Taking Small Bytes Card Deck

Taking
Small BYTES
CARD DECK
Published by the Learning and Authorised by the Department
Teaching Branch for the of Education and Training,
Department of Education and 2 Treasury Place, East
Training Melbourne, Victoria, 3002.
Australia.
Melbourne July 2016
ISBN 978-07594-0813-5
© State of Victoria (Department
of Education and Training) 2016 This document is available
online at: fuse.education.vic.gov.
The copyright in this document au/?ZY2GMP
is owned by the State of Victoria
(Department of Education and
Training), or in the case of some
Acknowledgments
materials, by third parties (third
party materials). No part may Development of Taking Small
be reproduced by any process BYTES was led by Dr Daphne
except in accordance with the Cohen.
provisions of the Copyright Act
1968, the National Education
Access Licence for Schools The Department does not
(NEALS) (see below) or with endorse any technologies,
permission. apps, websites or software
An educational institution mentioned in this publication.
situated in Australia which There may also be a cost
is not conducted for profit, associated with using some of
or a body responsible for these tools and systems.
administering such an Website, app and software
institution may copy and conditions change regularly
communicate the materials, and should be checked prior to
other than third party materials, use.
for the educational purposes of
the institution.
2
Taking Small BYTES: Early Childhood
Learning Experiences
1. FUSE – fantastic, free early neighbourhood? 34. Finding your way
childhood resources 18. Does it make sense? 35. Stop! Wait! Go!
2. Super bugs buzz 19. Cybersafety 36. What a great year it’s been
3. Imagine your ‘wild’ self 20. Songs, films and fairytales 37. Audio books for home reading
4. Shedding light on shadows 21. Daisy the Dinosaur jumps for 38. Orientation videos
5. Amazing ant antics computer coding 39. Message the big moments
6. How do I say ‘hi’? 22. Go on a shape hunt 40. Technology news
7. Premiers’ Reading Challenge 23. Teddy’s adventures 41. Matching shapes
8. Stories from shadows 24. Lunch 42. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
9. Animate an animal 25. Playground rules Islander cultures
10. Create animated stories 26. Weights and scales 43. How cool! A book in two
11. Which way is forward? 27. Can that book really talk? languages
12. What do you do for a living? 28. Let’s talk pets 44. Learning from others
13. My family album 29. This robot is going places 45. Cartoon capers
14. Safe penpal blogging 30. What is your national costume? 46. Vocabulary flashcards
15. See the world 31. I’m going to school 47. Playing with words
16. We’re off to the museum 32. How fast can I go? 48. Playing with numbers
17. Who lives in our 33. Planting a tree 49. Words go with music
3
Taking Small BYTES: Early Childhood Learning Experiences
50. What can you see? 67. Communicating without 86. Scan and plan
51. Comparing digital images speaking 87. Following instructions and
52. Virtual tours 68. City and country get together taking turns
53. Making word clouds 69. Welcome to our community 88. Time to relax
54. Leaving digital footprints 70. Role-play 89. Managing emotions
55. Scan that item 71. Technologies that help people 90. My first picture dictionary
56. The world of panoramas 72. Slow it down! Speed it up! 91. Concept maps
57. Virtual art gallery of children’s 73. Let’s watch the grass grow 92. Recipes for success
work 74. What time is it now? 93. Copy that
58. Green screens: imagine you are 75. Icons, logos and trademarks 94. How to search for resources
anywhere in the world 76. Favourite fonts online
59. Young photographers on 77. Creating new fairytales 95. Wheel decide
assignment 96. Every photo tells a story
78. 3D printing
60. What does that old thing do? 97. Flight paths to fun
79. Touchy-feely textures
61. Photo editing: put me in the 98. Bushfires and house fires
80. Drawing or tracing
picture
81. Connecting with families 99. Forecasting the weather
62. Happy birthday e-card
82. Professional learning 100. When I grow up…
63. Design a city
83. Action songs
64. What’s in the news?
84. Sharing a calendar
65. Ways to tell a story
85. Putting things in order
66. Films in other languages
4
What’s on the
cards?
The cards showcase learning
opportunities built around digital
technologies and other play-based
learning experiences.
Through these experiences, children

can develop their identities, connect
and contribute to their worlds, develop
a strong sense of wellbeing, become
confident and involved learners, and
effective communicators.
The experiences will also help children
learn to become competent, safe and
responsible technology users; and gain
skills that make technology a rewarding
and stimulating part of play and learning.
The cards, designed for educators in
early childhood services, include a
main learning experience, follow-up
experiences, links and connections to
the Victorian Early Years Learning and
Development Framework (VEYLDF).
5
Technologies are a Digital technologies
fundamental part of our
everyday lives. When used can help you...
wisely and safely, they • inspire children’s love of learning at an early age,
offer many educational particularly their curiosity and creativity
• support improved communication with families, and
and developmental actively involve families in their children’s learning
benefits for children. • build your own professional capacity to increase
educational choice, opportunities and outcomes
• mitigate disadvantage and individualise learning
• offer unprecedented access to digital resources,
learning networks, communities and experts
• develop children’s emerging literacy, numeracy and
citizenship skills through play
• encourage collaboration, co-creation and social skills
• support transition to school
• capture and track children’s learning and development
progress, enabling earlier intervention or enrichment
• encourage outdoor and active play.
6
Using digital technologies
wisely and safely
Safety Cybersafety Appropriate content
Health and wellbeing • Be proactive about teaching • Respect intellectual property,
children how to be safe and including copyright, and
• Monitor screen time. acknowledge other people’s work
responsible.
• Encourage good posture. or content.
• Don’t share children’s or parents’
• Keep cords tidy and safe. personal information. • Use copyright-free sites or pay
• Dispose of batteries safely. copyright fees.
• Use avatars.
• Don’t post inappropriate photos
Secure content/environments • Instruct children to ask for help
online.
when something doesn’t feel right.
• Keep passwords private.
Appropriate behaviours
• Block unauthorised Adult supervision
communications. • Report online bullying.
• Young learners should use
• Use secure websites. • Respect others online.
technologies in full view of adults.
• Install virus protection software.
• Use age-appropriate web content, Appropriate permissions
apps and software. Ethics • Obtain consent forms from
parents or guardians before
Digital footprints Appropriate language publishing children’s work or
• Think before you post, everything photos online, such as posting
posted online remains even after • Use positive, polite language when
children’s photos on social media.
you delete it. commenting on blogs or content.
7
Using digital technologies wisely and safely...
Privacy Responsible use Posting appropriate content online

• Respect the privacy of other • Post content with a context and
Respecting devices
people’s images and files. purpose.
• Log on with your own password. • Care for and handle technologies • Give useful feedback to others.
with respect.
• Use technology for its intended
purpose, including play-based • Keep devices clean.
learning and development
Practising digital etiquette
activities.
• Speak clearly without yelling.
Apply social etiquette
• Don’t use all uppercase (capslock)
• Share, take turns and include when typing.
others in play and conversations. • Respect the opinions and work of
others.
Equitable access
• Don’t click on anything you are
• Ensure equity by providing unsure about.
opportunities for all children to
participate and learn. Protecting young learners
Social and cultural understanding • Don’t sign children up to sites with

age restrictions.
• Understand other cultures
• Report inappropriate websites or
and beliefs, and have a global
content.
awareness.
• Report bullying.
8
FUSE – fantastic, free early Learning
Experience
childhood resources
FUSE is the digital resource library – really the magic tool box –
of the Department of Education and Training in Victoria. Visit:
fuse.education.vic.gov.au/earlychildhood
1
FUSE is an ideal first port of call
for early childhood education VEYLDF connections
resources. The resources are
available to all Victorian educators, Principle
students and parents. It is packed
Integrated teaching and
full of activities, ideas, websites and
learning – learning is an active
games for the early years:
process.
• Find out about animals.
Outcome
• Explore space.
Children are confident and
• Sing and dance to music, and
involved learners – children
much more!
have access to wide range of
Follow-up learning experiences tools and media.
• Play and learn using the early

childhood resources in FUSE.
• Suggest an early years resource
to FUSE that others could use.
Super bugs buzz Learning
Experience
2
Encourage children to find bugs in the playground, being careful
not to disturb their habitat. The children could photograph the
bugs and learn to magnify the images using a computer. In a
group discussion, they could describe the features of bugs and
the habitats that they found.
Follow-up learning experiences • Using a digital microscope may

enhance the experience.
• Children could design their own
‘super bug’ using a computer-
VEYLDF connections
based program like Tux Paint or
Draw Free app on an iPad.
• Children could draw or paint Principle
super bugs. Integrated teaching and
• Ask children to imagine a super learning – children lead their
bug’s powers, habitat, diet and learning by being creative and
predators, and ask them to draw imaginative.
their ideas.
Outcome
• Children could help make
3D super bug models from Children are effective
cardboard. They could answer communicators – children
questions at a display to which experiment with ways of
parents had been invited. expressing ideas using a range
• Use Museum Victoria’s Field of media.
Guide to Victorian Fauna app to
discover more information about
bugs.
Imagine your ‘wild’ self Learning
Experience
3
There are a range of easy-to-use online resources for children
to create their own avatars (icons or figures that digitally
represent people). One website, which the children could
explore, enables you to create a ‘wild’ version of yourself from
wings, paws, claws, ears and more: www.buildyourwildself.com
Follow-up learning experiences

VEYLDF connections
• Discuss with the children: What is
an avatar?
Principle
• Discuss with the children: What
would you like your ‘wild’ self to Respectful relationships and
look like? responsive engagement –
active engagement with, and
• Children could draw their ‘wild’
attunement to children in their
self and make up stories about
play extends and supports
their avatars and characters.
their learning.
• Children could use plasticine
or paper to make a ‘wild’ self Outcome
sculpture. Children have a strong sense
• Discuss with the children: How of identity – exploring identity
would life be different if we had through play.
wings, scales or webbed feet?
Shedding light on shadows Learning
Experience
4
Playing with light and creating shadows offers children some
entertaining opportunites. Overhead projectors or lamps can be
used to project branches, blocks, toys or cut-out shapes onto a
wall. Children can trace the shadows on large pieces of paper
attached to the wall.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children: When do we see
shadows? Are shadows always
Principle
the same colour? Are shadows
scary? Integrated teaching and
• Plan a Guess the Shadow game. learning approaches – creative
and imaginative play.
• Discuss sundial clocks with
the children: How can we use Outcome
shadows to tell the time?
Children are confident
• The children could be encouraged and involved learners –
to measure or trace their shadows developing a range of skills
at different times of the day. such as problem solving,
For group discussion: Why do inquiry, experimentation,
shadows change their size and hypothesising, researching and
shape during the day? investigating.
Amazing ant antics Learning
Experience
5
With an ant farm or colony, children can observe and draw
ants and discover the fascinating ways that they live together
and work with their environment. Check if your service could
acquire an ant colony. Explore Museum Victoria’s Field Guide
to Victorian Fauna app or search YouTube for videos that use a
tiny camera to see inside an ant colony.

