Rising Sun family Day Care

Crocodile Painting with Green Paint 🐊🎨

Children enjoyed painting crocodile templates using different shades of green paint to represent the crocodile's natural colouring. As they explored the paint, they used brushes and various painting techniques to add texture and detail to their artwork.

This creative experience supported the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration while encouraging self-expression and imagination. Children also discussed the features of crocodiles and their habitats, extending their knowledge of these fascinating reptiles.

The activity provided a fun and engaging way for children to celebrate World Crocodile Day while creating their own unique crocodile masterpieces.

World Crocodile Day – June 17, 2026 🐊

World Crocodile Day is celebrated globally each year on June 17 to raise awareness of these fascinating ancient reptiles, the threats they face in the wild, and the importance of conservation efforts.

To mark the occasion, children were invited to explore a slimy crocodile swamp sensory play experience. Filled with ooey, gooey textures, this engaging environment encouraged sensory exploration, imaginative play, and hands-on discovery.

Using crocodile figures and natural materials, children created their own swamp habitats, recreated crocodile behaviours, and engaged in open-ended play. Through sensory, exploratory, and manipulative experiences, they developed creativity, language and communication skills, fine motor coordination, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

This fun and messy learning experience provided children with an opportunity to investigate, imagine, and connect with these incredible creatures while engaging all of their senses

Rainbow Fish Activity🐠

Extending on our ocean theme and the children's interest in drawing rainbows 🌈, the children created their own Rainbow Fish using colourful stamp roller paints.

This hands-on art experience encouraged children to explore colours, patterns, and creative expression while making connections between their interests and the learning environment. The children enjoyed experimenting with the roller paints to create vibrant and unique rainbow fish designs.

Learning Outcomes:
✔ Connecting with children's interests and ideas
✔ Developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
✔ Building a sense of achievement and confidence
✔ Providing opportunities for creativity and self-expression
✔ Encouraging imagination and artistic exploration

The children were proud of their colourful creations and enjoyed sharing their artwork with their peers and educators.

Drawing

Drawing allows children the freedom to express and communicate their ideas and imagination creatively. Drawing activities help enhance children's fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they learn to hold and control crayons with increasing confidence and skill.

Children explore their senses through drawing as they experience different textures and materials. Drawing also broadens children's communication skills by providing another way to express their feelings, thoughts, ideas, and unique perspectives. Through their artwork, children can demonstrate a range of emotions, thoughts, and experiences.

Today, the children chose to draw rainbows. They used their imagination to create colourful artwork, selecting different colours and experimenting with shapes and patterns. The activity encouraged creativity, self-expression, and confidence while supporting the development of important fine motor skills.

🌊🐠 World Oceans Day 🐠🌊

This week, our children explored the wonders of the ocean through a hands-on sensory and loose parts play experience. They discovered a variety of sea creatures, coral reefs, shells, sand, and ocean habitats while engaging their imagination and creativity.

Through play, the children developed their language skills by naming sea animals, discussing where they live, and sharing their ideas with friends. We also used ocean-themed slime to extend the sensory experience, encouraging exploration and curiosity. As children manipulated the slime and other materials, they strengthened their fine motor muscles and coordination.

This meaningful experience inspired curiosity about marine life and helped children learn the importance of caring for our oceans and protecting the environment for future generations. 🌎💙

National Road Safety Week 2026

In recognition of National Road Safety Week 2026, the children participated in a Traffic Light Colour Matching activity. They revised the colours red, yellow, and green while learning what each colour represents in relation to road safety.

This engaging activity promoted colour recognition, sorting skills, fine motor development, and pincer grip strength. Colour-sorting experiences are a valuable way to support preschool children's early learning, helping to build foundational skills for reading, mathematics, and problem-solving.

The activity also encouraged the development of hand-eye coordination, while providing opportunities for discussion, questioning, and exploration of road safety concepts. Through these interactions, children strengthened their language and communication skills, expanded their vocabulary, and practised expressing their ideas and understanding.

Experiences such as this support children's overall development, enhance their academic readiness, and help build important skills for a successful transition to kindergarten. 🚦🔴🟡🟢

⚫🟡🔴 National Reconciliation Week

🍃 Leaf Painting – Reconciliation Week Experience

At the heart of Reconciliation is the strengthening of relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. It is a time to come together to acknowledge and respect the histories, cultures, and contributions of Australia's First Peoples, while working towards a more inclusive future. Reconciliation encourages us to value culture, recognise Traditional Custodians of Country, deepen our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, and foster respect and connection within our communities.

During this week, we focused on Indigenous culture through experiences that incorporated Indigenous symbols, people, native Australian animals, and plants. Children were invited to participate in a variety of meaningful activities that encouraged exploration, creativity, and cultural awareness.

As part of our Reconciliation Week celebrations, the children participated in a leaf painting activity. A selection of leaves with different colours, textures, and shapes was provided for the children to explore and use in their artwork.

Using cotton buds and paint, the children created their own unique designs inspired by nature. They appeared happy, calm, and highly engaged throughout the experience, demonstrating creativity and self-expression while experimenting with colours and patterns.

RECONCILIATION WEEK 2026

EXPLORING ABORIGINAL SYMBOLS

Extending our reconciliation week activities with an opportunity to connect with Indiginous Australians through symbols.
There's no written language for Australian Aboriginal People so in order to convey their important cultural stories through the generations it is portrayed by symbols through their artwork.
Symbols are traditionally used as an important part of contemporary Aboriginal art. The older children used the symbols to tell a story.
Although my group are very young, offering cultural activities, children are learning through recognition; visual representations of Australian cultures. Children had opportunity to explore symbols through tracing using pebbles.

Sensory activities facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore.

Reconciliation Week 2026🖤💛❤️

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.

We celebrated Reconciliation Week with indigenous storytelling, sensory play, and craft activity at our
RISING SUN FAMILY DAY CARE .
Today, as part of Reconciliation Week, children explore a special sensory play experience and learn about the environment, native animals, and Indigenous culture. We began by gathering a variety of natural materials, such as leaves, logs, dirt, twigs, and stones, to create a sensory bin that resembled a mini indoor habitat.

Sensory play is the natural activity of children, which allows them the sheer pleasure of just being. Yet, even the immersive experience of play incorporates different ways the child understands and explores their surrounding world.

🖤💛❤️ National Sorry Day ❤️💛🖤

National Sorry Day has been observed each year on May 26 since 1998. It is a day of reflection and remembrance, honouring the Stolen Generations — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were separated, often forcibly, from their families, communities, and culture.

Sorry Day provides an important opportunity to help children develop an understanding of Australia’s history, acknowledge the injustices of the past, and recognise the significance of the National Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A powerful symbol of remembrance is the Native Hibiscus, also known as the Desert Rose or Native Cotton. Chosen by the Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation, this flower represents the resilience, strength, and survival of the Stolen Generations. Its purple colour symbolises compassion and spiritual healing, while the flower itself reflects beauty and endurance, even in the harshest conditions.

To support children in connecting with the meaning of the day, they explored their creativity through sponge painting using hibiscus flower templates. Through art and discussion, the children were encouraged to express their understanding and appreciation of this important day of reflection and healing.