{"id":2395,"date":"2025-04-20T17:57:29","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T07:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/?page_id=2395"},"modified":"2025-04-20T17:57:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T07:57:30","slug":"caring-for-our-environment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/?page_id=2395","title":{"rendered":"Caring for Our Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We teach children to love and protect the world around them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Dubbo Early Learning Centre, environmental responsibility is more than just a topic\u2014it\u2019s part of our everyday way of life. From composting and frog ponds to solar panels and second-hand treasures, we help children understand how to care for the world through hands-on experiences that are fun, meaningful, and grounded in real-world action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thoughtfully Designed Spaces and Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We deliberately use fewer store-bought toys and focus instead on creating rich, imaginative environments. Our \u201cactivity pockets\u201d are small enclosed spaces where children can engage deeply in play, without interruption. These flexible setups allow us to introduce a concept\u2014like composting or sustainability\u2014and then observe how children explore it further through play using loose parts and natural materials. Our approach encourages creativity, independence, and deep thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning Through Local Connection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our sustainability practices reflect the needs and interests of our children and the community. Excursions often begin with a child\u2019s question\u2014about drains, ducks, or energy\u2014and lead to in-depth environmental projects. For example, the children\u2019s curiosity about drains led us to explore the nearby pond and build our own frog bog. They\u2019ve also helped plant and grow wattle trees and study water quality using real tools and observations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Informed by Research and Best Practice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We use recognised research and national guidance to shape our approach to sustainability. Our educators engage with resources like Researching Early Childhood Education for Sustainability \u2013 Challenging Assumptions and Orthodoxies<\/em> and the ACECQA NQS Professional Learning Program. Our Approved Provider contributes to international research through the Transnational Dialogues for Early Childhood Education for Sustainability<\/em>, ensuring our practices stay current and impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting and Evolving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our team regularly reflects on how to improve the way we use resources and support environmental learning. This has led us to offer new materials to younger children, source items that reflect cultural diversity, and provide a variety of loose parts\u2014both natural and man-made\u2014for creative, open-ended play. These changes are driven by our belief that all children are capable and that our environments should reflect who they are and what they care about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning With Families and Community<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We love working with our families and local community to bring sustainability to life. Local businesses donate materials like paper, maps, car parts, and machinery for children to investigate and repurpose. Families generously contribute books, pipes, clothing, and natural materials like logs and branches. These contributions enrich our learning spaces and model a shared commitment to caring for the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyday Sustainability in Action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We help families understand sustainability in practical ways too. One example is our \u201cswap-and-go\u201d clothing rack, where families can donate outgrown clothes and pick up new sizes\u2014supporting the circular economy and reducing waste. With 100 solar panels powering most of our centre, children also learn about renewable energy firsthand. Our reflections continue to lead us toward new learning opportunities, such as excursions focused on solar energy and visits to businesses involved in clean technologies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We teach children to love and protect the world around them. At Dubbo Early Learning Centre, environmental responsibility is more than just a topic\u2014it\u2019s part of our everyday way of life. From composting and frog ponds to solar panels and second-hand treasures, we help children understand how to care for the world through hands-on experiences […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2395","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2395"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2397,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2395\/revisions\/2397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}