Thursday 29 September 2011

AnneMarie van Splunter's ‘Rubber Tree’ Turns Used Tires Into a Spectacular Playground | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

AnneMarie van Splunter's ‘Rubber Tree’ Turns Used Tires Into a Spectacular Playground | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

It's interesting and very "eco" but....still making up my mind on whether it would be functional? The creator suggests that  In the linked photos you can see it is surrounded by trees which it imitates. Why can't the children play on the tree? Oh and by the way a change of attitude as to the way we treat nature/the earth will save the world, not design.

If you really want to see the designs of tyre based playgrounds by someone who left a phenomenal legacy for low income communities read the Jim Jolley tyre playground design manual. 

Back Off, Mom. Parents Who Hover Impede Kids’ Activity – TIME Healthland

Back Off, Mom. Parents Who Hover Impede Kids’ Activity – TIME Healthland
"the single biggest barrier to children's physical activity had less to do with park design itself and more to do with the hovering presence of a parent".


Thursday 22 September 2011

Garden Maintenance for Playspaces - New book


Finally, after numerous requests and much appreciated feedback and field testing we have created a comprehensive manual for use by educators, parents (and in supervised circumstances, children) who want to be involved in the maintenance of their playspaces. The manual covers the Who, What and Where questions and the appendices provide checklists and all-inclusive proformas for reports, letters and links to research and organisations.

The manual specifically addresses the AS/NZS 4486.1:1997 requirements for  developing and maintaining a program of inspection and maintenance for all items of playspace equipment (including the frequency of inspection and the elements to be inspected) and includes recording procedures to be followed in the event of injuries, near misses and equipment damage.

Further books and manuals to assist in implementing the EYLF natural environments components (pp14-16) and the new Education and Care Service National Regulations 2012, will forthcoming in the next few weeks.


See the tab above for more information.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Sydney too must go up to go green

Sydney too must go up to go green

''Cities are much better for the environment than leafy living,'' Glaeser says. ''Residing in a forest might seem to be a good way of showing one's love of nature, but living in a concrete jungle is actually far more ecologically friendly.
''We humans are a destructive species, even when … we're not trying to be. We burn forests and oil and inevitably hurt the landscape that surrounds us. If you love nature, stay away from it.''

OK hands up all of you who've been burning forests again? Colour me silly Batman but did logic just do a headstand?  A park or a naturalistic playspace is preferable in an urban environment but it is not nature in its unadulterated form. Nature cannot be posed, preformed or encapsulated in a metropolis only copied.
It is mean't to be random, surprising, beautiful and dangerous. Keep packing them in like sardines  and the deficit becomes total disconnection. The more I read of the article the more I think, "hired gun for developers"...but that's just a first blush impression, I hope I'm totally wrong? 

Fed-up families drop homework down the pecking order

Fed-up families drop homework down the pecking order
" A new school strategy is targeting skills for a new century, such as creativity and innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, risk taking and sustainability and communication and collaboration. The school wants to make homework fit the future. ''It just seemed to me to be contradictory to be promoting 21st century skills at school and setting the same type of homework that I was doing when I was at school,''

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

For kids with ADHD, regular 'green time' is linked to milder symptoms

For kids with ADHD, regular 'green time' is linked to milder symptoms
Who would have thunk it??

Guest Post: Home of the “Brave”? « FreeRangeKids

Guest Post: Home of the “Brave”? « FreeRangeKids
It's actually considered to be etiquette to wear a bunny costume whilst putting out the bins where I live....
Although in our neighbourhood oddness is more a rule rather than exception

Saturday 17 September 2011

Smartphone on wheels for a fascinating ride in the back seat

Smartphone on wheels for a fascinating ride in the back seat
Right that's it I'm officially flabbergasted.

 First the poor unsuspecting child is assaulted with the Vinci so they can have a winning attitude (something that would have Leonardo spinning in his grave like a dynamo) now they're assailed in the car by the latest offering from Dr Walz and his team at GEElab.

Apparently the yet to be created system will,"...teach young passengers about their surroundings as they drive along. So can looking out the window and talking to Mummy/Daddy! ... It can project an image of a train as the vehicle passes a railway station. Or the child can look out the window and say "train" using his finger to point at the afore-indicated train.........It can also become a mobile tour guide or provide a virtual office-like environment, allowing passengers to use the technology as an interactive computer.Thank god junior can complete those quarterly financial projections before you reach Kindy.
''If the car becomes a smartphone on wheels in the future, then what could you do with it? And that raises all kinds of questions, whether the car will exist in the city at all because we're getting stuck in traffic jams,'' Dr Walz said.


WHAT????? Get out of the lab, take a walk in the park, lie on the grass, check out those fascinating white things in the sky. If I can survive a childhood of Slovenian polka music I'm certain Junior can flourish wherever they're planted.

Thursday 15 September 2011


Whilst I love the Todae site and everything they stand for and applaud what they are trying to achieve, this product makes me feel sad.
Because of a greedy desire to pack more people into smaller spaces, because of skewed and sometimes corrupt urban planning practices, because of tectonic social drift away from the idea of community...if this is going to be the sole manner that children have to relate to nature I despair.

Again, I love Todae, they're a great business and role model for eco aware businesses, just.....a packet of dirt, is that the best the future offers?

VINCI | Why VINCI



 Or perhaps just why?

Just as we commence to pry those games controller from their cold nature deprived hands along comes the VINCI.

Sale literature indicates it is targeted at 4 and under ????? and according to its blurb, "... sets a new standard for learning by converging developmental science, cutting edge technology and early childhood education to offer a safe, fun and inspirational learning experience"  Really? developmental references please. They even have a store with app’s for ages 0-60 months.

"Age Norms are scientifically proven milestones that cover developmental stages including motor and social/emotional skills as well as language and cognitive abilities". Why bother to let the child outside at all?

"VINCI taps into the Windows of Opportunity in early childhood education, focusing on nurturing Curiosity, Critical thinking, Capability to observe and discover, Control and discipline, Confidence and Communication, with the goal to build our children's character and foster a winning attitude". Thank god for VINCI because you could never develop those skills (starting with C) any other way like interacting with your family, your peers your environment, LIFE? I'm suing my parents. all that therapy because I didn't grow up with a winning attitude."
One of the patented features of VINCI Tab is a fully protective PVC, latex and BPA-free handle designed with only the safest materials" = expensive large teething ring.

"VINCI was named in honour of Leonardo da Vinci, a scholar, an inventor and innovator, who embodied the type of renaissance thinking we all wish to inspire in our children."
Really? "Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous."            Leonardo da Vinci

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Next Nature Services

Next Nature Services
A great article from Next Nature discussing the difference between our concept of nature and the actuality. "Nature is surprising. It can be surprising, because no one has thought about it in advance. Nature humbles us in all her beauty. Beauty that we had no part in."
nextnature_services

Saturday 3 September 2011

Let the robots do the teaching « NextNature.net

Let the robots do the teaching « NextNature.net:
   I think I had her for maths!

Robo-teacher « NextNature.net

Robo-teacher « NextNature.net
Could not find the section in EYLF that relates to robot teachers....Anyone????

Child Care Robot « NextNature.net

Child Care Robot « NextNature.net
Seriously?? No one else can see it?  Cut to three year old in playground..."Papero was thirsty so I gave him some of my juice then he fell in the sandpit and started going, Exterminate, Exterminate!!!"