VEYLDF connections
• Encourage children to learn
about ants: How many ants live
Principle
in a colony? What do they eat?
What is their lifecycle? Respectful relationships and
• Ask the children: Which other responsive engagement –
insects could we look at under a educators build on children’s
digital microscope? interests.
• Introduce reference books and Outcome
storybooks about ants.
Children are connected with
• The group could discuss caring their world – becoming socially
for animals: Is it easier to care for responsible and show respect
an ant or for a dog? for the environment.
How do I say ‘hi’? Learning
Experience
6
Children can learn how to say a word or a phrase, like ‘hi’ in
Hindi, using Google Translate, which features more than 100
languages. How many ways could the children say Happy
Birthday? (Incidentally, ‘hi’ in Hindi is Namaste).

VEYLDF connections
• Encourage the children to learn
a song in another language.
Principle
• The service could organise an
international day, encouraging Integrated teaching and
children to share recipes or cook learning approaches – active
food from another culture. engagment.
• The group could use a language Outcome
app, like Duolingo for Schools,
to learn phrases in another
and contribute to their world
language.
– children respond to diversity
• Show the children how to write with respect.
their names in another language
(invite a bilingual speaker to
help you).
• Read a bilingual book to the
group.
Premiers’ Reading Challenge Learning
Experience
7
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge inspires children to
read. Discuss the Challenge with the children. Your service could
register the children who want to join the Challenge at: www.
education.vic.gov.au/prc

VEYLDF connections
• Your service could create a
children’s library for parents to
Principle
borrow from or donate to. Talk
to the children about library Integrated teaching and
services. learning approaches – active
• Visit a local library. Many engagment in a range of
libraries offer storytime and song learning experiences and
sessions, as well as talks led by shared interactions.
librarians. Outcome
• A class discussion could be held
Children are effective
on books: Where do you open a
communicators – they actively
book? Why do books have titles?
use, engage with and share the
Do you like books with pictures?
enjoyment of language and
What kind of books do you like
texts in a range of ways.
best? Pop-up books? Fairytales?
Dictionaries? E-books?
• Ask the children if they would like
to create their own picture book.
Stories from shadows Learning
Experience
8
Encourage children to work with each other to design and draw
their own shapes to make shadow puppets and tell stories about
them. Hands can also form shapes to make shadow puppets –
the children could make a bird, a dog or a child’s head.

VEYLDF connections
• Encourage the children to make
up stories by creating different
shadow characters. Principle
• Your service could invite High expectations for every
children’s puppeteers to perform child – each child is unique
a live puppet show. and has the right to a range
• Discuss different types of of thoughtful and challenging
puppets with the children: sock learning experiences.
puppets, shadow puppets, stick
puppets and hand puppets. Outcome
• For puppet resources, visit: FUSE: Children are effective
fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?72PSB2 communicators –children
• Encourage the children to use communicate with each other
a puppet theatre. Observe the in many different ways.
children and document the
stories they create. Stories could
be shared with their families.
Animate an animal Learning
Experience
9
Children could create a short stop-motion animation with
plasticine figures and sets using animation software.
It could have a simple theme like ‘Maxi the dog chases a ball’,
or another topic of interest to children.
Step-by-step animation
VEYLDF connections
• Explain the process to the
children. Watch a stop-motion
Principle
video as a group. FUSE has some
great animation resources: fuse. Integrated teaching and
education.vic.gov.au/?2CZPJ9 learning approaches –
• Create characters from plasticine educators do not limit children
or cardboard, and a set. and acknowledge their unique
trajectories.
• Invent or narrate a sequence
of events. Outcome
• Set up a digital camera and Children are confident and
have the children record their involved learners – they persist
characters moving one stop with tasks, over time, even when
at a time. they might find them difficult.
• Record the characters’ voices.
• Watch claymation videos like
Wallace and Gromit.
Create animated stories Learning
Experience
10
Children and educators could create stories or narratives using
animated characters.
The following resources may be

useful: VEYLDF connections
• FUSE fuse.education.vic.gov.
Principle
au/?BWTD82
• Sock Puppets app goo.gl/F4zDZs Integrated teaching and
learning approaches –
• Puppet Pals app goo.gl/KtU7kN
educators intentionally engage
• Zoobe Pets www.zoobe.com with children in play.
• Toontastic launchpadtoys.com/
Outcome
toontastic
• Voki www.voki.com Children have a strong sense
of identity – explore aspects of
Follow-up learning experiences identity through role play.
• Make a sock puppet.
• Watch a cartoon as a group.
• Lip-sync with a sock or hand
puppet like a ventriloquist.
Which way is forward? Learning
Experience
11
A Bee-Bot is a simple child-friendly floor robot that’s fun to use.
It can introduce children to concepts of directional language
and make learning entertaining. Children could work together to
create their own mat, which the Bee-Bot moves around on, and
enjoy mathematical challenges and games.

VEYLDF connections
• Use Bee-Bots to learn about
counting and directional
Principle
language (left, right, forward,
backward). Integrated teaching and
• Children can learn to write a learning approaches –
simple set of instructions using a educators have an important
Bee-Bot mat. For example, move role in supporting children’s
the bot 2 squares right, 3 forward, learning in mathematical
2 left. understanding.
• Play a game requiring children to Outcome
follow instructions like Simon Says.
• You could discuss with the group: involved learners – they
When do we ask for directions? experiment with different
What is a map? What places did technologies and learn to give
you see on your way here today? and follow simple directions.
What do you do for a living? Learning
Experience
12
Organise a Skype or other video conferencing session for
children to interview a parent or a member of the community
about their work. Before the session, develop a list of questions
with the children. What would they like to know about working?
The questions could be shared with interviewee beforehand.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children: What did you
learn from the interview? Did
Principle
the interviewee have more than
one job at a time? Have they had Respectful relationships and
more than one job since they responsive engagement –
left school? educators develop programs
• Ask the children about people in that build on children’s
the community whose work helps interests and culture.
all of us. Outcome
• Document the children’s ideas on
Children have a strong sense of
the question: What do you want
well-being – children are happy,
to be when you grow up? Why?
safe and connected to others.
• Provide dress-ups for rich and
meaningful dramatic role play for
jobs such as a chef, pilot, athlete,
photographer or builder.
My family album Learning
Experience
13
As part of a group learning experience, children could be asked to
take five photos of their family at home using a digital device. The
photos could be shared with the group and used by the children
to talk about their families.
Children could ask: Who is in

the photo? Where was the photo VEYLDF connections
taken? Are people looking happy
or sad? Was it difficult to get Principle
everyone together for the photo?
Respectful relationships and
Does everyone enjoy being
responsive engagement – over
photographed?
time educators learn about
children and their families
through conversations and
• In a group discussion, you could discussions with them.
ask: What is a family? What kinds
Outcome
of families are there? Who is in
your family? Do animals live with Children have a strong sense of
your family? identity – children demonstrate
• Children could share a funny a sense of belonging and
story about their family or draw identity with their family.
their family.
Safe penpal blogging Learning
Experience
14
With the children from your group and another service – in
another town, state or country – you could create a closed
and protected blog. Acting as a facilitator, you could support
conversations between penpals by typing answers to questions.
Find out more at: global2.vic.edu.au

VEYLDF connections
• Children could learn about
their penpals’ towns, states, or
Principle
countries.
• The blog could be used to Integrated teaching and
exchange artwork and photos. learning – extending children’s
With permission, children’s learning.
artwork could be scanned, and Outcome
uploaded for sharing.
• Families could also have access
and use it to communicate.
– children begin to recognise
that they can belong to many
communities.
See the world Learning
Experience
15
Use Google Maps to find the children’s or their families’
countries of origin. Children could be encouraged to look at a
country, one-at-a-time, and learn a few points about that place.
Photos could be printed to share with the rest of the group.
Visit: www.google.com.au/maps

VEYLDF connections
• As a group, compare printed
images of different countries
Principle
and geographical locations.
These could include buildings, Respectful relationships and
landscapes, weather and places responsive engagement –
of interest. an opportunity for children
• Encourage children from to be sensitive to diversity
different cultural backgrounds and difference.
to share information about their Outcome
favourite foods, celebrations,
costumes and songs. Children are connected with
and contribute to their world –
• Talk to the children about
children have the opportunity
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
to explore the diversity
Islander history and people.
of culture, heritage and
background.
We’re off to the museum Learning
Experience
16
Explore Museum Victoria’s exciting exhibits online.
The Discovery Centre has plants and animals, history
and technology, rocks and fossils and much more at:
museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre You can also view
their collections at: collections.museumvictoria.com.au

VEYLDF connections
• Your service could access the
museum’s educational programs
Principle
through a visit to Melbourne
Museum, Scienceworks or the Integrated teaching and
Immigration Museum. learning – encourage children
• Encourage the children to to explore, problem solve,
draw the things that they find communicate, think, create
interesting during their museum and construct.
visit. It could be the dinosaurs, an Outcome
Aboriginal shield, the birds in the
rainforest or even Phar Lap. Children are connected
to and contribute to their
• The group could create their
world – children are given
own exhibition on a theme they
opportunities to talk about
choose using items from home.
living and non-living things.
Who lives in our Learning
Experience
neighbourbood?
The children could use Google Maps to look at their local
community. The maps, or aerial images, would show them
homes, streets, parks, schools, offices, carparks, shops and other
17
significant places, including your service. Visit: www.google.com.
au/maps

VEYLDF connections
• The group could make a model of
their community, or draw images
Principle
of community spaces and put
them on a wall map. Integrated teaching and
• The service could organise a learning approaches –
local walk, visiting or passing by everyday events support
services and community spaces children’s learning.
such as the local fire station, Outcome
library or bus stop.
• Talk with the children about local
community organisations.
– children show a growing
• The children could make their appreciation and care for the
own donation boxes for a local local community.
community organisation.
Does it make sense? Learning
Experience
18
Our senses, like sight, hearing, help us to make sense of the
world. Using sounds on the internet, play a game where
children guess the sound. FUSE has resources you could use to
investigate the senses, visit: fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?4LTTP4
• Fill up jars with different scents

and have the children cover their VEYLDF connections
eyes to guess the smell: Banana?
Soap? Potato chips? Does it smell Principle
like something to eat? What is the
children’s favourite food smell?
learning – intentional
• Fill up containers with different teaching should be thoughtful,
items. Have the children cover deliberate and purposeful.
their eyes and identify and
describe their textures: Rough? Outcome
Smooth? Soft? Hard? Learning – children develop
• Conduct a taste test using sour, dispositions for learning such
bitter, sweet and salty items. How as curiosity.
many could the children identify?
• Create a group concept map of
things the children can see, hear,
smell, feel and taste over the day.
Cybersafety Learning
Experience
19
Children can learn about safe online practices and digital
citizenship through Hector’s World, an online safety initiative
for educators and parents. Visit: https://www.esafety.gov.au/
education-resources/classroom-resources/hectors-world
Hector’s World features seven • Ask the children what they would
animated episodes of Hector the do if they saw something that
dolphin and his friends exploring made them upset?
the digital world. Support materials
for educators and families cover VEYLDF connections
commercialisation, trusted adults,
privacy and other issues. Principle
Follow-up learning experiences Integrated teaching and
• Ask children questions about learning – intentional
safety: What is safety? What do teaching should be thoughtful,
we need to remember to be safe? deliberate and purposeful.
Who can we go to if we don’t feel Outcome
safe?
• Intentionally plan for children
wellbeing – children feel safe at
to be introduced to the topic of
all times.
being safe and responsible when
they use the internet.
Songs, films and fairytales Learning
Experience
20
Watch songs, films, fairytales and children’s shows for free on
YouTube. Turn on the subtitles function so that children can
begin to follow the words as they watch the story.

