Nina Marni beautiful little learners and their wonderful families. Welcome to our weekly blog.
Exploring Our Community: Learning Through Connection and Curiosity
Regular community walks around the school grounds offer rich opportunities for connection, discovery, and shared learning.
Walking together strengthens social bonds and fosters a sense of belonging within the broader school community. As children walk, talk, and explore alongside their peers and Teachers, they are learning to collaborate, share observations, and care for the world around them. These small, meaningful journeys are foundational to developing a lifelong appreciation for nature, community, and the joy of shared exploration.
| Learning Intention: 1 To continue to develop children’s cutting and pasting skills using a range of natural and “human-made” materials. (Seasonal changes are an ideal outlet for children to express ideas, thoughts and wonder’s?) Why? Cutting and pasting activities for children have many benefits. For example, cutting and pasting can help the development of fine motor skills. They can cut images, shapes and drawings and paste them. Crafting images (LP: IP, OC, MS, AL, EP, ET, JV, KO, ZW, KB). Cutting and pasting activities can also be used as creative channels for children’s self-expression.Cutting and pasting is an important first skill to master for children to then be able to design, ideate and successfully create artwork and objects.Cutting and pasting is a necessary skill for many preschool-based activities which will support children for preparedness for school. |
In the Early Years, we are committed to providing rich, developmentally appropriate experiences that nurture the whole child. One area of focus in our recent learning design has been the continued development of children’s cutting and pasting skills, using a thoughtful combination of natural and human-made materials. These experiences are not only vital for building fine motor strength and coordination but also play a key role in supporting children’s creativity, problem-solving, and self-expression.
Cutting and pasting are more than just craft activities—they are complex processes that involve planning, sequencing, and persistence. As children cut along lines, select pieces for their collage, and consider how best to arrange them, they are engaging in critical thinking and building foundational skills for writing and other forms of visual communication. These experiences are also deeply social; children often collaborate, share materials, and exchange ideas with their peers, enhancing their communication and cooperative learning.
| Learning Intention 2: Sacred symbols are special and important.Why? Doctrinal Insights from the Catholic Tradition that support this Enduring Understanding include:Sacred symbols remind us that God is close to us, and with us.In my Catholic learning environment, I can see many sacred symbols.Candle flames remind us that God is with us.The Bible reminds us of God’s love for us through special stories.The Cross reminds us of Jesus.Water is used for special blessingsSacred symbols are used in my school/ELC and in church celebrations, prayer and liturgy. (CCC1145)Other faith traditions also have sacred symbols The Sign of the Cross is a prayer to God.Doctrinal and Content Elaborations: Doctrinal Insights from the Catholic Tradition that support this Enduring Understanding include:The Sign of the Cross is a prayer with actions and words.The words remind us that God is called Father, Son and Holy Spirit.The actions represent the symbol of the Cross, and that prayer involves our head, heart and body. |
A Foundation for Faith and Belonging
Morning group time is a cherished and intentional part of our daily rhythm, offering children a gentle, reflective space to come together in community. These gatherings are thoughtfully designed to nurture children’s spiritual development and sense of belonging through shared rituals, sacred symbols, and prayerful practices.
Each morning, children join their peers and teachers in a circle where they are invited to participate in a series of familiar and meaningful rituals. A candle is lit to signify the presence of Jesus, the cross is gently held or passed around as a visual reminder of our faith, and together we begin our day in prayer. The “Five Finger Prayer” song is sung as a joyful expression of gratitude, care, and hope, supporting children to understand and participate in prayer in a developmentally appropriate way. These moments help children feel connected—not only to their community but also to the deeper spiritual traditions that underpin our shared Catholic identity.
Building Language and Connection Through Interactive Story Time
Interactive story time is a treasured part of the day in our 3-year-old learning space and throughout the transitions into pre-school, offering children meaningful opportunities to develop early language and literacy skills within a warm, social setting. Through the shared reading of picture books, children engage with rich narratives, vibrant illustrations, and expressive language that stimulate their imagination and support their communication and comprehension.
Connecting with Place and Community Through Explorative Walks
Community walks are a valued part of our learning program, providing children with meaningful opportunities to explore the natural and built environments around them. These walks are thoughtfully planned to encourage observation, inquiry, and physical engagement, supporting the holistic development of each child while fostering a deep sense of connection to place.
Our recent walks have taken the children through various familiar and much-loved areas of our school grounds—including the playground, the winding rock path, and the serene billabongs. Along the way, children have been encouraged to notice changes in nature, observe living things in their habitats, and engage in conversations with teachers and peers about what they see, hear, and feel. These experiences nurture children’s curiosity and wonder, while also developing their vocabulary, social communication, and environmental awareness. An added element of joy has been the incorporation of hoop games during our return journey to the Early Learning space.
Specks of gold for this week. Celebrating Moments of Joy, Growth and Connection
We take time each week to reflect on the “specks of gold” — those small yet meaningful moments that shine brightly in the children’s learning and development. These moments are a celebration of joy, curiosity, connection, and growth, and they serve as a reminder of the richness that emerges from child-led, play-based learning.
These “specks of gold” reflect the heart of what we value at Holy Family Early Learning: a learning environment that is joyful, inclusive, and responsive to each child’s unique journey. We look forward to discovering many more golden moments this term as the weeks unfold.
Ngaityalya
Hope you all have a relaxing weekend.