Our Learning Philosophy
We value each child, their family, our educators and the community, believing they play an integral part of forming our Gyndarna Preschool Community.
We value our families and community and welcome their input into our service. We understand that families know their children best and that by forming a partnership with families we are supporting children’s learning more effectively.
The educators of Gyndarna PreSchool believe that the children attending the Preschool have the right to a safe, comfortable, enriching, stimulating and supportive environment in which to explore, challenge, problem solve, experiment, socialise and belong.
We believe that children learn by doing and experiencing, and that they learn best when directing their own learning through their interests and curiosity. We feel that the process of any learning activity or experience is more important than the end product of the activity.
Play Based Learning
"Play is the answer to how anything new comes about"
- Jean Piaget
Children learn through playing. During the act of play children are exploring, taking risks, engaging their imagination, and solving problems. They are learning valuable skills that support social, physical and cognitive development.
The Early Years Learning Framework defines play-based learning as ‘a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects and representations’.
Play-based learning appeals to children’s natural curiosity and their desire to engage in experiences based on their own unique interests, as they make sense of the world around them. In play-based learning programs, educators tailor their teaching opportunities to align with the type of play the children are engaging in.
Outdoor Play
One of the best lessons children can be taught in their early years is to play outdoors. ... Nature play is any activity that gets children active or thinking actively outdoors, with the end goal of building skills and ability to play without the need for parental or adult control
Many of the developmental tasks that children must achieve—exploring, risk-taking, fine and gross motor development and the absorption of vast amounts of basic knowledge—can be most effectively learned through outdoor play.
Transition to School
Starting school is a big step for children and assisting them to transition to school successfully is important for their journey in continuing to be successful learners. The importance of supporting children to have a positive start to their school life and promoting children’s health and wellbeing. To do this, the preschool offers structured and well planned lessons throughout the service to ensure the children receive the best transition to school process they can.
