Aspire Recognises National Reconciliation Week
National Reconciliation Week is a significant event in Australia that provides an opportunity to explore and promote understanding and respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Early education centres play a crucial role in fostering awareness and appreciation of Indigenous cultures and histories in children from a young age.
At Aspire Early Education, we recognise the significance of teaching our children about our history and Indigenous culture during this week. Through reading books, creative art activities, sensory play and more, our children learn about our culture and how we can achieve reconciliation through intentional educational and fun experiences.
Discover below some of the activities the children at our Aspire centres participated in during National Reconciliation Week.
During Reconciliation week at our Aspire Ramlegh centre, the Kangaroos kinder children were busy creating their handprints in Aboriginal colours. They learnt about each of the colours and what they represent, with black symbolizing the Aboriginal people, red representing the earth and the circle of yellow representing the sun. This activity also promoted Sensory play for the children, as they felt different textures of the brush strokes as well as the paint on their hands.
The Kangaroos children also learnt about and explored the aspect of aboriginal symbols through sand play. Symbols are used by Aboriginal people in their art to preserve their culture and tradition and depict various stories. The children learnt ways to express their stories through symbols and sand, which was a fun and educational experience for them.
In the room across, the Toddler children explored all things native! From plants, to animals, the children learnt about our native land through various activities set up in the room. This supports the children in gaining an understanding of our traditional people and a sense of community.
At our Aspire Cranbourne West centre, the Nursery children in the Honeypots room took part in an Aboriginal sensory Tray where the children used their hand eye coordination and their imagination and creativity skills to explore the different sensory trays. These activities helped to enhance the children’s cognitive, motor, and social development, while learning about the Aboriginal colours and symbols.
At Aspire Cobblebank, the Kinder children in the Inventors room recognised Reconciliation Week by reading Dreamtime story books. This week’s favorite book was ‘The Echidna and the Shade Tree’. The Echidna and the Shade Tree is based on an Aboriginal Australian Dreaming Story told by the Jaru People in Western Australia. Like many stories told in The Dreaming, this story explains why the natural world is the way it is, with this specific story explaining how the Echidna got its spikes.
Reading stories by Indigenous authors that reflect their cultures and experiences, helps children learn more about the culture and language in an engaging way.
For Reconciliation Week at Aspire Tarneit North, they have been working on learning about Australian Indigenous Shelters. The children have been utilising a range of natural materials to create different forms of shelters. The children enjoyed the hands on sensory experience, whilst learning more about the materials and resources the Indigenous had available to make their shelters in the environment they lived in.
At Aspire Riverwalk, the children and Aspire families decorated hearts to express their appreciation for Indigenous culture and how reconciliation will always live in their hearts.
These hearts were displayed at the centre which promoted awareness and meaningful conversion between children and families.
By integrating activities and experiences that represent reconciliation and Indigenous culture into our Aspire curriculum, children begin to develop a foundational understanding of Australia's history and Indigenous communities. This early education helps children build a more comprehensive and empathetic perspective as they grow older, preparing them for more complex discussions in later years.
