Aspire Early Education & Kindergarten Ashbury, Armstrong Creek

At Aspire Ashbury, we value hands-on experiences that bring children’s interests and learning to life.

Our Kindergarten children had an exciting opportunity to explore real dinosaur fossils from the Museums Victoria collection. They were able to look closely, touch the fossils and learn how palaeontologists study fossils to find out about dinosaurs from long ago.

The children also explored life-size replicas of dinosaur skulls, feet and legs, and learned about herbivores (plant-eating dinosaurs) and carnivores (meat-eating dinosaurs).

It was wonderful to see the children so engaged, asking questions, sharing their ideas and enjoying this special dinosaur experience.

There’s something magical about a sandpit when children are given the freedom to bring their ideas to life.

Our children worked together to create their very own river, digging pathways through the sand, pouring water, building channels and watching with excitement as the water travelled along their creation.

Our educators extended this spontaneous idea by providing materials and opportunities for the children to experiment, problem-solve and develop their thinking through hands-on play.

A simple idea in the sandpit became an experience filled with curiosity, teamwork, creativity and discovery — reminding us that some of the most meaningful learning happens through play.

At Aspire Ashbury, we believe strong community connections enrich every child's learning journey.

This August, we're embracing our monthly theme, "Happiness Happens in August," with exciting opportunities for children and families to learn, celebrate and connect together. From Dental Health Week, National Science Week, Early Learning Matters Week, Daffodil Day, Book Week, and Red Nose Day, each celebration has been thoughtfully planned to inspire curiosity, kindness, creativity and a sense of belonging.

Our celebrations are already kicking off, with our Wombat Room launching Dental Health Week through a fun and interactive tooth-brushing provocation, encouraging children to explore healthy habits and the importance of caring for their smiles.

We look forward to sharing these wonderful experiences with our families throughout the month. Keep an eye on our page for updates, photos and highlights as we celebrate together.

Together, let's make August a month where happiness happens every day.

At Aspire Ashbury, our values come to life through meaningful learning experiences that spark children's curiosity and imagination.

Over the past week, our 3-Year-Old Kindergarten children have loved diving into the world of dinosaurs! They used rulers to measure and compare dinosaur sizes, painted dinosaur cut-outs, created dinosaur footprint artworks, explored fossils in playdough, built dinosaur caves using loose parts, and brought their own prehistoric adventures to life through imaginative play.

As the week unfolded, the children began asking wonderful questions about when dinosaurs lived, why they disappeared, and how the world has changed over time. It was fantastic to see their curiosity grow as they shared ideas, solved problems together, and made new discoveries through play.

A heartfelt thank you to Rakhi Tyagi for planning and facilitating this engaging theme-based learning experience, inspiring our young learners to explore, create and discover together.

🌱 Small hands can make a big difference.

Did you know that some of the most important lessons about caring for our planet begin in early childhood?

From recycling and gardening to nature play and reducing waste, sustainability is woven into everyday learning at Aspire. These hands-on experiences help children develop a lifelong appreciation for the environment while building confidence, curiosity and responsibility.

Discover how sustainable practices in early education are helping to build a greener future for the next generation 💚

Read more: https://bit.ly/4vKfb2U

At Aspire Ashbury, we believe that meaningful learning begins with connection.

Today we celebrated National Friendship Day by creating our own friendship bracelets using colourful pasta, Fruit Loops and pipe cleaners. This hands-on experience supported the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and creativity while encouraging children to make choices, share resources and work alongside their peers.

It was wonderful to see each child approach the experience in their own unique way, carefully selecting colours and shapes, creating patterns and proudly wearing their finished bracelets. The activity created many opportunities for conversations, cooperation and celebrating the importance of friendship.

A special thank you to Rachel Harvey for planning this meaningful experience, and to all of our wonderful educators for supporting the children and helping make the day such a success.

At Aspire Ashbury, we believe every creative experience inspires curiosity, collaboration and a love of learning. 🌊🎨

Today, our Kinder children worked together to create a beautiful ocean scene by painting the sea and adding the marine animals they had made. Through this hands-on experience, they explored creativity, strengthened their fine motor skills, and shared conversations about ocean life and care for our environment.

A special thank you to Aseampal Singh for thoughtfully planning this engaging learning experience.

At Aspire Ashbury, we believe that the most meaningful learning happens when children can see, explore and experience the process together.

Yesterday, our Wombats Room celebrated National Lamington Day with a wonderful hands-on cooking experience. The children gathered with excitement as they watched us prepare a rich chocolate sauce, drizzle it over a freshly baked sponge cake and finish it with a sprinkle of coconut. There were plenty of curious conversations, predictions and smiles as the delicious Australian favourite came to life.

To complete the experience, everyone sat together to enjoy our homemade daycare lamington, celebrating not only a much-loved tradition but also the joy of learning, sharing and connecting as a group.

A special thank you to Rachel Harvey for thoughtfully planning this engaging experience, and to Saad for kindly baking the delicious sponge cake for our children to enjoy. 🌟

⏰ 2 Days to Go!

Our Recruitment Event is almost here, and we'd love to meet you!

If you're looking for your next opportunity in early childhood education, now's the perfect time to connect with the Aspire Early Education team. Come along to learn more about career opportunities across our Armstrong Creek and Lara centres, meet our team, and take part in on-the-spot interviews.

📅 Thursday, 23 July
🕒 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library
20 Main Street, Armstrong Creek VIC 3217
Level 1 – Getjawil & Kitjarra Rooms

We're recruiting for a variety of roles across our Armstrong Creek and Lara centres and would love to chat with passionate educators who are ready for their next career move.

💙 There's still time to register your interest! Secure your spot here: https://bit.ly/4ghZEmd

We look forward to meeting you and sharing what makes Aspire Early Education such a rewarding place to grow your career.

At Aspire Ashbury, we love creating meaningful learning experiences that spark curiosity, imagination and real-life connections.

Today we officially kicked off Farm Safety Week! After spending last week preparing, our Wombat Room children immersed themselves in a thoughtfully planned farm experience filled with sensory exploration and imaginative play.

Our farm sensory trough was transformed into a busy farm scene using Weet-Bix, oats, cornflakes, shredded coconut and chocolate oobleck, where children explored different textures while caring for and moving farm animals around the environment.

The learning continued through our Farmers’ Market, where children shopped for fresh produce and groceries, developing their understanding of where food comes from, healthy food choices and community roles through meaningful dramatic play.

To further connect with our Farm Safety Week learning, we created a fresh fruit station at the children’s height, inviting children to independently choose fresh apples and pears before enjoying a healthy snack together. This experience encouraged independence, confidence and positive conversations about nutritious foods grown on farms.

A special thank you to Rachel Harvey for thoughtfully planning and bringing this engaging Farm Safety Week experience to life. Stay tuned as we continue celebrating Farm Safety Week throughout the week!