Goodstart Early Learning Blacktown

Yesterday, we had a wonderful visit from Blacktown Fire Station. We learnt all about what firefighters do each day to keep our community safe, and the children were very interested in seeing the protective gear they wear while on the job.
Afterward, we went out to the car park in small groups where we had the exciting opportunity to explore the fire truck and see all of the specialised tools and equipment up close.
Here are some photos from our exciting adventure! 😊

This week, we continued our Reconciliation journey with a strong focus on deepening the children’s connection to Country. Through meaningful experiences, conversations, and exploration, we supported the children to develop a growing understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Reconciliation Week so far..
"What do you think each colour means?

Children engaged in discussions about the Aboriginal Flag and the symbolism of each colour; sun, earth and people.

P asked why the ground was red in the flag instead of brown, Chantelle explained that in some parts of Australia the dirt is red and that it also symbolises the deep connection the Aboriginal people have to the land.

We discussed the Black symbolising the Aboriginal people's skin and reflected on the fact that despite this, Aboriginal people come in all different skin colours.

We continued our exploration by exploring poms as material in storytelling.

Playdough stamps with native plants to connect to Country and discuss the importance of the natural world to First Nations peoples.

"Why are leaves different shapes and sizes?"

K - "They come from different types of trees."

B- "Some are big and some are small."

Yesterday we joined in the Simultaneous story time reading Luna Roo. Before this story we had discussion about resilience and working through challenges. what a great book to inspire children.

Today, we welcomed officers from Blacktown Police Station, who engaged the children in an interactive session on road safety, personal safety, and “stranger danger.” The children learned practical strategies such as using crossings, staying aware near roads, recognising safe and unsafe situations, and seeking help from trusted adults. It was a valuable opportunity to build safety awareness and confidence, and we thank the officers for their time and support.

Today we hosted Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, we would like to thank all of our families, children, educators and community members Evan's Garden Library & Community Kindness Projects who made donations to such an important cause.
We are making a big difference towards vital cancer research, we will be continuing this tomorrow and will hopefully raise some more funds.

We deeply value children’s voices and love seeing them explore their ideas with confidence, knowing their educators listen, respond, and bring their ideas to life throughout the centre. We received a suggestion from Sia about adding lollies in the office and a suggestion to draw families, So our educator Miss Paige actioned this and set up a small area where her friends have started drawing pictures of their families and we have displayed these for our families and visitors.

What a special celebration to share with all of our lovely mums at the centre. Thank you to everyone who came and joined us . Happy Mother’s Day to all! Check out the amazing food, yum yum !

We had a lot of great helpers set up and give some good clues as to where the Easter eggs were hidden. We hope all our families have a lovely Easter, enjoy your family and the memories you make together.