Early Learning Centre

3-Year-Old Kinder

The children have continued learning about God’s world and have explored the continents of South America and Antarctica over the last two weeks. They have engaged in picture story books, arts and crafts, sensory play, puzzles, songs and group discussions to learn about these regions. Some children have enjoyed bringing in “show and tell” to share their knowledge with the group. 

As the children engage with and explore diverse countries and cultures around the world, they are developing their awareness of differences and similarities amongst one another. 

4-Year-Old Kinder

Exploring God’s World: Antarctica 

It was a busy time learning about Antarctica: children explored why the continent was mostly black and white. This continent is designed to support the natural life cycle in the freezing temperatures with many of the animals designed by God to be camouflage or blended into their environment. 

Children explored ice play, ice caves, practised movement of animals such as polar bears and arctic wolves and enjoyed creating snowballs from tissues to have a snowball challenge. The snowball challenge had to be the highlight of the week with 2 x 40-minute play episodes of competitive play, learning to move in dodging up and down as well as new mathematical concepts such as tallying points in groups of 5. 

Exploring God’s World: Europe

The European continent proved to be another popular topic as the children explored weather conditions and food that Europeans focus their attention to. An ice cream shop was created after discussing the weather is warmer and tourists often visit in summer; children practised social conventions of being a customer and shop owner as they navigated conversations around ordering flavours and sizes, money concepts and small talk. Italian masks were created to highlight the culture’s art and design.

Indie’s family attended the centre on Wednesday afternoon to showcase decorative masks. This experience was led as Indie took her mask home to her family which she created earlier in the week and her dad remembered he had purchased them on his travels and took them out of a box to show Indie. We were able to see a variety of colours, designs and materials the masks were made out of and even one her older brother made in year 7. Thank you Indie and Family for sharing your family’s experiences with us. 

Exploring God’s World: Farm Visit

On Monday 21st August the 4-Year-Old students visited the farm on the Northside Campus of the school. Before we began our walk, the children learned how to safely cross the road and what to do in the case of seeing animals such as a snake or dog. When we arrived at the farm we could see ducks, geese, chickens, sheep and goats. 

The children had the opportunity to feed the baby animals, and to collect some of the ducks' eggs. Thank you Mr Berry and the Year 12 VM students who welcomed us to the farm and assisted in handing out wattle for the class to feed the goats and sheep and to the eight parents who joined us on this adventure. 

Exploring God’s World: Gymnasium

The College Student-Free Day on Wednesday 23rd August meant that the Kindergarten children were the only students onsite. We took full advantage of this opportunity and went to the gymnasium for the first time. Taking our own equipment, the children were challenged to use new ideas around equipment they had not yet used. 

Hurdles and soft discuss as well as basketball were new resources explored. Running laps on the outside blue area, using bean bags on a target, jumping in hoops were other movement activities the children engaged in round robin style groups. Much fun was had by all and certainly another area we will continue to visit. 

Book Week

On Wednesday 30th August ELC4 are invited to Dress Up as their favourite book character. Please no superhero outfits. Books with children’s names written on them are welcome to be brought in. ELC3 will be celebrating book week on Thursday 31st August and are also invited to dress-up in their favourite book character costume!

Father's Day Celebration Evening

Also on Wednesday 30th August, ELC4 will be holding a Father’s Day evening celebration. Invitations have been sent home with children. Please have dinner before attending this celebration together to maximise playing time together. 

Dad's Day

On Friday 1st September ELC3 students will be celebrating Father's Day between 1pm-2:30pm. 

End of Term Dates

ELC4 will finish at 3.00pm om Wednesday 13th September and ELC3 will finish for Term 4 on Friday 15th September at an earlier finish time of 2:30pm.