Raising Wildlings

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re talking to Nathan and Anita from the Homeschool Project Podcast to hear their perspective on the most common questions we homeschoolers get asked. How do we manage financially, what type of curriculum should I follow, what made you start homeschooling and the most common question of all, what about socialisation?! A few months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Anita and Nathan, hosts of The Homeschool Project Podcast about Forest Schooling, Wildschooling and Unschooling. Today, I now have the pleasure of interviewing the beautiful couple. Anita and Nathan are a military family currently residing in Ohio, USA, and homeschooling their 3 beautiful children. They began their podcast at the start of the year to try and help other families new to homeschooling by sharing ideas on homeschooling and some laughs. 👉 We chat to Anita and Nathan about Their family and the journey that brought them to where they are todayThe Homeschool Project PodcastThe powerful realisation that shifted them to the idea of homeschooling.Their thoughts on socialisationHomeschool co-opsThe homeschooling philosophy they followThe best thing about homeschooling in their eyesSome of the struggles of homeschoolingHow and where their family resets on rough daysWhat they would change about the education system👉 Opt Inhttps://www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables👉 Resources & ReferencesCharlotte Mason Method https://simplycharlottemason.com/what-is-the-charlotte-mason-method/ Book Recommendations:Free to Learn- Peter GrayA Walk in the Woods- Bill BrysonThe Call of the Wild and Free- Ainsley Arment 👉 Guest DetailsAnita and Nathan are the hosts of the Homeschool Project Podcast. They are parents to three children (3,6,9) who are all homeschooled as well as a military family. They started their podcast and their website to help others find a community where they can find information, have their questions answered, and be part of a group that is willing to go above and beyond to make sure that we all succeed. Since they made their decision, their family has grown closer and happier. This lifestyle has made them realize that homeschooling is not only about education but it is a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle that allows you to take a step back and see what is really important.Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailTwo weeks ago, we had a lot of fun when Vicci interviewed Nicki about her family's unschooling journey. In this episode, we flip the table and Nicki interviews Vicci about her family’s journey. We delve into her story of how they made the decision to homeschool based on their children’s personalities and how, after doing all the research, she took the leap.This is part four of our series on families that unschool, homeschool, wildschool and world school that will run until the end of the year. Last week we spoke to Lucy AitkenRead about unschooling in a yurt, the school wound and child autonomy. You can head on over and check it out, it’s episode #29.Wondering if home schooling or unschooling is for you? This series and these stories may help! 👉 Vicci shares1. What the one thing was that made her decide to homeschool2. How she communicated her thoughts about homeschooling to her husband3. How her family manages financially4. How her children are socialised5. How she fits in self-care6. Whether she worries about her children falling behind👉 Vicci's detailsThe ocean has always been home for Vicci. Living in South East Queensland has been the perfect backdrop for a life of adventure chasing dolphins and whales on a mission to spread a love for the natural world.After spending a few years teaching in traditional schools, Vicci's world was soon opened to alternative models of learning, particularly the Forest School philosophy, after the birth of her first daughter. The philosophy embodied many of Vicci's own lifestyle values and seemed to be the perfect blend of world-schooling and wild-schooling.Vicci's passions and expertise lie in marine education, respectful communication, child empowerment and educational freedom of choice.Vicci is available as a guest speaker and to run workshops and consultations Australia wide.👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsite FacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked In👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we chat to Off-Grid and Unschooling mama and activist, Lucy AitkenRead. We discuss how unschooling allows you to stand back and watch your child bloom and how unschooling your own children can heal your own school wounds. We also chat to Lucy about how to show up as your authentic self in business and her new book 30 Days of Rewilding.👉 We talk to Lucy aboutWhat made her choose to unschool her kids and if there was any defining moment that made the decision for her, or if it was a slow build?How choosing alternative lifestyles sometimes feels like we can alienate people when we talk about those choices. We’re actively trying to make sure that we don’t ‘other’ people’s choices making this podcast. We discuss how she incorporates this in her own work. Her book ‘30 days to Rewilding’How her children have benefited from the ‘rewilding’ lifestyle👉 About Lucy AitkenReadLucy AitkenRead is a writer, unschooling mama and activist and is here to help you step in to trust, joy and regeneration! She moved her family from South London, UK to a yurt in the middle of nowhere, NZ. They share their off grid farm with another family where they all live without school. Lucy is passionate about supporting people to live compassionately – on earth, with the folks around them AND themselves. She has spent the last 9 years writing about sustainable living and attachment parenting on her blog and running courses that help people trust themselves with their hopes and dreams including her (Disco course) about unschooling or nurturing a spirituality without religion.https://lulastic.co.uk/https://lulastic.co.uk/books-i-have-written/👉 Free DownloadableAnd if you’d like a little inspiration to get your family outside, click here to get our FREE Nature Scavenger Hunt printable.👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I’m chatting with Nicki about how her family ended up going from a teaching family to an unschooling family with two home businesses. This is part two of our series on families that unschool, homeschool, wildschool and world school that will run until the end of the year. Wondering if home schooling or unschooling is for you? Then this is the episode for you.👉 Vicci & Nicki DiscussWhat the one thing was that made her decide to homeschoolHow her family manages financiallySocialisationHow Nicki 'convinced' her husband to homeschool (note: she didn't!)How she gets self-care timeWhether she worries about her children 'falling behind'How her children will be prepared for University if they're homeschooling👉 Nicki's DetailsVicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it.Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked In👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour to ask. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailKelly is an Aussie who helps parents fall in love with homeschooling via blogging, summits, and courses. She's a wife plus mum of five never-schooled children. With no fixed address, their long-term travel provides endless adventures and ways of connecting with people and the world. Kelly is also the creator of the Fearless Homeschool and the host of the Australian Homeschool Summit, both of which are unbelievable resources for those families who need some support and encouragement when starting your homeschooling journey. 👉 We Ask Kelly…· How she made the decision to homeschool her five children· What kinds of sacrifices and life choices they made as a family in order to manage financially· How Kelly manages her self care time· What a typical day or week may look like for her family· What kind of curriculum works best for her family· How travel has added value to her children’s learning, life views and adventurous spirit· How her children socialiseKelly’s Homeschool CoursesAustralian Homeschooling SummitZero to HomeschoolUnschooling EssentialsZero to Homeschool + Start Homeschool SummitSPECIAL OFFER! 2017 & 2019 Homeschooling SummitsSPECIAL OFFER - 2017, 2019 & 2020 Homeschooling Summits 👉 Kelly's DetailsFearless Homeschool Website Fearless Homeschool FacebookFearless Homeschool InstagramFearless Homeschool PinterestTravel blog Kelly’s eldest daughter's blog Kelly’s twins' blog 👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailWhittling wood is one of the most calming and meditative crafts we do at Forest School. If you’ve ever taught in a classroom, you wouldn’t believe the calm, focus and engagement you’ll find in a whittling circle of usually rambunctious children. It has to be seen to be believed. In this episode we talk about all things whittling: how to keep children safe when using pocket knives, which knives we recommend, how to take care of your knife, which wood to whittle, what to make and how old children can be to start whittling – the answer might just surprise you.👉 Discussion PointsThe benefits of whittling and children owning a pocket knifeSafety tips to keep children safe when using pocket knivesTechniqueWhich knives we recommendKnife care & safe storageWhich wood to useProjects to whittle Recommended starting age for children👉 Purchase Pocket Knives & Whittling Tools Here:Opinel Wooden Peeler (great intro to whittling tool)My First Opinel Whittling Pocket Knife (our best seller and the knife we recommend for beginners)Opinel Classic No.8 Pocket Knife (a classic knife for older, more experienced children or adults)Alpine Leather Sheath (somewhere safe to keep your knife)Opinel Secatuers (the only kid proof ones we've ever found! These are virtually unbreakable)Opinel Folding Saw (a most excellent gift for the gardener - or adventurer in your family)👉 Listeners OfferOur Early Bird Offer for our Online Intro to Bush Kindy Course ends midnight Wed 28th October 2020!!👉 Further EducationBook us for a workshop or consult to train your teachers/educators in the safe use of pocket knives for groups.👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we get some tips and tools from Social Worker and Author, Jessica Sanders about how we can help our children love their bodies, accept who they are and help process their emotions. 👉 Discussion Points Jessica’s journey to becoming a social worker, author and advocateThe inspiration for penning her beautiful books, Love Your Body and your most recent release, Be Your Own ManJess’s tips for how to help our girls love their bodies and boys to be their own manWhat being an advocate for children looks like for Jess, including her work with Worth a Second ChanceThe one thing Jess would change about the education system👉 About Jessica SandersJessica Sanders is an author, advocate and social worker from Melbourne. She is dedicated to empowering others with the tools they need to strengthen the relationship they hold with themselves and their bodies. Jess has a lot to say about gender equality as a whole and is a passionate advocate for children. Jessica has a long history of working with young people through organisations such as SECASA, The Butterfly Foundation and Jesuit Social Services. In 2019, Jessica wrote her multi award winning children’s book, Love Your Body. To date, Love Your Body has been sold into 29 territories around the world. In November 2019 Jessica released Me Time: the self-care guide to being your own best friend, which is a practical book to support mental health and in September of this year she released her book for boys, Be Your Own Man.Jess believes the current definition of masculinity is hurting boys and wanted a resource for parents and boys to be able to re-imagine the term for a new generation. , Be Your Own Man which encourages boys to embrace their vulnerability and put their hands up for help.👉 Jessica Sanders Details Reshape websiteJess’s InstagramWorth A Second Chance Website Worth A Second Chance Instagram👉 ResourcesBuy ‘Be Your Own Man’ HereBuy ‘Love Your Body’ HereJessica by Bryce CourtneyThe Course of Love by Alain Bebotton👉 Free DownloadableDownload your free respectful parenting printable with phrases of validation and empathy here. 👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we break down three of the barriers that often hold centres and educators back from starting a Forest or Bush School program. Bush or Forest Kindy’s are growing in popularity, and for good reason. There are plenty of educators who are almost ready to take the plunge, but there is something holding them back. Well today we are going to discuss three barriers that may be making the process of even thinking about starting an Forest School session entirely too difficult!👉 Discussion PointsFear of death/injury/litigationHow do we minimise the risk of missing childrenHow do we minimise the risk of injury (appropriate clothing)Lack of personal knowledge👉 SummaryThere are always going to be barriers that make starting a new program challenging. The best thing to do is to make a list of all the things holding you back and then you can systematically go through and find solutions for every single one. And if you would like some extra assistance with this you can always sign up for our Introdcution to Bush Kindy course which is launching ….👉 Free DownloadableIf you’d like a little inspiration to get your family outside, click here, to get our FREE Nature Scavenger Hunt printable. 👉 Guest DetailsVicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.Wildlings aims to get more children outdoors connecting with nature, creating the village parents are yearning for and inspiring change in the education system.