The Kindy Program

Children build a strong sense of identity through connections with their families, peers, teachers and communities. Identity is not static — it changes over time and is influenced by an individual’s cultural identity and relationships.

Through these relationships, children develop a sense of belonging, confidence in others and in themselves, and an awareness of their own culture. They gain confidence in their abilities, a sense of agency in their decision-making and develop their independence.

Key focus:

• Building a sense of security and trust
• Acting with independence and perseverance
• Building a confident self-identity

Active learning helps children to build positive dispositions and approaches towards learning. It encourages increasing confidence, engagement and involvement in learning and the development of curiosity, problem-solving, creative thinking and investigation processes.

As active learners, children are developing understandings of themselves and their world, and creating their ideas through imaginative and dramatic play. They are showing an interest in technologies and the uses of different technologies.

Key Focus:

• Building positive dispositions towards learning
• Showing confidence and involvement in learning
• Using technologies for learning and communication.

Children are developing a sense of connectedness to their world. This connectedness helps them relate to the values, traditions and practices of their families, kindergartens, communities and the wider world. It supports them to learn about the interconnectedness of people and environments. Over time, this learning transforms the ways they interact with others and how they think about the world as ‘global citizens’.

Connectedness involves children’s understanding of and consideration for the rights of others and their respect for diversity. Children are developing an understanding of Aboriginal peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ ways of knowing and being and their connection to Country and the importance of the connection between Country and the environment.

Key focus:

• Building positive relationships
• Showing respect for diversity
• Showing respect for environments

The foundation for children becoming effective citizens is their development of language, literacy and numeracy. Being able to communicate is fundamental to children’s everyday lives, including their ability to express their ideas and feelings, to question, to learn, to connect and interact with others. Children feel a strong sense of identity and connectedness when their ways of communicating are valued in the kindergarten environment.

Exploring and engaging with literacy through reading, viewing, listening, writing, speaking and creating in personally meaningful ways supports a kindergarten child to become an effective communicator. Numeracy is the capacity, confidence and disposition to use mathematics in everyday situations.

Key focus:

• Exploring and expanding language
• Exploring literacy in personally meaningful ways
• Exploring numeracy in personally meaningful ways.

Important aspects of wellbeing include children’s physical and mental health, personal safety and successful social functioning. Wellbeing is linked with resilience, providing children with the ability to manage change and respond to challenges. A strong sense of wellbeing requires positive, supportive and trusting relationships, which build children’s confidence and optimism.

Learning about healthy lifestyles, the importance of nutritional food, rest, physical activity (including fine and gross motor skills) and personal hygiene, and developing an awareness of safety are essential for enhancing children’s sense of wellbeing.

Key focus:

• Building a sense of autonomy
• Exploring ways to be healthy and safe
• Exploring ways to promote physical wellbeing.