Community Kids

NAIDOC Week is a time to recognise and celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

Our centres will be exploring the theme ‘For our Elders’ this week, reflecting on the important role that Elders have had, and continue have, in our communities and families.

We look forward to sharing how our children, families and team connect and celebrate this week.

Pollinator’s Paradise - meet the garden gurus at Community Kids Kadina

This World Environment Day, we are incredibly inspired by our Kadina team, who created the wonderful initiative - Pollinators Paradise 🐝
Their project aims to create a paradise for a variety of pollinators consisting of native flora local to their area. In doing so, it enables children to fully engage and witness these remarkable little creatures in action as they help assist with pollinating their plants and community vegetable garden.
Well done, team Kadina, and Happy World Environment Day! 🌎

Pollinator’s Paradise - meet the garden gurus at Community Kids Kadina Community Kids Kadina's creative "Pollinator’s Paradise" garden project saw the early learning centre awarded Woolworths’ Junior Landcare Grant.

A sneak peek at our Reconciliation Journey displays at Community Kids Valentine. The team has recently published their Reconciliation Action Plan, and is working together to continue to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives within the centre. In Centre Manager Jade's words "We are proud of where we are but look forward to where we will go." Well done team!

This National Reconciliation Week, our children and teams are exploring what it means to ‘Be a Voice for Generations’.
Our centre teams work to connect with their families and communities to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into their practice every day, to create environments of listening, of learning, of fairness and unity.
Over the week, we look forward to sharing unique stories from our centres as we explore together what it means to ‘Be a Voice for Generations’.

Ahead of Reconciliation Week commencing 27th May we were thrilled to have Mr. Tony Pasin MP, Federal Member for Barker, visit Community Kids Mount Gambier. During his visit, Mr. Pasin delivered the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Australian flags to our centre for display in our foyer.

This meaningful gesture aligns perfectly with our recently published Reconciliation Action Plan. We are proud to showcase both the flags and the plan in our foyer, as they represent our deep appreciation and acknowledgement of the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our center operates.

“Displaying the three flags together is an important symbol of our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and will encourage the children to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia to unite and not divide us,” Mr Pasin said. “I congratulate Community Kids Mount Gambier on this great National Reconciliation Week initiative.”

We want to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Pasin for visiting us at Community Kids Mount Gambier and honouring this special occasion.
You can view Community Kids Mount Gambier’s Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/raps/35722/community-kids-early-education-centre

We were honoured to have Lee Tarlamis MP join us at Community Kids Hampton Park for our recent fundraising event. In light of the Syria/Turkey earthquake and its impact on some of our team members' families, we organised an event on April 21st to show our support. The outcome surpassed our expectations, as we managed to raise an incredible $1472.65 for UNICEF.

The event offered various opportunities for families to contribute to the cause, including:

- An art auction featuring beautiful pieces created by the children. Additionally, a parent with an indigenous background crafted meaningful artworks specifically for this auction.
- A session with Little Sports Heroes.
- Henna art by our very own Educator, Bhoomika.
- A reading session by local author Marlene Laporte.
- Hair braiding services provided by a helpful parent.
- BBQ prepared by Roayda (Lulu).

We were thrilled to have Lee, a respected member of Parliament, in attendance, as well as members of the Turkish Community Centre. Together, we made a significant impact and demonstrated our solidarity with those affected by the earthquake. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this successful event.

Recently, our Junior Kindy children at Community Kids Waterford had the pleasure of connecting with the local Jajumbora Children and Family Centre for their weekly "Storytime Playgroup".
We were warmly welcomed by Miss/Aunty Lisa, who invited us to join her on the mat for story time, where she read "The Colourful Echidna". We learned that echidnas only come out at night!
After the story, we got creative and made our own colourful echidnas using paper plates and rainbow matchsticks. Outside, the children explored obstacle courses, a trampoline, sensory trays, and more. We can't wait to return every Tuesday and continue connecting with the Jajumbora community. We believe that children's connections and sense of belonging with people, country, and communities help them learn values, traditions, and practices reflective of their families and communities.

