The Little Shepherds Family Daycare Schofields

The sun was shining today as we resumed our favorite community tradition: a visit to Galungara Park and sports grounds! It was the perfect opportunity for the children to test their "big motor skills" across the wide-open green fields. From bowling and skipping ropes to balancing on the rope line, the energy and focus were truly inspiring to watch. We moved from the sports games to the slides and giant sandpit, allowing every child to explore their physical limits with confidence. It was wonderful to see our "Little Shepherds" interacting so naturally with the world beyond our gates. After a morning of high-energy play, we returned home for a calm afternoon of reflection and creative drawing. What a beautiful, active day to remember!

Celebrating Harmony Week: Our "Postcard" Gallery
To kick off Harmony Week at the Little Shepherds, we took a moment to celebrate our own community!
In a world full of screens, we went "old-school" and created a gallery of printed, tangible postcards for the children to explore. There is something truly special about a child being able to hold a memory in their hands, feel the texture, and pass it to a friend. These "postcards" captured our favourite moments of play, learning, park visits, and quiet relaxation. It was a beautiful way to promote the values of Harmony, Care, and Connection that we cherish every day.
It was heartwarming to watch the children: Chat about their favourite memories. Describe the scenes to their peers. Share the photos, reinforcing that sense of belonging and "Everyone Belongs" that Harmony Day is all about.
The Friendship Air Balloon Creative highlight was crafting our "Friendship Air Balloon." This wasn't just an art project; it was a reflection on how we share our space, our time, and our smiles.
Rising Together: We talked about how we are all riding "up in the air" in the same basket. To keep our balloon flying high, we need to provide care and support for one another. It was a wonderful visual way for the children to see themselves as part of a united team.
When we see ourselves in our environment, we feel valued, connected, and home. Happy Harmony Week to all our families!

Culture, Sea Creatures & Cooling Down at the the Little Shepherds

What a meaningful day of discovery we’ve had! We kicked off our morning by diving into Lunar New Year traditions. Our little learners transformed our play space into a "Chinese Restaurant," practicing their fine motor skills with chopsticks and watching an educational story about the beautiful customs of the festival.

Building & Connecting

Before heading outside, the mat area was buzzing with creativity! Our block play station became a hub for sharing and collaboration. It was wonderful to see the children negotiating space, sharing pieces, and working together to build structures before we transitioned to our group storytime.

As the sun came out, we headed outdoors to beat the heat with some serious water exploration:

Ocean World: A sensory hit! The children explored real seashells, listened for "whale sounds," and learned all about amazing sea creatures.
Wavy Sea Science: We turned the water troughs into a bubbly experiment! Adding soap to create "big waves" was the perfect mix of science, sensory play, and giggles.
Mud Kitchen Teamwork: The mud kitchen remains the place to be! It was wonderful to see the children forming "cooking teams," practicing turn-taking, and serving up imaginative feasts.
From our early arrivals to our after-school crew, today was all about sharing ideas, attention, and a sense of belonging.

Hello everyone!

As we continue our journey through the year, we are so enjoying the process of learning about one another. Every day is an opportunity to help each other grow, play, and learn together as a community

From Garden to Table: Our Potato Harvest!
What a special day at the Little Shepherds! Almost two months ago, our little gardeners planted potatoes, and today was finally the big "dig"!
The children were filled with pride as they discovered our harvest. We turned it into a true sustainable learning experience: Step 1: Digging and discovering how food grows. Step 2: Cooking our baby potatoes with a touch of butter and spring onion. Step 3: Sharing a delicious meal we grew together!
Between our potato feast and getting creative with Christmas arts and crafts, it has been a day full of joy, teamwork, and yummy memories.
We are so proud of our "busy builders" and "young chefs." Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for our very last day of the year!

Discovering Dharug Birds
What a fascinating week of exploration we've had at the Little Shepherds as we dove into Project: Dharug Birds!
The children transformed into junior ornithologists, actively engaged in learning amazing facts about our local feathered friends right here on Dharug Country.
We used a variety of mediums to learn: captivating books, educational videos, posters and hands-on activities. They explored avian anatomy, learned to identify different bird calls, and discovered why certain local birds like the vibrant Rosella and the busy Kookaburra are so unique to our environment.
Their creativity took flight during the art and craft session, inspired by their love for the 'Owl Babies' book! The children enthusiastically chose to craft Owls, using a wonderful mix of textures and materials to create their own unique feathered friends. This activity was a great way to work on fine motor skills and connect their literacy experience to hands-on creation.
We love bringing the richness of our local environment into their daily education!