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it. 👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked In👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by cliWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailToday's episode is a little different. Join us as we take a trip to Tasmania, to Nature Be In It, run by the ever passionate, Kara Spence, where we will hear what the children of Howrah Primary School and their educators love about her Forest School programs.👉 About Nature. Be In ItAt Nature. Be in it. we believe nature connection is a deep human need. We take you into nature to meet your need for connection to yourself, each other and the planet. During our expertly guided experiences for your children, corporate team and family you will see the value and need for nature connection to rebuilding resilience, creativity and social and emotional intelligence. 👉 About KaraNature connection is in Kara's bloodline. As the daughter of an audacious nature crusader and mad-about-rocks geologist, she understands our dual demands on nature: sustain our souls and support our economy. The trick is achieving both, in harmony and balance. Born and raised in a Canadian city of millions Kara thrives on all things urban. Cafés and culture - traffic and crowds... To keep her sanity however, she needs time out. To quiet the mind and restore the soul there is no quicker way than to spend time outside in nature.Kara's career has been defined by one objective: be outside. She followed the warmer climate to Australia, where she could be outside more of the year. She now calls Hobart home.The sum of her work as a Park Ranger, expert environmental educator and teacher, combined with 15 years training in mindfulness, has inspired Kara to create Nature. Be in it. 👉 Find KaraNature. Be In ItFacebookInstagramLinkedInEmail: [email protected] and ReferencesOriginal editing done by Helene Thomas of The Wayfinder Mobile Storytelling 👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailDid you spend much of your childhood climbing trees? Did you know that 1 out of 4 Australian children have never climbed a tree and that this quintessential childhood experience is banned in most of our educational settings? In this episode talk about why sharing the view with birds from the branch of a tree is so beneficial for children!In a 2011 study by Planet Ark on Childhood interaction with nature 1000 parents were surveyed. One of the disturbing findings was that only 20% of children today are engaged in tree climbing. It appears that children just don’t climb trees anymore. This is unsurprising as we have seen the dramatic changing face of our educational settings with things such as soft-fall and height restrictions severely impacting the ability for children to climb anything, let alone a tree. Benefits of climbing trees:Focus and concentrationHand-eye coordinationProblem-solving skillsSelf-esteemOvercoming fearsTrust and team-buildingBody confidenceBuilding physical strengthSetting and achieving goalsRespecting nature How to support children when they are learning to climb:Look for easy trees to climb with low hanging branches Avoid the ‘be careful’ schtick. Offer more meaningful advice such as, ‘Do you feel safe right now?’ or share your observations, ‘That branch is not thicker than your arm, do you think it can support your weight?’Remind them to check the surface of the ground beneath should they fall and to remove any rocks/sticks below their fall pathTeach them to always have three points of contact at all timesTry not to rescue them. Be their emotional coach insteadCheck for dead branches before putting your weight on a branchBarefoot climbing is safer than with shoes as they have better gripBUT WHAT ABOUT THE RISK?It feels like a risky thing to allow our children to do. A survey of over 1600 parents who let their children climb trees revealed that 2% had fallen from a tree and broken a bone, with even less receiving a concussion. The greatest injury was scrapes. Meanwhile 3.5 million American children received medical treatment for injuries sustained during organised sports.There is risk in everything that our children do. Whilst there is a physical risk of injury, there is a physical risk of our children sitting inside and playing video games, heck there is a risk of children just tripping and falling on the pavement. Free DownloadableTo grab our free 'What to say during risky play' printable head to wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables. 👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we chat with Occupational Therapist Kaya Lyons of Active OT for Kids about how Child Development occurs naturally through play, connecting & exploring. We discuss trauma and the impact on development and interactions and how therapy can and should be integrated into daily life.DiscussionHow occupational therapy helps children to live a joyful life, and how Kaya has created her business around collaboration and sharing of ideas so that she can deliver therapies for children based on their individual needs, with the main goal of creating joy and wonder in the learning and development of childrenHow long periods of stress to the system can cause trauma – this means that children can stay in survival mode which may prevent them from thrivingTrauma impacts children with limited attention, withdrawal, hyper-vigilance which are all coping strategies. This limits their ability to thriveHow we can support wellness so that we can bring a child’s system out of survival and into thrivingHow nature provides enriched opportunities for sensory engagement, feeling emotions, engaging in cognition and connecting with natureUltimately joy is the window to connect everythingKeeping therapy simple for families so that we remove the pressure How Kaya created an outdoor camp experience for children who suffer from traumaHow Kaya balances her professional life with homeschooling her three daughters. Kaya Lyons - Active OT's Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutubeOutdoor Therapies - An Introduction to Practices, Possibilities, and Critical PerspectivesReferencesThe Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson BurnettThe Developing Mind by Daniel SiegalBody Dreaming in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma by Marian DunleaFree DownloadableAnd if you’d like a little inspiration to get your family outside, click here to get our FREE Nature Scavenger Hunt printable.👉 Listen Here Apple Podcasts SpotifyGoogle Podcasts Thank you so much!Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailEpisode DescriptionIn this episode, we’re talking about nature playgroups, why we’re so passionate about them, and some of the misconceptions people might have when they go to attend one. So, wondering if nature playgroup is for you? In this episode, we answer that question. 