VEYLDF connections
• Watch a dance routine from a
YouTube video.
Principle
• Watch a fairytale that tells a
story in another language. You Integrated teaching and
could ask the children what they learning – encourage children
understood of the story. to observe, interpret, model
and reflect.
• Watch different versions of the
same fairytale or song. Discuss Outcome
which version the children
preferred and why?
• Video a group of children acting – children work in groups
out a short play or dialogue. Play to make sense of the world
it back to the children. Ask them if around them.
they would like to do it again. Ask
another group of children to act
out the same play or dialogue.
Daisy the Dinosaur jumps for Learning
Experience
computer coding
Introduce the children to giving and understanding simple
instructions – it’s the basis of computer coding. In a few easy
steps, Daisy can be programmed to jump, roll and turn. Find
21
Daisy at FUSE: fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?WJWZC2

VEYLDF connections
• Play games that reinforce
following instructions such as
Principle
Ship-Shark-Shore.
• Talk about recipes that logically Integrated teaching and
follow a sequence of steps, such learning – children
as making a sandwich. learn through exploring,
experimenting, investigation
• Ask the children: What happens
and being creative.
when we don’t follow instructions
or rules properly? Can we get Outcome
lost? Will the play dough work if
we don’t follow the recipe?
communicators – children
• With the children, make play interact verbally and non-
dough, following a recipe. Take verbally with others for a range
photos at each step and share of purposes.
with parents.
Go on a shape hunt Learning
Experience
22
Encourage the children to look for shapes in their environment.
Shape hunting could be played inside or outside. When the
children have found shapes, they could use an iPad or a digital
camera to take a photo showing the shape. As a learning
experience, they could share their photos with each other.

VEYLDF connections
• Print the photographs and make
a shape sorting game.
Principle
• Extend the children’s interest by
asking them to look at home for Integrated teaching
things that have shapes. and learning – children
learn through exploring,
• Ask children to imagine what a
experimenting, investigation
shape could become: Imagine if
and being creative.
you drew a circle. What could it
become? A face? A chicken? You Outcome
could encourage children to draw
their ideas.
• Children could learn to draw begin to sort and categorise.
different shapes and colour
within the lines.
Teddy’s adventures Learning
Experience
23
Children can take turns to take the same teddy bear home and
take responsibility for him or her. They could take photographs
or draw the teddy bear’s adventures over a week, then narrate
their experiences on an audio recorder.

VEYLDF connections
• Set up a listening post to
encourage the children to
Principle
listen to each other’s recorded
stories. Children may like to give Integrated teaching and
feedback on a story: What made learning – engage children
this story interesting? in learning experiences in
• Create a group blog or timeline of authentic and meaningful ways.
the teddy bear’s adventures over Outcome
the year.
• Your service may consider
acquiring insects or pets to
children take responsibility and
encourage children to learn
care for a living creature.
about care and responsibility for
animals and other creatures.
Lunch Learning
Experience
24
Using a visualiser – also called a document camera – the
children can see small objects, like the contents of their lunch
boxes, projected onto a wall or screen.
Initiate a discussion with the • Plan for and cook a lunch

children about: together with the children.
• the five food groups
• differences in the amount of
VEYLDF connections
packaging (recycling and landfill)
• healthy versus ‘sometimes’ foods
Principle
• the foods that you can or can’t
bring to the service (foods that Integrated teaching and
cause allergies, foods that need learning – adults lead learning
refrigeration, or are too messy, or to extend children’s learning.
are out-of-season). Outcome
Follow-up learning experiences Children have a strong sense
of wellbeing – children learn
• Discuss with the children: What
about and take responsibility
is a healthy snack? Whose lunch
for their own health and
was the most colourful?
physical wellbeing.
• As a group, discuss hygiene when
eating or cooking: children should
wash their hands and cover their
mouth when coughing.
Playground rules Learning
Experience
25
Play Playground Rules, a fun interactive resource that explores
social skills. You can find it at FUSE: fuse.education.vic.gov.
au/?D2E2QA
Initiate group discussion on

appropriate playground behaviour. VEYLDF connections
Discuss positive behaviours, such
as sharing, using appropriate Principle
language, respecting each other’s
property, asking for help and
responsive engagement –
staying safe.
creating opportunities to
Follow-up learning experiences develop collaborative and
supportive relationships
• Initiate group discussion about
between families and
why we have rules.
professionals.
• The children could brainstorm
and draw a simple set of rules for Outcome
a game they know well. Children have a strong sense
• Hold a parent evening to discuss of wellbeing – becoming
cybersafety and the use of digital increasingly aware of the rights
technologies to support children’s of others in the group.
learning and development.
• Discuss with the children ways
to balance screen time with
physical activity.
Weights and scales Learning
Experience
26
Encourage the children to weigh items around the room using
digital scales. Introduce measurement language such as grams
and kilograms.

VEYLDF connections
• Talk about heavy and light items.
Provide a range of items, like
Principle
heavy and light books, to weigh.
• Provide scoops and measuring Integrated teaching and
cups to weigh different quantities learning – model language and
of liquids, rice or sand. introduce new vocabulary.
• Encourage children to use Outcome
adjectives to describe different
items around the room by colour,
size, shape, weight and texture.
have opportunities to predict,
• Make biscuits or vegetable soup think and problem solve.
using a recipe that requires
ingredients to be measured.
• Encourage the children to weigh
coloured sand into bottles to
create different patterns.
• Look at technologies that lift
objects such as cranes and
forklifts.
Can that book really talk? Learning
Experience
27
Plan to use a media player with multiple headphones so that
children can listen to an audio story.
Picture books can also be used to • Children can record stories

enhance the story. Encourage the based on their drawings with an
children to recount the story or to audio recorder.
talk about what they liked. • Introduce a chapter book to the
Follow-up learning experiences group and read it on a regular
basis.
• The children could draw different
scenes from the story and VEYLDF connections
organise the images to make a
story strip.
Principle
• Ask the children: Was there a hero
in this story? Was it a happy or a Integrated teaching and
sad ending? Why? learning – conversations and
interactions that support
learning.
their own picture books.
• Take the opportunity to talk to Outcome
children about the elements of Children are effective
a book. Introduce words such as communicators – use language
chapters and titles. to imagine and create scripts.
up their own stories.
Let’s talk pets Learning
Experience
28
Ask the children about their pets or the pets they would like to
have. What kind of pets do the children have? What does it eat?
Where does it sleep?
The children can think of other

questions to ask a friend about their VEYLDF connections
pets. They could photograph their
pets, or the pets of someone they Principle
know, to share with the group.
Follow-up learning experiences responsive engagement –
children learn from each other
• Use a display of pet photos to
and group experiences offer
extend the children’s learning by
an opportunity for children to
asking questions. For example:
learn together.
How many cats are there? How
many dogs? What kind of things Outcome
do people like doing with their
pets? What is a good pet name?
What is the funniest thing your pet
– they learn about other
does?
children’s and families’ values
• Ask the group about what kind when they learn about their pets.
of pets you can have: Koalas?
Whales? Rats? Fish? Canaries?
• Assemble a display of the pet
photos from the children.
This Bee-Bot is going places Learning
Experience
29
Simple robots, like Bee-Bots, can make journeys on special
mats, based on islands, farms or other imaginary places. Your
service could acquire mats or the children could make their own.
The children could take turns programming Bee-Bots to move,
then take photos of them at different places on the mat.

VEYLDF connections
• Create a book where each child
in the group illustrates their
Principle
favourite part of a Bee-Bot
journey. The book can then be Integrated teaching and
taken home and shared with learning approach – guided play.
family and friends.
Outcome
• The children could create
Bee-Bot journeys and routes for Children are confident
others to follow. and involved learners –
children place and orientate
objects according to simple
Bee-Bot ‘shells’ or clothes – free
descriptions.
templates are available online.
• Ask the group if they know
anything about robots. What is a
robot? Has anyone seen a robot?
What do they do?
What is your national Learning
Experience
costume?
Cultural competence should be fostered and promoted with
children and families in your service.
Plan a dress-up day where the

30
children get dressed up in their VEYLDF connections
family’s national dress and take
photos of each other with digital Principle
cameras or iPads.
Equity and diversity – children
Follow-up learning experiences learn when children’s personal,
family and cultural histories are
• Children could draw flags from
acknowledged and shared.
different countries.
• Discuss with the children what Outcome
they know about different Children have a strong sense
cultures, and what they would like of wellbeing – children develop
to find out. a sense of belonging when
• Invite families to your service they are acknowledged and
to talk about their cultural accepted for their uniqueness
backgrounds. and diversity.
• Information about Australian
national dress is available at
www.australia.gov.au
I’m going to school Learning
Experience
31
Use video conferencing, like Skype or FaceTime, to
communicate with children in a local school. It could be used to
support the children’s transition from your service to school.
If you contact teachers and

students from a local primary VEYLDF connections
school, children in your service
could then be encouraged to Principle
discuss the questions that they
have about starting school.
children learn from each other
and group experiences offer
• Organise an excursion to a local an opportunity for children to
school to support transition. learn together.
• Develop a book for children Outcome
transitioning to the school with
photos, their thoughts and words Children are confident and
of encouragement for the new involved learners – children
year. transfer and adapt what they
had learnt from one context to
• Discuss resilience skills with
another.
the children. This could include
asking for help and trying again.
How fast can I go? Learning
Experience
32
Talk to the children about time. Introduce the concepts of hours,
minutes and seconds by looking at a digital clock or stop watch.
Ask children how long it takes to • Ask the children: Why do we time
complete a task. For example, how a task? Talk about cooking an
long does it take you to get ready egg or vegetables. Try a cooking
in the morning? experience with the children.
VEYLDF connections
• Use stop watches to time how
long it takes children to do a Principle
task. For example, time the
children while they pack up or Integrated teaching and
stack blocks into a tower. These learning approaches -
experiences can become a game extending children’s learning.
as the children try to complete Outcome
them more quickly.
• Talk about the concept of fast
involved learners – they begin
and slow. Does fast always win?
to use measurements.
Introduce the Tortoise and the
Hare story.
• Set up a table with clocks and
digital tools to record and track
time.
Planting a tree Learning
Experience
33
Plant a tree in the playground with the children. Talk about how
to prepare the soil, and plant and water the tree. The children
could use a digital camera to document the planting.

