Sustainability in early childhood education is no longer a side project or a themed week. In 2026, authentic sustainability is becoming part of what families, communities, and regulators expect from high-quality early learning environments.
It is no longer just about teaching children to recycle. It is about how a service operates, what it values, how it designs environments, and how educators model everyday decisions. The best sustainability work is embedded, not performative.
In the curriculum
Sustainability in early childhood education shows up most clearly in the curriculum, exploring natural materials, and investigating real-world environmental questions. Children build curiosity, responsibility, and agency through meaningful engagement rather than abstract instruction.
In the environment
It is also visible in the environment. High-quality services use natural materials, outdoor learning spaces, and nature-based play to strengthen children’s connection to the world around them.
In operations
Operationally, sustainability in early childhood education is reflected in procurement, waste systems, energy use, and food practices. Services that align their operations with their values create authenticity that children and families notice.
In community and culture
Community and cultural connections are equally important. Learning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and engaging families strengthens sustainability beyond the classroom.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
In leadership
Authentic sustainability is ultimately a leadership decision. Services that embed it well make it practical, consistent, and achievable. It becomes part of the service identity, not an add-on.
In 2026, sustainability is about alignment between what a service says and what it does. When embedded well, it strengthens quality, culture, and long-term impact.
How this compares to educator training and models like HEI Schools
In Australian early childhood qualifications, sustainability is included but often not deeply embedded. Diploma and Bachelor programs introduce sustainability concepts and may include specific units or subjects, but there is no consistent national requirement for extensive hours dedicated solely to sustainability.
As a result, many educators graduate with a foundational understanding, but practical implementation varies significantly between services.
In contrast, models such as HEI Schools position sustainability as a core value, described as a “sustainable way of living.” This approach extends beyond curriculum into operations, culture, and community engagement.
HEI Schools appear to support this through structured educator training, ongoing professional development, and curriculum resources. This creates consistency between what is taught to children and how the service operates.
The key difference is not whether sustainability is included, but how deeply it is embedded. Where initial training provides awareness, strong service models turn sustainability into everyday practice.
This distinction is increasingly important in a sector where families, regulators, and communities expect more than surface-level initiatives.
The strongest services are not necessarily the ones that “teach” sustainability the most, but the ones that live it consistently across every part of the service.
What sustainability is not
One of the most effective ways to understand sustainability in early childhood education is to look at what it is not. Sustainability is not a one-off activity, a display board, or a checklist item that is revisited once a year. It is also not about creating perfect environments or expecting educators to implement large-scale changes overnight. When approached this way, sustainability quickly becomes overwhelming or superficial.
Instead, strong services treat sustainability as a series of small, consistent decisions that build over time. These decisions often sit within everyday routines. Children might be involved in turning off taps, using water thoughtfully during play, sorting materials, or caring for shared spaces. These moments are simple, but they are repeated daily. Over time, they begin to shape children’s understanding of responsibility, care, and consequence.
What sustainability looks like in high-performing services
In high-performing early childhood services, sustainability is not treated as a standalone activity or a themed week. It is embedded into decision-making, daily routines, and the overall culture of the service. Rather than focusing solely on recycling, these services approach sustainability as a holistic practice that shapes how environments are designed, how educators work, and how children engage with the world.
1. Embedded in everyday practice, not added on
Sustainability is visible in the small, consistent choices made each day. Educators integrate sustainable thinking into:
mealtimes (reducing waste, mindful portioning)
play (use of open-ended, natural, and repurposed materials)
routines (water conservation, energy awareness)
Children are not just told about sustainability — they experience it through predictable, repeated actions that become part of the learning culture.
2. Environment as the third teacher
High-performing services design environments that naturally support sustainable behaviours. This often includes:
natural and recycled materials instead of plastic-heavy resources
indoor-outdoor flow that encourages connection with nature
thoughtfully curated spaces rather than excess equipment
These environments signal quality to both families and educators — and often align with practices seen in exceeding-rated services.
3. Educators who model, not instruct
Rather than delivering sustainability as a concept, educators model it through their own actions:
repairing resources instead of replacing them
involving children in decision-making (for example, what to plant or reuse)
discussing real-world environmental choices in an age-appropriate way
This aligns with broader expectations around intentional teaching and reflective practice, which are often explored in recruitment and team capability discussions on pages like .
