early childhood australia Archives - Page 12 of 13 - Early Learning Childhood Education

13/07/201713/07/2017

The Benefits and Beauty of Bush Kinders

There’s something so special about children enjoying nature. And while we love to see children enjoying the summer sun, seeing them pull on some gumboots to splash in puddles and explore soggy wetlands is fantastic.

Early childhood education has many approaches, each with its own benefits and advocates. We are all continually developing and adapting, and that goes for educators too. One early learning approach that has been growing in popularity of late is the incorporation of the great outdoors. And with so many learning experiences to offer, this is very exciting!

Danish Forest School Approach

Just this week a great article about the Danish Forest School approach was featured in the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG)’s publication ‘Early Horizons’. Galina was featured in this edition too, interviewed about children’s wellbeing and the magic of the Bonkers Beat programs. You can read the whole publication here: http://bit.ly/2sL7k5P

The Danish Forest School approach is truly unique and special – and there is no one type of ‘forest school’… no two are the same. The Early Horizons article talks about how the Danish Forest School Approach uses its deep understanding of informal learning environments to promote creativity and critical thinking in its young students.

This forest pre-schooling approach has caught on internationally, including in Australia with the rise of Bush kinder programs.

The benefits of the bush

The research around kinder programs that take to the bush shows many benefits:

Increased confidence, motivation and concentration, increased social, physical and language skills, deeper conceptual understandings and respect for the natural environment
Increased social and imaginative play
Teachers understandings of and relationships with the children are deepened, while families and wider community attitudes towards natural places for play and children’s risk management can be enhanced
Positive outcomes for many diverse communities including disadvantaged or challenging youth, children with autism and drug addicted adults

Nurturing nature – the rise in outdoor learning

Bush Kinder is growing in popularity in Australia for good reason – the immediate and long-term benefits for children are undeniable. It’s an exciting time in early childhood education. Doug Fargher, the founder of Bush Kinder in Australia is joining us at the upcoming Wellness Summits in September and we cannot wait to learn from him.

Doug, in line with the forest schools of Europe, believes in nature’s potential to create a space for children to flourish in their period of critical early development.

Joining our award-winning Bonkers Beat community can provide you with many benefits and give you all access to our Summits on 2, September 2017 in Melbourne or 9 September 2017 in Sydney. You have to act fast to join us though – email info@bonkersbeat.com now or call 13000-B-BEAT (2-2328).

22/06/201723/06/2017

What Positive Thoughts Can Do For Children (and YOU)

Our thoughts and beliefs can change the way we see the world. And even the way we think we are seen within the world. Imagine if we surrounded ourselves with positive thoughts each day…

We know how much we can be impacted by words that are negative and so most of us aim to avoid those damaging attitudes. After all, if you are surrounded by negativity it can really program the way you think.

So what if we put in the effort each day to reprogram the minds of young people and yourself with positive thinking? We think this is an excellent way of enhancing wellbeing and contributing to making the world a better place.

To make it easy, we’ve created the Bonkers Beat Calendar of Positive Thoughts! Each day can have its own positive thought to make sure you never miss an opportunity to share the magic of positive thinking in your centre or home.

Let’s look more specifically at the powerful impact positive thinking can have on children’s lives (and yours!).

What Positive Thoughts Can Do

There are many benefits to positive thinking that are backed by science. Here are just a couple of effects you will see from using positive thoughts with children:

Boost self-esteem: Sometimes we don’t feel great about ourselves or feel like we are happy with who we are. Same goes for children. Rewire a child’s subconscious by embedding positive thoughts about themselves.

Counteract mental health issues: Children have many similar issues to face in their lives just as adults do – anxiety, low self-esteem, depression. Let’s work together to tackle them with fresh, positive perspectives on life and ourselves.

Instil values: A positive voice inside a child’s head can help guide them in understanding the right and wrong way to approach issues and other people.

Use positive thoughts each day and incorporate them as a mantra in meditation time with children to get a noticeable outcome faster. Practising positive thinking in a mindful way like meditation can help it to stick.

Incorporating positive thoughts into children’s lives (and our own) can only produce a beneficial outcome – so why not give it a try?!

You will be able to get your own Calendar of Positive Thoughts here. We also share some positive thoughts and affirmations on our social media pages. Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

01/06/201702/06/2017

Happy Birthday, Bonkers! – How Far We’ve Come

This month Bonkers the Monkey – the star of Bonkers Beat – is celebrating his birthday.

