Melbourne Childcare Centre Swaps Screens For Hardware Tools

As technology continues to get better and more ingrained in our society, it's easy to worry about the younger generations.

There are plenty of parents out there that are concerned that kids will grow up without any hands-on skills because they've spent so much time looking at screens and playing video games.

But one Melbourne childcare centre is hoping to abate those fears by introducing some good old fashioned play time.

Tablets, TVs and phones are out the door at the Greenwood Notting Hill Early Education Centre and hack saws, hammers and goggles are in. The centre is hoping the arrival of some very hands-on 'toys' will inspire and spark as much creativity in kids as apps and technology does.

Greenwood used to have allocated screen time every day however they've decided to ditch that and have time dedicated to getting kid's hands dirty (with wood and nails, not blood).

Centre Manager Melissa Syer said in a press release: "Risk is about not being afraid to trying something new. It's a learning process; if something doesn't work you learn how to do it better next time.

"This is as an aspect of learning that many children are missing out on. The woodworking classes help them to deal with setbacks and find solutions to problems.

"We don't want a generation of children so worried about what might happen that they are too frightened to try anything challenging or new."

Since they've introduced the program, Ms Syer says the kids have been absolutely loving it and parents are getting on board.

"Generally, it's parents who are risk-averse. They worry about them playing barefoot, going outside in case they get a cold, so we also have to educate the families to view risk as a positive," she said.

Sure, there are loads of people out there that would be horrified at the thought of their kid or another walking around the centre with a hack saw.

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It can be a recipe for disaster, but the centre insists that their staff will be on hand to ensure no one loses a hand or a thumb.

G8 Education Pedagogy and Practice Manager Dr Melinda Miller backs the program because it will help the kids to become resilient in the future.

"It's about taking off the bubble wrap and allowing them to take measured risk and understand that not everything goes to plan," Dr Miller said.

"Sometimes taking a risk will result in an unexpected outcome, but children quickly learn about their own boundaries and that of the environments in which they play."

Featured Image Credit: Greenwood Notting Hill

Topics: News, Interesting, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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