Exploring Aussie Animals at Aspire Cranbourne West
Posted January 23rd 2025
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Aspire Early Education and Kindergarten Cranbourne West recently went totally wild for Aussie animals! During the long-awaited visit from Vince and the team at Aussie Wildlife Displays, a multitude of Australian creatures said hello. The children learnt many interesting facts about these unique creatures, and wanted to share them with you.
Incursions at Aspire Early Education and Kindergarten are a key component of our curriculum. These provide children with the opportunity to touch, interact with and see new things, which enhances sensory and cognitive development.
As well as that, incursions help children connect what they learn in the classroom with tangible experiences. This strengthens learning comprehension and retention. These experiences break the routine, which makes learning memorable and much more exciting.
Our friends at Aussie Wildlife Displays visited Aspire Cranbourne West as a part of their summer holiday program. It was an exciting day, with the children looking at and safely touching and handling many favourite Australian animals!
The children loved being able to interact with these animals and learnt many interesting things about this Australian wildlife. It is important to learn about our native animals as it fosters an appreciation of our country’s unique and beautiful wildlife. Allowing our little learners to experience them first-hand promotes environmental stewardship and deepens connections to Australia’s natural heritage.
The highlight for many of the children was learning more about some of their favourite animals! Check out some fun facts they learnt from the team at Aussie Wildlife Adventures below.
Wombat
Did you know that wombat poo is square-shaped!? The children LOVED finding this out, as you can imagine. For a long time, scientists couldn’t figure out why they were shaped this way, but recent research has discovered why. It is likely this shape for wombats to mark their territory. A square is much harder to roll away than something round!
Sugar Glider
The children learnt about sugar gliders and how they glide from treetop to treetop with the help of a membrane. This membrane extends from their fifth finger down to their ankle, which catches the air like a miniature parachute when they jump in the air.
Freshwater Crocodile
Holding and patting the freshwater crocodile was a highlight for many of the children. They found out that freshwater crocs live in rivers, billabongs, lagoons, creeks, and even swimming pools of unsuspecting humans! Thankfully, freshwater crocodiles are quite shy, especially when compared to their saltwater cousins.
Black-Headed Python
The highlight for many children was holding a black-headed python! This gentle giant can grow up to 3 metres long. Its unique black head helps it to absorb the sun’s heat quickly, allowing its blood to warm up more efficiently. This works like its own personal solar panel.
It was a day of lots of fun and exploring. The children had an exciting time learning about their favourite Aussie animals with Aussie Animal Displays. We hope you enjoyed learning about Australia’s gorgeous native fauna too!
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