VEYLDF connections
• Print out the photos and ask the
children to sequence the photos
Principle
in the correct order.
• Talk about trees and what they Integrated teaching and
need to grow. Make connections learning approaches – provide
for the children about what trees environments and experiences
need to grow and what children to promote children’s learning.
need to grow. Outcome
• Watch a time-lapse film of a
plant growing at: fuse.education.
vic.gov.au/?H9YBGM
explore nature and encourage
• Watch: Why do we need trees? children to be aware of the
youtu.be/BJZt_Z1eIBE and ask the importance of looking after the
children: Why do we need trees? world around us.
• Visit a local nursery.
• Take a virtual tour through a forest.
• Are all trees the same size? Gum
trees? Wattle trees? Palms?
Finding your way Learning
Experience
34
A compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) can be used to
conduct an adventure walk. You could encourage the children to
find, collect or photograph items at different locations on the walk.
Follow-up learning experience

• Using paper plates, support
VEYLDF connections
the children to create their own
compass rose with North, East,
South and West. Principle
• The group could look at different Integrated teaching and
maps and see if the children can learning approaches –
find the compass rose on each encourage children to explore,
map. What else can the children solve problems, communicate,
see on the map? think, create and construct.
• The children could learn about Outcome
sunrise and sunset: the sun rises
in the east and sets in the west. Children develop a range of
skills and processes – learn
• As a group, brainstorm other
to give and follow simple
technologies that people
directions and describe
use to find or locate items or
locations in relation to other
information and to get directions.
people and places.
• Encourage children to use books
that support observational skills
such as Where’s Wally?.
Stop! Wait! Go! Learning
Experience
35
Plan for children to learn more about colours. For example, why
are traffic lights red, amber and green? What do each of the
colours mean? What makes traffic lights work? What happens
when they don’t work?
Ask children if the colours in a

traffic light help them to explain VEYLDF connections
how they feel? If you were feeling
angry, what colour would you be? Principle
• Show the children some educators encourage and
emoticons. Ask the children to support children to have
guess the emotion expressed by respectful relationships with
each emoticon. other children.
• Talk about: Outcome
-- Respectful relationships: What
we should do if we are feeling
angry with someone?
show increasing knowledge in
-- Respectful behaviours and conveying meaning.
communication.
• Watch: youtu.be/9Mku8fSY4zE
and talk about persistence.
What a great year it’s been Learning
Experience
36
Using timeline software or an app, like ReadWriteThink’s
Timeline, create a timeline of learning experiences over the year
for your service. Include images and children’s quotes. Print it
out and display it in the foyer.
Follow-up learning experiences • Is it easier or harder to do things

at different speeds?
• Ask the children to remember the
most fun learning experiences for
VEYLDF connections
the year.
• Ask the children to recall major
Principle
events in their lives so far and
discuss these with their parents. Integrated teaching and
Then share photos of those learning approaches – children
moments with the group. look back to reflect on what
• Read a book or watch a film they have achieved and learnt
about a time machine. Ask the (metacognition).
children: Can we travel to the Outcome
future? What do you think the
future looks like? Can you draw it? Children have a strong sense
of identity – children realise
• Watch a time-lapse video that
how much they have grown and
slows down or speeds up time.
learnt during the year.
• Ask the children to do things at
unusual speed: walk very slowly,
or speak quickly.
Audio books for home reading Learning
Experience
37
Upload podcasts of stories to media players or publish links to
encourage home reading. Families can also often access audio
books in a variety of languages via their local library. Encourage
families to listen to stories in their home language.

VEYLDF connections
• Provide parents with a list of
questions to ask children during Principle
reading to engage them and Integrated teaching and
confirm their understanding. learning approaches – adult-
• Ask families if they would like to led learning supported by
borrow story sequencing cards families.
from your service to use at home.
Outcome
• Ask the children to draw their
interpretation of a character Children are effective
from an audio book they have communicators – children
listened to. are encouraged to reflect and
recount through storytelling.
• Ask the children to recall and
recount what the book was about
in front of the group. Invite the
group to ask questions about the
story.
• Point out the elements of a book
such as the title and chapters.
Orientation videos Learning
Experience
38
Create an orientation video for first-time parents and families,
welcoming them to your service.
Ready, Set, Kindergarten is an

innovative FUSE resource that VEYLDF connections
provides information to children
and parents about a kindergarten, Principle
its routines and learning
experiences: fuse.education.vic.gov.
au/?DM7944
practical and authentic
Created by the Geelong information.
Kindergarten Association this
Outcome
resource covers:
• Sun Protection • Clothing/Shoes
communicators – digital
• Medicine • Food/Snacks
technology is being used to
• Healthy Teeth • Arriving/Leaving
communicate ideas to children
• Notices/Pockets • Safety/Gates
and families.
• Invite parents or grandparents to
an early years orientation event.
• Include educators’ photos and
names in the first newsletter of
the year to assist in transition.
Message the big moments Learning
Experience
39
Your service could obtain permission from parents to message
them by SMS or email, including images, texts or videos of
significant moments in their children’s learning. Or you could
use an appropriate parent communication app, provided
privacy issues are addressed.
Significant learning moments could

include: VEYLDF connections
• making a friend
Principle
• approaching new situations with
confidence Assessment for learning and
development – educators are
• persevering with a task
transparent and objective
• engaging in and contributing to and provide families with
group experiences. information about their child’s
learning and development.
Outcome
• Use digital messages as an
opportunity to initiate face-to- Children have a strong sense
face conversations with parents of identity – children’s identity
and families about their child’s is strengthened when they are
learning and development. recognised and valued for their
achievements.
Technology news Learning
Experience
40
Your service could add a digital technologies section to its
newsletter, suggesting to parents digital learning experiences
that they can do at home with their children.
It could cover information on

educational or play-learning apps VEYLDF connections
or games and include helpful ideas
on how to protect their children in Principle
a digital environment. Cybersafety,
Assessment for learning and
screen time and digital footprints
development – educators
could also be topics for articles.
can provide families with
Follow-up learning experiences information about what they
can do to further the learning
• Invite a cybersafety expert to
of their children at home.
your service to speak to parents.
• As a group, the children could be Outcome
encouraged to explore a children’s Children are effective
publication and print out the communicators – children use
really interesting parts. technologies in everyday life to
• Ask children to share their communicate and learn.
favourite apps or games.
Matching shapes Learning
Experience
41
Provide access to apps about shapes that encourage children to
place and orientate shapes using simple descriptive language
such as ‘next to’, ‘in front of’, ‘over’ and ‘under’. They could also
help the children learn to manipulate and investigate basic 2D
and 3D shapes. Visit: fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?2GRG5Q

VEYLDF connections
• Encourage the children to
complete ancient Chinese
Principle
tangram puzzles to create
shapes. Integrated teaching and
• Encourage discussion about learning approaches –
shapes and how different shapes encourage children to think,
used together can make new create and construct.
shapes. Outcome
• Children could use their creativity
to make shapes using different
art materials.
resource their own learning
• Read books to the children about through connecting with
shapes and ask them to point technologies.
out different shapes in book
illustrations.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Learning
Experience
Islander cultures
You can find lots of great resources for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander cultures on FUSE: fuse.education.vic.gov.
au/?M4G9JJ
42
VEYLDF connections
• Make sure that there is an
Aboriginal flag and a Torres
Principle
Strait Islander flag available at
your service to acknowledge the Equity and diversity – promote
traditional owners and stimulate cultural awareness in all
discussion about our history. children, including greater
• Share images of Aboriginal art understanding of Aboriginal
with the children and ask them and Torres Strait Islander ways
to create art that defines their of knowing and being.
identities. Outcome
• Integrate yarning circles into the
Children have a strong sense
daily routine.
of identity – all children feel
• Invite a local elder and a respected and recognised for
traditional owner to visit. who they are.
How cool! Learning
Experience
A book in two languages
Explore bilingual e-books with the children and play interactive
games as you read the books and explore the messages in the
stories.
43
VEYLDF connections
• Support children for whom
English is an additional language
Principle
by identifying stories in their first
language. Equity and diversity –
• Create a word wall in many recognise multi-lingualsim as
languages with the children, an asset and support children
illustrating any new words they to maintain their first language
have learnt in other languages. and learn English as a second
language.
• Invite families to come in to talk
about their language and culture, Outcome
and ask them to speak to the
Children have a sense of
children in their first language,
identity – all children feel
and translate into English.
respected and recognised for
• Show the children how different who they are.
languages appear in written
form, including character-based
languages like Japanese.
Learning from others Learning
Experience
44
Invite children from neighbouring schools to create interactive
books or presentations on a skill or interesting fact for the
children at your service.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children: What have you
learnt from the experience that
Principle
you did not know before?
• Encourage the children to draw Respectful relationships and
what they have learnt. responsive engagement –
learning programs that foster
• Talk about transition to school
relationships with the local
with the children: What questions
community.
do you have? What do you
already know about school? Do Outcome
you have older siblings at school?
What are you are looking forward
to doing when you go to school?
children have an opportunity
to develop relationships with
older children.
Cartoon capers Learning
Experience
45
A cartoon or comic strip is made up of a series of frames which
tell a story. Each frame can include images, backgrounds, text
and audio, which could be characters’ voices, music or sound
effects. As a group, create a cartoon or comics using text and
audio dialogue, and images.
Cartoon Story Maker is a fantastic • Encourage the children to create

free resource: www.education.vic. or draw their own picture comics.
gov.au/languagesonline/games/
cartoon/index.htm VEYLDF connections
FUSE also has cartoon and comic
resources: fuse.education.vic.gov. Principle
au/?LBSNQ8 Integrated teaching and
Follow-up learning experiences learning approaches –
educators build on children’s
• Explore comic strips like Garfield: interests to extend their
Why do we have comics? Are they thinking.
always funny?
Outcome
• Explore creating stories with the
children, looking at characters, Children are effective
beginnings and endings. Talk communicators – children
with them more deeply about use information and
stories they have just read. communication technologies to
communicate, learn and play.
Vocabulary flashcards Learning
Experience
46
Try using one of the suggested sites to create flashcards or
quizzes to extend the children’s vocabulary.
Suggested sites: • Place all the cards on the floor.

