BUSHkids Annual Report | 2023-24

Annual Report • 2023–24

Playgroup has really helped me to get to know other parents and I know others who are having the same experience as me … I love seeing our kids play outside in nature in a safe environment.

Authentic relationships’ is not just a slogan at BUSHkids — our Warwick team (some home-grown on the rich Southern Downs soil, some newly planted and thriving, some whose branches in Warwick are part of a wider reach) is deeply embedded in the town. The expertise and connection to community of this team of professionals allows us to effectively meet the unique challenges faced by local families.

It’s playtime, naturally

While at Nature Playgroup, many families take advantage of the adjacent BUSHkids library to expand their children’s home reading. Some of our Friends of BUSHkids volunteers also join in, bringing along books to share and songs to sing. After all, there’s nothing better than settling down before dinner with a quiet read after a boisterous playtime has engaged the imagination. Even in the crisp, colder months the Playgroup has between 35-55 attendees per week, embracing the joys and benefits of natural play, while offering opportunities for our team to provide incidental parenting support.

An initiative of team members Linda and Tanya, the Playgroup supports kids’ development while enabling more relaxed access to much needed child and family expertise. Among the regulars in 2024 were families involved in the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY). These parents found both practical support and encouragement in an inclusive environment. As they played with their children, they also built lasting friendships, while the BUSHkids team shared invaluable parenting tips.

Children laughing. Exploring. Developing friendships. It’s all happening at our Nature Play Area, where a flourishing community of families come together as part of the weekly routine during school terms, for two hours of exploration and connection. Parents watch as their children climb, dig, and discover. There’s a sandpit, man-made creek and mud pit, as well as a thriving vegie and herb garden, where children ‘play for real’ using wheelbarrows and tools to harvest their produce.

Our kids love coming to playgroup. When they drive past your building, they ask if it’s ‘BUSHkids day’ … The opportunity to talk about being a parent and hearing ideas from the BUSHkids team is really helpful.

My child is developing social skills, and I am now looking forward to her making new friends when she starts school … The playgroup area is such a safe and welcoming environment, looking out at the countryside.

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