a program for older kinder children which is tailored to the interests, curiosities and abilities of this age group. This takes place in The Buller Room, a dynamic space with ready-access to our Kitchen-Garden facilities as well as three different outdoor play spaces.

2024 timetable

2025 timetable

Additional care options

Life’s busy, for all different reasons. To help the running of your week, The Farmhouse offers before and after kinder care to Bush Kinder children. Your child can attend The Farmhouse before kinder, and is then walked across to the Kindergarten building ready commence their kinder session. At the end of the kinder session, your child is walked back by our staff to The Farmhouse for a seamless day. Many children do one or both of the above and enjoy the security this offers.

Before and After kinder care options
Before Kinder Care: 6.45am-8.30am
After Kinder Care: 4-6pm

Kinder children can also attend The Farmhouse on their “non-kinder” days where care is available 6.45am-6pm.