About Kids Connecting Nature
Kids Connecting Nature delivers stimulating and hands-on incursions that empower kids to learn about and provide for local biodiversity with enthusiasm, awareness and proactive behaviour.
Importantly all our incursions are aligned to the new NSW curriculum and easily linked to teaching outcomes. However at Kids Connecting Nature we strive to offer more than meet curriculum objectives. Research clearly shows the link between the growing disassociation with nature and biodiversity decline. We want to ignite children’s love and fascination for nature, instill in them the skills to identify and nurture their local biodiversity, and inspire them to share their knowledge with others.
Kids Connecting Nature began buzzing in 2015 when Abbie created a workshop about native bees for her son’s year 3 class. Since then, The Super Pollinators workshop has been presented for young and old – in hundreds of schools, council events and in bee paradise itself – The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. More than 20,000 people have enjoyed The Super Pollinators workshop and together we have made over 5000 insect hotels!
With exciting plans for a suite of fun, purposeful, locally focused workshops, we look forward to working together to create impassioned environmental champions.
LEARNING FOR LIFE
Workshops to meet the curriculum
Outcomes to better the world
Abbie Mitchell – Environmental Educator & Author
Abbie Mitchell holds a Masters in Wildlife Management from Macquarie University and expertise in providing informative and fun biodiversity education for children and adults. She has conducted environmental workshops since 2007, and aside from Kids Connecting Nature, has years of experience leading school groups on excursions for NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and EcoXplore. She also develops environmental education programs for the Jane Goodall Institute Australia.
Abbie is passionate about sharing the wonders about Australia’s amazing biodiversity. Her children’s book ‘A Hollow is a Home’ (CSIRO) celebrates over 340 Aussie species that rely on tree hollows. The book was short listed for two awards.
Abbie enjoys exploring nature. Photo Katie Meyer
Ella Cashman – Environmental Educator
Ella in her happy place: the beach!
Ella’s fun, smart and relaxed conduct is magnetic. She balances her role with Kids Connecting Nature between completing a science degree at the University of Technology in Marine Science and Biodiversity, and a casual role with a before and after school service where the kids adore her!
Ella Cashman has been working with Kids Connecting Nature since 2019 and brings the perfect skills and charisma to inspire young minds to explore and care for our natural world.
In her down time, Ella is a keen surfer, diver and bush walker and loves nothing more than hitting the road to camp with friends and Fuzzy the dog.
Kids Connecting Nature in the media
Check out what Kids Connecting Nature have been up to in the media:
A Hollow is a Home: Curious Creatures and Wild Minds
Abbie meets some of the amazing creatures that feature in her book ‘A Hollow is a Home’ with the assistance of the Education Team at Taronga Zoo, Sydney. Watch here
Play School
Green Team – Busy Bees
Abbie meets some young bee enthusiasts and together they make bee hotels for local native bees.
Steam
Conversations with women in STEAM about their journeys and their work
Abbie was interviewed by Michele Ong for the Steam Powered show about her work as an environmental educator, and her book A Hollow is a Home. Watch or listen here
