The Rainbow Family Centres For Children

National Simultaneous Storytime 2026

Beneath our beautiful tree, surrounded by autumn’s golden colours and the gentle rustling of leaves above us, we gathered together as a Rainbow family to take part in National Simultaneous Storytime.

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is a special Australia wide event that celebrates the joy of reading, literacy and storytelling. Children in childcare centres, schools, libraries and homes all across Australia come together to read the same story at the same time, creating one shared moment of connection through books.

This year we joined thousands of other book lovers across the country to enjoy Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller. Little eyes looked on with wonder, imaginations came alive and our beautiful outdoor space became the perfect place to slow down, connect and simply enjoy the joy of stories together.

There is something so special about sitting beneath a tree, watching children listen closely and seeing their love of books grow with every page turned.

Alongside experiences like National Simultaneous Storytime, our children also enjoy our much loved Story Suitcase, a special suitcase that brings a new book adventure into our environment each month, creating excitement, curiosity and opportunities to fall in love with stories again and again

At Rainbow, we know stories are more than words on paper. They build language, spark imagination, nurture belonging and create memories that stay with children long after the final page is read.

There’s something truly magical about the place we get to call home!

Lately, our days have been sprinkled with the most beautiful reminders of just how special our natural surroundings are. Our much loved swamp wallaby Buru, has been visiting us again… gently hopping through as if he belongs here (and really, he does ). And today as if nature wanted to surprise us even more, a majestic deer quietly wandered by to say hello.

What a privilege. What a gift. To share our days with wildlife like this is something we never take for granted.

Our backyard… oh, our backyard. It’s more than just a space, it’s a feeling. A place where the world slows down. Where the view stretches wide and peaceful. Where you can breathe deeply and feel calm wash over you. It’s relaxing, grounding, and honestly… a little bit divine.

And in true Rainbow fashion, we don’t just look at nature we live it, we explore it, we become part of it.

Today in our Imagination Station area alone…
Autumn leaves became the perfect hiding place for insects playing hide and seek.
Clay from our dam was used to draw, etch, mould and create.
Charcoal from recent back burning turned into tools for artistic expression.
And under our teepee, we read a book written and illustrated by us, inspired by Buru and our breathtaking surroundings

This is what childhood should feel like.
Messy hands. Wonder filled eyes. Stories shaped by real experiences.

A home away from home, where nature is our teacher, our playground, and our inspiration.

What a world!

At Rainbow all of our educators hold current safety certifications and recently, our entire team refreshed their First Aid and CPR training. And it got us thinking…

If this knowledge is so important for us,
then our children deserve the opportunity to learn it too.

Because children are capable.
Because they rise to the occasion.
And because learning how to help others is one of the most important lessons of all.

So, of course it was time to organise a First Aid Workshop for our children, with the wonderful Mary from First Aid For You.

The children didn’t just learn… they became helpers. We saw little hands confidently applying pressure to a “cut,” choosing jumpers and socks when a bandage wasn’t there. We heard giggles as they practised nosebleeds heads down, talking like minions (which they loved l). And in a powerful moment, they stood completely still like statues, understanding how to stay safe if bitten by a snake or spider.

Then came CPR…
Tiny fingers placed carefully, soft voices singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat as they practised helping someone in need. It was calm, focused, and honestly… a little bit incredible to watch.

At Rainbow Family Centres, we believe in meaningful, real life learning, the kind that builds confidence, empathy, and capability.

Because even the smallest hands can make the biggest difference.

There are moments that ask us to slow right down… to listen, to feel, to remember that we are not separate from the land, but a part of it.

For some time now, a quiet little wallaby has been visiting us.

At first, just a glimpse in the distance… but day by day, they have been coming closer. Braver. More trusting.

And today… they came right up to our back fence.

The children felt it before anything was said, their bodies softened, their voices quietened, and together we stood still. Watching. Listening. Sharing space.

The wallaby moved gently just beyond our fence line, pausing as if noticing us too… and in that moment, it didn’t feel like we were watching wildlife.

It felt like we were being invited into something deeper.

A connection to the land.
A reminder that this place holds life and stories beyond our own. The children experienced what it means to be in relationship with nature, not just observers of it.

In that moment, the children were gently learning what it means to truly connect, to slow their bodies, to move with care, and to feel a deep sense of respect and belonging within the world around them.

At Rainbow, our home away from home, these are the moments that ground us. Where children don’t just learn about nature they feel their place within it.

And today, on this land, we shared a quiet moment of belonging.

Today, a quiet, beautiful moment unfolded, one that speaks to the very heart of who we are at Rainbow.

A child sat drawing, carefully creating a picture of himself. Surrounding him, he added love hearts… one by one. When we gently asked about them, he shared that each heart represented all the special people in his life, including each of his educators.

What a true blessing it is to be trusted, to be included, and to hold such a special place in a child’s heart.

This is connection.
This is trust.
This is a child showing us, in the most genuine way, “These are my people.”

What we witnessed was something you cannot program, cannot rush, and cannot replicate for display. It comes from time, from consistency, from relationships built with genuine care.

It comes from children feeling truly at home.

At Rainbow, our environment is more than beautiful spaces, it is built on connection. Every interaction, every conversation, every small moment is an opportunity to nurture a child’s sense of belonging, identity, and emotional security.

To be included in a child’s “special circle” is not something we take lightly, it is something we earn through trust, respect, and love.

And when children feel this safe… this connected… this loved…
you see it in the most beautiful ways.

In their confidence.
In their sense of belonging.
And sometimes… in the love hearts they draw.