3 Year OId Kinder Program  

What a wonderful term we’ve had! Our exploration of the community has continued to grow as we learnt about community heroes, different occupations, and how emergencies are managed. We also had the opportunity to explore more areas of our school community. It has been a pleasure watching our 3-year-old group immerse themselves in such a wide range of engaging activities.

Talking About Emergencies, Community Heroes and Fire Station Fun

The children showed great curiosity as we learnt about the special clothing, accessories, and equipment that firefighters use to keep themselves and others safe. We also enjoyed reading Archie the Ambulance, which led to meaningful discussions about who we can contact in an emergency and the different types of emergencies that might happen.

Together, we spoke about calling 000, what might happen during the call, and the kinds of questions an operator may ask. The children were encouraged to find out their house number if they didn’t already know it. It was lovely to see how many came back excited to share their house number with the group — some even knew their full address!

To extend our understanding, we watched an ABC video about creating an emergency plan. This helped the children think about what to do in an emergency, how to pack important items, and ways we can stay calm by practising breathing techniques — using our hands as a guide to breathe in and out slowly. The children were very engaged and thoughtful during these discussions, showing a growing awareness of safety, community roles, and self-regulation.

Our room turned into Kinder’s very own Fire Station! We set up fire hydrants, hoses, a call station, and some great dress ups. “Spot fires” popped up around the room—even at the Hair Salon! The excitement really picked up when Harper answered the very first emergency call from the Hair Salon. The children remembered our lesson about calling 000 and tried out the phone.

Our little firefighters worked together to put out fires, move the red cellophane markers, and set up new fires to keep their play going. There’s been so much teamwork and energy in the room!

Exploring our School Community – Discovery Centre and Performing Arts Adventure

Our group was invited by Mrs. Hopkins, the Foundation level teacher, to share the Discovery Space and play with the Foundation students. This visit strengthened our sense of belonging to the wider school community and provided a fun and enriching experience.

The Discovery Space was filled with age-appropriate toys and thoughtfully curated activities designed to support a wide range of learning experiences. There was a shop for imaginative play, ovens for cooking, LEGO for construction, dolls, horses, and many other activities to suit every child’s interests.

As the children explored, we noticed thoughtful questions, conversations about shared interests, and plenty of collaborative play. A particularly special moment was watching some of our students reconnect with their siblings, making the visit even more meaningful.

Our visit to the Performing Arts Centre was full of excitement. We watched some of our favourite Bluey stories, including Postman and Shops, along with the Community Song from Sesame Street and I Want To Be a Veterinarian – Can You Imagine That? The Postman episode sparked a great discussion about why it’s important to talk things through when there’s a grievance instead of keeping our feelings bottled up. Bluey’s shopping adventure helped us recognise that everyone in a group has a role to play, and that sharing and taking turns makes play more enjoyable for everyone. The children even said the experience felt just like going to the cinema— the only thing missing was the popcorn!

Visit from the School Therapy Dog

Norm, our school therapy dog, surprised us with a visit. He was greeted with great excitement, with many children running over to say hello, give him a pat, or shake his paw. Mrs. Wright, our Assistant Principal, also received many curious questions about Norm.

Therapy dog visits provide many benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving social and communication skills, and supporting children’s emotional and mental wellbeing. Norm certainly brought joy to our room!

Collaborative Art Piece and Fine Motor Development

Following the children’s recent interest in using pipettes during outdoor play, we extended this curiosity into a collaborative art experience. The children used pipettes to squeeze coloured food dye onto paper towels, watching as the colours spread and blended into beautiful patterns. This activity was both creative and purposeful, supporting fine motor development and hand–eye coordination as the children carefully controlled their movements.

To continue strengthening these skills, we introduced a variety of small construction materials, including coloured connectors and blocks, into our indoor environment. The children eagerly explored these materials and worked collaboratively to build imaginative structures such as a church, car park, and shopping centre.

Developing strong fine motor skills supports children’s writing readiness, tool manipulation, and independence in self-care tasks such as dressing and eating. It has been wonderful to see the children engaged, persistent, and proud of their creations as they continue to build confidence and control.

Happy Sinterklaas!

Today, Gwillam kindly shared with our class how his family celebrates Christmas at home. They enjoy a very special tradition on the 5th of December, when Sinterklaas visits! Much like Santa Claus, Sinterklaas is a kind and generous figure — but instead of a red suit, he wears a long, elegant robe and a tall bishop’s hat. In the Netherlands, he rides through the country on his magnificent white horse, and his helper Piet delivers presents into the children’s shoes.

We also watched a joyful video clip about the Sinterklaas celebration, which helped us see how magical this tradition is for children in the Netherlands.

Kruidnoten are crunchy, spiced biscuits enjoyed during the Sinterklaas festivities. Children were delighted when Gwillam give us each a small bag to take home!

Dawn Willis, 

ELC Teacher