Echidna’s curriculum – Centre and Bush – Term 1 2018
At Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre, we
endeavour to defend the rights of all
children and families. We provide
opportunities for the beauty of learning
and teaching for all children. Involving
families and the community into our
curriculum and events allows children to
gain a strong connection between home
and centre and feel safe and secure in
our environment.
For the children to develop an
understanding of the room and the
routine of the room
Reasoning:
Some of the children have been utilising
the transition sessions between 3-year-
old kinder and 4-year-old kinder
effectively. However, some children did
not have this opportunity and the
transition times did not include specific
routine experiences.
....................Teaching
Strategies...................
Set up a visual routine for the children
Ensure children are given adequate
warning between the changes in the
routines
Ensure that routines are followed so that
continuity can be maintained for those who
rely on stability.
We aim to build strong, positive and
respectful relationships amongst
educators, children and families.
“Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I
remember. Involve me and I learn”
(Benjamin Franklin)
.................Goals this
Term.................
For children to form friendships and
secure attachments to educators
and peers
Reasoning:
Some of the children are entering with
pre-existing friendships from 3-year-old
kinder and day care.
Some are building this opportunity and have
limited peer friendships within the groups.
....................Teaching
Strategies...................
Group times to encourage collaboration
with a variety of peers.
Small group experiences catered to allow
group participation.
Role modelling of positive interactions with
children.
Role modelling of conflict resolution
Shared with 2 teachers and 22 parents
Families feel free to add comments to
any areas of the curriculum plan. The
more input we have from you the more
we can collaborate and meet your
expectations as well as build on your
child's development.
For children to understand the
safety rules at Bush Kinder
Reasoning:
At Bush kinder the safety of the children
is paramount. Therefore, we take every
precaution possible to ensure that they
will be safe when we journey beyond the
gates.
....................Teaching
Strategies...................
Role model appropriate behaviour always.
Group discussion surrounding the safety
and reasons, let children help ‘set’ the
rules.
Address any issues with children as they
arise (i.e. throwing rocks/playing with sticks
and how we can do that and keep
Group Programme
For children to learn how to play without
toys (Bush)
Reasoning:
At Bush kinder we take minimal
resources and focus on slowing down
and the health and developmental
benefits this has on children. Having the
opportunity to just ‘be’ in nature can
prove challenging to some children as
they don’t have physical resources and
must engage in more imaginative play.
....................Teaching
Strategies...................
Scaffold learning and get into the play with
the children to role model appropriate
ways to play without “toys”.
Engage with children in group games or
imaginative play scenarios (i.e. play out
common stories the children will know)

....................Possible
Experiences....................
Visual routine cards
Routine wall
Discussions surrounding routines to
help extend learning and
understanding
......Links to learning/VEYLDF
outcomes......
feel safe secure and supported (Identity),
transitions are planned to enhance the
curriculum (NQS),
develop an understanding that symbols are
a powerful means of communication and
that ideas, thoughts and concepts can be
represented through them
(communication),
use effective routines to help make
predicted transitions smoothly (Identity),
express wonder and interest in their
environments (Learning),
interact with others to explore ideas and
concepts, clarify and challenge thinking,
negotiate and share new understandings.
Role modelling how to enter/exit play.
Small group experiences set up to cater for
a variety of learners and interests.
....................Possible
Experiences....................
Team/group building games (drawing on
backs in a circle, guess the person by the
voice, doggy doggy who’s got the bone,
what’s the time Mr. Wolf)
Small group experiences provided like:
café, trains/cars, play dough/clay, sand tray
with people/animals, littlest pet shop set,
trucks in the digging pit.
......Links to learning/VEYLDF
outcomes......
establish and maintain respectful, trusting
relationships with other children and
educators (Identity),
openly express their feelings and ideas in
their interactions with others (Identity),
respond to ideas and suggestions from
others (Identity),
initiate interactions and conversations with
trusted educators (Identity),
confidently explore and engage with social
and physical environments through
relationships and play (Identity),
initiate and join in play (Identity),
explore aspects of identity through role-
play. (Identity),
show interest in other children and being
part of a group (Identity),
engage in and contribute to shared play
experiences (Identity),
empathise with and express concern for
others (Identity),
are playful and respond positively to
everyone safe).
....................Possible
Experiences....................