4. Leadership-driven, not educator-dependent
In lower-performing services, sustainability often depends on one passionate educator. In high-performing services, it is:
supported by leadership
reflected in policies and planning
discussed in team meetings and programming
This creates consistency across rooms and ensures sustainability is not lost when staff change — a common risk in early childhood settings.
5. Linked to quality outcomes, not just values
Sustainability is not positioned as a “nice to have.” It is directly connected to:
children’s agency
critical thinking and problem-solving
connection to community and environment
Services that embed sustainability well often demonstrate stronger outcomes across multiple quality areas, reinforcing why hiring educators who can deliver this level of practice matters — something explored further in Permanent-recruitment.
6. Thoughtful resource and staffing decisions
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ustainability also extends beyond the classroom:
purchasing decisions favour durability over disposability
rosters and staffing support consistency and reduce burnout
professional development includes sustainability as part of quality practice
These decisions reflect a broader understanding that sustainable services are not just environmentally conscious — they are operationally and culturally sustainable as well.
Subtle takeaway
When sustainability is embedded in this way, it becomes a marker of a well-run service. It is visible to families, felt by educators, and reflected in the consistency of practice across the team.
For services reviewing their team or preparing for future hires, it is worth considering whether candidates can contribute to this level of practice — not just meet compliance requirements, but actively strengthen the quality and sustainability of the service.
Sustainability in practice: water-based learning
Water-based learning is one of the clearest examples of sustainability in early childhood education being embedded in practice.
Rather than treating water play as a standalone sensory activity, services can use it as an opportunity to explore concepts such as conservation, flow, and reuse. Simple setups using recycled materials—funnels, containers, tubing—allow children to experiment with how water moves, how it can be collected, and how it can be reused. These experiences support inquiry-based learning while also reinforcing sustainable thinking.
Importantly, these types of experiences do not require significant financial investment. They require intentional planning and a willingness to see everyday materials as learning tools. This is often where services unlock the most value. Sustainability does not need to be expensive to be effective. In many cases, it is the opposite. Thoughtful reuse, reduced waste, and careful resource management can support both environmental goals and operational efficiency.
What enables sustainability to be embedded
Consistency across rooms and teams is another factor that separates surface-level sustainability from embedded practice. In some services, sustainability looks different depending on the room or the educator. While variation is natural, a lack of shared understanding can lead to mixed messages for children and families. High-performing services tend to create a common approach. This does not mean rigid rules, but it does mean clarity around expectations, language, and everyday practices.
Educator confidence also plays a role. Some educators feel comfortable integrating sustainability into their programs, while others may feel unsure about where to start or how to extend learning beyond basic activities. Targeted professional learning can help bridge this gap. When educators understand both the “why” and the “how,” sustainability becomes easier to implement and more meaningful in practice.
Leadership is often the deciding factor. Services that embed sustainability well tend to have leaders who prioritise it, not as an add-on, but as part of overall quality. This includes setting clear goals, allocating time for planning, and recognising educator efforts. It also involves aligning sustainability with broader service priorities such as wellbeing, community engagement, and children’s agency.
There is also a growing expectation from families. Many families are increasingly aware of environmental issues and are looking for services that reflect their values. While sustainability alone may not determine enrolment decisions, it contributes to how a service is perceived. When families see sustainability embedded authentically—rather than presented as a marketing feature—it builds trust and credibility.
At a sector level, sustainability is becoming more closely linked to quality and long-term viability. Rising operational costs, including utilities and resources, are pushing services to think more carefully about how they use and manage materials. In this context, sustainable practices are not only environmentally responsible, but also commercially sensible. Reducing waste, improving efficiency, and making thoughtful purchasing decisions can have a tangible impact on running costs over time.
Looking ahead, sustainability in early childhood education is likely to continue evolving. It will move further away from isolated activities and towards whole-service approaches that integrate curriculum, operations, and community. Services that begin this shift now will be better positioned to meet future expectations from families, regulators, and the workforce.
Ultimately, sustainability in early childhood education is about more than environmental awareness. It is about developing habits, values, and ways of thinking that children carry with them beyond the early years. When embedded well, it becomes part of how a service functions and how children experience learning.
Services that embed sustainability well are often the same services that invest in strong leadership, stable teams, and thoughtful long-term decision-making.