This is reflecting on Garrin's post "Exploring the existing worm habitat" dated 11/07/24.

Reflecting on the 29/08/24 "Exploring the worm habitat. Providing our worms with the best diet!"

This reflects on our Service Philosophy

child centered practice, connection to place and time, collaborative partnerships and continuous improvement.

One way the children have expanded their knowledge has been through meaningful discussions with educators during mat time. The discussions have included what foods might be a healthy addition to the worm habitat and what foods might be deemed an unhealthy addition to the worm habitat.

Extension

Abbey (educator) is expanding the children's knowledge further by adding Taungurung language on the back of the flash cards. This is to further embed Indigenous perspectives within the program reflecting on our RAP action 'curriculum planning' and build an understanding on Indigenous culture.

Data collated by Sarah Villinger and Abbey King, 23/10/24.

Updated by Sarah Villinger, 31/10/24.

RAP actions:

https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/raps/44964/nagambie-preschool-and-childcare

'Abbey (educator) is expanding the children's knowledge further by adding Taungurung language on the back of the flash cards. This is to further embed Indigenous perspectives within the program reflecting on our RAP action 'curriculum planning' and build an understanding on Indigenous culture.

RAP actions:

https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/raps/44964/nagambie-preschool-and-childcare '

This group time activity aligns with:

Our Service philosophy: Child Centered Practice, Connection to place and time, Collaborative partnerships and continuous improvement.

RAP Action: Curriculum planning

VEYLDF

Learning Outcome: Community, Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.

Learning Outcome: Communication, Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

The children are participating in a group experience to expand on their knowledge of Taungurung language. The children are creating an understanding on how to convey and construct meaning.

Data created by Abbey King, 12/11/24.

The children have been reflecting on their emotions during different moments of the day, as well as at group time when they place their photo on the emotion they are feeling. The children are moving their photos throughout the day while their emotions change, as well as speaking about and identifying their emotions.

Marshie

25/03/25

Why a Caterpillar?
Caring for a caterpillar helps children understand and appreciate the natural world, the life cycle of other living beings, and the importance of caring for living beings. It provides a hands-on way to connect with early science concepts and to encourage a sense of responsibility.

Learning Outcomes Addressed (VEYLDF):

• Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world – They learn to respect and care for living things.

• Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners – They engage in inquiry, make observations, and reflect on changes over time.

• Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators – They express their ideas, ask questions, and verbally describe what they see.

What We Did:

• Set up a small caterpillar habitat in a recycled box with food (such as fresh leaves collected by the children from outside)

• Encouraged children to observe the caterpillar daily, discussing it's movements, size, and changes.

• Read books and watched videos about the butterfly life cycle.

• Provided drawing and writing materials for children to document.

• Discussed the importance of caring for living beings.

  
  

Link to Quality Area 1:
This experience demonstrates how intentional teaching and responsiveness to children’s interests can support meaningful learning.

Kaylar Murrell 15/05/2025

Rationale:
Cooking is a valuable, hands-on learning experience that supports children’s development across multiple domains. It fosters teamwork, mathematics (measuring, counting), literacy (following recipes), fine motor skills, and personal responsibility. Through cooking, children also engage with cultural traditions, develop healthy food choices, and gain confidence in everyday life skills.

Based on feedback from children, educators, and families, and in line with the VEYLDF—particularly Outcomes 1, 3, and 4—we identified a need and opportunity to embed cooking more intentionally and consistently into our program.

Current Implementation:
As visible in our community calendar (September) and seasonal planning calendar (September–December), cooking sessions are now a consistent, scheduled part of the weekly curriculum. These sessions are clearly marked and planned in advance, with children involved in both the planning and preparation stages. Our “Recipe Book” documents the meals and snacks we prepare together and encourages literacy through reading and writing recipes.

