Hello!
My name is Sarah and I am the founder and director of Essential Elements Outdoor Play Club. I am a passionate play and childhood wellbeing advocate and my mission is to support children and families to access the powerful benefits of nature-based, child-directed, adventurous play.
As a child I grew up climbing and jumping in leaves of a huge Liquidambar in my front garden, riding bikes around the neighbourhood, collecting seed pods and gum nuts to turn into works of art, and using tools to help with jobs around the house.
I have always been interested in health and learning and pursued this through my studies. I have a Bachelor of Health Science, Master of Nursing, and a Bachelor of Primary Education along with further training in the Cool Kids Anxiety Program and various nature play courses. All of this has allowed me to develop a diverse and unique skill set and knowledge base, as well as an appreciation for evidence-based practice which is applied to everything we do.
Through my 9 years experience as a primary school teacher, and being the proud aunty of my beautiful nephew and niece, I have also come to see, in a very real-life way, how precious outdoor play and hands-on experiences are to the development of healthy physical, mental, and social-emotional wellbeing for our young people.
As a result, I developed Essential Elements Outdoor Play Club and cannot wait to welcome you and your family!
Our 5 Essential Elements for Building Wellbeing Through Nature Play
Mindfulness and Gratitude Practice
Appropriate Challenge and Risk
Opportunities for Connection
Access to Nature and Outdoor Spaces
Child-Directed Play
A Little More About Nature Play
The principles of nature play guide everything we do at Essential Elements Outdoor Play Club and are foundational to our mission of providing memorable and enriching play experiences for our young people.
Nature play is a specific type of play which is freely chosen, child-directed and incorporates natural elements such as dirt, leaves, water and sticks. It involves being curious about one’s surroundings, and encourages creativity, problem solving, imagination and exploration of emotions as children interact with each other and their environment. Nature play also supports children to develop autonomy, resilience, self-efficacy and decision-making skills through opportunities to navigate and overcome minor challenges and risks.
The benefits of nature play have been widely researched. If you would like to read more, be sure to check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.