👉 Discussion PointsWhat is nature playgroup?Aimed at 0-3, immersed nature, not skill building. Includes seasonal song time, seasonal story time, seasonal craft or activity and a focus on free play with friends in nature. 2. Our playgroups are centred around what children need, not what parents wantThis means we provide minimal activities for many reasons: because our focus is on free play in nature, because children at this age would rather cut a ball of wool into a million pieces than use it to craft with, because children don’t need any resources to learn and entertain themselves, because we want children to use this time to socialise and because providing less resources provides opportunities to develop essential social skills such as sharing and there are less fights over resources. But more importantly, our nature playgroups are all about free time and exploring nature in a supportive environment with friends.Many crafts are too complex/not developmentally appropriate for this age group, they do not have the dexterity to manage many tools. We provide small achievable tasks on purpose so that children feel a sense of achievement when they are able to achieve them. When an adult has to finish a craft for a child, it can perpetuate a sense of failure, rather than independence. Similarly, we prefer open-ended resources so that children use their creativity and imagination rather than step-by-step activities that end in replicas of the same end product. We focus on the process (of learning) over the end product. If the set-up/pack-up of a craft activity outweighs the time/value/learning of the activity, then it’s not worth it.3. We can do this ourselves (go the creek/beach) for freeAbsolutely! You can! Anyone can. We 100% encourage this. One of the reasons we offer playgroup is in the hopes that parents will meet other like-minded parents and feel empowered enough to get together and go out in nature for free.Often activities aren’t valued if they’re free and often people need to pay for activities to commit to them (ourselves included), particularly going out in nature in ALL weather.We value women’s labour, and want to provide employment opportunities for SAHM’s in a child friendly work environment.We also love contributing to a circular economy, where we are employing women who are then going on to invest their income in local, green economies. 4. Village buildingWhile our playgroup and activities are child-centred, they also come from our innate desire as parents/mothers to be surroWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re chatting with conscious parenting expert Katherine Winter- Sellery from Conscious Parenting Revolution, about non-violent communication, habitual parenting responses and how many of us haven’t learnt how to question what comes out of our mouths in response to our children’s behaviour. We also discuss childism, how labelling children can harm them, and why it’s important to break our negative views of children. DiscussionWhat is Conscious Parenting and Non Violent Communication?Childism/Ageism and the problem with having prejudice against childrenHow labelling children can be a form of violence and cause sibling rivalrySelf-esteem should not come from relying on a parent or any other person's praise, it should be internalRelying on praise can be disincentivising. E.g. So you're really proud of me now for getting good grades, so I guess that means you're not proud of me at all if I don't get good grades, so why should I bother trying at all?Building self-esteem comes from acknowledgement, rather than praise. E.g. 'It looks like you feel pretty chuffed about that. I would feel proud too. I saw how hard you worked on that.'We rely on 'habitual responses', the way that we were parented in tough times and they very often don't serve us, and especially don't serve our children.Parenting courses can help give us the tools as parents to help navigate difficult parenting situations without relying on old, harmful parenting techniques.Guest DetailsKatherine Winter-Sellery is the CEO and Founder of the Conscious Parenting Revolution and creator of the Guidance Approach to Parenting along with two colleagues, a program that applies conflict-resolution skills to communicating more effectively with children and adults. Through her workshops, books, and her three TEDx talks, she has taught thousands of parents, educators and social workers, to minimize misunderstandings and melt-downs, and communicate with more collaboration, cooperation and consideration. Katherine's SocialsWebsite FacebookInstagramReferencesChildren are People Too, Louise Porter The Radical Acceptance of Everything, Ann Weiser CornellI Know I'm In There Somewhere, Helene BrennerWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailToday, we’re bringing you five parenting hacks on how we foster a family environment that helps raise children who are more independent, and why autonomy is the end goal.👉 Key Points1. Allowing Children to Make Choices - Dinner- Shower- Utensils2. Let children struggle safely- For example, children climbing trees and ‘can’t get down’. We might say, ‘You’re too high for me to help you but I’ll stay here with you while we work it out. What can you do to get yourself down?- Being the emotional (not physical) support to help them troubleshoot their own problems3. Release expectations- Appropriate levels of learning- Embracing the mess whilst they’re learning4. Not micro-managing- Not too quick to give solutions- Let children do things for themselves as often as possible5. Age appropriate tools- Kiddicutter: https://www.wildlingsforestschool.com/shop/kiddikutter- Peeler: https://www.wildlingsforestschool.com/shop/opinel-peeler-beech- Pocket knife: https://www.wildlingsforestschool.com/shop/my-first-opinel-whittling-knife- Cleaning toosl: Mini dust buster, dustpan and broom, cleaning cloths and vinegar spray within reach- Plastic steps/montessori stool- Mini First Aid Kit: Bandaids, tea tree oil, tweezers - clear expectations👉 Guest DetailsVicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.Wildlings aims to get more children outdoors connecting with nature, creating the village parents are yearning for and inspiring change in the education system.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it.👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked In👉 Freebie:And if you’d like a little help changiWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we learn about Democratic Education and the theory of the Play Cycle from Educator and Parent, Mathilda Element, from Pine Community School in Brisbane. We chat about the key concepts behind democratic education and consensus decision making that underpin the values at Pine Community School, as well as the importance of multi-age play and the details of a child’s Play Cycle. We discuss:The umbrella term of democratic education and the idea of consensus decision making The value of multi-age play The importance of philosophy of play and the value of this across the spectrum of age rangesThat play is driven by children – if it is driven by adults it can be described as playful but it is not playThe concept of the the Play Cycle in play-work theory– a term first coined by Gordon Sturrock and the late Perry ElseThe play cycle:1. Play Drive: All play begins with the play drive that is the instinctive desire and need to play2. Play Cue: From this drive the child may produce an action which can be very subtle or very obvious3. Play Return: The feedback a child receives from a play cue is called a play return. 