Our Community
Elwood Children’s Centre is community run; our connections with the local community and families is where we draw our strength and uniqueness. Helping our little people feel connected to the world around them is central to everything that we do. We strive to build on their understanding of where they belong.
INDIGENOUS CONNECTIONS
In 2017, Elwood Childrens’ Centre consulted with Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir, a local Elder, to change our room names to the local Indigenous names. The local language is the Boon Wurrung language.
The Wombat room was changed to the Warreeny room.
The Koala room was changed to the Gurrorra room.
The Possum room was changed to the Walert room.
Excursions & IN HOUSE ACTIVITIES
Children enjoy regular excursions (walk on Country) to nearby parks, shops, and places of interest as a way of establishing and building wider community ties and life experiences.
Hey Dee Ho- is an external music program that supports educational music experiences where children learn the concepts of beat, rhythm, tempo, pitch and dynamics in a play-based environment.
Different educational themes are presented each week using props, puppets, costumes and percussion instruments to deliver a multi-sensory experience.
This is a weekly program for the Fairy Penguin, Warreeny and Gurrorra programs alternating session termly.
Early Childhood Language Program- The Walert program is a part of a funding program from the department of education which supports a Spanish teacher to implement a rich language program.
Learning languages other than English helps children to improve their overall literacy and understanding of how language in general works.
Education experts have found that there are many benefits to children learning another language at a young age, including
increased literacy
cognitive flexibility
bolstering self-esteem and wellbeing
strengthened cultural identity.
Cooking classes- The Gurrorra and Walert Program are part of cooking with Chef Michelle, this is a weekly program that encourages children to participate in their own development and learning about fresh foods and the steps from our very own kitchen garden to the kitchen table.
Our world
Elwood is a beautiful, community driven and lively suburb. We are surrounded by beautiful playgrounds, shopping districts, the beach, cafes and the St Kilda Botanic Gardens. We regularly step out of our little home at 46 Tennyson Street and go on adventures with our little ones. We go on nature walks at the Botanic Gardens, visit cafes to experience local cafe culture and to the Post Office to learn about keeping in touch the old fashioned way! Not only are these experiences fun and exciting, they are wonderful opportunities to further extend on the children’s understanding of their local community.