ECEC services set to Get Grubby with eco-education from dirtgirl

The Blue Mountains City Council, located in New South Wales, is supporting local children, including those attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs, to learn about sustainability via online eco-education program, Get Grubby.

Get Grubby is an ABCKids show starring “beloved eco-warriors dirtgirl, scrapboy and Costa the Garden Gnome.” Through the partnership initiative, Mayor Mark Greenhill told Blue Mountains News, 50 specially created videos, and “a host of early learning activities”, are available for free to childcare centres, family day care educators and primary schools throughout the Blue Mountains.

Mayor Greenhill told The News that Get Grubby “will play a key part in our sustainability education program for young children” as well as encouraging educators to get outside to explore and celebrate nature.

“It will also inspire our children to become great recyclers, composters, gardeners, worm-farmers and water savers," he added.

The program consists of ten units, many of which coincide with world events such as World Environment Day and National Recycling Week. Activities on each topic are provided, including games, crafts, quizzes, music and drama.

Cate McQuillen, dirtgirlworld and Get Grubby creator, said: "We protect what we love. Kids need to experience the natural world for themselves. Get Grubby is all about positive learning.

"Children can get very upset by bad news stories about climate change - and they need to know there are little things they can do every day to make a difference. It helps them take control over their own futures."

As well as being fun, Get Grubby enables centres to meet the sustainability outcomes for the National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework, a spokesperson said.

All childcare, day care, family day care centres and primary schools in the Blue Mountains are eligible for free access to the program. For more information about how to sign up, click here.