There’s nothing quite like a birthday to reflect on life… What you’ve achieved and the goals you have for the future. Same goes for Bonkers the Monkey!

Here’s a look at what Bonkers has achieved over the years, why he loves early childhood education so passionately and what he hopes to achieve over the years to come.

Reflecting on a journey and achievements of Bonkers Beat

Bonkers was born of a dream to share the power of learning through music and a focus on the wellbeing of children to enhance their development.

“Music is powerful. Through the power of music we can stimulate children’s brain development and enhance their life skills, we can further nurture and develop every child’s potential. I believe that music is not just an extra activity, but a language, which needs to be used every day.” – Galina Zenin

Since 2006, Bonkers and the Bonkers Beat Music and Wellbeing Programs have inspired and trained more than 10,157 educators to embed music and yoga into their curriculum. Their passion and daily practices ensured that more than 13,000+ children improve their overall wellness, sing and stretch every day.

Each day is so special – especially in early childhood

Bonkers loves spending his days with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Each day represents something new, something exciting and something to learn.

Every day Bonkers the Monkey gets the great pleasure of guiding children on their journeys through these amazing early years of life. They are some of the most important years of life too, where we lay the foundation for children’s futures. In fact, it’s quite possible that early childhood education – including childcare and kinder – could be an influential factor in determining a child’s future.

With Bonkers and his passion for sharing music and wellbeing with children, children are given the tools they need to succeed in life and fulfil their potential.

So much more to accomplish to give all children the best start

Bonkers birthday wish is always the same… He wants to share the tools and knowledge needed to enhance the development of every child, every day with centres and educators all over Australia and beyond.

He is already doing so well with the Bonkers Beat programs helping children and centres (and educators) to thrive across Australia. Here’s a look at the magic Bonkers and his programs bring to Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale:

Parents and families: If you’re interested in having your child/ren join childcare or kinder at the Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale, Victoria, you can email aspendale@bonkersbeat.com.au.

Centre Educators and Directors: If your centre is ready to take a holistic approach and introduce the magic of Bonkers Beat to your children, email info@bonkersbeat.com or call 1300 B BEAT (1300 022 328).

Happy birthday Bonkers the Monkey! You’re amazing and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you!

05/04/201705/04/2017

Getting screen time right for young children in 2017

Sometimes it feels as though screens are all around us. From iPads and tablets to phones, television screens to computers. Children in particular are drawn to the glow of a screen – some children can become very attached to them.

While technology like these various devices can have some benefits, like facilitating certain learning experiences, the fact is we really don’t know what long term effects screen time will have on us.

What we’re seeing from screen time

What we do know is that screen time can get in the way of children going outside and playing in the real world. With 1 in 4 Australian children overweight or obese, movement needs to be a priority and screen time is usually not the best approach to getting active. On top of that, screen time while eating has been connected to mindless overeating, especially in children.

Researchers are seeing a link between screens and rest too, resulting in irritability and disrupted sleep. A sleep researcher from the University of Wollongong puts this down to three things:

-Content that is causing a hormonal and emotional responses e.g. releasing adrenalin;

-Time taken up by screen time delaying children’s rest time (and adults!);

-Light from screens disrupting circadian rhythms, causing too much alertness and suppressing the sleep hormone melatonin.

Guidelines to screen time for children

Recommendations made by scientists from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2015 advised that screens should be avoided for any children under 2.

The AAP created this handy infographic to visually explain the guidelines to screen time for children:

Consider adult screen time too

Another focus area to look at is the screen time children see adults partaking in. We can often become engrossed in our phones or computers and this results in similar negative behaviours as exhibited by children on devices. That is, ignoring the company around you, irritability, disrupted circadian rhythms and therefore sleep patterns.

Of course we lead busy lives but think about how urgent it is to read that email right now or check that Facebook notification. Lead by example by turning off the screens and picking up a book or heading outside for some fresh air and exercise. You’ll feel better for it and your notifications will still be on your device when you get back to it.

Get your screen time right

While there are high quality apps and media we can utilise to help children build skills and learn and give adults a break now and again, spending countless hours in front of screens is not doing anyone any good.

The first five years are a crucial period of brain development and no app is a substitute for the real world. Show children that there’s no on and off switch for life and that not everything will happen instantly at a swipe of their fingers. Minimise screen time and there’s no doubt that you’ll see the benefits for yourself and your children.

