St John's Kindergarten - Kingaroy

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Today we were delighted to welcome our Kindy families for something a little different - an entire morning dedicated to one of the most important things children do: PLAY! Earlier this year, we were thrilled to successfully apply for a grant from Children’s Rights Queensland. After months of planning, we were excited to finally offer our families the chance to come and play alongside their children - and what a morning it was! There were big cardboard tubes, plastic crates and golf balls ready for children to turn into whatever their imaginations could dream up. Tyres to roll and stack, Ezirollers to zoom, totem tennis, the rope swing, trees to slide, an obstacle course to conquer, ball launchers to stomp, wobble boards to balance on. The sandpit was ready for digging playdough ready for squishing and spray paints ready for squeezing. On the patio, hopscotch, cookie decorating, crown making and puzzles. Chantelle had the parachute flying too! All of our educators and two occupational therapists were on hand throughout the morning, creating wonderful opportunities for conversations about why play matters - particularly outdoor, physical and adventurous play. These experiences build much more than motor skills. They develop confidence, problem-solving, persistence, self-regulation, communication and the physical and emotional foundations children need as they move into formal schooling. Sometimes, what children need most before they learn their ABCs and 123s is simply time, space and permission to play. And this connects beautifully with children’s rights. The right to play, to have a voice, to participate and to be listened to are not extras in quality early childhood education - they are foundations. After a delicious catered morning tea, with picnic blankets dotted across the lawn and happy faces everywhere, we gathered inside for a Candle Story: “The Lion Inside”, a beautiful story about finding your voice and speaking up - an important foundation for understanding children’s right to be heard. We finished with music, instruments and Aunty Sharron’s wonderful Children’s Rights theme song, “I Am Me”. A morning of play, connection, learning and celebration - and a lovely reminder that when we respect children’s rights, we create better childhoods and better early learning.

09/09/2026

Our Term 3 Sounds of Music journey is almost at an end, and what a wonderful musical adventure it has been! Over the term, the children have been developing their confidence as listeners, discovering that music is about so much more than simply hearing sounds. Through a rich mix of familiar songs, new musical experiences, stories and instruments, they have been encouraged to listen carefully, notice differences, share what they hear and feel, and make connections with their own experiences. Today, Chantelle and the children continued their exploration of the instrument families, turning their attention to woodwind instruments. This followed our earlier experiences exploring strings, percussion and brass instruments, giving the children opportunities to discover the very different ways instruments produce their sounds. From the familiar to the completely new, each experience has been helping the children build their musical vocabulary and develop a growing understanding of the sounds they hea. And there is still one more instrument family waiting to be explored - woodwind! We can’t wait to see what sounds and discoveries this final part of our journey brings. Our ongoing “Peter and the Wolf” adventure – which concludes each of the sessions - has also become a favourite, with the children increasingly recognizing the characters, remembering the instruments that represent them and recalling what has happened in the story. It has been wonderful to see how much they are retaining from week to week! Throughout the program, the aim has been to nurture curious, confident and attentive listeners. We have been building children’s awareness of rhythm, melody, instruments, emotions and the many ways music can make us feel and respond. Just as importantly, the children have been developing their ability to listen, remember, predict, make connections and confidently express their thoughts. As our Term 3 journey draws to a close, it is lovely to see how the children’s musical knowledge and confidence have grown. They are listening more closely, recognizing more sounds and becoming increasingly eager to share what they notice. What a wonderful way to discover the joy of music!

