kids take off at kinder

Earlier this week, I was pleased to be MC for the launch of Kids take off at Kindergarten, a project aimed around breaking down the barriers to family participation in kindergarten.

Yarra Ranges has a very high proportion of 0 to 6 year olds (9%) and currently around 86% of our families go to 4 year old kinder. Yarra Ranges were selected by the DEECD to develop a took kit to assist local kinders with breaking those barriers to kinder. There is a great deal of evidence to support the benefits of access to good quality early childhood education.

Kindergarten is a very important stage in a child's life. Not only are children learning to recognise words, write their names, they learn physical and social skills too. Kindergarten is laying down the foundation of those vital life skills that will see a child get the very best start and provides a critical and important link to a smooth transition to primary school.

This is Selby Pre School, one of the shire's 42 kindergartens, offering children a great start in life.

The Shire has 42 stand alone kindergartens as well as Montessori, Steiner and Regio kinders. Those who are missing out on kindergarten are the vulnerable in our community, those who are disadvantaged and those whose cultural background experience doesn't recognise the role of kindergarten in a child's life.

Kids take off at Kindergarten provides some great resources for kinder committees to use to break down those barriers, whether they be financial, social or cultural. Our kinders offer children good quality play based learning which builds skills they can use for everyday living, for the rest of their life.