Our Vision
Kula Kids is a specialised well-being community program for early childhood that focuses on connection to nature, connection to community, and connection to self. The program weaves in free play exploration, nature crafts, rituals, storytelling, music, yoga, mindfulness, gardening, and many other child-led activities. All experiences offered hold the ‘fostering of wellbeing’ as our first and foremost intention. In the absence of a tribe, children lose out the most. It takes a village, but there are no villages. The essence of Kula Kids is to build a community, within which all members involved know one another well and share the joys, burdens, and sorrows of everyday life. This is the most natural environment for children to grow up in, and without it there is often enormous pressure felt by parents as they try to make up for what entire communities used to provide. We believe that our children’s natural way of being is compromised, as most neighbourhoods and communities no longer contain packs of roaming children with whom to explore, create, and nurture their curiosity, so we have decided to create our own!
What we offer
An early childhood (kindy/preprimary) homeschool drop and leave community who aim to foster social relationships, connection with the natural world, empathy, leadership, and problem-solving skills. We offer a program that respects humans and their interactions with the environment. Our day is child led and adult supported.
Our approach
Kula Kids has no formal curriculum or guidelines for achievement and offers no academic evaluation. Our children are free to explore the world in a way that they find meaningful. We trust that they will thrive when given the time and freedom to play and explore within a community of other young people, with support from engaged, knowledgeable and helpful adults.
Objectives
• Child-initiated and child-led activities while adults facilitate.
• Build children’s on-going relationship with nature, community and themselves.
• Collaborative exploration with opportunities to create, problem solve and support one another.
• Foster wellbeing and self-esteem.
• Develop respect for the natural world
• Stimulate children’s innate curiosity
Facilitator
Emily Patterson created Kula Kids at the beginning of 2020. She knew from her own experience of working in mainstream schooling that she did not want to send her children into this system, nor did she want to continue working in it. She found that the alternative systems already running also didn't match her philosophy and beliefs around education and the care of children. She therefore knew this would have to be something she created herself, and from this Kula Kids was born!
Emily is a mama of three with a passion for gentle and respectful parenting, and conscious, natural, child-led education. Emily has a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Studies and a Masters in Special Education but stepped away from the system 5 years ago. She has been running a homeschool program based on a Conscious Education philosophy for the past 2 years. Emily love's holding a gentle and safe space for children to truly be themselves, at their essence, and is inspired to learn from their presence, creativity and curiosity.
Facilitators
Sarah Brown
Hi I’m Sarah, mummy to one. I am very passionate about gentle parenting, child-led education and nourishing the nervous system. I love Kula and the philosophy, and love watching children grow, evolve and learn in their own unique ways. I have been homeschooling my own child for the last few years, and find it is just so important to let go of expectations and just allow learning to unfold.
Linda Scott
Hi, I'm Linda, Mum to two big kids and Mimi to my gorgeous grandie, Cash. After 20 years in mainstream schooling, predominantly early childhood, I'm excited to be unschooling myself and getting back to nature, where my heart feels most at home. My passion has always been working with children, the most important thing for me, when it comes to education is providing a loving, supportive and safe environment for children to flourish and lead their own learning journey.
Location, days and times
Kula Kids runs 5 days per week, from 9.30am-2.30pm.
Sessions are located in North beach.
Testimonials
“I don’t even know where to begin, we’ve just started this term and my son wakes up every day asking to go to Kula (he goes twice a week). The ladies that run it are so beautiful and gentle. We will be forever grateful to be a part of Kula.”
-Charlana
"Our Kula Kids days are my daughters highlight of the week. She is a social butterfly and loves being around all her friends. I love how the program is created with child led, open learning at its core. It allows my daughter the freedom to create, learn and grow without restrictions. She has grown so much at Kula Kids! Her educator Linda nurtures each child’s unique personalities and I love that she encourages the strong independence of my daughter while gently teaching her kindness and inclusivity. I love the focus on the social and emotional intelligence of the kids at Kula. I feel so grateful to have found this program and to have Linda there to guide and nurture my daughter."
-Kimberly
"100% recommend Kula Kids! My 4 year old daughter is absolutely thriving and has made beautiful friendships there, while gaining amazing learning experiences. The teachers are all incredible and the other parents are fab to, it's a wonderful community that I feel very grateful for!"
-Jessica
I want to know more!!
Fill in an expression of interest form:
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