Playful By Nature

01/04/2026

Today, we will play with sticks at our excursion. Yes, big ones.
Tomorrow, kids understand natural consequence, looking out for others & that they are strong, capable and valued.
Imagine if you never got these opportunities in childhood? How would life be different?

As a passionate advocate for allowing children a childhood that allows them to play as often as possible outside — doing the healthy activities that enable children to grow and ...

25/03/2026

What's that?

Oh, you're an Educator searching for Bush Kindy Incursions or Excursions run by fully qualified people who do all the hard work for you?

You're in the right spot.
Dates available in Term 2.
Tuesdays Wednesdays or Thursdays left.

Happy to travel.

Email us for all the info
Chrissie@playfulbynature.com.au

20/03/2026

I'm calling it.
I think Nature Playgroup might sell out next term.
Bookings open now 🙂
Www.bookeo.com.au/playfulbynature

18/03/2026

Holidays are just around the corner!
Do you have fun plans &/or holiday care locked in?
Bring a friend or cousin for some April fun :)
www.playfulbynature.com.au

15/03/2026

Recent Media Release about our current collaboration with Toowoomba Region Libraries.

It's been so rewarding working with such brilliant advocates for children's literacy and real play. The Library and First 5 Forever teams do wonderful work in our region.

Families are being invited to step outside, make new friends and dive into a world of imaginative and messy fun as Toowoomba Regional Council’s Libraries continue to roll out their Playful by Nature sessions.

13/03/2026

Introducing our newest staff member:
RANI
(written by Tara)

I’ve known Rani for over 20 years. When I first started in Childcare, she was my idol. With her many years of experience across all areas of childcare, she is a fountain of knowledge and children are naturally drawn to her. She turns everyday moments into fun experiences and has a magical ability to bring out the best in every child.

Rani is a woman of many hats- generously volunteering for a number of organisations within her community.

I was so excited when Rani joined the Playful team. Her enthusiasm, creativity, photography skills, organisational talents and joyful nature are just a few of the qualities she brings with her to our team. I can’t wait for you all to meet her and experience a little of her magic.

Rani is currently overseas (good on her!) but please say HI when she’s back on board soon!

12/03/2026

Gosh we loved Bush Kindy today! ❤️
We love our job.

05/03/2026

FAQ: Do you cancel in the rain?

A: Not necessarily.

We aim to play in the rain, with adaptations so that kids can embrace the rain. Eg water play, moving to shelter when needed.

We do cancel in high winds, storms, any lightning, and extreme heat/ cold. We can sometimes cancel if it is both very cold AND rainy (depending on the program and ages of children).

We have a very deliberate policy for this, plus decisions are made based on location, age of children, shelter available, tree types, access and evacuation options.

IF YOU CANCEL:
We really appreciate you letting us know if you decide not to come for whatever reason as we understand things come up. You can fb message or text the work number is always best 0409081173, though sometimes an email also gets through when we're out and about.

IF WE CANCEL:
If we need to cancel a family session, we email you and usually post on Facebook 🙂

If we need to cancel a Kindy session, we do this in conjunction with educators, usually by phone. Options are swapping to an incursion or postponing. But usually we have a plan beforehand to just enact on the day.

Anyone playing in the rain today? It's absolutely beautiful right now.

04/03/2026

NEXT incredible Playful Staff Member... TARA.

Tara and I go way back. WAAAAY back.

We grew up with each other's family's being rent-a-crowd for all the kids birthday parties. They always involved a minty hunt and plenty of running around outside with 9 of us, plus I'm sure there were other kids too... We pony clubbed together and took the same bus to different high schools in town. We had many adventures together when we both moved to different towns up North for a while.

When Playful started, Tara was the first to bring her kids to sessions, suggest ideas, act as a sounding board and just generally help out. Sometimes when no-one else came (when bookings were slow), we played, took photos and enjoyed ourselves with our own kids.

Now, Tara's background of many years in Early Childhood is coming in VERY handy! Lucky for us! She has stepped in as our creativity expert and all round superstar in sessions, making sure every child gets their best turn, and has built something they are proud of. She has great knowledge of child development and kids' skills at different ages.

This first photo was the day she ran her first Playful session on her own as we had 2 bookings on the one day for the first time ever. Plus some adventure photos 🙂

(I asked the ladies to write their own little intro, but I think I'd prefer to write them- this was fun:) )

03/03/2026

Who's about to check out the lunar eclipse?
How lucky are we to see such cool natural phenomenons from home.

I was up north for the total solar eclipse years ago.

What's your fav nature moment you've experienced?

Comment below for your chance to win a prize 💚



Thanks to Tara for this photo as mine is not great 😆

26/02/2026

NEXT wonderful staff member

Hi, I’m Shelley!

I’m a teacher and mum who loves being outdoors and sharing the magic of nature with children. I believe some of the very best learning happens outside — with muddy hands, curious minds and plenty of time to slow down and notice the little things.

I enjoy creating nature-based experiences that invite children to explore, imagine, build, discover and wonder. Whether we’re collecting leaves, observing insects, listening to birds or engaging in open-ended outdoor play, I love supporting children to develop confidence, creativity and a deep connection to the natural world.

On weekends, you’ll usually find my family and me riding our bikes or splashing at the pool, enjoying our own outdoor adventures.

(I actually have a funny photo or 2 of Shelley in action when we worked together at Amaroo... comment below if you think I should share them- will still ask for permission don't worry)

This year you could meet Shelley on Fridays or at our increasingly-famous Holiday Sessions.

24/02/2026

It's time to MEET the whole team for 2026.
There are 4 regulars this year.

Let's start with me- Chrissie!

Nearly 3 years ago I ran our first Playful session. It was a Bush Kindy for families, including my own kids at 1.5yrs and 4yo at the time and quite different to what things look like now. Yes, you may have heard me say then that 'this was meant to be a side hustle' but it's absolutely not 'side' to anything any more. Looking back, I'm already really proud of where we stand and what we've created. Intentional use of the word 'we' there. Yes I started this, but it has NEVER been alone.

I absolutely love getting kids and families outdoors — especially into beautiful natural spaces like parks and bush areas. There’s something so special about watching families connect, explore, and create lasting memories together in nature.

Before creating this community, I wore many hats — I’ve been a teacher, a zookeeper, a snorkel guide, a biologist by trade and had plenty of other random adventures along the way! Every role has shaped who I am and how I see the world. But more than anything, I’m most proud of my own little family. They are the real reason I’m so passionate about childhood, connection and nature.

We’ve built such a lovely community at our sessions, and one of my greatest joys is seeing family relationships grow over time — alongside childhoods filled with shared outdoor adventures.

My favourite moments? Being led by the hand with an excited little finger point and hearing, “Miss Chrissie, come check this out!” 💚

I truly believe we are part of nature. Developmentally, we need quality play opportunities at every age to grow and maintain healthy bodies and minds- and yes I mean you too, teens and adults. In the early years especially, outdoor play helps build strong brains — creating synapses and connections that support lifelong learning and wellbeing.

I feel so grateful and humbled to do what I do. I don't feel like an expert in anything, just a real, mistake-making human, doing my best to bridge barriers & gaps I can see. I have some big goals, but not at the expense of real, genuine, grass roots sessions for our local community.

I can't wait for you to meet the rest of this wonderful team in the coming days, or come meet us at a session soon.