YMCA Early Learning

At our Kororoit Creek Centre, we proudly celebrated National Reconciliation Week earlier this month through meaningful learning experiences that honoured and explored the cultures, histories and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Throughout the week, educators intentionally designed rich, engaging, and culturally responsive environments that sparked curiosity, encouraged thoughtful conversations and inspired reflection. These experiences provided children with opportunities to deepen their understanding of reconciliation, respect, and inclusion, while recognising the significance of Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land.

Children across all rooms participated in a diverse range of age-appropriate experiences that celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Through creative art experiences, storytelling, music, discussions, and hands on learning opportunities, children explored important cultural symbols, traditions, and ways of knowing, being, and doing. These experiences encouraged children to ask questions, share their ideas, and develop an appreciation for the richness and diversity of First Nations cultures.

Children at our Derrimut Centre were excited to borrow some new books from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC).

The LMERC provides a wide range of high-quality resources that support cultural inclusion, diversity, language development and literacy learning.These books will help enrich our learning experiences by introducing the children to different cultures, perspectives, stories and ways of life. Through shared reading, storytelling, discussions, and inquiry-based learning, the children will have opportunities to build their literacy skills, expand their vocabulary, develop empathy, and gain a deeper appreciation for the diverse world around them.

We look forward to exploring these stories together and seeing how they inspire the children's curiosity, creativity, and conversations throughout the term.

What incredible hands-on experiences for our Mernda and Epping North kinder children with a visit from Museums Victoria! 🌿🦖🦉🐨

At Mernda, presenter Ollie introduced taxidermy in a child-friendly way, teaching the children about wildlife, habitats and conservation. The children uncovered fascinating facts, like the blue-tongue lizard’s defence mechanism, platypuses laying eggs, and even giggled at how baby koalas eat their parent’s poo to build healthy tummies! 🐨 The children explored possums, echidnas, and the boobook owl, listened to animal sounds, and joined imaginative bush walks. A highlight was their gentle interaction with real animal specimens, showing care and curiosity. They also learned about ancient megafauna like Diprotodon, sparking awe for Australia’s prehistoric past.

At Epping North, the children were captivated with a dinosaur skeleton and fossilised bones. They learned terms like carnivores and herbivores, explored dinosaur features, and discussed extinction and Earth’s changes over millions of years. Comparing dinosaur habitats to today’s environments inspired rich conversations and imaginative ideas.

Both incursions inspired curiosity, storytelling and thoughtful questions.

A huge thank you to Museums Victoria for bringing science, discovery, and wonder into our learning spaces🌿

At our Lightning Reef Centre we pride ourselves on teaching children about healthy food choices.

We offer nutritious meals prepared by our Chef daily.

Foodshare is also available every week to families that may need some additional support in grocery items and ideas for healthy lunchboxes and nutritious recipes.

We also have a dental program each year that provides families with the option of having children’s teeth checked by a dental technician at the service.

Last week, the children in our kindergarten room at our Derrimut Centre enjoyed an exciting and engaging incursion led by one of our kindergarten parents, who works as a nurse.

She spent time with the children sharing information about her important role in helping people and children feel better when they are unwell.

During the visit, she read a book about the human body and explained how our bodies contain bones and muscles that help us move and grow. The children also learned about the importance of eating healthy foods to keep their bodies strong and healthy. In addition, she spoke about personal hygiene and how good hygiene practices help us stay well.

The children had the opportunity to explore some of the tools nurses use in their work. They were especially excited to use a stethoscope to listen to their heartbeats. They also participated in a hands-on activity where they helped an injured teddy bear get better by carefully applying bandages and Band-Aids.

It was a wonderful and enjoyable learning experience that helped the children develop an understanding of community helpers, particularly nurses and the valuable role they play in caring for others.
We thank our parent volunteer for sharing her time, knowledge and experiences with the children.

At our Taylors Hill Centre we read the story “Chicken’s Not the Only One” and began exploring animals that lay eggs. During group discussions, we learned that some animals lay one egg while others lay many. The children shared their understanding through drawing, painting, and creating nests with eggs using clay.

Together, we created a poster to support their learning, which the children often revisit to look at images of different egg-laying animals. They have been engaging in meaningful conversations about these animals and incorporating their knowledge into dramatic and outdoor play.

The kinder children at our Derrimut Centre have begun their exciting school transition visits to nearby Derrimut Primary School!

These visits are a wonderful opportunity for the children to explore their new school environment, build confidence, and start forming connections within their local community.

It’s a fun and meaningful step in helping them feel ready and excited as they prepare to begin their school journey next year.

At our Derrimut Centre, we had a very exciting visit from a police officer!

The children were thrilled to try on parts of the police officer's uniform and step into the role themselves.

They loved learning about how to keep their bodies safe, look after others and what to do if they ever need to contact the police. It was such a fun and meaningful experience for everyone!

Special thank you to our local police station and team for all their time and support and for the critical work they do in the community.

"Hidden gem."

That was how Lauren Kathage MP described our Mernda Early Learning Centre after spending time with the team last week.

Lauren took the time to learn how we've applied the Victorian Government's Building Blocks Inclusion Grant funding, and how First Nations culture is embedded in the daily learning environment.

Mernda ELC is an important community asset. A place where children build confidence, families form trusted relationships, and educators help create the social fabric around them.

That work is happening at a time when the early learning sector needs support. Services are carrying real pressure, and it is important government stays close to the people, places and families at the centre of that work.

Early education helps set children up for everything that follows.

Thank you Lauren for making the time.