Little Farmers at The Little Shepherds!
Our young gardeners have been busy checking on the potatoes and basil, observing how much they’ve grown!
Through caring for our plants, children are developing patience, responsibility, and curiosity about how things grow. Each day brings new discoveries — we can’t wait for harvest time

Active Morning at The Little Shepherds!
Today we made the most of the morning before the heat set in, heading to our local sports grounds and park for a fun and energetic session!
Children practiced their fundamental motor skills — kicking balls, rolling games, balancing along ropes, and dribbling through cones.
Afterward, we enjoyed some extra fun at the park — sliding down the big slide, bouncing on the in-ground trampoline, swinging high on the swings, and digging happily in the sand pit. So much laughter, teamwork, and movement!
A wonderful way to build strength, coordination, and confidence through play!

Science Week at the Little Shepherds FDC
What an amazing week of hands-on discovery!
Our young scientists explored the magic of science through exciting experiments - making Lava Lamps, creating Rain and Snow, pumping balloons with soda water, and watching a Volcano erupt! We investigated Magnet Power, learned about Weight using scales and worksheets, and even explored the fascinating Sounds of a synthesiser and other virtual instruments through app. Dipping hands in the Playdough science was also fun and quite scientific! Throughout it all, we celebrated belonging, curiosity, and the joy of discovery - proving that learning can be as fun as it is educational. Here’s to curious minds, joyful hearts, and discoveries that make learning shine!

Hello everyone!
We had another lovely day at Little Shepherds, wrapping up a wonderful week filled with creativity, learning, and joyful moments. So many things were achieved and celebrated – from our vibrant Art Studio sessions and Dreamtime Storytelling, to a hands-on pizza-making experience, a fun excursion to the local park, music and movement, and beautiful moments of valuable socio-dramatic play.
As a follow-up to yesterday’s Dreamtime Storytelling, we offered children props to either retell the original story or create their own. It was a delight to see how meaningful this provocation was for them. They collaborated over the theme, remembered Aboriginal words, and sequenced the story beautifully – truly amazing!
Larysa led a thoughtful group time, celebrating our sense of belonging and revisiting our Calendar routine. This was followed by a family book about making pizza, which inspired the children to roll up their sleeves and get involved in a hands-on experience. The session ended with a delicious pizza tasting, we all thoroughly enjoyed – well done, everyone!
Our visit to Galungara Park was another fantastic group event. The weather was lovely, and the children became active explorers of the obstacle course, slide, trampoline, swings, and more. It was wonderful to see their energy and enthusiasm in such a stimulating outdoor environment.
The afternoon flowed peacefully, with children enjoying the freedom to move between indoor and outdoor play areas. Many stopped by the charcoal drawing table, created their own play, and shared smiles and ideas with friends.
Wishing you all a lovely afternoon and a great weekend ahead!
See you next week with more news! Kind regards, Oleg and Larysa

As part of our ongoing participation in the Munch & Move program, today’s excursion to the park was a real highlight! We focused on physical activity, teamwork, individual achievement, and free outdoor play, giving children the chance to explore the park’s space and equipment. The children were fully engaged and energised, enjoying the activities, achieving new outcomes, and making the most of the lovely weather in the company of friends!

We are in a cold season now, with all the colours and changes observed, with leaves turning vibrant shades and falling gently, crisp air filling our lungs, and children becoming curious observers of the shifting world around them …
Today, we spoke with the children about ways to keep our hands and bodies warm during these cold days. A book about sheep and shearing sparked their curiosity, which we supported through a tactile experience. The children explored a real wool jumper, gloves, Ugg slippers, a cozy woolly socks and hat, and even a ball of knitting wool. One of the most exciting ways we found to warm up our hands was through a drumming session! The children dove into a world of rhythm, taking the lead in exploring different beats with support from educators. It became a joyful celebration of music, movement, and belonging. The children also thoroughly enjoyed a creative woolly art activity, where they had the opportunity to collage with a variety of wool threads. They explored different textures, colours, and lengths of wool, carefully arranging them into unique and imaginative patterns. This hands-on experience not only sparked their creativity but also deepened their understanding of wool as a natural material, connecting beautifully to our earlier discussions about sheep and shearing.