Beyond Early Learning Mt Gambier

Join us in congratulating Chloe on completing her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care!

This is a wonderful achievement and a testament to Chloe's dedication, hard work, and passion for supporting children and their learning every day.

Congratulations Chloe! We can't wait to see all that you'll continue to achieve! 🌱

Yesterday we celebrated National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day by connecting with nature and embracing the beauty of the world around us.

Our preschool children explored our garden to collect natural treasures before creating their own beautiful nature bracelets. Using leaves, flowers and other natural materials, the children expressed their creativity while developing a deeper appreciation for the land and the importance of caring for Country. 🌱

Today, as part of our Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum (KS-CPC), we were excited to welcome two local police officers to our service.

The visit focused on promoting the important message of 'Keeping Children Safe' and helping children explore the many ways police officers can help and support them. Through age-appropriate conversations and scenarios, the children learned about police as trusted community helpers and explored how they can seek help and stay safe in different situations.

Our Toddler and Preschool children also had the exciting opportunity to sit inside the police car and take a closer look at the vehicle that police officers use in their important work! 🚓

A Visit from the Dentist!

Today, we were excited to welcome a dentist and dental assistant from Limestone Coast Dental to Beyond Early Learning!

The visit provided our children with a wonderful opportunity to learn about oral health and begin building positive and familiar associations with visiting the dentist from an early age.

Having dental visits at the centre also makes things more convenient for families, helping to reduce the need to take time away from work or organise additional appointments.

It was a fantastic opportunity for our children to learn, ask questions and become more comfortable with the idea of looking after their teeth and visiting the dentist.

Wombat Stew 🦘📚

Recently, we welcomed the Mount Gambier Library for a special interactive reading experience. After enjoying the much-loved story Wombat Stew, the children worked collaboratively to create their own Wombat Stew, using their imaginations and ideas from the story.

This experience supported our literacy focus by building children’s oral language, vocabulary, listening and comprehension skills, while encouraging a love of books, storytelling and shared learning.

Today, the Harvest children ventured to the front garden of our Centre to plant some Bush Tucker plants, as they have recently been exploring ways to care for country.

The children made use of this time to use their senses to smell the plants, feel the dirt on their hands and make observations along the way. This also presented to be a beautiful opportunity for discussion amongst the children and educators.

Our Bush Tucker Garden is located in the front of our service, to ensure our families can enjoy it too! 🌱

Welcoming Xiaoli to Beyond 🌱

This week, we have welcomed our new Early Childhood Teacher, Xiaoli, to the Beyond team. Xiaoli holds a Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) and brings with her a strong passion for creating meaningful learning experiences for young children.

Xiaoli believes that educating and caring for children is both a privilege and a shared responsibility. She values working collaboratively with children, families, and educators to create environments where every child experiences a true sense of belonging, is treated with respect, and feels safe, valued, and supported to reach their full potential.

This week, as we celebrate NAIDOC Week 🖤💛❤️

Throughout the week, our children have been exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures through play, creativity and meaningful conversations.

Using sensory play, native animals, natural materials and educational resources featuring Aboriginal symbols, the children have been encouraged to ask questions, share their ideas and develop an appreciation for the many ways stories, knowledge and connections to Country can be shared.

At Beyond Early Learning, we are committed to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into our everyday program in ways that are respectful, authentic and meaningful. As we learn together on Boandik Country, we continue to foster curiosity, respect and appreciation for the world's oldest continuing cultures.

This year's NAIDOC Week theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," reminds us of the importance of nurturing children's understanding of First Nations histories, cultures and perspectives, while recognising the strength and knowledge passed down through generations.