Bush Preschool

We have started our Bush Preschool program for the year. We have spent the beginning of the term learning about the expectations, the safety rules and visiting the small bush site beside the New Life Presbyterian Church. We learnt about base camp, snake safety, boundaries and returning to base camp when you hear 3 whistles or the drum.

During weeks 5 & 6 the beginning and end of week pre-schoolers then did an amazing job walking (about 1 km each way) to and from our Moncrieff Bush Preschool site. At Bush Preschool we saw some kangaroos, dug in the dirt, found ant nests, climbed trees, played in a bush shelter (which had been built on the site prior to us getting there), built new shelters, found interesting leaves, bark, sticks, insects, and other creatures. I wonder what we will discover and learn about next time we go?

Thank you to Patty and Erin for coming on our first Bush Preschool adventure for the year and for helping us to further embed Indigenous perspectives into the Bush Preschool program. Thank you also to our parent volunteers.

Reconciliation Week

The beginning of week preschool children attended their first whole school assembly to celebrate Reconciliation Week. The educators are very proud of them for walking down quietly and waiting patiently to be seated quietly in the hall. The children watched the presentations respectfully and clapped at the appropriate times.

Once we returned to preschool, we participated in activities run by Gungahlin Child and Family Centre, Libraries ACT and Each. They provided fruit, vegemite scrolls and muffins for morning tea. YUM! We sang and danced with guest musician Johnny Huckle who played the Wombat Wobble and other songs. We created a joint handprint artwork on canvas. We listened to the story ‘Somebody’s Land’ By Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing and David Hardy and replicated the Aboriginal flag on a map of Australia. We made animals out of playdough and craft items. The children did a great job listening to the instructions throughout the morning and visiting each other’s classrooms to engage in the activities.