Children’s brains are wired to learn. They are like little sponges, soaking up everything around them.
Tomorrow Today executive officer Rosie Koop said the organisation recognised the importance of quality early learning experiences for children and offered a range of programs to assist all Benalla children to start school ready to learn.
“Research shows that children who attend early learning services are one third less likely to be developmentally vulnerable when they start school than those who don’t,” Ms Koop said.
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“When children have positive and rich early learning experiences, they are more likely to go on to become successful learners with high levels of wellbeing.
“It is a real privilege and joy to work with local families to support their child’s development.”
Tomorrow Today’s flagship program, Parents Early Education Partnership (PEEP), is free and open to all families in Benalla and district with children aged 0-5 years.
PEEP recognises parents as a child’s first and most important educator.
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Trained staff lead parents and children in songs and stories and children participate in activities to encourage early literacy, numeracy, oral language, and physical and social emotional development.
Parents take part in facilitated discussions on topics relating to parenting and supporting child development.
Tomorrow Today also offers pre-literacy, pre-numeracy and oral language screening for four-year-old preschool children.
“We work closely with preschool staff to provide fun, play-based activities to expand children’s knowledge in these areas,” Ms Koop said.
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“These activities, combined with our Kinder Pals program in which trained volunteers read to children at kinder, are providing our children with the extra support they need to start primary school ready to learn.”
Early Learning Matters Week is a nationwide event to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of early childhood education and care in Australia.
Visit www.earlylearningmatters.org.au to get involved.
For more information about Tomorrow Today’s Early Years programs, please call Sally Matheson on 5762 1211.
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