Art at home - how I encourage my children’s creative expression

Looking for creative ideas to keep your child entertained and engaged at home? Our Practice Partner Rebecca shares her ideas to inspire your child's imagination and encourage them to explore their creativity. From painting and drawing to mixed media and sculpture, these projects are perfect for kids of all ages. So why not try them and see what masterpieces your child can create? 🎨

Art at home - how I encourage my children’s creative expression One of G8's Practice Partners, Rebecca Freier shares her insights as a teacher into creating art experiences for her own children at home.

This Tuesday, the Preschool children at Community Kids Narrabri participated in an Anzac Day March to pay our respects to our fallen heroes and those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. A special mention goes to the kindy room for making beautiful poppies that were laid with our wreath by the preschool children on the memorial at Narrabri RSL, where the Anzac commemorations commenced. Thank you to all those who participated in this special event. ♥

The Preschool room at Community Kids Narrabri recently went on their first excursion to the newly opened community garden. Community Kids Narrabri are lucky enough to have a garden reserved just for us. On this day, the preschoolers were busy starting our garden and planting plenty of fruits and vegetables! We were also lucky enough to have David, the founder of the gardens, pop in to help us.
This ongoing project will be shared between all our rooms here at Community Kids Narrabri. We can't wait to keep you updated on its progress. 🌱🌿

The best autumn produce to have in your pantry

As the weather gets cooler, we tend to crave wholesome foods that are warm and comforting. Here's a round-up of our top Autumn produce to keep in your pantry. 🤎http://ow.ly/rZAa50NpKXp

The best autumn produce to have in your pantry As we move into autumn, we shift to a need for comforting, warming dishes. Nutriton and Health Coach Karla Gilbert shares her top four seasonal autumn items to have in your pantry, plus a bonus autumnal recipe to make with the children!

Changes to the Child Care Subsidy 📢
From 10 July 2023, the Commonwealth Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is making high-quality early education and care more affordable for Australian families.

Key changes include:
• If your family earns less than $80,000 per year, your Child Care Subsidy rates will increase from 85% to 90%.
• If your family earns under $530,000 annually, you’ll now be eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy. Previously, families needed to earn under $356,756 per year to be eligible.
• Your Child Care Subsidy rates will decrease by 1% for every additional $5,000 earned over $80,000.
Families earning below $362,408 with more than one child aged 5 or under in care can still get a higher rate for their second and younger children
• First Nations children will be eligible for at least 36 hours of subsidised care per fortnight. Families can get more subsidised hours based on their circumstances.

Navigating these changes can be tricky, but we're here to help. Over the coming weeks, our enrolled families will be invited to a dedicated family information event to be held in-centre in early May. Families will also have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with their Centre Manager, to help calculate your potential Child Care Subsidy entitlements. We’re looking forward to supporting the possible Child Care Subsidy (CCS) outcomes for your family.

In the meantime, visit https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/ for further information.

Here at Community Kids Caboolture, our Educator Tiona recently came up with the idea of a Pen Pal Program, as a way to teach the children more about Australia and the different cultures that make up the country!

As a part of this program, the children will be engaging in zoom calls, emails, and sending photos and their drawings by traditional mail to connect with other children!✍🏼

Here's a few snaps of a recent excursion to the post box to drop off the first lot of letters. So far, we've had six of our centres sign up to this program, and we can't wait to see it grow even further!

How our educators and teachers support children with transitions

A new year brings with it some new transitions.
Just like you, children may welcome transitions and change, or they might be hesitant.
From meal and rest times through to changing rooms, our educators and teachers ensure that your child feels safe and secure at every step of the transition journey.

Click the link below to find out how.
http://ow.ly/HqXh50MBCVx

How our educators and teachers support children with transitions Children face transitions every day in their early learning environment. Read how G8's educators and teachers make it easier for them.

Community Kids updated their information in their About section.

Community Kids updated their information in their About section.

Throwback to our Diwali celebrations last month at Community Kids Ashford! We had a fantastic time celebrating the occasion by wearing traditional Indian outfits. Diwali, known as the festival of lights, marks the triumph of good over evil. It was an honour to share this occasion with our families and Educators.

A sneak peek into some of the immersive learning resources at Community Kids Greenway Park! 🤩 What's your favourite part?

4 Delicious, Healthy Fast-Food Swaps (that children will love!)

Looking to treat the kids to a healthier alternative to fast food? We've got you covered!
http://ow.ly/jF3s50LHBvi

4 Delicious, Healthy Fast-Food Swaps (that children will love!) Top tips for replacing those “sometimes foods” with healthy, yet incredibly delicious alternatives.