4. Play Flow: This is established once the play has commenced, and is a continuation of cues and returns. 5. Play Frame: The process of play is ‘contained’ by the play frame. The play frame can be a material boundary that keeps the play intact; the rules of the game or understanding between the participants. A frame can be many things – a table, a playground or something broader6. Play Annihilation: When the flow of play is terminated by children. This can be the end of the game or perhaps the destruction of a recently constructed model7. Play Adulteration: If an adult intervenes and tries to lead or force it they will be denying the play drive purpose and adulterating the child playResources Referred ToBooks:Children are People Too - Louise Porter https://kit.co/Wildlings/respectful-parenting-books/children-are-peopleParenting for a Peaceful World – Robin Grille https://kit.co/Wildlings/respectful-parenting-books/parenting-for-a-peacThe Opposite of Worry – Laurence Cohen https://kit.co/Wildlings/respectful-parenting-books/the-opposite-of-worrPlayful Parenting Everything is Figuroutable - Marie ForleoWebsiteswww.pinecommunityschool.org www.humanitashighschool.org.au educationrevolution.org agilelearningcenters.orgWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailDo you love the sound of turning your household from chaos to calm? We are joined by the Child Charmer and parenting educator Chrissie Davies where we discuss why our role as parents is one of the most important in the lives of our children. We also discuss the glaringly obvious gap in parenting education when it comes to raising toddlers in terms of our expectations of children and why reaching out for help and support in parenting needs to start before our child’s behaviour gets out of hand. 👉 Our DiscussionThat a parent’s most important role is to be their child's educator - in all things - to help them understand the world and how to be good human being.Accessing parenting education. That seeking positive education to support parents on their parenting journey should be the NORM - not just for families who are struggling with their kids behaviourHow to use emotional connection & positive communication to create a relationship with your child based on trust and guidance.Getting back to basics with kidsCOVID - why more parents have been forced to slow downHow the current school system not being able to meet the needs of so many children and why👉 FreebieDon’t forget to download our FREE “Words of Empathy and Validation” printable to stick on your fridge for those times you’re at a loss for words (or having the complete opposite trouble! ;) Simply head to www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables to get your copy!👉 Guest DetailsChild Behaviour Expert Chrissie Davies is known around town as The The Child Charmer. People far and wide are falling in love with Chrissie's positive approach, philosophies and understandings around raising kids and family life. With over 20 years experience working with children and families it safe to say that she knows a lot about he challenges that modern day families face. She is also a mama of two young kids and is totally living the day to day life of raising kids with her hubby in Melbourne. Chrissie passionately believes that all families should access education to learn more about how parents can support their kids along their developmental journey.👉 Chrissie’s DetailsPersonal Website: https://www.chaostocalmconsultancy.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaostocalmconsultancy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com.chrissiechaostocalmLinks to other podcasts: https://chaostocalmconsultancy.com/podcastsCourses : https://chrWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailDo you have a fireplace or a fire pit at home? Do you let your children light and manage fires? If not, why not? Today, we’re talking about the benefits of children working with fire, why children will seek it out, why it’s important to incorporate it into your outdoor play and how to do it safely. 👉 Key Discussion Points:The purpose of fire activities in the home/school/centrePlaying with dangerous elements – such as fire, water and animals is one of the 6 Pillars of Risk Play We are drawn to fire. For thousands of years, humans have relied on fire to survive. It’s almost an innate, biological response. So we need to pre-empt this curiosity. We live in a country that makes swimming lessons compulsory at school because we are surrounded by oceans but doesn’t make fire safety compulsory despite us being a bush fire prone nation. The key concerns of parents and educatorsHow we introduce fire at Wildlings Forest School and how you can too Safety measures you can put in place to reduce risk“It is often the risks to adults – blame, loss of reputation, liability – that cloud providers’ judgements when it comes to allowing children to take risks.” Gill, T. 2007.👉 Guest DetailsVicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.Wildlings aims to get more children outdoors connecting with nature, creating the village parents are yearning for and inspiring change in the education system.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it.👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked In👉 Freebie:If you’d like a little inspiration to get your family outside, head to www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables, to get your free copy of our famous chocolate orange campfire cake recipe. It’s vegan so suits all dietary requirements👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode? If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. PleaWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we look at the way the Australian Curriculum is embedded through the lens of nature at one of Australia’s newest independent school in Port Macquarie – The Nature School. Their early learning and play programs include bush immersion for their playgroup, early years and vacation care as well as their independent primary school. We are joined by Jaqcui Leach who is the Head of Early Learning & Play at The Nature School and Catherine Oehlman who is the founding head of The Nature School Primary. . 