Early Years Learning Hub

13/10/2026

New episode- Professional learning tapas- How play-based curriculum ‘emerges’

In this episode of the Early Years Learning Hub podcast, Jacqui Ward delves into the nuances of planning a curriculum that truly resonates with children's interests. She highlights a fundamental challenge many educators face: transforming children's natural interests into structured learning outcomes.
To listen go to: https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/podcast/
To watch go to: https: https://youtu.be/YWbHX3QFdKM

In this episode we explore planning effectively from children’s int...

12/10/2026

Are you starting to think and about or already ‘knee deep’ in writing Transition to School Statements and like some help to streamline the process? Why not complete our self-paced online course, which includes some great wording prompts for each learning outcomes and some great intentional strategies as well. Go to:
https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/transition-to-school/

09/10/2026

New blog- What transition to school does and doesn't look like
This blog is all about encouraging teachers, educators and leaders in early childhood services and schools to consider the evidence around the importance of getting transition to school right. It debunks old school thinking around being ‘ready’ for school and shifts the focus to working to in partnership to achieve great things! Read now at:
https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/2026/10/09/what-transition-to-school-does-and-doesnt-look-like/

08/10/2026

Practice sharing- Making learning visible for families
Jacqui here from the Early Years Learning Hub sharing and example of a message I sent to families about cooking pasta with children. I try to use language with families that can connect with while still emphasizing links to the early Years Learning Framework and play and inquiry-based learning.

‘STEM/ Cooking:
We had a rich day of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) learning today, in particular the chemistry behind cooking pasta and making play dough. We also harvested another lot of spinach and so we cooked it and added it too our pasta. Throughout these experiences the children learned:
- following a recipe (instructional text)
- recognising numbers and counting
- sequencing and recall of the method
- hypothesising about why the volume of spinach decreased when it was cooked
- strategies to use if a substance was too liquid
- the reaction of mixing, kneading and rolling the dough
- uses rollers to make the pasta long and flat and moving the rollers closer together to make it thinner
- clamps and handles help make machinery stable and the mechanism work
- strength and speed were needed to make the rollers and cutters work best.
Everyone loved the pasta, most had it with cheese and had seconds, thirds and fourths. Child x asked for the recipe, so here it is: Lots of cooked spinach
3 eggs 2
-3 cups of flour (2 cups with no spinach, the spinach made it a very wet pasta)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of water I use a food processor to mix the dough and manual pasta maker to roll and cut the pasta into fettuccine.
Give it a go at home!’
For more information on what to teach and how to teach it go to:
https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/early-childhood-curriculum-and-pedagogy/

07/10/2026

The feedback was clear our journals really are a one stop shop for everything you need to do in an education and care service!
Are you interested in having a journal/ diary that helps you be more organised, efficient and achieve all the things you need to do? Then the Early Years Learning Hub Whole service communication, reflection and planning journal is for you! This journal helps you to be organised, prioritise critical reflection and plan for learning, leadership,continuous improvement- all in the one place. It has no set dates and so you can start working with it at any point in the year. Get your copy today!

This journal promises to be a game changer in helping early childhood and school age care services to be organised, efficient and effective in all aspects of service operation. It can be used individually by teachers, educators and leaders as an effective tool to support critical reflection, assessm...

01/10/2026

NEW RESOURCE AVAILABLE NOW!
We are excited to launch the new Critical reflection card sets. These cards are aimed at scaffolding educators to authentically critically reflect on all aspects of a particular topic. Challenging educators to think deeply, analyse their practice and make improvements. The topics we have published so far include:
• Assessment and planning
• Critical reflection
• Guiding and supporting behaviours
• Intentional teaching
• Inclusive practice
• Play-based learning
• Supporting children with a disability
You can purchase these sets as a soft or hard copy resource. Browse the range today:

Just getting started in early education? Discover tools and resources to kickstart your career the right way and make an impact in the classroom.

29/09/2026

New episode- Unpacking theory and research- Block play
This episode is about the value of block play and the amazing learning happening when children engage in block play. Our guest speaker is Jo Grimmond, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, School of Education, Charles Strurt University. We discuss the complex mathematical concepts, social skills and creative thinking skills that children are developing when they build with blocks.
To listen go to: https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/podcast/
To watch go to: https://youtu.be/wbTh9q6X338

This episode is about the value of block play and the amazing learn...

28/09/2026

Are you attending this year’s ECA conference? Pop in and visit us at stand 86 and go in the draw to win a free $50 course.

23/09/2026

We are celebrating because our podcast has reached 10 750 plays and downloads! If you haven’t already listened to our amazing catalogue of episodes, go to: https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/podcast/
Or you can watch via our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/-q3l

21/09/2026

Effective, evidence based transitions: https://earlyyearslearninghub.com.au/transition-to-school/