09/02/201709/02/2017

Soothing Separation Anxiety in Children (and Parents!)

Many children have just started in new centres, new schools or perhaps new rooms with an existing care provider.

For some families and educators it will be all smiles and a smooth transition. For others it can be very upsetting as children can be distressed, particularly at drop off time. Sometimes we see parents feeling separation anxiety around this time too. This is nothing to be concerned about.

Separation anxiety is not unusual – in fact, it’s quite common. With a few tried and tested strategies, educators and centres can help families to overcome separation anxiety and make drop off time easier for everyone.

What causes separation anxiety?

To understand it best we need to know what brings on bouts of separation anxiety.

Two of the most common causes of separation anxiety we tend to see in early childhood education are directly related to:

-Change in surroundings eg moving house, changing schools/care providers

-Manifestation of parental separation anxiety.

Strategies to soothe separation anxiety

As educators, there are things we can do to help parents and children feel less anxious at drop off time and keep separation anxiety under control.

1. Get ready

A good orientation process can be really effective at reducing the onset of separation anxiety.

Whether it’s a new room, new educators or a new centre, we should guide parents and children to prepare for the impending change in advance.

2. Create a routine

It’s not just children who love routines – adults benefit from them too! Parents and children should be encouraged to create a regular, reliable routine for childcare/kinder days. This helps everyone understand what to expect.

On arrival, knowing what will be happening in the centre will assist children to be even more confident and settle into the day better. (This will help parents to relax too!)

3. Focus on relationships

We believe that collaboration with families is essential for the best outcomes for children in early childhood.

Communicate with parents and reassure them. Parents need to know that educators are capable of identifying signs of discomfort or distress in their child and that their wellbeing is your priority.

4. Incorporate transitional songs

The Bonkers Beat Music Program harnesses the power of music in many ways for centres and children – one such way is through the use of transitional songs.

A transitional song is a great way to facilitate a smooth transition between activities in childcare settings. This same approach could be applied to the drop off period for parents and children. A simple song to be sung by families on the way into the centre each time could be a valuable addition to the routine to help everyone to adapt to the approaching shift in environment.

Your support counts

Separation anxiety isn’t enjoyable for anyone, however your support as an educator can go a long way to help families through it.

Calm voices, reassuring words and body language and a positive attitude paired with our strategies will help guide you through as children settle in to 2017.

If you feel you would like more tips, this ACECQA resource is very handy and full of information to help.

02/02/201702/02/2017

Top Tactics for More Centre Enrolments

As centre owners, directors, managers and educators, we take pride in our centres. So when our beloved childcare and/or kindergarten service isn’t getting as many enrolments as we would hope, it can be disheartening.

Increasing your centre’s occupancy can be challenging. More established centres feel they struggle to compete with brand new centres offering impressive centre design and newer facilities. On the other hand, some new centres are starting from scratch and face the challenge of establishing a good reputation in the community.

Never fear – with many years of experience guiding centres to success, we have compiled some top tactics for you to get more enrolments at your centre.

1. Get your centre out there

Whether you’re an established centre or brand new, there’s a chance that you’re experiencing lower than desired occupancy rates simply because you’re not putting your centre out there for the public.

You don’t have to spend thousands on marketing to get noticed. Try hosting an Open Day – simply open your centre on a Saturday or Sunday and let families explore it for themselves. A sausage sizzle or craft for children can attract more people.

Facebook is full of opportunities to help familiarise your community with your centre. You can post in community groups and/or create a company page for your centre. Investing as little as $10 on Facebook ads can help spread the word about your centre to a selected demographic.

2. Motivate your team

One of my favourite acronyms: TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More. When your educators work together and are a united team, you will have the best chance of success.

Centres old and new struggle to find passionate, committed staff. Regular professional development can help motivate your team – take a look at the staff development curriculum day at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder we arranged this week to get inspired. We did lots of bonding and brainstorming.

Try brainstorming with your educators about how you can increase occupancy. If families are leaving after one year, discuss why you think that might be and what you could be doing differently.

3. Enhance your point of difference

What makes your centre special? What do you do differently? Find your point of difference and make it stand out.

Centres who have our Bonkers Beat Music Program embedded are given plenty of resources and guidance. This includes how to highlight their centre’s unique, powerful and effective approach to early childhood education. Parents love to learn about the incredible results and with their enhanced knowledge, they are more inclined to rave to others and spread the word for you!

