Goodstart Early Learning Varsity Lakes

Our nursery and toddler children had so much fun exploring our St Patrick’s Day sensory tray filled with green pasta, jelly textures, rainbows, shamrocks and gold coins 🍀🌈

Sensory experiences like this provide children with opportunities to explore using their senses, curiosity and creativity. As they scoop, move and investigate the materials, they are strengthening their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and early problem solving abilities.

The themed elements such as rainbows, shamrocks and gold coins also introduce children to cultural celebrations in a playful and engaging way, helping them begin to understand that there are many different traditions and celebrations around the world.

Through play-based learning experiences like this, children are encouraged to explore their environment, express curiosity and build confidence as active learners. In the early years, these hands-on experiences support children in developing a sense of connection to the world around them, while making learning fun and meaningful. 🍀

Our Kindy and Pre-Kindy children had the exciting opportunity to participate in a special incursion with Queensland Rail, where they learned about the importance of train and railway safety. Through engaging conversations and interactive learning, the children explored simple but important safety messages such as staying a safe distance from train tracks, listening carefully for signals and always being aware of their surroundings near railways.

Incursions like this provide meaningful opportunities for children to connect their learning with the real world and their wider community. By engaging with community organisations such as Queensland Rail, children are able to build awareness of safety while also learning interesting facts about trains and how they operate. Experiences like these support children in developing confidence, curiosity and an understanding of how to stay safe within their environment.

Turning Curiosity Into Curriculum🔥🧯🚒

The toddlers were captivated when our neighbours at Bond University accidentally set off their fire alarms and a fire truck arrived. Already deeply engaged in exploring transport within their room, we intentionally extended this emerging interest into a hands-on learning experience. We transformed our tuff tray into a ‘fire scene’ through painting, encouraging creative expression and symbolic representation, before introducing spray bottles so the children could take on the role of firefighters. As they sprayed to “put out” the flames, they strengthened fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, and cause-and-effect understanding. This experience supported EYLF Outcome 4, as children became confident and involved learners through responsive, interest-led play grounded in real-world events.