There's something special about watching a child lose themselves in play, picking up a piece of bark, setting a little figure inside, and quietly beginning to tell a story.
This month, children across Aussie Kindies have been exploring the Nawi, a traditional Aboriginal canoe from the Sydney region, as part of our Lifelong Learning Curriculum. It's a beautiful activity, and the learning that comes out of it might just surprise you.
What is a Nawi?
A Nawi is a traditional canoe made by Aboriginal peoples of the Sydney region, crafted from tree bark and natural materials. Families used them to travel rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, fishing, gathering food, and staying connected with the communities around them.
More than just a boat, the Nawi carries with it a deep knowledge of Country and place, passed down through generations of storytelling and lived experience.
Little Hands, Big Ideas
At one of our centres, educators put together a simple play experience using natural materials and small figures, inviting children to imagine their own Nawi journeys.
Where were they going? Who was in the canoe? What would they find?
The questions were simple, but the conversations that followed were anything but. Children thought out loud, told stories, worked things out with their friends, and followed their curiosity wherever it led. No pressure, no right answers, just good, honest play.
That's the kind of learning we love at Aussie Kindies.
Real Learning, Every Day
Each month, our centres are supported by Wandana Aboriginal Education, who provide resources that help our educators bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into everyday life at the kindy, in a way that's respectful, genuine, and right for little ones.
This reflects national guidance from ACECQA on embedding First Nations perspectives in early childhood education, and sits alongside the Reconciliation Action Plans that our centres are working towards or have already put in place.
We're proud to be part of that work, and so are our kids.
What the Kids Are Getting Out of It
It might look like play, and it is, but there's a lot going on underneath. Through experiences like this one, children are building their language and storytelling skills, learning to share their ideas with confidence, beginning to understand how different people connect to place and community, and developing the curiosity and thinking skills that will set them up well for school.
The best part? They're having a great time doing it.
Just Good Kindies, Doing Good Things
At Aussie Kindies, we're not about fancy buzzwords or complicated frameworks. We're about giving kids a warm, happy place to grow, where they're known, supported, and inspired to learn in ways that feel right for them.
Our partnership with Wandana Aboriginal Education is one of the ways we bring that to life. Through our Lifelong Learning Curriculum, children get to explore big ideas in simple, joyful ways, and that's something every family can feel good about.