Early Start Discovery Space and Bundanon spark children's creativity

Play-based art experiences for curious kids inspired by nature

Across the months of July, August and September a series of play-based art experiences will encourage young children to channel their creativity and curiosity into art making inspired by nature.

The collaboration between the University of Wollongong (UOW)’s Early Start Discovery Space and South Coast cultural organisation Bundanon will draw on the expertise of both organisations and provide preschoolers and their carers a unique opportunity to get creative through play-based art experiences.

Between 22 July and 16 August, there are opportunities to learn, create and play in spaces designed to connect with the natural world at both the Early Start Discovery Space and Bundanon’s Art Museum.

The program is inspired by Bundanon’s current exhibition season Wilder Times: Arthur Boyd and the mid-1980s Landscape, which sees the return of a series of Shoalhaven landscape paintings by Arthur Boyd to Bundanon for the first time since their creation in 1984, bringing them into conversation with over 60 works by seminal Australian artists from the mid-1980s.

The collaboration has resulted in the expertise of both Bundanon and Early Start staff being reciprocated; namely the creation and delivery of best practice arts pedagogies in the early years that are appropriate for relevant contexts.

The Pod experience at the Early Start Discovery Space has been transformed with digital content from Wilder Times. Children can immerse themselves in images and sounds, as carefully curated digital content is projected across every surface of this space, exploring their response to landscapes through hands-on play opportunities with loose parts including manipulable resources and materials.

On Wednesday 7 August, the Early Start team will host the Wilder Times: Community Walk, inviting children and their adults outside to connect with Country; listening and responding through movement and art making. The walk will focus on the importance and power of children’s voice when thinking about the ways we can listen to and care for Country.

At Bundanon, the Bundanon Mini series will provide preschoolers and their carers the opportunity to experience the Art Museum and participate in an art making activity with Bundanon’s learning team.

The latest collaboration is an outcome of UOW’s longstanding partnership with Bundanon and builds on last year’s art experiences exploring water.

Events at UOW Early Start Discovery Space

The Pod
22 July to 16 August

The Pod will be brought to life with captivating digital content as part of Early Start’s collaboration with Bundanon on place-based arts experiences. Children can immerse themselves in images and sound and explore their response to landscape through hands-on play opportunities with loose parts.

Children’s curiosity is activated through access to loose parts that encourage them to rearrange, redesign and tinker, all whilst being inspired by carefully curated digital content projected across every surface of this expansive space.

creARTivity
22 July to 16 August

Children will be invited to creARTivity and join in on the fun as they listen to sounds on Country from Bundanon. Children will be asked “can you hear the wind, frogs and bubbling water?” Children will be able to use vibrant gouache paints, soft chalk pastels & water to create their own artwork.

Wilder Times: Community Walk
7 August, 10am – 11am

Join the Early Start team for a community walk and art-making experience. A program on Country, where the Early Start team will take children and their adults outside to connect with Country; listening and responding to sound through art making.

The walk will focus on the importance and power of children’s voice when thinking about the ways we can listen to and care for Country.

More information about upcoming events at UOW Early Start Discovery Space is available online.

Events at Bundanon, Illaroo

Bundanon Mini
15 August, 10am – 11.30am

19 September, 10am – 11.30am

10 October, 10am – 11.30am

The Bundanon Mini activities connect with the organisation’s current exhibition season Wilder Times, inviting preschoolers to experience the Art Museum. The sessions include a 30-minute art making activity with Bundanon’s learning team.

Activities are suitable for children up to the age of five.

Further information about upcoming Bundanon Mini events is available online.