• Quizlet: quizlet.com/find- The children can take turns
flashcards picking up cards they know until
all cards have been picked up.
• Cram: www.cram.com/flashcards/
create
VEYLDF connections
Follow-up learning experiences Principle

• Ask the children to draw and Integrated teaching and
create their own flashcards. For learning approaches –
example, they could create cards encourage children to think
of things that are found in the and make connections.
kitchen or at the beach.
Outcome
• Sort a group of cards in different
ways, for example, by colours, by Children are confident and
shapes, or by size. involved learners – children
• Play memory-based card games. transfer and adapt what they
have learnt from one context to
another.
Playing with words Learning
Experience
47
There are many wonderful literacy, language and word games
available for the early years on FUSE or other sites online.
Search for:
VEYLDF connections
• matching games
• sequencing games Principle
• drawing games
High expectations for children
• guessing games – educators observe when
• ordering games. children are ready to be
Or explore some FUSE resources: challenged and their learning
fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?HFBY8K extended.
Outcome
• Print the children’s names on communicators – children use
cards and give them to the symbols to represent and make
children. If children are not yet meaning.
able to write their name they can
use the cards to name their work.
• When children are showing
interest in the written word,
encourage children to try and
write their name.
Playing with numbers Learning
Experience
48
Encourage children to play free educational mathematics
games available online through FUSE: fuse.education.vic.gov.
au/?Q7W77Y

VEYLDF connections
• Have fun with numbers. Provide a
set of playing cards or Uno cards
Principle
to play Snap.
• Set up a supermarket for dramatic Integrated teaching and
play. Provide pretend money and learning approaches –
encourage children to talk about educators extend children’s
how much things cost. thinking and learning.
• Use birthdays as an opportunity Outcome
to talk about numbers and clap
Children are confident
out numbers.
and involved learners –
• The group can look at examples mathematical languages and
of numbers in the world around symbols promote children’s
them: on mailboxes, in telephone learning.
numbers or on coins.
• Sing songs that teach the
children numbers and number
order.
Words go with music Learning
Experience
49
Show children a fun song or dance routine on YouTube.

VEYLDF connections
• Watch different versions of the
same song. Discuss: How are they
Principle
different? Which version do you
prefer and why? Children are confident and
• Ask the children what their involved learners – explore
favourite songs are. Make a the arts and different
compilation of these songs for modes of expression and
children to enjoy. communication.
• Talk about how songs convey Outcome
meaning. For example: Which
songs make you feel happy?
learning approaches – extend
Are there any songs that make
children’s thinking and
you feel sad?
experiences.
• Using musical intruments, the
children could be encouraged to
play along to a song.
What can you see? Learning
Experience
50
Watch a live webcam stream of a street scene or a zoo and ask
the children to describe what they see.
What are people or animals doing? Follow-up activities:
Would this picture look different • Talk about webcams: Where
at a different time of day or year? can you put a webcam? Where
What are people wearing? couldn’t you put a webcam?
Live-streaming webcams What makes webcam images
interesting to watch?
Go to webcam portal web sites, like:
• www.earthcam.com VEYLDF connections
• www.kidsclick.org/specials/
animalcams.php Principle
• www.actwild.org.au/videos-and- Integrated teaching and
cams learning approaches – use
a range of tools, media and
sounds to extend perspective
Please take into account:
and learning.
• iPads don’t play Flash videos.
Outcome
• Geographical and time
differences may mean little or Children are confident and
no activity on some live webcams involved learners – explore ideas
at night. and use their imagination.
Comparing digital images Learning
Experience
51
Using Google Maps, look up an image from another country. Use
the image to initiate discussion about what the children know or
see. Compare it with an image of your service’s neighbourhood.
Visit: www.google.com.au/maps
Ask the children: Does the other • Choose an image, like a ball or a
country look like where we live? shoe, and ask the children if they
How is it different? How is it the could create a story about it.
same? Are the houses bigger or
smaller? Is there a lot of grass and VEYLDF connections
trees, or a lot of concrete?
Follow-up learning experiences Principle
• The children could explore Integrated teaching and
Google Maps and capture learning approaches – learning
a screen shot that they find is an active process that occurs
interesting. Provide them with when children are interested
an opportunity to share with and engaged.
other children what they find Outcome
interesting about that image.
• Use Google Images as a digital
communicators – use
learning tool for children to
information and digital
explore ideas or interests. For
technologies to make sense of
example, they may want to look
the world.
for ideas for great cubbyhouses.
Virtual tours Learning
Experience
52
Take a virtual tour of a museum, a zoo, a sporting facility or
another location from around the world.
Websites to visit and tour include: The children could be provided

with 3D materials to make some
• Smithsonian National Museum:
of the features of their favourite
www.mnh.si.edu/vtp/1-desktop
places.
• outdoor market: www.3disrael.
com/telaviv/carmel_market.cfm VEYLDF connections
• zoo tours: www.zoobrno.cz/en/for-
visitors/virtual-tour-and-map Principle
Follow-up learning experiences Integrated teaching and
• After visiting a site, the children learning approaches – children
could be encouraged to draw lead their learning.
their impressions of what they Outcome
learnt.
• Create a 360-degree view
or panoramic image of their
engage with technology for fun
playground using the panorama
and to make meaning.
function of an iPad or photo-
stitching software.
panoramas by drawing or
creating their favourite places.
Making word clouds Learning
Experience
53
A word cloud is an image which represents the subject that the
words describe, like the skater in the picture on this card. Create
a word cloud to use with documentation at your service. As a
group, create word clouds of the children’s favourite stories.
Word cloud software includes:

VEYLDF connections
Wordle: Word clouds can be edited
with different fonts, colours and
Principle
layouts, and even shared with
others online: www.wordle.net Integrated teaching and
Tagxedo: A great way to make word
educators plan for children’s
clouds from sites, then change
learning by making decisions
shape to meet your needs: www.
about intentional teaching that
tagxedo.com
is thoughtful, deliberate and
Other brands are Tagul, Worditout purposeful.
and WordSift
Outcome
Follow-up learning experience Children are effective
• Can the children recognise words
begin to recognise letters and
or letters in a word cloud?
words.
Leaving digital footprints Learning
Experience
54
Discuss digital footprints with the children. Footprints are the
trail or traces of information that people leave online. What
information can you find out about people on the internet?
Assist the children to look up a famous celebrity or athlete.

VEYLDF connections
• Start a discussion: What is a
handprint or footprint? What are
Principle
fingerprints used for?
• Discuss the risks of digital Respectful relationships and
footprints and use it as an responsive engagement –
opportunity to talk about support children to understand
cybersafety. the risks of engaging in a
digital environment.
• Read a story to the children
about leaving a trail. In Hansel Outcome
and Gretel, Hansel leaves a trail
of stones.
of wellbeing – children make
• Look at snails and the trails they choices, accept challenges and
leave behind. Why do snails leave take considered risks.
a trail?
• What else leaves a trail? A jet?
Scan that item Learning
Experience
55
Codes like bar codes, or QR codes, are used to convey
information. They can identify products, or like morse code,
represent the letters of the alphabet. Introduce the children to:
• Morse code
• supermarket bar codes
• scanners and digital devices that can scan using a camera
• QR codes.

VEYLDF connections
• Encourage children to create
their own imaginary codes or
write their names in code. Principle
• Explain Braille to the children Integrated teaching and
and why it is important. This learning approaches – by
discussion could also be used to observing and documenting
highlight diversity, inclusion and children’s learning, educators
communication. can plan experiences to extend
• Encourage children to look their learning.
for codes around them, on
packaging or tickets for the
Outcome
cinema or sporting events. Children are confident and
• Set up a pretend supermarket involved learners – children
play area with a pretend scanner. experiment with different
Children can create their own bar technologies.
codes for items.
The world of panoramas Learning
Experience
56
Introduce the children to the amazing world of panoramas,
which are made by stitching together a number of photos of a
subject, like a building or a playground. Making them can be fun.

VEYLDF connections
• Learn about panoramas: When
can you use them? What kinds of
Principle
panoramas work best?
• Children could learn to take Integrated teaching and learning
photos and create panoramas approaches – educators
using a digital camera, photo encourage children to work
apps or a panorama option, lens together to achieve a goal.
or scope attachment on an iPad. Outcome
• Print out panoramas and use
them to create puzzles. They
could be laminated, cut up and
experience the benefits and
children could put them back
pleasures of shared learning.
together.
• The children can create a
panorama of a story or scene by
working together. This could be
developed into a project where a
group of children work together
to achieve a goal.
Virtual art gallery of Learning
Experience
children’s work
Create a virtual art gallery of the children’s art work for families
to view at home with their children.
Families can be encouraged to

57
leave comments for the children VEYLDF connections
once they have visited the gallery.
Principle
Partnerships with families –
• Visit an art gallery with the
communicate with families in
children.
different and positive ways to
• Scan or photograph the demonstrate the important
children’s art work to upload to learning of their child.
the virtual gallery.
Outcome
• Consider organising a real
art exhibition at the service to Children have a strong sense
celebrate the children’s many of identity – children feel
ways of expressing themselves. recognised and respected for
• Show the children art created by who they are.
great artists, such as Leonardo
da Vinci or Tom Roberts.
Green screens: imagine you Learning
Experience
are anywhere in the world
Using a green screen, you can superimpose a person or
character on a different background. A child filmed in front
of a green screen could be superimposed on an image of a
58
tropical island. Try the Green Screen by Do Ink app: youtu.be/
AadfSLxmKj4 or StopMotion Studio Pro software.

VEYLDF connections
• Children could use pictures of
places significant in their lives,
Principle
and superimpose themselves
onto them to create a story. Equity and diversity – promote
• As a group discuss: Would you cultural awareness in all
have a different life or talk children.
differently if you lived in one of Outcome
the places that you ‘travelled’ to
with the help of a green screen. Children are confident and
• As a group discuss: What is
experiment with different
teleporting? Where would the
technologies.
children go and why?
• As a group discuss: Where and
why do we use green screens?
The TV weather report?
Young photographers on Learning
Experience
assignment
Children could take photos of items they find interesting in and
around your service. For example, they could photograph a gum
nut or a leaf in the outdoor play area.
59
VEYLDF connections
• Use the photos to learn about
the children’s interests. Are there
Principle
patterns? What captures the
children’s imagination? Integrated teaching and
• The photos may be used to learning approaches
initiate an in-depth project or – educators model or
investigation with the children. demonstrate how to use and
care for a digital camera.
• Ask children if they can take
a series of photos to show Outcome
sequences.
• Choose four or five photos and communicators – children
ask the children to use these to express their ideas and make
create a story. Document the meaning by using digital
story that the children create cameras.
and include it in their portfolios
so that they can share with their
families.
What does that old thing do? Learning
Experience
60
Show the children images of twentieth century technologies,
such as fixed line telephones, cassette recorders and
typewriters. Ask the children if they know what they are and
what they do.