This week our Community Kids Middleton Grange centre was pleased to donate old cots to the Dandelion Support Network. Dandelion Foundation will assess them, ensure they are compliant and then give them to hospitals or charities in need. We love the benefits this brings of recycling products we no longer use and helping others in need. ♥

Easy ways to avoid food ‘boredom’ at home with children

This Nutrition Week, let's look at some of the best ways in which we can avoid food boredom at home. Here are some of our favourite exciting yet nutritious snack ideas! 🍌⭐ http://ow.ly/b9bY50LcGR3

Easy ways to avoid food ‘boredom’ at home with children Karla Gilbert shares her top tips on fun snack ideas to try with your children at home.

Community Kids Kadina Early Education Centre has been successful with our application for a 2022 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant for our project: Pollinator’s Paradise! 🌱
Our centre is one of 1,054 primary schools and early learning centres throughout Australia receiving a Woolworths Junior Landcare grant to help grow our next generation of environmental champions.
The aim of our project is to create a paradise for a variety of pollinators consisting of native flora local to our area. This will enable our children to fully engage and witness these remarkable little creatures in action as they help assist with the pollination of our plants. The children will be involved in all aspects of the project. This includes contributing their ideas and suggestions in regarding to the research, design and overall construction of the project plus the ongoing care and maintenance of the garden. The expected (environmental and educational) outcomes of the project include: the opportunity for our children to connect with their natural world though hands-on experiences whilst learning about the important role our pollinators play in our ecosystems
Check out our project and others using this link: https://woolworthsgrantsmap.juniorlandcare.org.au/grant-round-4/pollinators-paradise/
A special shoutout to Woolworths and Landcare Australia for their incredible generosity and support towards our latest sustainability project.♻

This week at Community Kids Yandina 1, we were honoured to have Bruce and Denise Morcombe visit us as part of our National Child Protection Week events.

Bruce and Denise were joined by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation’s Educational Resource Manager, Bianca Davis, to speak about the importance of ‘talking early’ about personal safety with children.
“Parents and carers need to be able to have brave conversations with their children” said Denise Morcombe OAM.

The event coincided with our parent company G8 Education being awarded the Queensland Child Protection Week Committee ‘Commitment to Child Safe Organisational Principles Award’.

We are proud to be supporting the Daniel Morcombe Foundation and protecting childhoods today and tomorrow. ❤

This Wednesday, we celebrated Early Childhood Educators Day. At Community Kids, we are proud to value, celebrate and inspire our team to make positive impacts in children’s lives, and their own.

Our team of Educators and Teachers are our greatest asset, and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to celebrate them and their incredible contribution to our communities.

As part of our celebrations, 36 Educators and Teachers within the G8 Education network were recognised for their excellence in our annual Standout Educator Awards across six categories. We received more than 6,500 nominations for families and team members.

Congratulations to our very own Leah Spindler and Shelley-Ann Fiddes from Community Kids Morisset for the incredible support they provided the community with during the recent flooding in Lismore. Well done ladies, we are are in owe of your efforts!

Celebrating Early Childhood Educator's Day at Community Kids Roxburgh Park. 🤩 Shout out to our lovely Early Childhood Teacher Hilda for setting up this fabulous breakfast table in honour of our wonderful Educators. 🥞
Thank you for all that you do. Happy Educators' Day!

Today, we celebrate Early Childhood Educators' Day! The team at Community Kids North Richmond are excited to be honouring and celebrating our Educators with a little gift and some delicious food.
Thank you to all the wonderful Educators out there who go above and beyond for our families. We see you, and we appreciate you. Happy Early Childhood Educators' Day!

School holiday care - Community Kids

School Holidays are just around the corner! Learn more about our convenient and affordable school holiday care programs today. ☀ 🎉 http://ow.ly/euhY50KACRV

School holiday care - Community Kids Let us help you with the juggle of planning school holiday care! A number of our centres provide holiday and vacation care for school aged children.

how we incorporate STEM in our centres

Science Week is upon us, running from 13-21 August. 🧪 🔬 Learn more about how we encorporate STEM experiences through play-based learning at our centres.
http://ow.ly/fuY550Kkxaj

how we incorporate STEM in our centres At G8's early learning centres, our hands-on STEM education allows children to develop their inquiry skills and understandings necessary to navigate and thrive in an ever-changing world.

