There’s a childcare centre at Springwood doing things a little differently – using bees, sheep and even snakes to connect children to their natural roots.
Una Early Learning Centre is based around the idea of rewilding children and teaching them to care for the natural world around them.
The idea may seem outlandish or unconventional, but centre manager Tracey Adams said the children love it.
“We are fully nature-based, so the children spend the majority of their time outside,” Ms Adams said.
“We’ve got native beehives, chickens, sheep, snakes and budgies in our own little barnyard outside.
“For the children, it’s about learning about nature and how to care for and nurture the environment and the world we live in.”
Ms Adams said children participated in intergenerational sessions at a local aged care facility where the children are read to and forge connections with grandparent figures.
At the centre, the children enjoy playing outside and caring for the barnyard animals.
“They’re caring for the animals by brushing them, feeding them, collecting eggs from the chickens, that sort of thing,” Ms Adams said.
“The parents think it’s great, because they never got to do those activities in their childhood, but their children, even though they live in a city, can.”
Ms Adams said children at the Springwood centre learned about the life cycles of the animals at the centre and loved to play by the creek that runs through the centre.
On 15 November, parents will have the opportunity to attend an open day at the Springwood centre, where they’ll see and experience Una’s learning philosophy in person.
“We invite the community to come and have a look at the centre,” Ms Adams said.
“We want the community to see what we have to offer.”
The Springwood centre opened late last year, Ms Adams said, but the company has eight centres in seven locations, including in Sippy Downs, Albany Creek, Dutton Park, Paddington, Taringa, Springwood and Glen Eden. A ninth in Highlands is expected to open in January 2026.
Developer Matthew Evans, one-half of Evans Long (Dirk Long is the other half of the development operation), established Una Early Learning five years ago in 2020.
Talisha Long, a consultant in the childcare industry, is currently serving as Una’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Children need to get back to being in nature and playing in the mud, and when it’s raining, they’re outside jumping in puddles,” Ms Adams said.
Image: Tracey Adams, centre manager at Springwood’s Una Early Learning Centre, with sheep Billy and Bobby.