VEYLDF connections
• Locate and buy some of these old
items from second hand shops to
Principle
include in home corners or on a
science table. Partnerships with families –
• Provide the children with tools to educators encourage family
take some of these items apart. members to enrich children’s
These experiences should be learning by sharing their
supervised. experiences about the past.
• Ask the children to imagine and Outcome
draw what things may look in
the future. For example: What will
a phone look like in the future?
children explore the concepts
What will our houses look like?
of the past, the present and the
• Invite a grandparent to talk about future.
technologies that were available
when they grew up. What was it
like without television or tablets?
Photo editing: put me in the Learning
Experience
picture
Use simple photo editing tools to change photos or drawings.
For example, you can alter a photo’s colour, add text, create
effects, crop, or create a panorama. FUSE has resources you can
61
use: fuse.education.vic.gov.au/?CLW524

VEYLDF connections
• Encourage children to use a
photo editing app, software or
Principle
website to change a photo. Ask
them to make a colour photo High expectations for every
black and white. Do they like the child – educators have
photo as much? an image of the child as
• Provide the children with half an competent and provide
image of a person’s profile and learning experiences to
encourage them to draw the rest challenge them.
of the image by hand. Outcome
• As a group, show the children
how to change the size of an
image or how to remove an
manipulate photos using digital
object from a picture.
technology to invent and create
new images.
Happy birthday e-card Learning
Experience
62
As a group, create an e-card to wish someone a happy birthday,
to thank them, congratulate them or wish them well. This card
could then be emailed or uploaded to the person.

VEYLDF connections
• Emphasise the language that
is used in cards. For example, a
Principle
thank you card is used to thank
someone for something they Integrated teaching and learning
have done. Ask the children when approaches – educators
they should send thank you scaffold children’s learning.
cards.
Outcome
• A congratulations card includes
good wishes for something Children are effective
exciting or happy that has communicators – children use
happened. Ask children when they digital technology as method
should send a card to congratulate of communication.
someone. Examples may include
the birth of a baby or a wedding.
Ask the children: What could you
be congratulated for?
• Children can suggest designs for
hand drawn cards or e-cards for
Mother’s or Father’s Day.
Design a city Learning
Experience
63
Use a computer program to co-design a city or environment
with the children. Plans and designs could be discussed with
the group. What does a city need? What would make your
city amazing? Why? A city design game is at: kids.tate.org.uk/
games/my-imaginary-city

VEYLDF connections
• Children could create a 3D model
of an environment from other
Principle
materials. For example, ask the
children if they would like to use Integrated teaching and
blocks, art materials or Lego. learning approaches – creative
• Ask the children to draw a city play stimulates the imagination
and share the drawings. and enhances learning.
• Ask the children if they would Outcome
like to combine their drawings to
make a Super City.
• Arrange an excursion to contribute their ideas in small
Scienceworks to see the Nitty and large group discussions.
Gritty Super City.
What’s in the news? Learning
Experience
64
Watch an age-appropriate news item of interest to the children
and discuss the main themes of the story as a group. ABC
Children has current news stories, documentaries and games
on a range of topics of interest to children at: www.abc.net.au/
children

VEYLDF connections
• Children could create an artwork,
such as a drawing, painting or
Principle
sculpture, summarising the main
points in the story. Integrated teaching and
• Children could develop questions learning – encourage children
about the story they watched to explore, solve problems,
for sharing and discussion as a communicate, think, create and
group. construct.
• Create a pretend television Outcome
newsroom for children to invent
Children resource their own
their own news items.
learning – explore ideas and
theories using imagination,
creativity and play.
Ways to tell a story Learning
Experience
65
Ask the children to listen intently, then read them a chapter
book without showing them any of the illustrations. When
you have finished reading, show the children an animated
or film version of the same story. Then ask the children if the
characters looked the way that they had imagined. Was the
story the same? Were there any different characters? Were
there any surprises in the film version?

VEYLDF connections
up their own stories and share
Principle
them with the group. Some
children may draw their story; Integrated teaching and
some children may make their learning approaches – adults
story out of clay; and some have an important role in
children may decide to record providing creative learning
them as a video or audio file. experiences for children.
• Talk about the role of a book Outcome
illustrator.
communicators – children use
technologies to communicate.
Films in other languages Learning
Experience
66
Some films have dual-language audio – a version with English
dialogue and a version in another language. Using the tool bar
menu you can choose the language. Show the children a snippet
of a film in another language. They could discuss how it felt not
to be able to understand the words. Did the pictures help them
work out the story? Then show them the English version.

VEYLDF connections
• Talk about the diversity of
language and the fact that many
Principle
children in Australia and around
the world grow up speaking Equity and diversity –
languages other than English. educators recognise multi-
• Ask the children if someone lingualism as an asset and
in their family speaks another support children to maintain
language. their first language.
• Ask the children which languages Outcome
they would like to learn and why.
• Intentionally introduce new and contribute to their world –
vocabulary. What does an children explore the diversity
interpreter do? of culture, heritage and
languages.
Communicating without Learning
Experience
speaking
Watch a popular children’s show with the volume muted. Ask
the children if the non-verbal gestures or actions give them a
clue about what is happening. Is it harder to understand without
67
words or sounds?

VEYLDF connections
deafness. What does deaf
Principle
mean? How do deaf people
communicate? What is a Equity and diversity –
hearing aid? educators ensure that the
• Introduce Auslan sign language. rights of every child and their
Encourage children to sign their family are introduced, valued
own name and learn the signs for and respected.
hello and thank you. Outcome
• Ask the children if they know
anyone who is deaf. Could they
invite them to the service?
interact verbally and non-
• Encourage the children to share verbally with others for a range
hand gestures, like stop, that they of purposes.
know.
• Play charades with the children.
City and country get Learning
Experience
together
Organise a Skype link with a rural or city children’s service.
Children might like to talk to the other group about what they
have in common and what is different about where they live.
68
VEYLDF connections
• Read the City Mouse and Country
Mouse story. Ask the children
Principle
where they would like to live.
• On a map, show the children Integrated teaching and
the distance they would need learning approaches – adults
to travel to different parts of extend learning opportunities
Victoria. through intentional teaching.
• As a group, discuss the things Outcome
that you can do in the country
that you cannot do in the city
like riding a horse or ploughing a
– children develop a sense
field. Are there trams in the city or
of belonging to groups and
the country?
communities.
• Encourage the children to draw
their impressions of landscapes
in the city and the country.
Welcome to our community Learning
Experience
69
Invite community members to your service and ask children to
introduce them to the group, using a microphone. The children
can take turns to ask questions. The session could conclude with
the children thanking the visitors for coming to visit.

VEYLDF connections
practice how to introduce
Principle
someone to someone else. How
do we find out more about Integrated teaching and
a person? What are the best learning approaches –
questions to ask? educators plan for child-led
• Have some fun with microphones. and guided play.
Children could practice speaking Outcome
or singing with a microphone.
Use them to encourage children Children are connected
to talk in front of the rest of the with and contribute to their
group. world – children develop
an understanding of other
• The group can discuss: Who
communities.
makes up a community? Why are
communities important?
Role-play Learning
Experience
70
Use children’s role-playing computer games to learn vocabulary,
reflect on events and situations, make choices and imagine.
FUSE has role-playing resources you could use: fuse.education.
vic.gov.au/?2HZ8MN

VEYLDF connections
• As a group, brainstorm the items,
people, or features one might find
Principle
in different environments such as
a playground, a circus, a lake or Equity and diversity – support
a farm. children to develop a sense
• Create a pretend play area based of place, identity and a
on a supermarket. Encourage the connection to the land.
children to play different roles in Outcome
that environment, for example,
the customer, the retail assistant Children have a strong sense
or the store manager. of identity – explore aspects of
identity through role play.
• Hold a dress up day. Encourage
children to role play the
character that they have dressed
up as.
Learning
Technologies that help Experience
people
Talk about and show the children images of technologies that
assist people in everyday life. These assistive technologies
include electric wheelchairs, screen readers, voice recognition
71
software, Braille printers, audio books, switches and robots.

VEYLDF connections
• Talk to the children about robots
and what they can do that
Principle
people might not be able to.
• Show the children images or Equity and diversity - adults
video clips from the Paralympics. provide experiences for
children to learn to respect and
• Play games where the children
be comfortable with diversity
may not be able to use their
and difference.
hands or legs (like a potato sack
race or an egg and spoon race). Outcome
Then discuss as a group what it
felt like trying to run when they
couldn’t move freely.
– children learn to respond to
• Encourage the children to draw diversity with respect.
a picture when blindfolded, then
without a blindfold.
Slow it down! Speed it up! Learning
Experience
72
Watch video clips of an activity in slow motion and at normal
speed. YouTube’s slow motion footage includes blowing a
dandelion, running a race or throwing a ball. The dandelion is at:
youtu.be/0MB3nHiogjI
• Ask the children: What things

would you like to slow down in VEYLDF connections
your life? A birthday party? What
would you like to speed up in your Principle
life? Cleaning your room? Getting
dressed in the morning?
learning approaches – adults
• Ask the children to choose an use everyday events for
activity that they do every day. learning.
Slow it down. Speed it up. What
does it feel like? Outcome
• Encourage the children to think Children are confident and
of which animals are slow or fast. involved learners – children use
• As a group, read The Tortoise and play to explore ideas.
the Hare fable.
Let’s watch the grass grow Learning
Experience
73
Introduce time-lapse video clips for the children to watch.
YouTube has time-lapse footage of skyscrapers being built,
vegetables growing from seed and igloos under construction.
Ask the children: Why do people

use time-lapse technology? VEYLDF connections
Scaffold children’s learning
by making some suggestions. Principle
Wouldn’t it be great to see grass
growing? Flowers opening? People
aging? Bread rising in the oven?
adults intentionally provide
Ask the children if they like waiting opportunities for children to
for things? Why or why not? explore multimedia resources.
Follow-up learning experiences Outcome
• Create a time-lapse clip with the Children are confident and
children using the time-lapse involved learners – children use
function on a smartphone or technology to share, explore
iPad. and express their ideas.
• The children could make their
own time-lapse drawings.
• Ask the children: Is it possible
to stop time? Play the musical
statues game.
What time is it now? Learning
Experience
74
Introduce ‘time-telling apps’ to encourage the children to learn
to tell the time.