Common child care illnesses: what you need to know

Flu season is well and truly here! 🤧 If you're one of those parents who just can't seem to catch a break, we feel for you. In this handy guide, you'll find everything you need to know to keep your child safe and healthy! https://www.communitykids.com.au/community-cubby/guide-to-common-illnesses-in-child-care

Common child care illnesses: what you need to know Children are more susceptible to picking up illnesses when they start child care. Read our guide on to common childhood viruses and how to prevent the spread of illness.

Recently at Community Kids Mount Gambier, the pump in our turtle and fish tank stopped working, and our local Petbarn came to our rescue and donated a new pump for us. Now Leonardo and the fish have crystal clear water! As a thank you, the Koala Room painted a card to show our appreciation.

How we acknowledge NAIDOC week in our centres

NAIDOC Week is a time for all Australians to come together in different ways to connect with, and celebrate, culture and country. This year's theme Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! recognises the history of getting up, standing up, and showing up. Read more about how we acknowledge NAIDOC Week in our centres here. http://ow.ly/g8PT50JPcEZ

How we acknowledge NAIDOC week in our centres NAIDOC week is an acknowledgement of the histories, cultures, and languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Read how it forms an integral part of the curriculum in our centres.

The opportunities for children are endless in a garden! They learn about nature, the environment and responsibility but can also learn many new skills, have fun, play, and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden tending to our growing plants. Our Pre-Kinders are keen gardeners and have been taking care of the fruits and veggies they grew in their Kinder Yard. Last week we were able to harvest our garden! They washed the carrots, and each child had the opportunity to enjoy a small piece as part of a healthy afternoon tea.

7NEWS Gold Coast on Twitter

Here at Community Kids, we're incredibly passionate about fostering a sense of independence and confidence amongst the children in our care. Rebecca, one of our wonderful parents at Community Kids Broadbeach, embodies this very spirit. Through the launch of her debut book Facing the Wave, Rebecca calls on her 10 years' experience as a surf lifesaver to educate children about enjoying the water as safely as possible!
https://twitter.com/7NewsGoldCoast/status/1534806307731308544?t=dwN26ri670e0hb2Qd9BxMg&s=07

7NEWS Gold Coast on Twitter “Kindergarteners across the Gold Coast are being introduced to surfing and beach safety. Author, Rebecca Marshallsay stopped by Broadbeach to read her debut novel to some pint sized critics. https://t.co/tIEQ9JOpss ”

7 tips for dealing with picky eaters

Did you know? The picky eater phase is a normal part of a child's early development. Read on for simple ways in which you can make mealtimes more positive with your toddler! 🤗
http://ow.ly/HWYV50JxMzT

7 tips for dealing with picky eaters Has your dinner table become a battlefield? Read our top tips for keeping mealtimes positive for your picky eater.

Recently at Community Kids Mount Gambier, we had a very special visitor named Troy teach us about the Aboriginal ways of learning.
He inspired us to dance, sing, and tell stories in some of our first landowner's language. He also encouraged us to help paint our faces, one full oval shape around the eyes for boys and two lines for girls.
We then touched and felt some animal fur which the Indigenous people use for blankets and jumpers. During all this, we danced like Australian animals and told stories of their way of life. The animals were told stories about were the emu, the platypus, the rabbit, the w***y wagtail bird and the kangaroo.
Troy also talked about the Aboriginal flag, what the colours represent and what it means. The children enjoyed experiencing all the fun movements, painting and songs played by Troy and we all appreciated learning about our first landowner’s cultures.
It has been wonderful seeing the children build on their engagement with community members in retelling cultural stories using various forms of communication including speech, song, dance, and movement as well as learning cultural phrases and words.

Recently the children at Community Kids Ashford took an interest in discovering the new spaces of our beautiful centre. This led us to the exploring our pre kindy yard, and learning about composting.
The children were very eager to investigate this new area. There were many more areas to test their capabilities, gross-motor skills, special awareness and notice that there are similarities and differences among this room.
It was wonderful to see the children openly express their feelings and ideas in their interactions with the Pre-Kindy children. Some of the children even got to see their older siblings, it was very sweet!
We are planning on visiting the other rooms of the centre more often as it builds on the children’s social skills and extends their independence.