Courage in children grows when they feel supported, safe, and reminded of God’s constant presence. Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” We can encourage courage by praising children when they try new things, modelling bravery in our own actions, and talking about how God helps us when we feel afraid. Simple moments—like learning a new skill, meeting new friends, or speaking up—become opportunities to remind them that God is always with them. With His strength, they can face challenges with confidence and joy. 

At CCC’s Early Learning Centre we believe every child is a precious gift of God.  

Our practices are based on Biblical wisdom, our professional knowledge of child development, current research and practical experience in early childhood. We believe that children learn best when provided with opportunities to test their own understandings in an investigative, unhurried environment. We facilitate safe, adventurous play-based learning experiences, appropriate to each child’s varied abilities and developmental progress. 

We believe parents are the most important educators and nurturers in a child’s life and that we are privileged to support parents in this role. 

Please bring the following items every day:

• Cot-sized sheet x2
• Hat
• Water bottle
• Spare clothes and small towel (hand towel size)
• Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea

What food to send in your childs lunchbox? A variety of whole food options while trying to avoid too much packaged and/or highly processed foods is a good place to start.

Some examples: 

• Fruit/veg: Carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, apple, berries, capsicum, cherry tomatoes (cut), grapes (cut), green beans 

• Protein: Boiled egg, chicken, rissoles, ham, meat balls 

• Dairy: Yoghurt, cheese slices/sticks 

• Other: Pizza scrolls, sandwiches, mini quiche, corn fritters, crackers and cheese, savory muffins, bliss balls 

A friendly reminder please be advised that casual bookings can be made via the Xplor app or by contacting the ELC Administration team at [email protected].

For phone enquiries, Administration is available between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday. If a booking is required within 12 hours of the intended time, we strongly recommend contacting Administration by phone on 5483 9517 to ensure timely processing.

If a booking is made via the Xplor app, please ensure the booking has been confirmed & accepted. If you have any concerns that the booking has not been actioned, please contact our team for clarification.

As After School Care is currently nearing capacity, we encourage families to utilise permanent bookings wherever possible to help secure placements on the required days.

If you are uncertain whether permanent bookings are suitable for your needs, our Administration team is available to provide assistance and answer any queries you may have.

Week two in kindergarten, saw us exploring the wonderful world of literature.  Our focus book was We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. The children loved crafting bears, sequencing the events of the story, and retelling it in their own words. This is an engaging way to build comprehension and language skills. 

In Maths, we explored patterns using counting bears. The children created repeating colour and size patterns, developing early maths and reasoning skills through hands-on play. 

Writing has been very popular in our classroom. We've been practicing writing our names, forming letters correctly, learning letter-sound relationships and continuing with our letter of the week. To support this interest our post office role play area has inspired purposeful writing like letters and labels helping build fine motor strength, early literacy, and social skills. 

Our cooking experience with Ms. T was a highlight, as the children worked together to bake delicious banana bread. Cooking offers wonderful opportunities to build language, numeracy, and teamwork skills. 

In sports with Miss Williams, we focused on gross motor development through fun activities like obstacle courses and games. These experiences are essential for coordination, strength, and confidence. 

It’s been a joyful and busy week of learning in our kindergarten classroom.

• Book Week Dress-Up Week
  • Monday 18 August until Friday 22 August
  • Come along dressed as a character from your favourite book each day this week
  • You are welcome to bring along your favourite book for us to read to the class
• Prep Focus Tour  

  • Thursday 21 August 9:30am at the college

• Book Week Parade 
  • Friday 22 August – 8:50am –9:35am 
  • If your child is in Pre-Kindy and Kindy please drop off your child/ren at 8:30am to head up to the college on time for the Book Week Parade.
  • Any Parents attending please sign in at admin.
• Father's Day Picnic and Play
  • Thursday 4 September @ 2pm
  • Adventure Playground
  • RSVP to [email protected] with the numbers of guests by 29 August. 
• Holiday Discount
  • Notifications due Friday 5 September
• College Pupil Free Day (ELC/OSHC Open)
  • Friday 5 September, Vacaction Care is open for those who would like to book in. Numbers are limited.
• Mega Chapel
  • Friday 19 September

Ingredients:

• 1 Packet Old EL Paso Stand N Stuff Tortilla Boats 

• 200g Bacon Diced 

• 8 Eggs Room temperature 

• 180g ¾ Cup Thickened Cream 

• 80g (1 Cup) Grated Cheese 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced).