VEYLDF connections
• The children can create their own
clock faces and mark the hours
Principle
on them in numbers.
• The group could look at different Integrated teaching and
timepieces such as a cuckoo learning approaches –
clock, a grandfather clock, a educators intentionally plan for
digital watch, an alarm clock and conceptual learning.
a sundial. Outcome
• Show the children how an
hourglass works.
• The children can create their own learn to tell the time.
hourglass clock using sand and
bottles or jars.
• Ask the children: What does it
mean to be early? Or late? What
can happen if we turn up early or
late to different events or places?
Icons, logos and trademarks Learning
Experience
75
Take photos of different icons, logos and trademarks. Create a
quiz and see how many the children can identify. Talk about why
companies use logos.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children to look around
the room to find logos, for
Principle
example, on clothes, playthings,
or posters. Integrated teaching and
• Children could draw their own learning approaches –
logos to represent themselves. encourage children to explore,
solve problems, communicate,
• Children can survey their families
think, create and construct.
to identify their top three most
recognisable logos. The data can Outcome
be collated on a graph.
• Show the children icons for, men, communicators – children
women, purchasing a ticket and begin to understand how
toilets. See how many icons the symbols and pattern systems
children can identify. work.
Favourite fonts Learning
Experience
76
Take some time to show children different font types and
colours on a computer and encourage them to print their names
in their favourite font.

VEYLDF connections
• Ensure that the children have a
good understanding of fonts.
Principle
• Point out different fonts in books.
• Point out different-coloured fonts
and different-sized fonts. Ask the
educators use different
children: Why do we use so many
learning experiences to
different fonts?
enhance literacy.
• Print out a child’s name in several
fonts and colours. Which font and Outcome
colour is easiest to read from a Children are effective
distance? Do different letters look communicators – children
different depending on the font begin to understand that
that is used? letters can be represented in
• Ask the children to draw or different ways.
decorate a letter or a number in
different ways.
Creating new fairytales Learning
Experience
77
Visit the Storybook Creator at PBS KIDS and re-imagine some
popular fairytales into new stories: goo.gl/UnlxB

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children to draw the
characters in a fairytale.
Principle
• Ask the children to invent
and create their own fairytale Integrated teaching and
characters. learning approaches –
educators use questions,
• Provide different materials for
prompts, reminders and
the children to create fairytale
encouragement for children in
characters. For example, offer
their learning experiences.
clay, wire, boxes or cards for the
children to use. Outcome
• Ask the children to think of a new Children are effective
ending to a well-known fairytale, communicators – children
such as Little Red Riding Hood. engage with a range of texts.
• Create a group list of the
children’s favourite fairytales to
share with families. Explore which
one was the most popular. Why
did the children like it best?
3D printing Learning
Experience
78
The 3D printing of many objects – from tools to toys – is now
a reality using a special printer. Ask the children: Do you know
what a 3D printer is? Watch a video of a 3D printer in action on
a computer or an iPad.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children to draw
something that they would like to
Principle
make into a 3D model.
• Encourage children to make a 3D High expectations for children
model from cardboard, plastic – educators provide learning
and string. environments that promote
many ways of knowing and
• Ask the children: How can 3D
learning.
printing help people?
• Visit a school or a retail store Outcome
with a 3D printer to see a Children are effective
demonstration of a real-life 3D communicators – educators
object being created. present information and
communication technologies
to access information and
investigate ideas and represent
their thinking.
Touchy-feely textures Learning
Experience
79
Use an electronic microscope to look at different materials more
closely including silk, lace, leather, wool and mohair. Ask the
children, using descriptive vocabulary, to describe the textures
that they see. How do you imagine the textures would feel?

VEYLDF connections
• Offer the children small pieces of
the textured material for collage.
Principle
• Make a ‘texture mural’. Children
could work together to create a Integrated teaching and
mural design and use the collage learning approaches –
materials to complete the design. educators provide information
and communication
• Ask the children to look around
technologies for children to
the room. How many different
see materials from different
textures can they collect?
perspectives.
• As a group, encourage the
children to come up with as many Outcome
adjectives as they can think of Children are confident and
to describe different objects and involved learners – children
textures. play with and investigate
materials more deeply.
Drawing or tracing Learning
Experience
80
Allow the children time to create designs using paint apps.
Using an app like Drawing Pad children can tap a tool, choose a
colour and start drawing. They can explore different colours and
brush thicknesses. There is no mess – and the children can be
really creative.

VEYLDF connections
• Use painting apps to assist
children to think about colour
Principle
mixing.
• Provide children with a colour Integrated teaching and
palette and different paints learning approaches –
for mixing. Ask the children to educators use digital
explain how they mixed colours technology to provide children
and talk about the new colours or with opportunities to be
shades they invented. creative.
• Provide transparent paper and Outcome
encourage the children to trace
images from books or magazines
and to colour them in differently
make connections between
to the originals.
experiences, concepts and
processes.
Connecting with families Learning
Experience
81
Develop a short online survey, using a tool like SurveyMonkey,
to collect the views and perspectives of the families who use
your service.
Pose questions such as: What

do you like about the service? Is VEYLDF connections
there anything you would like to
see changed? The survey results Principle
could inform planning and improve
Partnerships with families
partnerships with families.
– educators recognise that
families are the primary
influence on children’s learning
• Ask the children: Are there any and development.
questions you would like to ask
Outcome
families or educators?
• Families might want to ask Children have a strong sense
children about what they do at of identity – children’s sense
your service. These questions, of identity within a family is
and the children’s answers, could strengthened when their family
be audio or video recorded. is encouraged to contribute to
the program at the centre.
• Write an article on the parents’
responses. Let them know, in
your next newsletter, what you
propose to do as a result of the
feedback.
Professional learning Learning
Experience
82
Digital tools can help you build your professional learning and
development by connecting you to online learning communities,
delivering rewarding learning modules and providing strong
links to professional organisations.
Build your professional learning by: Follow-up learning experience

• Joining an online professional • Subscribe to the Early Childhood
learning community through Australia online learning modules.
social media. Subscribe to They include video and written
e-newsletters from professional resources that will assist you to
organisations, such as Early gain a thorough and practical
Childhood Australia and the understanding of the standards,
Victorian Curriculum and frameworks and research about
Assessment Authority: www. quality practice.
earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au or
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au VEYLDF connections
• Watch TED Talks on issues
relating to children. For example, Principle
Annie Murphy Paul’s talk on
Reflective practice – educators
‘What we learn before we’re born’.
become more effective through
critical reflection and a strong
culture of professional enquiry.
Action songs Learning
Experience
83
On YouTube, search for popular children’s songs that encourage
movement or action with singing. For example, Itsy bitsy spider,
The wheels on the bus, Heads and shoulders, knees and toes or
The hokey pokey.

VEYLDF connections
become creative with the
Principle
songs’ lyrics and suggest some
alternatives. Respectful relationships and
• Ask the children to share a responsive engagement –
favourite song with others. It educators develop learning
might be a personal favourite or programs that are responsive
a significant song from their own to each child and build on their
culture. culture, strengths, interests and
knowledge.
• The group can create a song
book, with children illustrating Outcome
different parts of the song.
• Create a word cloud of the lyrics and contribute to their world
to a popular children’s song to – children connect with each
determine the most frequently other with music, dance and
used words in that song. drama.
Sharing a calendar Learning
Experience
84
Use a shared calendar app to keep busy families aware of
upcoming events and important announcements.
Some apps include shared

calendars, to-do lists and VEYLDF connections
notification systems. These apps
allow you to assign tasks to one or Principle
more people, and let people know
Partnerships with families
what they should do.
– create a welcoming and
Follow-up learning experiences culturally inclusive environment
where all families are
• Show the children a calendar and
encouraged to participate in
use the opportunity to talk about
and contribute to children’s
days, months, years, months.
learning and development
• Your service can create a experiences.
printable calendar illustrated by
the children. Outcome
• Prompt the children to think of Children are confident and
events or celebrations that occur involved learners – children
throughout the year like Anzac experience the benefits and
Day, Australia Day and Mothers’ pleasures of shared learning
Day. exploration.
• Ask the children: Which other
events or reminders may be
written on a calendar?
Putting things in order Learning
Experience
85
Most children find putting things in order fun – from arranging
objects from tallest to shortest, numbering in order or
chronologically telling events in a story. Encourage the children
to use sequencing apps like iSequences or Making Sequences.
They could also create their own sequence games.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children: What is a
sequence? Introduce them to
Principle
sequencing game cards.
• Provide the children with a series High expectations – commit
of three or four blank cards to high expectations for
and ask them to draw their own all children’s learning and
sequence of an activity that they development.
do at home. Then mix the cards Outcome
up and ask their peers to place
them in order. Children are confident and
• Ask the children to make
make predictions using
sequences using natural objects
patterns and communicate
or everyday materials.
using mathematical language.
Scan and plan Learning
Experience
86
Create a series of QR codes on a laminated sheet for the children.
The codes, when scanned with an

iPad, would lead directly to a story VEYLDF connections
connected to a listening post. The
scanning ensures the children have Principle
easy access to the stories, and the
High expectations for every
scanning process creates mystery
child – recognise that every
and intrigue.
child learns from birth, but
Follow-up learning experiences some children require different
opportunities, spaces and
• Ask the children: What is a QR
specific supports in order to
code? Who uses them? Where
learn effectively and thrive.
can we see them every day?
• Create QR codes to display the Outcome
children’s drawings in a fun way. Children have a strong sense of
• The children can use a QR code wellbeing – children experience
program to create a code of their wellbeing when they are
name or their drawing. provided with opportunities
• Create a QR adventure or to make choices, accept new
scavenger hunt. challenges and achieve new
things.
Following instructions and Learning
Experience
taking turns
The Chatter Block has six recordable sides, each with a clear
pocket to add pictures or words.
Children can record a different

87
message on each side, then VEYLDF connections
activate the recording either by
pressing the play button or rolling Principle
the cube on the floor or a table.
Chatter Block plays the message of
the side that finishes face up.
educators combine guided
Follow-up learning experiences play and learning, and child-
directed play and learning.
• This tool could be used in a
large group or in pairs to create Outcome
interesting stories or prompt a
conversation.
• It could be used as a talking dice. resource their own learning,
• The group can list board games connecting with people and
that use a dice. technology.
Time to relax Learning
Experience
88
Talk to the children about how to look after their bodies and
importance of rest and being active. They may enjoy exploring
the Enchanted meditations app: goo.gl/Zz3c7I

