Kinglake Ranges Childrens Centre

14/08/2026

We have all had a moment where a child asks, "But why do we have to fix it?" or "Why do you have to know where I am?" Whilst the simplest answer is often, "To keep you safe," our Pre-Prep children have been exploring what that really means through their reflections on the National Quality Standards.
As part of their learning, the children have been drawing and writing about the many ways their teachers help them feel safe, valued and supported each day. These understandings are built through small meaningful conversations:
What do you like to learn about?
Who helps you when something feels tricky?
How can we make sure everyone feels included?
What helps you feel brave enough to try something new?
These questions might seem simple, but they tell children that their thoughts, feelings and ideas matter. They teach children that safety is so much more than preventing bumps and scrapes. Safety is knowing you belong. It is having trusted adults who listen, respond and advocate for you. It is feeling emotionally secure enough to take risks, ask questions, make mistakes and build meaningful relationships with others.
When children understand why we do what we do, they begin to see that quality education is built on relationships, respect and shared responsibility. The National Quality Standards are not just a framework for educators – they are lived experiences that children notice, understand and value every single day.

26/07/2026

A reminder that AusAlert will be running a national test this Monday 27th July at 2pm that will send a critical alert to all mobile phones, even if they are on silent or do not disturb.

Consider what is best for your family, as this may worry some children. You may want to turn your phone off or give age appropriate information about what will be happening.

You could say something like:
‘Soon you might hear an alarm on my phone. It will be loud, but nothing is wrong. They are practicing for an emergency, just like we practice our fire plan. It’s so they can let lots of people know that something is wrong all at once. It will be over very quickly and everything is ok.’

Please also see the below information to keep yourself safe if you experience family/domestic violence and have a safe phone.

02/07/2026

Awesome to see more research catching up to provide evidence for what we do. It makes difference not just now, but in future years for our young people. Every day, in all weather, get outside and PLAY!

New research released..

12/06/2026

We LOVE outdoor play at KRCC! Play is a core pedagogical practice with the Early Years Learning Framework and a Practice Principle with the Victorian Early Years Learning & Development Framework. Not only is it an essential way of learning, but research is now showing the ongoing benefits of early outdoor play in supporting mental health well beyond the early years into later childhood!

Put on a jacket and gumboots, embrace the weather and get outside to PLAY!

Loved hearing from Belinda at about new research released from Scotland this week, perfectly timed with the International Day of Play.

Using nationally representative longitudinal data it provides the first evidence that early outdoor play predicts better mental health trajectories across childhood. The researchers say these findings highlight the need to incorporate outdoor play into the preventative public mental health agenda.

So wonderful when research validates what we intuitively know! Little ones need to play outside in nature.

Read the full paper here:

https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.70175

Photo courtesy of Birdwings Forest School as featured in our nature play gallery (https://www.maggiedent.com/nature-play)

06/06/2026

At djila burru burru (play bush), the water park (running creek) is a spot where the children enjoy observing and discussing the changes in the environment through the Kulin Seasons. We are currently in Waring Season, which means with more rainfall and a decrease in temperatures, baan (water) is chilly! This area provides space for children to explore the sensory benefits of baan, both on their bodies, their nervous system and their brains. Did you know that cool water experiences can support children to feel more regulated and grounded, helping the nervous system and to settle and reset?

In this space, children are also making thoughtful choices about how they move through the environment - whether to take off shoes and feel the ground directly under their feet or keep them on. These decisions are guided by their own sensory awareness and connection to the space. Alongside this, children are learning to slow down, notice small changes in the water and surrounding environment, and move with care and respect for living ecosystems, developing attentiveness to Country and all that it holds.

03/06/2026

As Reconciliation Week draws to a close, we reflect upon this year’s theme of All In, a call for all Australians to commit to reconciliation in action, not just words. The challenge can be… where to start? Our children could teach us a lot here – it starts with curiosity and an open mind.

How to take action?
This can look differently depending on where you are on your reconciliation journey. Maybe it’s about personally gaining knowledge, maybe it’s about moving from knowledge to action, maybe it’s about listening.

