Glen Education Bentleigh
Highlights of our achievements in Glen Education Bentleigh Kindergarten 2025
By Bianca Li & Fiammetta Soazzi
This year at Glen Education Bentleigh Kindergarten, one of our biggest achievements has been strengthening our connections through meaningful participation and collaboration between children, families, educators, and the wider community.
Throughout this year, we have celebrated the joy of creating by planting, growing, harvesting, and cooking with vegetables from our kindergarten garden. The children took part in every step - from voting on what to plant, to gathering the resources the plants needed to grow strong and healthy, and even participating in each step of the cooking process.
Through stories and books, we learned more about how plants grow and what helps them thrive. The children showed curiosity, responsibility, and teamwork as they watered, weeded, and cared for the garden, watching with excitement as tiny seeds turned into leafy greens and colourful vegetables.
At the beginning of the year, we harvested carrots and proudly used them to make delicious carrot muffins, enjoying the taste of our own produce. Now, as the year comes to an end, we are looking forward to using our silver beet in new recipes, continuing to celebrate the cycle of growing, harvesting, and cooking together.
This project has also helped strengthen our connection with the wider community. The children enjoyed talking about the garden at home, bringing back stories and ideas from their families to share with their peers.
This project has had a meaningful impact on the children’s learning. They developed an understanding of sustainability and where food comes from (Outcome 2 – Children are connected with and contribute to their world). They built confidence in making choices, problem-solving, and working collaboratively (Outcome 1 – Children have a strong sense of identity and Outcome 4 – Children are confident and involved learners). Caring for the garden also encouraged respect for living things and a sense of responsibility within our community (Outcome 3 – Children have a strong sense of wellbeing).
Our garden has been more than just a place to grow plants; it has been a place to grow minds, friendships, and a deeper connection with the natural world.
[Our kindergarten garden, Cooking with vegetables from out garden]
In Term 2, as part of our Reconciliation Week learning, we were fortunate to welcome Thomas’s dad, Andrew, an archaeologist who works closely with Aboriginal cultures. Andrew shared engaging stories about Aboriginal life, music, languages, and traditional tools, which sparked the children’s curiosity and inspired many thoughtful questions about how Aboriginal people lived and connected with the land. His visit offered a wonderful opportunity for the children to explore Indigenous perspectives and develop respect and appreciation for the world’s oldest continuing cultures.
This experience supported EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world, as the children built understanding of cultural diversity and community connection, and Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators, as they shared ideas, listened, and reflected through meaningful conversation and storytelling. We sincerely thank Andrew for his time and for enriching our learning through such a special experience.
[Reconciliation Week learning with Andrew]
In Term 3, one of the highlights of our program was welcoming families into our learning environment for Family Story Time in Book Week. Parents joined us to read aloud their favourite books, creating warm moments of shared learning and connection. Children were deeply engaged as they listened to stories told through diverse voices, languages, and perspectives, which broadened their understanding of the world and nurtured their love of reading. These sessions also strengthened the relationships between educators, children, and families, fostering a strong sense of community in our classroom.
This experience supported EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world, as Family Story Time encouraged children to recognise and value different cultural and family backgrounds. It also promoted Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators, as children developed active listening skills, expanded their vocabulary, and engaged in conversations inspired by the stories shared. We sincerely thank all the families who contributed to these meaningful and memorable moments.
[Parents joined us to read aloud books]
Our ongoing partnership with the local Bunnings community in term 4 has also flourished. Families helped organise a Bunnings barbecue fundraiser, and our educators were thrilled to see so many parents generously give their time to support our kindergarten. Later in the year, Bunnings staff and parents visited our service to run a hands-on incursion where children made their own coasters using tiles and decorative napkins. This experience encouraged creativity, concentration, and fine motor development, while also helping children understand how collaboration and teamwork can make learning even more enjoyable.
This experience supported EYLF Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity, as children developed confidence and pride in their creations; Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world, through collaboration with families and community members; and Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing, as they practised fine motor skills and experienced joy in shared achievement. It also reflected Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners, as they engaged in purposeful, hands-on learning that fostered problem-solving and concentration, and Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators, as they shared ideas, conversations, and reflections throughout the activity.
[Bunnings community barbecue and coaster-making incursion with families.]
In term 4, we were especially touched by the strong family involvement during our Diwali celebration, where many families contributed by sharing stories, bringing traditional items, and helping with activities, giving children great opportunities to explore cultural diversity through storytelling, visuals, and joyful hands-on experiences.
This celebration reflected EYLF Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity, as children shared and celebrated their own cultural backgrounds with confidence, and Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world, as they developed understanding, respect, and appreciation for different cultural traditions. It also supported Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners and Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators, as they engaged in collaborative conversations, asked thoughtful questions, and expressed their ideas creatively. The event was filled with colour, laughter, and connection - a beautiful example of how family collaboration enriches our kindergarten community.
[Families sharing stories and traditions during our Diwali celebration in Term 4]
A particularly memorable experience in term 4 occurred when a Tawny Frogmouth and her chick, who often visit our playground, were found in need of help. Educators contacted the local wildlife rescue organisation, and a rescuer soon arrived to assist. This experience deepened our appreciation for the natural world around us and reminded us of the importance of community care and environmental responsibility.
It beautifully reflected EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world and Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners, as children learned about empathy, sustainability, and the impact of human actions on living things.
[Our visiting Tawny Frogmouth and her chick receiving help from a local wildlife rescuer]
These shared experiences have had a lasting impact on our kindergarten community. Through collaboration, generosity, and shared values, we have built strong relationships and created a learning environment grounded in care, connection, and respect.
In alignment with Glen Education’s philosophy, we continue to celebrate the uniqueness of every child and to nurture the whole child socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. We believe that high-quality education is built through relationships, inclusion, and collaboration with families and communities. These principles are reflected in everything we do, creating a rich and supportive environment where children can grow, learn, and flourish.