Stepping Stones Early Learning Centre, Bexley

This week we celebrated the incredible milestone of Chantelle’s 10-year anniversary at Stepping Stones! 🤍

Over the past decade, Chantelle has demonstrated unwavering dedication, resilience, and commitment to our team, children, and families. She is a mentor, a leader, and an inspiration to those around her.

While much of what Chantelle does happens behind the scenes, her tireless efforts, passion, and pursuit of excellence help ensure our service continues to provide the highest quality care and education every day.

Congratulations on 10 amazing years at Stepping Stones, Chon. We are so grateful for everything you do and are a much better place because of you. Here’s to celebrating this incredible achievement and many more milestones to come!

Today we celebrate the tradition of Mother’s Day and all the special people who fill children’s lives with love, care and support.

Mother’s Day is not only about mums. It is about every person who nurtures, encourages, comforts, guides and stands beside us through life’s journey. Grandmothers, aunties, carers, stepmums, family friends and all those important people who help shape a child’s world deserve to be celebrated today.

Thank you for the countless moments of kindness, patience, reassurance and unconditional love you give so freely. The connections children build with the people around them help create a sense of belonging, security and confidence that lasts a lifetime.

Today we celebrate all those very special people who contribute to the lives of our children and community in meaningful ways. Your love and support never go unnoticed.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible people who help children feel safe, valued and deeply loved.

In the lead up to ANZAC Day, our Dyaramak children have been exploring the meaning and significance of this important day within our Australian community. Through thoughtful discussions and shared experiences, they developed an understanding of remembrance, respect and honour.

As part of this learning, the children worked together to create a commemorative ANZAC wreath. Today, a small group travelled into our local community to respectfully lay the wreath at the cenotaph at Bexley RSL.

Our journey included catching a local bus, observing our surroundings, and engaging in meaningful conversations along the way. At the RSL, the children explored the memorial, noticing the plaques and symbols that honour those who have served. With care and guidance, they laid the wreath as a gesture of respect and reflection.

We were warmly welcomed by the RSL team, who acknowledged the children’s contribution to the ANZAC Day commemorations and proudly displayed our wreath.

Experiences like this support children to build a sense of belonging and connection to their community, while developing an understanding of significant cultural and historical events in an age-appropriate way.

Lest we forget 🌺

What began as a simple act of kindness has grown into a tradition that sits at the very heart of our Stepping Stones community.

For many years now, our families and educators have come together to support the incredible women and children at Phoebe House and once again, the generosity shown this year has left us truly humbled.

Each donation represents more than a gift. It’s a reminder to the families at Phoebe House that they are seen, supported and surrounded by a community that cares deeply about their journey forward. From thoughtfully chosen presents to handwritten cards and drawings created by our children, every contribution was filled with love and intention.

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our Stepping Stones families and educators, we were able to deliver carloads of gifts, each one carrying hope, dignity and a little extra Christmas magic.

Phoebe House has been supporting women and children for over 30 years, providing a safe, nurturing environment where families can rebuild, grow and move forward with confidence. We are incredibly proud to continue standing beside them year after year.

To our families and educators, thank you for modelling compassion, generosity and community for our children.
This is what it truly means to give from the heart.

What an incredible milestone! Today we proudly celebrated our graduating class in the beautiful Hazelhurst Gallery Theatre surrounded by family, friends, educators, and so much love.

We watched each child’s journey unfold on screen, from their very first day with us to the confident, capable little people they’ve become. There were smiles, tears, cheers… and so many heart-filling moments as we reflected on just how far they’ve come.

One of the most meaningful parts of today’s celebration was giving the children the classroom phone and allowing them to capture moments of the day through their own eyes. The photos tell a story only children can tell, full of excitement, wonder, friendship, and joy. Next week, we’ll come together as a group to look through the images they captured, reflect on our year, and discuss how we can make next year’s celebration even better for future graduates. Their photos will become our reflection tool child-led, authentic and powerful.

A highlight of today’s celebration was the group retelling of “Not a Stick,” confidently performed and illustrated by the children. Their creativity shone, showing us how imagination flourishes when children are trusted to lead, explore, and express themselves freely.

To our graduates, we are so proud of you.
Thank you for filling our days with curiosity, laughter, learning and joy. As you step into big school, may you continue to dream boldly, question curiously, and carry the confidence you’ve built with you always.

Here’s to new adventures, new friends and the next chapter ✨
Congratulations Class of 2025! 🎉💫

“We believe our Educators are our most precious resource” - SS Philosophy

On Educators day we celebrated the eleven shining stars of Stepping Stones. Each and every day, our Educators bring their heart and soul into their job of providing quality education and care to the children in their care, a most honourable role that they dedicate themselves to each day.

Our team of superstars were greeted by handwritten messages of appreciation written by families, before walking down the Stepping Stones ‘walk of fame’ - a star for each of our shining stars.

Then, our Educators were treated to a 1 hour picnic lunch at the park in their room teams - the most perfect opportunity to spend uninterrupted, quality time relaxing and connecting with each other.

We are so grateful for the passion, love, and care that our shining stars bring to their roles everyday. Educators truly are real life superheroes 🦸‍♀️⭐️

The 10th Annual International Art in Early Childhood Conference
Wollongong, Australia – University of Wollongong

What an unforgettable 3-day celebration of culture, creativity, and connection. Held on Dharawal Country, the conference began with a moving cultural interlude and Acknowledgement of Country by Aunty May, setting a tone of deep respect, reflection, and unity. Brought to Australia for the very first time by an incredible team of organisers, this global event has previously been hosted in inspiring locations such as Cyprus, New Zealand, and Canada – and this year, Wollongong shone brightly as the heart of early childhood visual arts education.

With presenters from across the world, the conference was rich in practice and perspective:
• Dr Margaret Brooks, founder of the Art in Early Childhood Association, led a powerful charcoal workshop exploring children’s mark-making and thinking.
• Dr Lea Mai shared insights The City School and ELC International Schools, Bangkok, showing how environments provoke artistic identity.
• Brooke Bailey offered an inspiring deep dive into visual arts in daily practice.
• Kei Kihara (Japan) explored wellbeing through musical instrument making. Across the sessions, from gallery visits and art-making spaces to child exhibitions and storytelling around the family table, one thing was clear: relationships are the heartbeat of early childhood art practice. Connections—like daisy chains—are delicate, intentional, and beautifully crafted.

From charcoal to clay, paper to fabric, sound to silence—this conference nurtured the artistic spirit of educators and elevated the voices of children as artists and thinkers.

To every presenter, organiser, artist-in-residence Lyle R. Sam (Soul Rain), and the community that made this momentous event possible—thank you for weaving together a rich tapestry of inspiration, theory, and heart.