Cooking sessions are:

• Child-led and interest-based

• Culturally inclusive, featuring diverse recipes

• Documented with photos and reflections

• Linked to broader program themes and events (e.g., seasonal changes, celebrations, healthy eating initiatives)

• Often shared with families and the wider community (e.g., through “Grateful Neighbours” events)

  
  

Outcomes and Reflections:
Children have shown increased enthusiasm and independence during cooking sessions. They are engaging in meaningful conversations about food, sharing experiences from home, and demonstrating pride in their creations. Educators have noticed improvements in collaboration, problem-solving, and self-regulation during these sessions.

Families have responded positively to the shared recipes and photos, fostering stronger connections between home and our program. The cooking experiences have also supported community building, particularly through shared meals and events.

Next Steps:

• Continue to document recipes and expand the “Our Recipe Book” with child-written content and photos.

• Involve families in cooking sessions or recipe contributions.

• Introduce simple nutrition education alongside cooking activities.

• Create opportunities for intergenerational cooking with community visitors.

• Evaluate and adapt recipes to include more sustainable, low-waste practices.

  
  

Linked VEYLDF Outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity.

• Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.

• Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners.

• Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators (through recipe reading/writing and discussions).

  
  

Kaylar Murrell 09/09/2025

What Was Included?

The ocean-themed setup featured:

• A large tray filled with shredded paper "sand"

• Real sea shells, smooth pebbles, and plastic ocean animals like sharks, turtles, and octopuses

• Blue-tinted water with droppers for experimenting

• Glass gems and beads representing water bubbles and ocean treasures

This open-ended environment provided a perfect blend of sensory stimulation, creative play, and early scientific investigation.

Children’s Voices in Action

As they explored, the children’s excitement was evident. Their comments showed real wonder, discovery, and social awareness:

• “It’s turning blue!” — as they squeezed water into the paper and watched it change color.

• “It’s making bubbles!” — observing the interaction of water with the gems and materials.

• “Sharing with friends is nice.” — a beautiful moment of cooperation and kindness as children took turns using the tools.

These spontaneous remarks captured not just their learning, but also their growing emotional intelligence and communication skills.

What Were the Children Learning?

- Sensory Exploration

Children explored different textures—from the crunch of paper to the smoothness of stones and the slick surface of plastic animals—activating multiple senses.

- Early Science Concepts

They experimented with:

• Absorption (watching paper soak up colored water)

• Volume and measurement (using droppers and cups)

• Cause and effect (mixing materials and observing changes)

- Language and Communication

Engaging in dialogue, asking questions, and naming sea creatures helped children strengthen vocabulary and social communication

- Fine Motor Development

Using droppers, scooping water, and placing small objects supported fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

A Space for Wonder and Connection

Children were deeply engaged, working both independently and collaboratively. They created underwater scenes, made up stories about the sea creatures, and worked together to share tools and space. It was a joy to see such natural exploration, collaborative play, and genuine learning take place.

Reflections

This ocean-themed sensory tray was a perfect blend of science, creativity, and social learning. It sparked deep engagement and reminded us how powerful child-led, sensory-rich experiences can be in early learning.

We look forward to diving even deeper into ocean exploration in the coming weeks!

Kaylar Murrell 22/09/2025

VEYLDF is the basis for our programs at Nagambie. Curriculum decision making is based around each child's knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests. Our routines are organised in ways to maximise opportunities for learning.

-Sarah Villinger, Educational Leader

Marshelle Worden

XPLOR post

10/07/25

The Garrin Room has a role play set up in the home corner with uniforms/hats and mobile phones. We have also been reading the book "Ouch" from the Ambulance Victoria website.

Marshelle Worden

XPLOR post

16/10/25

The Train excursion to Seymour provided the children with a rich learning experience. They explored public transport, community spaces and social interactions. We had great verbal and written family feedback on this excursion.

See social media post here - https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Fimi9uwDz/

Marshelle Worden

XPLOR post

28/10/25

Amy 14/11/25