At KRCC the actions we are taking towards reconciliation aren’t limited to just a day or a week, it is a key consideration in all that we do. What does that look like for us?
• Reflecting upon and sharing Aboriginal & Torres Straight Islander history, culture and ways of learning with children, families and community, including learning on Country at djila burru burru (play scrub)
• Walking alongside First Peoples, most recently hosting a Little Long Walk (The Long Walk) that the entire centre participated in, and having representation at the National Walk for Truth (https://www.walkfortruth.com) with Travis Lovett (Gunditjmara)
• Ethical purchasing that supports First Nations - the shirts we usually wear are from BW Tribal, with many resources from Yarn Strong Sista
• Prioritising professional learning from First Peoples at events through Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.
and The Bundjil Nest Project
• Using language with the greatest thanks to Taungurung Land & Waters Council and embedding it within our program
• Participation in the Sea of Hearts movement - with the children this year adapting to dinosaur footprints to walk with, as well as our traditional hearts Connecting the Dots through Culture
• Developing a Reconciliation Action Plan and using it to guide our next steps

It also means acknowledging what we don’t know and where there may be more work, more listening, more change needed. Our next steps are strengthening our connections with local Wurundjeri Woiwurrung and Taungurung mobs. Reconciliation Australia

25/05/2026

Today we acknowledge National Sorry Day, a time to remember and reflect upon the Stolen Generations, as well as the ongoing and lasting impact upon Aboriginal & Torres Straight Islander people.

The theme for this year’s National Sorry Day is From Sorry to Action. This is a call to move from words to action - now, not in another decade. But how do we do this with very young children? How do we introduce such a complex and confronting issue?

As always we take it slowly and make it age appropriate, leaving space for the children to ask questions and share their knowledge and understandings. One of the best first steps is to access some of the children’s books out there, ranging from the more explicit (Sorry Day & Took the Children Away) to those that could open the door to broader yarns about loss (Found).

Head to The Koori Curriculum for a great selection and to Healing Foundation for history, resources and how you can take action.

23/05/2026

Do you find yourself telling your child to 'be careful' or 'watch out, you're going to hurt yourself'? Did you know that you may be accidentally preventing your child from developing their brain - in particular their cerebellum?

As OT Robyn Papworth asserts 'real safety is about building a child who is capable and aware of their own body'. We do this at KRCC by asking children to use their senses to assess risk in a situation, encouraging them to tune in to how their body is feeling and what they feel comfortable doing, and yarning with children about the steps they may need to take to achieve their goal.

It's hard to re-wire our adult brains away from the concern for a child's safety, but when we support children to understand the abilities and limitations of their own body, we empower them, facilitate skill development, and grow their brains!

It is completely natural to feel that sudden jolt of fear when you see a child climbing a little too high or balancing on an uneven edge. As parents and educators, our first instinct is to protect them from every possible bump and bruise because we care so deeply for their safety. However, when we say be careful, we might accidentally be stepping in the way of their most vital development - cerebellum development.

The cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for coordination, balance, and motor control, and it thrives on the data it receives during these moments of physical challenge.

When a child navigates a risk, their cerebellum is working hard to map their body in space and refine their movements so it makes less errors each time. If we always intervene or remove the challenge, we are actually denying that part of the brain the practice it needs to keep them safe in the long run.

Instead of letting fear take over, try to offer support through questions that prompt them to think. Asking a child where they plan to put their foot next or how their body feels in that position helps them build a lifelong skill for risk assessment.

You are not just preventing a fall today, you are giving their brain the tools to prevent falls tomorrow and into their adult future.

Real safety is about building a child who is capable and aware of their own body.

If you would like to explore more ways to use language to build resilience, you can find further guidance in my online risk management resources.

23/05/2026

Very privileged to spend time with Annette Sax (Taungurung) at Yarn Strong Sista and the Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network this morning on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung country.

Spending time with early childhood professionals looking to listen and learn, we told a communal story using the fabulous Spin A Yarn resource from Priscilla Reid Loynes (Gamilaraay) & Annette Sax, inspired by Annette’s birthday celebrations for her own children and the book Yurri’s birthday by Aunty Dr Sue Atkinson (Yorta Yorta) & illustrated by Annette.

We decolonised a small piece of Naarm (Melbourne) in the city reflecting upon what it was like hundreds of years ago, drawing together to reconnect the hard concrete surfaces back to country. Did you know that some eels still follow the traditional watercourses back to the sea, finding their way through pipes underneath Naarm? Amazing!

Ngun godjin to Annette for generously sharing her time with us today. We look forward to sharing our learnings with the team, children and families.