“It takes a village to raise a child”
If that famous saying is true, then we want that village to be a strong and cohesive community where every child has the opportunity to flourish.
For children, a sense of community plays an important role in the development of their feelings of belonging and security. Children thrive in an environment of mutually supportive and caring relationships. For this reason, developing a sense of community within the kindergarten room is crucial. It is also valuable for children to feel part of a wider community that extends beyond the learning environment. As children grow and develop, connections to the wider community help them find their place in the world. As they develop an understanding of how society works they begin to recognise and understand the shared values that underpin our society.
On Wednesday 13th March, eleven of our Choklits kindergarten children went on our very first adventure to Estia Health Ringwood and visited the residents at the aged care facility.
The ride on the bus was definitely one of the highlights of the day, for many of the children it was their first experience using public transport. Lining up and waiting for the bus to come, greeting the bus driver and other passengers, looking at the traffic lights and road signs, watching the builders doing the road work…all these connections within the community made the experience meaningful in children’s eyes.
When we arrived at Estia Health, the children met the residents and staff in the beautiful lounge room. It can be overwhelming for the children when they are in an unfamiliar environment with lots of unfamiliar faces. However, all our 11 kinder friends were able to use their established relationships with educators and showed their confidence and resilience in meeting some lovely new people in the community. It didn’t take the children long to warm-up and started sharing smiles and gentle natures with the residents we interacted with.
It has been, and continues to be, a valuable learning experience for all involved. Importantly, we have been able to enrich our program for children, and also make new connections with more people and the wider community. I am very looking forward to the next visit
Thank you to every one involved we had a great day!
Authored by Jade Ingleby, Choklits Child Care Owner
PS- watch the video of our adventure to Estia Health right here.
And, we have several more adventures planned, so join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for updates as we head out into our great Maroondah community!
Due to our wonderful excursions, facilities and staff Choklits is popular with families not only in Ringwood but also with those in nearby suburbs of Wantirna, Ringwood East, Vermont, Bayswater, Heathmont, Ringwood North and even from other areas further afield in the Maroondah community.
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