Teach the children the song “Let’s go
walking….way out bush” that discusses the
key ideas and safety rules surrounding bush
kinder.
Whole and small group discussions to
scaffold understanding of safety while at
bush within our “beyond the gate” setting.
......Links to learning/VEYLDF
outcomes......
take considered risks in their decision-
making and cope with the unexpected
(Identity),
express an opinion in matters that affect
them (Community),
demonstrate a sense of belonging and
comfort in their environments
(Community),
contribute to democratic decision-making
about matters that affect them.
(Community),
make choices, accept challenges, take
considered risks, manage change and cope
with frustrations and the unexpected
(wellbeing),
attend and give cultural cues that they are
listening to and understanding what is said
to them (communication),
interact with others to explore ideas and
concepts, clarify and challenge thinking,
negotiate and share new understandings
(Communication),
....................Possible
Experiences....................
Push me out of the circle, Sumo (children
are encouraged to try and push the teacher
out of the circle, this will be especially
helpful for those children needing deep
tissue pressure to help regulate their
emotions)
Hide and seek
Explore the scrub
Play on the dirt pile
Roll down the hill
Use the crates and found items to create
obstacle courses
......Links to learning/VEYLDF
outcomes......
are open to and seek new challenges and
make new discoveries (Identity and
wellbeing),
increasingly cooperate and work
collaboratively with others (Identity &
wellbeing),
demonstrate an increasing capacity for self-
regulation (Identity),
persist when faced with challenges and
when first attempts are not successful
(Identity),
begin to recognise that they have a right to
belong to many communities (Identity),
cooperate with others and negotiate roles
and relationships in play episodes and
group experiences (Identity),
use play to investigate, project and explore
new ideas (Learning),
demonstrate an increasing knowledge of
and respect for natural and constructed
environments (Community),
show growing appreciation and care for

............................Reflection
............................
8/2/18 - We have adjusted our daily
routine slightly so that children will be
able to make the most of our group
times. We have changed our main group
time to just before lunch so that children
will be able to engage without
distraction. This also means that the end
of the day group time can be very short
and will allow us more flexibility when
opening the door until all children are
settled. Once everyone is used to the
timing and aren't as exhausted at the
end of the session we will go back to
asking families to wait until one of the
educators have opened the door.
We are also going to create some social
stories surrounding routines and
expectations for all children to
understand what will be expected of
others, reaching out for company and
friendship (Community),
contribute their ideas and experiences in
play and small and large group discussion
(Communication),
interact with others to explore ideas and
concepts, clarify and challenge thinking,
negotiate and share new understandings
(Communication).
............................Reflection
............................
8/2/18 - Throughout this week we have
taken many observations and photos that
show our current friendships. Many
children have felt secure enough to join
in the play with their peers or with
educators. We are going to continue to
watch and plan experiences that
promote 2 or more children to play to
continue to build these relationships.
sing chant rhymes, jingles and songs
(Communication).
............................Reflection
............................
7/2/18 - We introduced our bush kinder
song. We created a laminated sign with
images that link with the key concepts
and ideas. I think it will be useful if we
create a set of cards that educators can
carry on them as visual reminders for
children while they are learning the
safety rules.
natural and constructed environments
(Community),
develop an awareness of the impact of
human activity on environments and the
interdependence of living things
(Community),
enjoy moments of solitude (wellbeing),
express wonder and interest in their
environments (Learning),
use play to investigate, imagine and
explore ideas (Learning),
follow and extend their own interests with
enthusiasm, energy and concentration
(Learning)
initiate and contribute to play experiences
emerging from their own ideas (Learning),
explore their environment (Learning),
manipulate objects and experiment with
cause and effect, trial and error, and
motion (Learning)
use their senses to explore natural and built
environments (Learning),
experience the benefits and pleasures of
shared learning exploration (Learning).
............................Reflection
............................
7/2/18 - We went down beyond the gate
to see what the space was like. Many
children gravitated naturally towards the
sticks and the dirt mound. It was great to
see them interacting in small groups
together, especially in groups we haven't
observed them interacting yet.
Story Check out these amazing kids by
Tamara Ellis 07 Feb 18
Our first visit down “beyond the gate”
was an absolute success. Next week we
will start in the...
them at these times, creating visual
cues will help reinforce what we are
discussing with the children and will give
them concrete expectations.
