Have you ever watched the first wobbly, exploratory steps taken by a toddler? You will notice that they tentatively stutter forward, and most likely, fall down. While they may have burst into tears from the shock, they were unlikely to have been hurt in the process. This is because the inherent design of human physiology seems to have accommodated the likelihood of stumbles and falls at this key developmental stage.

The toddler’s body has softer bones, extra cushioning around the knees and bottom and different proportions which combine to allow them to progress from crawling, to walking, to running without experiencing severe injuries in spite of their many mishaps.

As we get older, we tend to forget that discomfort, embarrassment, and fear -  those feelings we experience when stepping outside our comfort zones  - are where true learning happens.

There are many reasons that we learn to protect ourselves from the risks associated with encountering new skills and being exposed to the unfamiliar. Fear of being laughed at, worries about not being good enough or even that we might hurt ourselves can be a genuine impediment to learning or to experiencing the delights that come from novel adventures.

At King David, we are committed to the mission of growing great people. We constantly ask ourselves, “Who are our students becoming as a result of their time with us?” This leads us to consider not just the classroom curriculum, but the additional co-curricular and extracurricular offerings that help us to develop our students holistically.

With all this in mind, we have carefully designed an outdoor educational continuum that gradually extends the challenge for our students in line with their development.

We begin with exploring the outdoors through our Bush Kinder program. Our Year 3s have a tentative first practice camp by staying overnight at school. Then from Year 4 our camps program begins with increasing length and challenge until the Year 10 Yesh trip to Israel that is such a leap forward in independence.

Each camp provides our students with different challenges. For some, Years 4 & 5 represent the first time that they have been away from their parents. For many the Year 6 camp to Canberra is the first time they have flown interstate without their parents. Our Year 7s explore watersports and for many are initiated into the wonderful world of surfing.

Our Year 9 students have just completed their biggest stretch to date - a two week adventure camp that includes a week of hiking while carrying their tents, cooking utensils and various other equipment.

The sense of achievement that comes from the grit, resilience and overcoming of physical discomfort while connecting deeply with the unique fauna and landscape of the Australian bush is an extraordinary gift that is offered to our students.

These experiences foster skill development, individual and collective growth, and self-discovery. It is vital to extend learning beyond the classroom to help our students become well-rounded, brave, and capable individuals.