2. Separate the tortilla boats and arrange them onto a baking tray. 

3. Saute diced bacon until crispy, set aside.

4. Whisk the eggs and cream together in a bowl.

5. Divide the mixture between the tortilla boats.

6. Sprinkle over the diced crispy bacon and grated cheese. 

7. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 

 Mental health is the way children think and feel about themselves and the world around them. It affects how children cope with life’s challenges and stresses. 

What good mental health in children looks like  

Children with good mental health feel loved, safe and secure in their environments. They also feel happy and positive about themselves most of the time. They’re kind to themselves during tough times or when things don’t go the way they expect. This means they feel OK about trying new or challenging things. They enjoy life, learn well and get along well with family and friends. And they can manage sad, worrying or angry feelings and bounce back from tough times. 

 Relationships and good mental health for children 

A positive relationship with you directly and positively affects your child’s mental health. Here are ideas to promote your child’s mental health and wellbeing through a loving and supportive relationship: 

•  Tell your child that you love them, no matter what. You can also show love through your body language and nonverbal communication – for example, making eye contact, giving a hug or smiling at your child. 

• Use a positive, constructive and consistent approach to guide your child’s behaviour. This means giving your child praise and attention when they behave well, rather than negative consequences when they behave in challenging ways. 

• Make time each day to talk and listen to your child. If your child wants to talk, try to stop what you’re doing and give them your full attention. 

• Enjoy time with your child doing activities they like. This could be reading together, kicking a ball, drawing, playing board games and so on. 

• Have regular family meals. Eating together can strengthen your relationship with your child, give your child a sense of stability and connectedness, and have a positive effect on their development. It might also encourage your child to eat well too. 

• Work on positive ways to solve problems and manage conflict between you and your partner, with your child and among other family members. 

• Encourage your child to connect with others in the community – for example, waving and chatting to neighbours, attending local festivals or helping out at a community garden. This gives your child a stronger sense of their place in the world and helps them learn how to relate to different people. 

• Emotions and good mental health for children 
  Children experience all sorts of emotions as part of growing up – fear, disappointment, sadness, anxiety, anger, joy, hope and so on. When children cope with big emotions or calm themselves down in difficult or emotional situations, they’re likely to feel good about themselves. Here are ways you can help your child learn to manage emotions: 

• Talk about emotions with your child and encourage them to recognise and label their emotions. You can also let your child know that it’s natural to have all sorts of feelings. For example, ‘It looks like you’re really frustrated that your toy won’t work. I can understand that’. 

• Role-model a positive outlook for your child – for example, ‘Running all the way around the oval looks hard, but I think I can do it if I take it slow and steady’, or ‘I’m disappointed that my cake didn’t cook properly, but that’s OK – I’ll try it again another time’. 

• Support your child when something is bothering them. For example, if your child is having trouble with friends at school, you could give your child plenty of hugs and reassure them that you’re there for them. And you could work with the teacher on a plan to handle the situation. 

• Help your child learn to manage small worries so they don’t become big problems. You can do this by gently encouraging your child to do things they’re anxious about instead of avoiding scary situations. For example, ‘Have you thought about trying out for the school choir this year? You really enjoy singing’. 

If you’re concerned that your child is showing signs of poor mental health, it’s best to seek professional help as soon as possible. Your GP can guide you to the most appropriate services for your family. 

Source: Raisingchildren.net.au. (2022, November). Good mental health for children: 3-8 years. Retrieved from raisingchildren.net.au 

Come join our CCC Early Learning Centre on Saturday 9 August, it's a free event for the whole family.