Supporting young children to develop a growing sense of connection to their communities and to engage in opportunities to contribute to their world is a key element of our ELC curriculum. This is important because it allows children to observe, to appreciate, to connect with and to participate in a range of shared experiences.

“Children’s connectedness and different ways of belonging with people, Country and communities helps them to learn ways of being which reflect the values, traditions and practices of their families and communities. Over time this learning transforms the ways they interact with others.” Early Years Learning Framework V2.0.

On Friday of Week 7, many of our children celebrated their special relationships with family members or others by participating in Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day. The children enthusiastically and diligently practised singing ‘Ninna Marni’ and ‘We Belong’ in the lead up to this event and sang them so beautifully to greet our important guests on the day.

Welcoming their special visitors into our learning spaces was a highlight for many children and they enjoyed sharing their significant places within the centre and inviting them to join in their play.