Playgroup Wildlife Explorers
Our Playgroup this week had an exciting visit from the Nature Ed program, where our littlest learners got to explore very closely and gently touch fascinating Australian animals. They felt the plates of a long-neck turtle’s shell, the rough skin of a blue-tongue lizard, the bumpy stump of a stumpy-tail, the soft spikes of a bearded dragon, and the smooth scales of a python. The highlight was feeding and watching a young bettong, as all the children felt its soft and delicate fur while the marsupial slowly fell back to sleep in the comfort of their strokes. This opportunity during Playgroup created a sensory experience that captivated their curiosity and introduced them to the wonder of native wildlife.
Kathy McCabe
ELC Teacher & Playgroup Coordinator
News from Learning Community 1
Unlocking Imagination: The Magic of Symbolic Play in Learning Community 1
The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education places a strong emphasis on symbolic play as a vital component of children’s development. Rooted in the philosophy that children are capable, competent, and active learners, Reggio Emilia sees symbolic play not just as a form of entertainment, but as a powerful tool for cognitive, social, and emotional growth.
Symbolic play helps children develop cognitive skills by encouraging them to think abstractly and solve problems. As young children engage in these imaginative scenarios with ‘junk’ materials, they begin to make connections between ideas, expand their vocabulary, and explore new concepts. This also supports the development of executive functions which are the skills we use to plan, organise, and make decisions.
This term, LC1 has been exploring creative ways to reuse and upcycle common household ‘rubbish’ like tissues boxes, scrap paper, cardboard tubes and more. Through these experiences, the children have actively engaged in symbolic play, fostering their discovery and imagination. The children have been retelling stories, building new cities, recreating cakes and party decorations all using recycled loose materials.
We recognise symbolic play as a powerful tool for unlocking each child’s full potential, providing them with the means to explore, understand, and interact with the world in meaningful and transformative ways.
By Kathy McCabe, Dot Kelly, Annabelle Redmond, Nell Tierney
Learning Community 1 Teachers
BOOK NOW! ELC End of Year Celebrations
Dear ELC Families,
We are delighted to invite you to our ELC End of Year Celebration on Friday 29 November.
Join us at the Jeffreys Linn Arts Centre at St Peter’s Girls’ School at 5.30pm for a Christmas concert performed by our ELC children. Singing will commence at 5.45pm.
Following this, families are invited to enjoy a picnic on the Chapel lawns (see map below). Children are invited to wear their Christmas party clothes to this event.
Please book by Monday 25 November, and pre-purchase any food and drink options by clicking the Book Now button below or visiting www.trybooking.com/CVEOB
This is a much-loved event, and we hope you enjoy the festivities and have a wonderful time. We look forward to sharing this special celebration with you and your family!
For further information about this event, please click here.
Kind regards,
Liz Schembri
Director of ELC
AnglicareSA Christmas Food Hamper Drive
Bookings Open for ELC Vacation Care
Dear ELC Families,
School holidays are around the corner, so if you would like your child to attend ELC during this time, please click here to access our online booking form.
ELC Vacation Care will run from 9 to 20 December 2024 and 6 to 28 January 2025. The Centre will be closed over the Christmas and New Year period, from 23 December 2024 to Friday 3 January 2025.
Our holiday planning builds and expands on the learning that has been happening across the term. Our Vacation Care leaders, Valentina Fernandes, LC1, and Catherine Jiang, LC2, plan closely with our Pedagogical Coordinator and classroom teachers so that they can implement engaging learning experiences that transition seamlessly into Vacation Care.
During Vacation Care, children are required to wear their ELC uniform to support consistency and continuity throughout the school year. Our ELC uniform provides a smart and cohesive look, simplifies the routine of getting dressed in the morning, and promotes a sense of belonging. Children will need to bring their own packed lunch, hat, water bottle, and a change of clothes each day. Due to allergies, we kindly ask that you do not pack nuts or nut products in your child’s lunch box. A healthy morning and afternoon tea and late snack will continue to be provided to children.
As ELC Vacation Care staffing and catering are based on bookings, please make your bookings by Thursday 5 December 2024 (Week 8). Due to limited spaces during ELC Vacation Care, please book early!
*Please note that ELC Vacation care is strictly for ELC-enrolled children.
Important Upcoming Dates
Friday 29 November: ELC End of Year Celebration
Monday 2 December: ELC Hat Ceremony
December 9 to 20: ELC Vacation Care commences
ELC will be closed from Monday 23 December 2024 until Friday 3 January 2025. The Centre will reopen on Monday 6 January 2025.
ELC Room Contacts
- Stonyfell – 8155 5778
- Bell Yett – 8155 5780
- Ferguson – 8155 5776
- Hallett – 8155 5775
- Pathway – 8334 2250