👉 Our DiscussionHow the primary school grew out of the bush immersion programs in their Early Learning Division – teaching half the day inside and half outside while meeting outcomes and delivering curriculum requirementsHow the COVID isolation experience is shining a light on how children really feel about their learningConnecting learning to the world they live in through real experiencesLearning never stops and how we can use the outdoors and the community to extend their understanding of the worldHow we continually challenge and reflecting on our teaching practice – remembering our whyThe challenges of delivering a accredited bush immersion Early Years ServiceWhat the day in the life of a child looks like at the Nature SchoolThe benefits of having a nature based vision for educational outcomes – the release of the pressure cooker, reduced anxiety and improved confidence. Children as active global citizens – their voice is important The impact of the 2019 bushfires👉 FreebieDon’t forget to download our “Classroom Outdoor Learning Checklist” so that you can start some conversations at your child’s school about nature play. Simply head to www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables to get your copy!👉 Guest DetailsJaqcui Leach is the Head of Early Learning & Play at The Nature School Inc. Over the last 8 years Jacqui has worked in early learning services, bringing in her love of learning in the outdoor environment. She is strongly passionate about the inclusive and therapeutic benefits of nature for all children. Catherine Oehlman is the founding Head of The Nature School Primary. She is an accomplished educator, writer, children’s poet, and self-confessed bird nerd. 👉 The Nature School’s Detailshttps://www.thenatureschool.org.au/👉 Links and ResourcesSponsor - Fun Fables Podcast 👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode?If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on AWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we talk about autonomy, creativity and resilience - the Wildlings way and how we’re on a mission to change the education system from the outside in, in the hopes that others can change it from the inside out. We shine a light on what we do here at Wildlings and why we want to see the Forest School philosophy incorporated into schools and childcare centres across Australia. 👉 DISCUSSIONWe want to see children respected, given more autonomy and control over their own learning, more play, more time outdoors and more focus on holistic well-being.We want to arm parents and educators with knowledge about schools that are doing these things so that you can take this information to your own schools.In order to have independent, resilient, creative and respectful adults, we need to create opportunities for children to be creative, to be respected and trusted to make their own decisions, to become independent, to not be micro-managed 24/7.We speak to children respectfully.Educators are not authoritarian.We provide the time, the space, the resources, and emotional support for them to be able to safely explore and learn in their preferred way.There is no adult agenda or curriculum attached to what we do. There is no rush to learn a skill.There is no grading.Failing is an important part of Forest School (and life) School P&C’s and parents have a lot of say about how schools are run, parents have a lot of power and sway over what schools prioritise for the holisitic development of children.Schools need to keep up as parents vote with their feet.👉 FREEBIEPlease note that we are having technical difficulties with our downloadable. We are hoping to have it loaded by 28/7/20.If you’d like to know where your schools sits in regards to Outdoor Learning, you can find our Outdoor Learning Appraisal for Schools at www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables.👉 Guest DetailsVicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.Wildlings aims to get more children outdoors connecting with nature, creating the village parents are yearning for and inspiring change in the education system.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it.👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailEpisode DescriptionIn this episode (part two of two) with author and principal, John Marsden, we chat about how children are not all sweetness and innocence, how adolescents are not worthless and depraved and that parents need to be adults most of the time! If you’re curious as to why teens need to (metaphorically) ‘kill’ their parents to become adults, then this is the episode for you!👉 Our DiscussionAll children are both good and bad, innocent and evil How idealising childhood sets teenagers up to fail and not want to grow upHow teenagers need to metaphorically ‘kill’ their parents to become adultsThe importance of real world experiences in educationIneffectual parenting practises How it might be a good idea for Australia to one day have an Education minister that has actually worked in the Education industry… 👉 FreebieDon’t forget to download your ‘’what to say’’ guide so that we can encourage problem solving and personal risk assessment in our children instead of our usual go to response of “Be careful”. To download the Risky Play cheat sheet, simply head to www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables👉 Guest DetailsJohn has written more than 40 books, including Tomorrow When the War Began, So Much to Tell You, and his most recent work, The Art of Growing up. He has sold over five million books worldwide, and has won every major award in Australia for young people's fiction. John's passionate interest in education led him to start two schools, Candlebark and Alice Miller, on forested properties in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria. The two schools enrol 390 students in 2020.👉 John Marsden’s Detailshttp://johnmarsden.com/https://www.candlebark.info/👉 Links and ResourcesSponsor - Fun Fables Podcast 👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode?If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode (part one of two), we talk to author and principal, John Marsden, about his schools, Candlebark School and Alice Miller School and how they are different to traditional schools. We talk about Candlebark’s fabulous school motto: ‘Take risks’ and how first-hand experiences are the essence of the schools educational philosophies.John tells us three things he would change about the traditional education system and what to look for when you’re searching for a school for your children.👉 Our Discussion● Candlebark School and Alice Miller School● How Candlebark and Alice Miller School are different to traditional schools.● Candlebark’s fabulous school motto: ‘Take risks’● How first-hand experiences form the essence of education at the schools.