Ruth Landau Harp Early Learning

2 weeks ago

🐠Our Fishy Friends🐠
There was a beautiful energy in the Adventurers Room on Monday morning as the children joyfully reunited after the weekend, exchanging warm hugs and cheerful greetings. As part of our daily rhythm, the fish also received their own morning hellos, with children gathering around the tank to see what their shimmering friends were up to. Busy little hands eagerly helped prepare materials for our creative experience, inspired by our classroom pets – the fish! With curiosity and a strong sense of agency, the children explored the sound and feel of foil, delighting in how it changed shape: “A ball!” one exclaimed, sharing their discovery with peers.

The creative experience drew inspiration from the children's ongoing connection with the fish. They often pause during the day to observe or speak to them, finding calm and comfort in this simple interaction. Educators join in too, noticing and naming the vibrant colours and movements we see in the tank. We brought these moments of wonder into our Foil Painting experience. Using recycled cardboard cut-outs of fish and shiny foil as a base, children explored texture and colour, brushing iridescent hues over the foil to reflect the beauty of our real-life classroom pets. This sensory-rich experience encouraged creativity while deepening the children’s connection to nature and each other.

“Having a pet at your service gives children the opportunity to observe, interact and learn about animals. It can be a valuable
part of a child’s education and care \experience, enriching their learning about nature, ecology and relationships.” – ACECQA ... See MoreSee Less

Ruth Landau Harp Early Learning

3 weeks ago

Rain or shine, we headed to the Old Central Fire Station Heritage Centre on Wednesday! 🚒

Our children, raincoats on and smiles wide, were excited to spot traffic lights, buses and tall buildings on the way. Some even shouted, “My Daddy/Mummy works in the city!”

Inside the museum, the children were thrilled to try on real firefighter uniforms, helmets, and sit inside the fire truck! They also explored different emergency scenarios — house fires, floods, and wild weather — learning about fire safety and the tools firefighters use to keep our community safe.

This hands-on experience supported our recent learning about fire safety as part of our Lag B’Omer celebrations, where we’ve been talking about bonfires and staying safe around fire. It was wonderful to see the children connecting what they’ve learned in class with real-life heroes who help keep us safe.

We’re so grateful for the memories and learning this excursion created! ... See MoreSee Less

Ruth Landau Harp Early Learning

2 months ago

Our Kindy 3 children are constantly engaging with bigger concepts—like numbers—through the world of play. Play is how they make sense of their environment, practise emerging skills, and explore new ideas in a meaningful and joyful way. This week, a sensory-rich numeracy experience brought those concepts to life in the most delightfully messy way!

Numbers from 0 to 9 were hidden inside two buckets of slime, waiting to be discovered. Using their hands or tongs, the children eagerly explored the slime, describing its texture—slippery, sticky, gooey, and squishy. As each number was revealed, the children were encouraged to match it to a corresponding stencil on a number board. This experience not only supported number recognition and fine motor development, but also offered rich opportunities for language development, social collaboration, and early problem-solving. It also opened the door for STEM extensions. Discussions about how slime is made, what happens when ingredients are mixed, or even experimenting with different slime consistencies and tools can build foundational scientific thinking.

Through experiences like this, we see how numeracy, sensory exploration, and scientific inquiry come together naturally in the play-based learning environment—where every squishy scoop and joyful discovery is a step in a much bigger learning journey. ... See MoreSee Less