19/2/18 - Children were perceiving
group time in the middle of the day as
lunch time. So, we have made the
decision to change it to after lunch so
that the children have already eaten.
This timing is proving a little more
difficult as children take varying amounts
of time to finish their lunch and we have
noticed that there is a trend of the
children wanting to go outside after
lunch.
We will have to explore this further and
maybe introduce a group time at around
10/10:30 instead so that the children are
settled but will not be expecting food.
29/3/18 - We have had little success
with the group time after lunch as the
children have been finishing at different
times which makes it difficult to gather
them together as they have just started
playing.
We're going to change it to the morning
again, but much earlier than lunch so
children don't confuse the two and it's
more easily distinguished for them.
We're also going to implement a routine
board for the children to see what is
available for the day and specific timed
experiences to help them distinguish the
difference as well.
15/2/18 - The children have been
forming really close relationships with
their peers. Some have been branching
outside of their normal peer groups that
we have observed over the last few
weeks.
We are ensuring we are modelling
appropriate language and
problem-solving skills for children,
especially during times of conflict.
We are also in the midst of creating some
social stories to build on the children's
awareness and understanding of the
social expectations within the kinder
setting. So far, the use of "Blurting out"
(explores yelling over the top of teachers
and friends while they are talking) has
had a great effect on group times at the
end of the day. Children have been
putting their hand up and waiting for
their turn which allows everyone to hear
what is being said and gives all children
a voice within our group times.
26/3/18 - The children have been
forming some key relationships with one
another and educators.
Most children are able to recall
everyone's name and educator’s
names. We will continue to build on
this during the start of term 2 so that
all children know each other's names
and staff names.
21/2/18 - There are some children who
are not keeping safe when walking back
from bush kinder especially. We may
need to explore starting bush kinder on
site and finishing on site to help elevate
this while the children are still learning
and building their impulse control skills
(which will come with practice and
guidance).
Some children are building the
understanding surrounding the "koowee"
but are not responding to it by coming
back, they just tell us what they are
meant to do. We will build on this as this
is a necessary skill that we require the
children to know for a few different
reasons. 1. so we can keep them safe
when we are off site and 2. so that we
can help them build their awareness
through spontaneous intentional teaching
opportunities.
We will be adding stop signs to the flags
as a few children have attempted to run
from the area. This will help to reinforce
that it is not safe beyond the flags so
that we are able to explore other bush
kinder sites in the future.
21/3/18 - The children are responding
more appropriately to the "koowee". I
expect this will lapse a little at the start
of term 2 but hopefully they will continue
to build this key skill.
The children have been ensuring they
stay inside the flags and if they do
wander past the flags they respond well
to educators and come back inside the
flags when it is pointed out to them.
21/2/18 - The children have been
extremely observant beyond the gates.
They have been noticing really small
objects and a variety of insects that have
been sparking conversations surrounding
insects. This has been translating back
into the kinder environment.
We are going to explore booking Wildlife
Xposure's Creepy Crawly incursion for
the children to learn more about insects
and see some amazing insects up close
that they may not normally get to see.
Story Stick insects! by TE 12 Feb 18 Check
out the stick insect that Sue found in
our yard. The children were most
fascinated...
Story Our Garden by DS 22 Feb 18
Saphira was exploring the garden today
and noticed on the flowers there...
19/03/18 - Over the past month we have
had lots of insect experiences set up in
the room as well as reading insect books
at group times and spontaneously
throughout the day.
We had Darren and Brandon from
Wildlife Xposure come out today and the
children really enjoyed it. They engaged
well and were able to be attentive with
the animals that were being shown.
There was a mixture of safe insects that
we can engage with, and venomous ones
as well. We were told "no ask, no touch"
so that we can stay safe when exploring
insects and other small creatures. The
children have been doing this naturally
in the yard and at bush, alerting an
educator when they find something
(especially spiders).
We learnt about the head, thorax (body)
and abdomen (bottom) of a bug. They
must have this and 6 legs to be an
insect.
We also learnt about eco-systems and
how they rely on insects.

Story Wildlife Xposure by TE 19 March 18

What a morning we had this morning!!!
We had Darren and Brandon from
Wildlife Xposure to...