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children: Why do our
bodies need rest? What happens
Principle
to our bodies when we eat too
much? When we get angry or Respectful relationships and
upset? responsive engagement –
• Practice relaxation techniques educators observe children and
with the children including deep respond when they need time
breathing, listening to soft music, to rest, reflect and wonder.
laughing, progressive muscle Outcome
relaxation, visualising and
stretching. Children have a strong sense
of wellbeing – children take
• As a group, talk about events that
increasing responsibility for
make people happy or sad.
their own health and wellbeing.
Managing emotions Learning
Experience
89
Calm Counter is a tool to help children calm down using visual
cues, counting back from 10, with a deep breathing prompt.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children about the
techniques that they use to calm
Principle
down when they are feeling angry
with someone. Responsive and respectful
• The group could play a game relationships – educators
where children are encouraged promote children’s self-
to role play different emotions regulation skills.
like excited, sad, happy, surprised, Outcome
shocked and relaxed.
• Show the children different
wellbeing – children’s wellbeing
images from books and ask them
is promoted when they can
to guess what the characters are
manage their own behaviour.
feeling.
Individual children’s wellbeing
• Encourage the children to draw is enhanced when their peers
different emotions. become increasingly able to
• Discuss with the children: How regulate their own behaviour.
can we make other people
happy? How do they feel if we say
nice things? Bring them flowers?
Help them?
My first picture dictionary Learning
Experience
90
Introduce the children to the dictionaries where images are
used to look up a word. You could use the Dictionary iPad app or
websites, such as Little Explorers English Picture Dictionary at:
www.enchantedlearning.com , or photographicdictionary.com

VEYLDF connections
• Play: I spy with my little eye.
• Brainstorm words that relate Principle
to a particular subject – things
that are found in the kitchen or Integrated teaching and
different types of pets. learning approaches –
encourage children to explore,
• Create a group scrapbook for
solve problems, communicate,
each letter of the alphabet.
think, create and construct.
Encourage the children to draw
or cut out images or words that Outcome
start with each letter.
Children resource their own
• Create letters of the alphabet learning by connecting with
from different materials such as people, places, technologies
clay, cardboard, sticks and wire. and natural and processed
materials.
Concept maps Learning
Experience
91
Popplet is an engaging web tool and iPad app that allows
collaborative concept mapping experiences: popplet.com
It is easy-to-use for note-taking,

organising, brainstorming or as VEYLDF connections
a formative assessment tool. It
can help you to find out what the Principle
children know about a topic before
Assessment for learning and
and after it has been offered.
development – educators use a
Follow-up learning experiences range of tools and strategies to
observe and listen to children
• Using the children’s emerging
and to plan for learning.
interests, the app could assist in
planning activities. Outcome
• The group could discuss the Children are effective
meaning of an idea. Encourage communicators – technology is
the children to share their used to assist children to view
ideas for a play activity or a and plan their ideas as a group.
celebration.
Recipes for success Learning
Experience
92
Search for recipes for the children’s favourite foods using an
online recipe database, such as: www.taste.com.au/recipes/
collections/kid+friendly
As a group, watch a cooking show

such as Junior Masterchef.
VEYLDF connections
• Encourage the children to make Principle
healthy recipes at the service.
What would they like to make? Integrated teaching and
• Provide opportunities for children
educators intentionally plan
to learn about measurement and
for children to think about
to measure out ingredients as
nutritious and healthy foods.
part of a cooking experience.
• Provide a group experience Outcome
about healthy foods. What is an Children have a strong sense
everyday or healthy food, and of wellbeing – children explore
what is a sometimes food? basic health needs that must
• Talk about ingredients used to be met to maintain or promote
make fruit salad. What kinds of their health.
fruit could it have? Would you put
potato in a fruit salad?
Copy that Learning
Experience
93
With the children, explore using the photocopier or the printer
at your service. Show the children what happens when you copy
an image in colour and in black and white; and what happens
when you enlarge or reduce the image.

VEYLDF connections
• The children could try drawing a
picture from their favourite book.
Principle
Photocopy the picture. Ask them
if drawing from a photocopied Integrated teaching and
image makes the task easier. learning approaches –
• Introduce pictures of twins to encourage children to explore,
the children. Can you tell the solve problems, communicate,
difference between the twins? think and construct.
In what ways are they similar or Outcome
different?
• Play games that encourage the
involved learners – explore
children to copy your actions.
the purpose and function of a
• Give the children a simple grid range of tools, media, sounds
copy worksheet to complete. and graphics.
How to search for resources Learning
Experience
online
The internet is full of amazing resources.
You could search for:

VEYLDF connections
94
• activities.
• games. Principle
• craft templates.
• colouring pages. learning approaches –
• literacy and numeracy activities. encourage children to explore,
Refine your search by including the solve problems, communicate,
words ‘preschool’ or ‘kindergarten’. think, create and construct.
Suggested sites: Outcome

• fuse.education.vic.gov.au Children resource their own
learning through connecting
• www.seussville.com
people, place, technologies
• www.kids.nationalgeographic.com and natural and processed
• www.funbrain.com materials.
• www.pbskids.org
• www.starfall.com
• www.storylineonline.com
• www.switcheroo.com
Wheel decide Learning
Experience
Create a favourite learning experience wheel with the children
on the wheeldecide.com website and use it at the beginning of
the week or at the beginning of the day.

VEYLDF connections
decision-making and choices.
Principle
Think about the learning and
development program and reflect Reflective practice – educators
on when children have agency reflect on their belief in children
and choices. as active participants in the
• Ask the children if they would learning process, their capacity
like to make more choices in the to initiate and lead learning
program and encourage them to and their right to participate in
suggest experiences or themes. decisions that affect them.
• As a group, encourage the Outcome
children to brainstorm about
making a decision in their home
of wellbeing – this can be
life. For example: Which game do
achieved when children are
I play? What clothes should
given choices and agency.
I wear?
Every photo tells a story Learning
Experience
96
Microsoft Photo Story, a free tool, enables users to create a
visual story from digital photos, and also include audio. As a
group, children could create a story from photos of interesting
objects and record sounds to go with them.

VEYLDF connections
• Children can select photos and
music from copyright-free sites.
Principle
• They could share their photo
stories with their parents. Integrated teaching and
• As a group, the children could
educators extend children’s
examine images and think about
learning by providing them with
the different messages that the
opportunities to be creative
images convey.
and imaginative.
• Use cause and effect images.
The children can be creative, Outcome
suggesting events that happened Children are effective
before or after the image was communicators – children
taken. These could include an use information and
image of a broken vase. Who communication technologies to
broke the vase? How did it communicate, learn and play.
happen? Was someone upset
about the vase being broken?
Flight paths to fun Learning
Experience
97
Look at the Melbourne Airport flight radar site: goo.gl/U2bHZ3
Ask the children: Why do we fly in

an airplane? Where are people VEYLDF connections
going? Why would people fly to
Melbourne? Are there more planes Principle
on the map in the morning or at
other times of the day?
Follow-up learning experiences educators provide intentional
learning experiences for
• Show the children a video of a
children to connect with and
plane landing or taking off. Talk
understand their world.
about who flies a plane. Ask the
children: Have you been on a Outcome
plane? Was it fun ? If we didn’t
Children are connected with and
have planes, how would you get
contribute to their world –
to where you were going?
children demonstrate increasing
• Create passports for the children. knowledge of and respect for
They could decorate them and constructed environments.
and paste-in images of places
they would like to go.
• As a group, learn to make
different types of paper airplanes
from templates found online.
Bushfires and house fires Learning
Experience
98
Look at the fire incidents interactive map for Victoria at:
emergency.vic.gov.au/respond
Then, as a group, discuss: How do

fires start? Are there more fires in VEYLDF connections
the city or the country? Why? Are
there more fires in summer than in Principle
winter? Who needs to be aware of
a high fire danger rating? What do
fire fighters do?
educators intentionally plan for
Follow-up learning experiences children’s learning in the case
of an emergency.
• Talk to the children about what to
do if there is a fire in their house. Outcome
• Talk about the emergency Children have a strong sense
practices that the group will of wellbeing – children develop
undertake in case there is a fire a sense of wellbeing and
at your service. confidence in emergency
• Visit a local fire station or invite a routines when they have
fire fighter into your service. practiced them many times.
• Provide fire fighters props for
dramatic play.
Forecasting the weather Learning
Experience
99
Watch the weather forecasts and radar images on the Bureau
of Meteorology website. Also look at weather images at: bom-
wow.metoffice.gov.uk/gallery and Google Images and ask the
children to describe them.

VEYLDF connections
• Ask the children about the
weather. What is it? What happens
Principle
at different times of the year?
• Talk about the seasons and how Integrated teaching and
they affect what we eat, what learning approaches –
we wear and even how educators extend children’s
we feel. learning.
• Set up a rain gauge or a Outcome
thermometer at your service.
• Look at weather events such as involved learners – children
droughts, floods, bush fires and use their senses to explore
cyclones. the world around them, for
• Encourage the children to draw example the seasons.
the seasons.
When I grow up... Learning
Experience
100
As a group, play an occupation app or talk about different
occupations. Ask the children what they would like to do or be
when they grow up

VEYLDF connections
describe what they want to be
Principle
while you or another educator
documents what they say. Assessment for learning and
• Encourage the children to draw development – educators
images of jobs they would like to document the children’s ideas,
have when they grow up. theories and thoughts as a
form of formative assessment.
• Encourage the children to draw
what they think they would Outcome
look like or be like as adults in
different jobs.
of identity – children explore
• Hold a group discussion: What identity through language, role
can adults do that children may play and their imagination.
need help to do?

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Social and cultural understanding • Don’t sign children up to sites with

• Play and learn using the early

Follow-up learning experiences • Using a digital microscope may

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

The following resources may be

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Children could ask: Who is in

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

• Fill up jars with different scents

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Initiate a discussion with the • Plan for and cook a lunch

Initiate group discussion on

Follow-up learning experiences

Picture books can also be used to • Children can record stories

The children can think of other

Follow-up learning experiences

Plan a dress-up day where the

If you contact teachers and

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experience

Ask children if the colours in a

Follow-up learning experiences • Is it easier or harder to do things

Follow-up learning experiences

Ready, Set, Kindergarten is an

Significant learning moments could

It could cover information on

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Cartoon Story Maker is a fantastic • Encourage the children to create

Suggested sites: • Place all the cards on the floor.

Follow-up learning experiences Principle

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Websites to visit and tour include: The children could be provided

Word cloud software includes:

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Follow-up learning experiences

Families can be encouraged to

Follow-up learning experiences

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