Family Learning Centre 

Kindergarten 3 and 4 year old programs 2023

We are especially excited to offer fee free 3 and 4 year old funded kindergarten

Monday - Friday (15 hours)

Please contact Mandy, Viv or Helen soon to guarantee places and avoid waiting lists. Please  make an appointment to visit our wonderful early years education and community facilities.  

Hello everyone

It is nice to see some sunnier days which ensure our children get outside for their learning and play.  

This is a timely reminder to our families that we hope to have everyone in hats and sun safe clothing staring back in October.

Fathers Day / Special Person Day Morning Tea

We organised this special morning tea for all the special people who look after us. It does have a commercial influence with cards and gifts on sale for months but under lying all of that is the importance of fatherhood and having strong paternal bonds. These special people are also close family or community members who provide positive influences on our children. Hopefully we also made some connections to other dads and special people during the morning tea.

Educators day

Early Childhood Educators Day recognises and celebrates the work of educators in early learning services for their wonderful contribution to the wellbeing and healthy development of the young children in their care. Here at Early learning Centre, we created the display message board for the families to write the appreciation message for the educators and staff were give a token of our appreciation with a certificate acknowledging the great work they do.

Are You Ok Day?

We celebrated R U, OK? Day here at the Family centre on Thursday 8 September 2022. It's our National Day of Action when we remind Australians that every day is the day to ask, 'are you OK?' and start a meaningful conversation whenever they spot the signs that someone, they care about might be struggling with life. All the educators and children were dressed up in yellow and black and we asked everyone 

“ARE YOU OK”?

Play… Learn… Connect @ the NBC Family Centre 25 Goldsworthy, Corio

Hello and a very warm welcome to all our Family Learning Centre, to our Early Learning Centre parents, children and families, our kindy kids and playgroupers. 

So much has been happening as we look forward to the promises of spring in term 4, enjoying these last weeks of winter and preparing the gardens for spring!

There is a playgroup at the Family Centre each day of the week. It has been a joy to participate and watch these young groups grow. The playgroup families are fundamental to nurturing in the Family Centre, a feeling of friendship and community.

Monday            9:30- 11       Connect up, (Marlise, Bethany)

Tuesday            1-3pm          Circle of Security (Amanda)BCYF

Wednesday     9:30-11        Kookaburras Supported Playgroup, (Donna, CoGG)

Wednesday     1:30 -3         Bubs to Bubs (Pregnancy - 1 yr) (Amanda, BCYF)

Thursday          9:30-11        Bubs to Tots (1-2Yrs)(Amanda, BCYF)

Friday                9:30-11        Play 2 Learn Together Multicultural Playgroup,

For more information, see flier What’s On @the Family Centre for Term 4.

BOOK WEEK – August 2022 - Theme “Dreaming with your eyes open”

Book week is celebrated every year to highlight the importance of reading. This year's theme was “Dreaming with eyes open” and encourages readers to explore their own story, to listen to Country as the first storyteller and to learn from friends that help you along the way.

Our playgroup favourite was “The Wonky Donkey” 

by Craig Smith

Children love funny stories. The Wonky Donkey is so funny and the laughter from reading this book with little ones is so contagious.

The Wonky Donkey is a children’s book and song which talks about a donkey who has three legs and one eye. It is a funny cumulative story using many descriptive words to describe how the donkey looks, smells and what he looks like.

For a treat see “Scottish Granny reads the Wonky Donkey on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x4gD4Llj34

FIRST 1000 DAYS 

Young children learn best from repetition.

You have heard the positive messages of the first 1000 days of baby’s brain development, and by age three, a child’s brain has reached 80 percent of its adult volume. Early experiences and positive interactions are a key factors in a child’s brain development. So read, have fun, repeat and enjoy!

Reading with your baby everyday from birth onwards is the single most important activity any parent can do with their child. And chances are they are going to love them as much as you - and they will want to read them with you over and over. Reading books includes pointing to pictures, making sounds, talking aloud, sharing and laughing together - mealtime, bedtime, bathtime anytime!

DID YOU KNOW - If you read just one book a day with your child, you’ll reach 1,000 books in less than three years.

Visit your local library and start reading today - borrowing books is free when you are a member! And totally amazing :)

Hey Dee Ho - Music 

Enjoyable for all of our parents, educators and children alike, we are proud to provide such stimulating music programs such as Hey Dee Ho to build confidence and develop social, language and physical skills while laying the foundations for a lifetime of future learning.

Each Wednesday and Thursday morning at the Early Learning Centre we offer early year’s music and dance for our littlees with Hey Dee Ho led by Jo, who brings plenty of energy, joy and laughter as she leads all the age groups from babies to 5 year olds at the Early Learning Centre through a range of musically engaging activities, dance and songs with puppet play and props specifically designed to nurture a young child’s sense of fun and imagination.

The Family Centre Vegetable Gardens supported by Rotary Club of Kardinia have just been harvested and prepared for spring season but our kinder children, under the guidance of teacher Vivian Kilpatrick have had lots of fun and enjoyed time in the kitchen cooking up a storm with vegetables fresh from the veggies patch and are loving all the new cooking activities.

Community Hubs News & Update

Community Hub weekly activities include great programs such as the Toy Library, Cooking Classes at the GITTC Geelong Trade Training Centre, Sew ‘n Chat, and English Conversation Classes for migrant women.

There is also  and the weekly ‘One Box” food box are available to registered families each week. 

The Toy Library has been a delight to children and parents alike! Toys are specially suited for children under 5, who love to come to choose and borrow from a range of toys for up to 2 weeks.

Thank you all for your support this term. Such a busy little Hub of activity,we are always excited to share our news and ways we Play… Learn… Connect!

Best wishes to you all, from

Helen O’Connor, NBC Family Centre, Coordinator        

and Mandy Minhas, NBC Early Learning Centre, Director