At Preschool, Playing is Learning

Driving up Tuntable Falls Road on our way to Tuntable Falls Community School, my 6-year old daughter pipes up, “You know, Mum, I don’t really learn at school. We just mostly play.”

• 

• 

• 

Raising an eyebrow, I enquire further about this unprompted revelation, “Really? So, you just play all day, huh? What have you been playing with during Investigations?”

My daughter proceeds to tell me all these fascinating facts about bugs, their “Investigations” topic for Term 2. She tells me about how they smell with their antennae, that beetles have hard shells to protect their delicate wings, how they breathe through teeny tiny holes along their bodies, and that bug eyes look like big ‘globs’ on their heads to us but that they are actually made up of thousands of microscopic eyes all squished together on these ‘globs’.

There is a moment of silence, and then she says, “I guess I am learning a lot.”

Ishta Wilson, the Year 1 & 2 teacher, explains Investigations as “play based learning inspired by curiosity, wonder and each child’s own ideas, interests, and imagination.“

Through these intentional investigative sessions, children are supported to learn through a dynamic, open-ended creative learning environment that supports active investigation, meaningful play, and deep engagement.

“During each Investigations session, the children are supported to talk, and write about their ideas, discoveries, and the skills and materials that they are using.”

“The conversation I had with my daughter was such a delightful insight into how she experiences being in Year 1.

I could not have wished for a more positive association with school and learning than this for my children. How lucky are these kids to be able to build their knowledge, and their numeracy and literacy skills through play in the classroom, then venture out into the lush green playground and creek for recess and lunchtime adventures?

As a parent, I am so incredibly grateful to have found a school that cherishes childhood, gives kids the space and environment to be kids (sometimes muddy and often barefoot kids), while skillfully guiding and supporting their academic learning.

-A parent from the school community.

Tuntable Falls Community School is right next door to Tuntable Falls Preschool, many of our activities take us into the primary school grounds and our children develop a great connection to the school and its students.

To find out more about Tuntable Falls Community School CLICK HERE

Our preschool is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To contact us CLICK HERE or follow us on Facebook HERE