Our Program

The Koala Playschool learning program is diverse and dynamic, ever changing and reflective of the children’s developmental needs and interests.

Our rich, play-based program develops the ‘whole’ child by providing opportunities for social emotional development, physical play, communication, creativity and imagination. Each Koala Playschool session follows a set routine, providing a sense of security and predictability for the children.

Start of Week

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

9:30am - 2:30 pm

End of Week

Thursday & Friday

9:30am - 2:30 pm

Indoor & Outdoor Play

There is opportunity to play both inside and outside each day.

Our inside sessions allow for engagement in a broad range of play investigations including, but not limited to dramatic play, storytelling, fine motor activities, block play, arts and crafts, box construction, playdough, discovery table, games, literacy and numeracy activities.

Our outside sessions include lots of lovely adventures in our beautiful garden. There is the opportunity for children to select from a variety of gross motor activities including the obstacle course, swings, tunnel and ball play. Outside play also includes, but is not limited to sandpit play, dramatic play, music and dancing, gardening, arts and crafts, water play, scientific explorations and lots of running, skipping, climbing and exploring!

Intentional Teaching

In addition to our play times there are many intentional teaching times and group sessions that include opportunities for songs, storytelling, music and movement, group games and science investigations.

Incursions & Excursions

We plan fabulous incursions throughout the year. Some of our favourites include; firefighter visits, Kenny Koala, author visits, Happy Feet Fitness, yoga and the incredible Canberra Reptile Zoo to name a few!
We also take part on an excursion to Little Oink at the local Cook shops each year. So many parents and grandparents join us for this fun outing. Each child is given the opportunity to purchase, with their own money, a meal deal! This excursion allows the children to practice safe walking, exercise their listening skills and experience exchanging money while purchasing cafe goods .

Special Days At Koalas

We celebrate lots of special days at Koalas that encourage our Koalas community to get involved including Harmony Day, Grandparent's Day, Wild Koala Day, Reconciliation Day and Children's Week.
These are often the highlights of our year!

Story Time
Intentional Teaching

Nursery Rhyme Time

Nursery Rhyme Time is one of our favourite times of the day at Koalas. Every day, we sing a selection of nursery rhymes, using dress ups, props and actions to engage the children. Some of our favourite rhymes include Five Currant Buns, Miss Polly Had a Dolly, Five Cheeky Monkeys and Alice the Camel.

The children delight in taking on the roles of each of the characters building skills in independence, confidence and team work.

Nursery rhymes also develop many oral language skills which are necessary for early language development. In particular, the singing of nursery rhymes develops phonological awareness. This is an awareness of speech sounds and the ability to manipulate these sounds. When developing phonological awareness, children gain an understanding of rhyming, alliteration and syllables. These are all important precursors to writing. Until children hear the sounds in words, they cannot write them.

Sharing Time

Children are encouraged to speak in front of the group in our Sharing Times, including our Mystery Box and our take home friend Koala Lou.

Koala Lou

Koala Lou is our class friend.

Each week she visits a child’s family and has a plethora of adventures. She has been on aeroplanes, to the zoo, to swimming lessons and lots of birthday parties! And she gets lots more to eat than just gum leaves! Families print out photos and write a story of Koala Lou’s adventures at their house. On returning Koala Lou to Koalas, each child shares Koala Lou’s adventures. Sharing Koala Lou’s adventures creates opportunities for children to develop their oral abilities and build confidence in their ideas.

Mystery Box

Each week two children take home our Mystery Box. They can choose whatever they like to put inside. They then think of three clues they can give to help children guess what might be inside the box! It is always so much fun to see what the children guess. The Mystery Box develops memory, thinking, speaking and listening skills! It is such a fun part of our day!