08/09/2026

A sausage, fresh bread and a sq**rt of sauce... yum! Today’s Sausage Sizzle may have been simple, but the reason behind it was much more meaningful. We were raising money for our Compassion Child, Betelhem, who lives in Ethiopia. Since 2005, our Kindy has supported a child through Compassion, and this has become an important part of our learning program. Rather than simply asking families for a donation each year, we create opportunities for children to be involved in the process. Each month we hold a small fundraising event and collect money from the children. Together, we follow that money’s journey, learning where it goes, how it helps Betelhem and what she is able to use it for. These experiences naturally lead to important conversations. Why does Betelhem need our help? What is life like for children who don't have access to things we often take for granted, such as shoes, school supplies, medicine, clean water or even toilet paper? Through these discussions, children develop empathy and a growing awareness of the different circumstances in which others live. Perhaps the most important lesson is that children can make a difference. The challenges in the world may seem enormous, but even small actions can have a meaningful impact. We want our children to know they do not have to wait until they are adults to help others. Their kindness, generosity and willingness to contribute matter right now. We also stay connected through Compassion’s online platform, sending Betelhem messages about our Kindy, words of encouragement and photos of the children’s drawings and artwork. The learning continues as we explore Ethiopia’s culture, food and daily life. Today we learned about injera, a traditional Ethiopian flatbread, and read The Runaway Injera, a story the children quickly connected to The Gingerbread Man. So yes, today was just a sausage, some bread and sauce. But behind that simple sausage sizzle was literacy, mathematics, geography, cultural understanding, empathy, generosity and the powerful realisation that even small hands can make a big difference.

07/09/2026

Child Protection Week provides an important opportunity to pause and consider how we can help children develop the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to keep themselves safe. At our service, protective behaviours are not something we talk about for one week of the year. Our Protective Behaviours program is ongoing and embedded throughout our everyday learning, with conversations about body safety, emotions, boundaries, personal safety and seeking help woven naturally into experiences and relationships with children. We want children to understand that their bodies belong to them, that they have the right to say no when something doesn't feel right, that their feelings and instincts are important, and that there are trusted adults who will listen and help. This work is particularly important in a world where children are exposed to more information and imagery than ever before. The internet has made access to po*******hy increasingly easy, and exposure isn't always intentional. Children can encounter inappropriate content through searches, social media, games, advertising, pop-ups or links, sometimes without understanding what they have seen. We cannot assume that because children are young, they are protected from these experiences. This makes proactive, age-appropriate conversations about bodies, privacy, boundaries, appropriate and inappropriate content, and asking for help more important than ever. Teaching protective behaviours is not about frightening children. It is about giving them language and strategies that empower them. We want our children to grow up knowing that they can speak up, that they will be listened to, and that asking for help is always the right thing to do. These are not simply kindergarten lessons. They are lifelong skills. During Child Protection Week, we are proud to continue this important work - creating an environment where children feel safe to ask questions, express their feelings, set boundaries and seek support. Every child deserves to feel safe, heard and respected. By starting these conversations early and continuing them consistently, we are helping our children develop the confidence and understanding they need to navigate an increasingly complex world.

06/09/2026

WANTED: An Endangered Species – The Mr Fixit!
We’re on the hunt for a bit of a rare creature… someone who can turn their hand to just about anything, enjoys figuring out how things work, and would much rather repair, mend and make-do than throw something out and buy a new one!
Our little kindergarten currently has a backlog of jobs waiting for the right person. There’s a bit of everything –
· Carpentry
· Painting
· Minor construction
· General repairs and maintenance
…and probably a few jobs that will make you scratch your head and say, “I can fix that!”
We’re looking for someone who is:
· Flexible and practical
· Reliable and trustworthy
· Happy tackling a variety of jobs
· A good problem-solver
· Interested in building a long-term working relationship with us
Work will need to be completed outside kindergarten hours – after 3pm, on weekends or during school holidays.
You’ll need to have an ABN and appropriate proof of insurance.
There’s plenty of variety, plenty to keep you busy and, best of all, plenty of satisfaction in knowing you’re helping keep a much-loved local kindergarten safe, functional and looking its best.
So, if you know a Mr Fixit, Mrs Fixit or just an all-round handy legend who might be interested, please get in contact with St. John’s Kindergarten – ph 41627846 during school hours.