Specialised Programs
At HEY we offer a number of specialised programs to enrich our educational program. The specialised programs run during school terms and are delivered across all classrooms. A summary of these programs is captured and documented fortnightly on the adjacent page of the Educational Program.
These specialised programs are designed to enhance opportunities for children to learn and engage in a variety of intentional experiences, which can provide children with additional skill sets. These skills are then built on and strengthened within the educational program and beyond.
Kitchen Garden/Sustainability
The Kitchen Garden and Sustainability Program is designed to give children the tools and knowledge to grow their own food, learn positive eating habits and create a more sustainable world. Our Kitchen Garden Specialist plans and implements fortnightly sessions with each classroom and it is also embedded throughout the Educational Program. It is through this program that educators guide and support children’s understandings of sustainable practices, healthy eating (as they explore a variety of recipes), as well as guiding children, educators, and families to establish and maintain sustainable garden areas at HEY and at home.
Mental Wellness
At HEY we understand the important role that early childhood experiences have in supporting children to develop life-long positive social, emotional and mental wellness. With this in mind, the educators at HEY draw on multiple resources and tools to support children’s wellbeing. Some of these include, Be You initiatives, the PALS social skill program, and the Resilience Project. We also have a range of books and resources across the Service that support children as they navigate and manage the normal stresses of life. This program is embedded through the Educational Program and each classrooms’ current focus can be viewed in their Educational Program folder.
Bush Kinder
At HEY, our vision is to create a space where children can be mindful and connect to nature, enquire, and make their own discoveries, use their 5 senses to explore and problem solve, and take risks together.
Experiences across the different age groups could look like: making flower petal perfumes, looking at the clouds and making shapes, observing patterns and sequences in nature, listening to bird-sounds and trying to identify differences, taking nature walks ‘beyond the gate’, building stick pyramids/forts, exploring textures in nature, building a fairy garden, wrapping stones with leaves, creating bug hotels, exploring natural elements and sustainability, indigenous culture, connection to country, and much more.
Language Program – AUSLAN
At HEY, we embrace Auslan (Australian Sign Language) as a valuable tool to support children’s communication and learning. Using simple signs in daily routines, songs, and play helps all children express their needs, especially before speech is fully developed. Auslan fosters inclusion by celebrating diversity and ensuring children with hearing differences feel welcomed and supported. It also enhances language development, reduces frustration, and builds confidence.