● The three things John would change about the traditional education system● What to look for in a school👉 FreebieDon’t forget to download your ‘’what to say’’ guide so that we can encourage problem solving and personal risk assessment in our children instead of our usual go to response of “Be careful”. To download the Risky Play cheat sheet, simply head to www.wildlingsforestschool.com/free-downloadables👉 Guest DetailsJohn has written more than 40 books, including Tomorrow When the War Began, So Much to Tell You, and his most recent work, The Art of Growing up. He has sold over five million books worldwide, and has won every major award in Australia for young people's fiction. John's passionate interest in education led him to start two schools, Candlebark and Alice Miller, on forested properties in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria. The two schools enrol 390 students in 2020.👉 John Marsden’s Detailshttp://johnmarsden.com/https://www.candlebark.info/👉 Links and ResourcesSponsor - Fun Fables Podcast 👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode?If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailHas your child ever done something that has made you gasp and want to cover your eyes? Early climbers climbing out of their high chair, children scaling trees so high you can barely spot them or swimming beyond their depth, or teens wrestling like they’re in a WWF match? Good! We hope you may find some relief in the fact that your child is doing EXACTLY what they are designed to do! Take risks! And that is exactly what we’re going to be talking about - Risky Play. What it is, the 6 types of risky play, why children seek out risk, why it’s important and how to incorporate it into your outdoor play. 👉 Our DiscussionWhat is risky play?Benefits of Risky PlayThe 6 Types of Risky Play Play at heights Play at high speed Play with dangerous tools Play with dangerous elements – fire, water, animals Rough and tumble Play in secret spacesWhat is the purpose of risky play?Risk is not necessarily a danger to be avoided but rather a skill that needs to be managed. How can help your child manage risky play?What can you say instead of ’Be Careful!’In a nutshell, we want our children to be as safe as necessary not a safe as possible. ‘A ship is safe in the harbour - but that is not what ships are built for…’👉 Freebie To download the Risky Play cheat sheet, simply click here. 👉 Links and ResourcesE1. Freedom to Learn with Peter GrayCategories of Risky Play by Ellen Sandseter, 2007 👉 Guest DetailsVicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it.👉 Wildlings Forest School Contact DetailsWebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutubeWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan Mail👉 Our Discussion- The benefits of outdoor play, particularly during a pandemic, when so many children are still having to practise social distancing.- How to create a habit of daily outdoor play with your family- The role of outdoor play for family culture and community.👉 FreebieIf you’d like a little inspiration to get your family outside, click HERE , to get our FREE Wildschooling printable with all the gear we keep in our car so that our families are always ready for adventure.👉 Links and Resources- Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv- The Nature Fix, by Florence Williams- The Nature Connection Pyramid Printable- Good Bacteria in Dirt article- Busting the Cold causes Colds Myth article- 👉 About LindaLinda Åkeson McGurk is a Swedish American journalist, blogger and author of There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather. She believes that the best childhood memories are created outside and started the blog Rain or Shine Mamma to inspire other parents and caregivers to get outside with their children every day, regardless of the weather.👉 Linda’s Contact Details- www.linkedin.com/in/lindamcgurk- https://twitter.com/rainshinemamma- https://www.facebook.com/rainorshinemamma/- https://www.instagram.com/rainorshinemamma/- https://www.pinterest.com/rainshinemamma/- http://lindamcgurk.com/publicity/👉 Listen HereListen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google Podcasts👉 Did You Enjoy This Episode?If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to sWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we talk about Wildschooling. What it is, what is not, how to incorporate Wildschooling around traditional schooling and how we incorporate Wildschooling into our own children’s lives.Vicci Oliver and Nicki Farrell are adventurous nature play makers, risk-takers, children’s rights advocates and the co-founders of Wildlings Forest School. We are the hosts of the ‘Raising Wildlings’ podcast and we put the dirt back in childhood.Wildlings aims to get more children outdoors connecting with nature, creating the village parents are yearning for and inspiring change in the education system.During any Wildlings Forest School program, you are likely to find Wildlings up trees, sliding down mud slides, whittling with pocket knives, lighting fires and building rafts. We let kids, be kids - because children can’t learn to protect nature if they’ve never had a childhood in it.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this BONUS episode (part two of two), we continue our chat with psychologist, parent educator and author of Inner Child Journeys, Robin Grille. We cover the parenting disconnect, smacking and the origins of our authoritarian education and parenting culture. Be prepared to perhaps feel uncomfortable and/or challenged and remember that Robin's work focuses on how when we are triggered by these feelings - we can use these moments as opportunities for personal growth.Our discussion:How we can begin to move away from smacking as a culture by exploring our triggers (AKA our body's memories from when we were children ourselves)We discuss the collective wound of all civilisation - that we are tamersHow we have moved from belonging to nature, to seeing ourselves as tamers of natureHow we can move towards a more democratic (rather than authoritarian) education systemGuest DetailsRobin Grille is an international speaker, psychologist and parenting educator. Robin is the author of three books: ‘Parenting for a Peaceful World’, ‘Heart to Heart Parenting’ and his newest title: ‘Inner Child Journeys’.Drawing from 30 years’ experience and leading-edge neuropsychological research, Robin’s seminars and courses focus on healthy emotional development for children as well as parents; while building supportive, co-operative parenting communities. You can find Robin Here:www.robingrille.comInstagram @robingrille Facebook @robingrilleAnd his work here:Inner Child JourneysHeart to Heart ParentingFree DownloadableAnd if you’d like a little help changing the language you use in your family to help de-escalate conflict, click here to get our FREE Words of Empathy and Validation printable to stick on your fridge for those rough moments. Wildlings Forest School Links:WebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked InIf you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts righWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode (part one of two), we chat with psychologist, parent educator and author of Inner Child