Goodstart Early Learning Chelsea Heights

Ever had one of those "What should I be doing with my child?" moments? You might already have the answer at home.

Earlier this year, every Goodstart family received a What & When for Families guide for each child. If it's been tucked away in a drawer since then, now might be the perfect time to pull it back out.

The guide is packed with simple, play-based activities that support your child's learning and development at home. Best of all, it's written in your child's voice, with ideas tailored to their age and developmental stage.

From singing songs with babies and playing peek-a-boo, to "I Spy" games, storytelling and treasure hunts with older children, the activities are designed to fit naturally into everyday moments you already share together.

We know learning doesn't only happen in the classroom. Those small moments at home can help build big communication, language and literacy skills.

Take another look through your What & When for Families guide to explore age-appropriate activities and learning ideas you can try together.

💛 Sometimes the best learning resource is the one you already have at home.

Strong relationships are the foundation for confident, curious learners 💛

Goodstart’s key educator approach ensures every child is known, supported and feels safe - through consistent, nurturing connections with educators and meaningful partnerships with families. These bonds help build wellbeing, resilience and a true sense of belonging from day one.

Discover how this approach supports your child’s learning journey: https://brnw.ch/2

Did you know we invested $65.5M into our social purpose last year, a 14% increase on the year before? 👏 At Goodstart, we're proud of the impact we have on children, families and communities. As a not‑for‑profit, every dollar we earn is reinvested to improve outcomes – from high‑quality learning and educator development to extra support for children who need it most.
Because when we put children first, the impact goes further 💛

The research is clear 📚 reading aloud is one of the most powerful things we can do for our children.

When we read with a child, we’re doing far more than sharing a story. We’re building the foundations for language, confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.

Decades of research shows that children who are read to regularly:

💛 Build stronger language skills
Hearing rich varied language in books exposes children to far more words than everyday conversation alone. This growing vocabulary helps them understand, communicate and make sense of the world.

💛 Develop early literacy skills long before they learn to read
Through stories, children learn how books work – that print carries meaning, that pages turn left to right, and that stories have a beginning, middle and end. These early understandings make learning to read feel familiar and exciting.

💛 Strengthen phonological awareness
Rhymes, rhythms and playful sounds help children hear the building blocks of language.

💛 Grow their comprehension and thinking skills
Talking together about a story, predicting what might happen, wondering how a character feels, and connecting events to real life helps children develop memory, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking.

💛 Experience connection, comfort and joy
Shared reading fosters calmness, closeness, and moments of joint attention. These warm interactions support a child's sense of security and belonging.

Most importantly, children who experience positive, engaging reading moments from a young age are more likely to develop a genuine love of books - something that matters even more than early literacy skills alone.

Reading is simple, joyful, and sets children up for success in school and life.

Here is a list of some of our favourites below 👇

Congratulations to Yamuna, our wonderful 4yr old Kindergarten Teacher Assistant, for achieving her Full Teachers Registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching!

In Victoria, teachers are provisionally registered for 2 years after graduating with their teaching degree. As part of their pathway to becoming a fully registered teacher, they are required to demonstrate that they meet all 7 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the proficient level.

As you can imagine, much time and effort goes into the development of the necessary skills and knowledge to be considered a ‘proficient’ teacher.

We are very proud of the work you have done, Yamuna , to achieve your full registration. Our children are only going to benefit from your passion and dedication to quality education.

Please join us in congratulating Yamuna! 👏

Congratulations to Bianca, our wonderful 3yr old Kindergarten Teacher, for achieving her Full Teachers Registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching!

In Victoria, teachers are provisionally registered for 2 years after graduating with their teaching degree. As part of their pathway to becoming a fully registered teacher, they are required to demonstrate that they meet all 7 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the proficient level.

As you can imagine, much time and effort goes into the development of the necessary skills and knowledge to be considered a ‘proficient’ teacher.

We are very proud of the work you have done, Bianca, to achieve your full registration. Our children are only going to benefit from your passion and dedication to quality education.

Please join us in congratulating Bianca 👏

This week in our Nursery we have been acknowledging Reconciliation Week in ways that are meaningful and accessible for our young group. We have focused on introducing the children to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture through stories, music, art, and sensory play.

We have enjoyed reading stories, listening to Indigenous music, and singing our Acknowledgement of Country together. These moments help the children build familiarity and respect for the land and its Traditional Custodians.

The children explored painting with gum leaves using black, yellow, and red paint — the colours of the Aboriginal flag. We talked about what each colour represents and encouraged the children to notice the shapes and patterns they created.

Our playdough experiences included wooden tools engraved with Aboriginal symbols such as emu tracks, animal footprints, and spears, along with placemats showing symbols like man, meeting place, boomerang, and campfire. As the children explored, we talked with them about the meaning behind these symbols.

In sensory play, the children enjoyed running dyed chickpeas through their hands, noticing the colours and textures. We also added natural materials such as rocks painted with Aboriginal symbols and Australian animals to inspire dramatic play and conversations about our native wildlife.

Even our block play included Aboriginal symbols this week, giving the children more opportunities to explore culture through hands-on learning.