29/05/2025
This morning we focused National Reconciliation Week.
We arranged wooden discs with images of Australian animals alongside matching animal figures in the tuff tray. H and X were engaged in setting up the discs and animal figures, using coconut shells to scoop sand to cover them.
The children took turns selecting a disc and searching for the corresponding animal buried in the sand.
Each time a match was made, the children went over to baby B, who was playing in his bouncer inside the tent, showing him what they had discovered.
When the matches were completed, the group joined baby B inside the tent to read ‘Welcome to Country’ by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy.
The children happily pointing out the various animals depicted throughout the story.
This group activity intentionally combined natural materials, purposeful play and cultural learning.
Using sand and coconut shells not only provided sensory and fine motor experiences but also held cultural significance.
By burying and uncovering animal figures in sand, the children explored cause and effect and built cognitive skills, but they also symbolically ‘discovered’ elements of Country, reinforcing a connection with nature and the environment.
The matching game encouraged children to appreciate Australia's unique animals while continuing our learnings of diversity and interconnectedness. This activity created an opportunity to embrace the histories, cultures and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Ensuring baby B’s inclusion by sharing each match with him reinforced the idea that participation is not just about physical involvement, but that emotional, social and observational engagement are equally valued.
Baby B became part of the social group, experiencing belonging and connection through observation - a practice that resonates with Indigenous teaching traditions of learning by watching and listening.
Finishing the experience by reading ‘Welcome to Country’ built on the children’s emerging understanding, bringing Indigenous voices and stories into their learning space.
The illustrations’ inclusion of animals mirrored what the children had just experienced through sensory play.