Journeys, Robin Grille, about how the best way to understand our children, is to first understand ourselves. Think of this episode as your gentle reminder that parenting is a personal growth journey!Our discussion:What to do when we have a conflict with our children, or feel stuck as parentsWhat it means when we are triggered by our childrenHow our inner child holds the greatest trove of intuitive insight for us to use on the parenting journey.Guest DetailsRobin Grille is an international speaker, psychologist and parenting educator. Robin is the author of three books: ‘Parenting for a Peaceful World’, ‘Heart to Heart Parenting’ and his newest title: ‘Inner Child Journeys’.Drawing from 30 years’ experience and leading-edge neuropsychological research, Robin’s seminars and courses focus on healthy emotional development for children as well as parents; while building supportive, co-operative parenting communities. You can find Robin Here:www.robingrille.comInstagram @robingrille Facebook @robingrilleAnd his work here:Inner Child JourneysHeart to Heart ParentingFree DownloadableAnd if you’d like a little help changing the language you use in your family to help de-escalate conflict, click here to get our FREE Words of Empathy and Validation printable to stick on your fridge for those rough moments. Wildlings Forest School Links:WebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutube PinterestLinked InIf you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we are going to discuss our road to finding peaceful, gentle approaches to raising our children. We share with you why we wholeheartedly value working in cooperation with our own children and also the children we care for in our nature play programs. The four ideas of respectful communication:1. Children and parents have the opportunity to be heard and understood2. Children have the freedom to feel their emotions3. Stating our expectations clearly and with purpose ie we need to re-examine our expectations and reflect on these continually to ensure that they are fair and developmentally appropriate4. Empowering children to solve their own problems by helping them to develop language to communicate their needs and feelingsWelcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we are talking about school readiness and the academic pushdown. We ask about the importance of homework and the value of play, and talk about new perspectives on the role of sibling rivalry. Wondering when your child is ready for school? In this episode, we answer that question. Dr Justin Coulson is one of Australia's most respected and popular parenting authors and speakers. He is sought after for his expertise in family life, relationships, and wellbeing and resilience; and he is the founder of 'Happy Families'. Dr Coulson has written 5 books, and is a three-time bestselling author. He is also a husband and a father to 6 daughters.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re opening up and telling you our story. How we left our mainstream teaching jobs, started Wildlings Forest School, began unschooling our children and right now, starting the Raising Wildlings podcast. We talk about why we made the choices we have for our families, why we finally decided to get this podcast up and running and where we want to take it. We cover:● Who are Nicki Farrell and Vicci Oliver?● How we met● What is Wildlings Forest School?● What is our motivation in starting this podcast?● Where are we hoping to take Raising Wildlings?Don't forget to download your free Nature Scavenger Hunt printable here.To access the full show notes click here.Wildlings Forest School Links: ● Website● Facebook● Instagram● Youtube ● Pinterest● Linked InIf you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re talking about big emotions. How do we help our children regulate their emotions in this transition back to school? We discuss some very simple and tangible strategies that you can use today to help find connection with your child and to validate their feelings. Download our FREE Words of Validation & Empathy Printable here.To access the full show notes click here.Follow and DM Wildlings Forest School on Instagram here.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re talking with Psychologist, Peter Gray, about the importance of play and how we need to stop dismissing play as trivial; we’re talking about how to create environments where children learn best and we break down some of the misconceptions around self-directed learning, in particular university entry and future success.We also cover:The decline of children's freedom over recent decades and the psychological consequences of that decline. How children are biologically designed to take control of their own education, and the environmental conditions that best facilitate their ability to educate themselves.Research evidence that Self-Directed Education works.Don't forget to download your FREE Words of Validation & Empathy printable here to stick on your fridge! To access the full show notes click here.Follow and DM Wildlings Forest School on Instagram here.Did you enjoy this episode?If you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much!Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.

Send us Fan MailRaising Wildlings is a podcast for parents and educators who are seeking to learn more about respectful parenting, alternative education, how children learn and the importance of play. We can't wait to share the wisdom and experiences of experts as well as everyday parents who have taken a wilder path. Don't forget to download your free Nature Scavenger Hunt printable here.Wildlings Forest School Links:● Website● Facebook● Instagram● Youtube ● Pinterest● Linked InIf you enjoyed this episode and the Raising Wildlings podcast generally, we have a favour. Please take two minutes to subscribe, and to write a rating and a review. You can do that on Apple Podcasts right now by clicking here. If you are an Android user, you can follow the podcast on Spotify here and Google Podcasts here. Those actions will help the podcast reach more people, and we would be truly grateful. Thank you so much.Welcome back to Raising Wildlings — where we explore raising brave, resilient, curious kids who feel at home outdoors.If you're an educator ready to bring more nature play and child-led learning into your Early Years program, our Bush Kindy Professional Development Workshops are for you. You'll walk away with practical tools, risk-benefit strategies, and the confidence to take learning outside in a way that's safe, meaningful, and genuinely exciting for You know this podcast is just a small part of what we do at Wildlings Forest School. So if you want to find out more about our range of programs for children, our professional development workshops for educators, our free downloadables, blogs or our online store, just head to wildlingsforestschool.com. It's all there waiting for you. Come and join the village.