We’ve even seen centres that run the Bonkers Beat program covered in the local papers across various states because of the exceptional outcomes for children in the community.

If you can identify what makes you different to the other centres in the area, you have a better chance of attracting families who will be committed to your centre. The idea is that these families’ values and goals for their children will align with your centre’s outcomes.

SPECIAL OFFER EXTENDED!

To help you with improving your centre occupancy and get 2017 off to a fantastic start for you, we have extended our Bonkers Beat special offer.

Join the Bonkers Beat Music Program before Monday 6 February , you’ll get your first month membership FREE.

Learn more and sign up here.

Our award-winning program is simple to embed into your existing curriculum and will:

Stimulate Children’s Brain Development
Increase occupancy at your centre
Attract, Motivate and Retain Quality Educators
Increase Your Centre’s NQS Ratings
Enhance Family Engagement
Make Educators’ Programming and Documentation Easier
Give Your Centre a Key Point of Difference

Best of luck with improving your centre’s occupancy – we know that with a few tweaks and some dedication, you’ll have more enrolments in no time!

08/12/201609/12/2016

Making the Biggest Decision for Your Child’s Future

There’s so much to think about during the early years of a child’s life. For parents it can be quite a whirlwind, from the sleeplessness of the first months to finding your feet in parenthood and then all of a sudden children are being enrolled at childcare or kinder.

With the knowledge that the first five years of life are when the brain does its most intensive wiring and development, making educated and informed choices about your child’s early learning is vital.

Pre-cursor for School Success

While childcare and pre-school/kindergarten programs are play-based forms of learning, they can play a big role in your child’s success in school.

In fact, a recent study by the University of Missouri College Education highlights the importance of pre-school years for children’s educational development and preparation for success in life.

Continuity of Care: It’s Crucial

When choosing a childcare or pre-school program for your child, it’s always best to think long-term – that is, commit to continuity of care for your child right through to commencing primary school.

Continuity of care means that children remain at one early childhood educational service for the three years prior to starting school. Early Childhood Australia says that consistency between settings is a critical factor in thinking about effective learning over the long term. “While children are certainly resilient and adaptable, their experiences of transitions and change are likely to be more favourable when there is as much consistency and continuity between settings as possible.”

Sometimes parents leave their current service to enrol their children in the 4-year old funded kindergarten year at the local government kinder. This is the equivalent of switching primary schools in grade 5 or high schools in year 11. Of course this can be a necessity when a family is moving areas, but for the most part these transitions don’t allow children to flourish and continue an uninterrupted developmental journey.

Extra Transitions Unnecessary

There are two main reasons we see this final year switch take place. The first is financial. It is often more affordable for families to send their children to the local government kindergarten. However, government subsidies and benefits like CCB make this cost difference less noticeable. Furthermore, you’ll find more flexible hours, excursions and incursions available in some settings like Bonkers Beat, included in the fees. Not to mention school holiday care! Most importantly of course, the very best early childhood education is an investment in your child’s future.

The other reason we find that drives families to change centres in 4-year old kindergarten is that they are under the impression that this will ensure their children have friends who will attend the same school. While friendships that continue into school can be wonderful, many primary schools will in fact separate children who have arrived from the same kinder in order to encourage even more new friendships to flourish in this new environment.

It’s important to note as well that there are often many kindergartens that feed into local primary schools, not just the government kinder nearest to the school. For example, local primary schools in and around Aspendale in Victoria love our Bonkers Beat Music Kinder because the children who transition to school from Bonkers Beat are very confident, creative and have more developed social and emotional skills.

Make the Commitment

Research supports continuity as an essential ingredient for the very best early education experience for children. This is also evident in our experience too. When your child commences care, make the commitment for your child’s future and pursue continuous care where possible for the best outcomes.

Before enrolling your child into a kindergarten or childcare, take the time to do the research and find the right high quality service for your child. To allow your child a smooth transition to school in the future, you may even like to start investigating your options for primary and secondary education. Whether your decision is based on a high quality public, religion-oriented or private school it should resonate with your family values and provide the best foundation for your child’s future.

22/11/201625/11/2016

Ready or Not: 4 Things to Consider Before Sending Children to School

At this time of year many parents of pre-schoolers are wondering “Is my child ready for primary school?”. It’s important to remember that there are so many thing to consider before sending children to school

The end of the year is nearly here and school enrolments are in full swing. Before you enrol a child, be 100% sure that it’s the right time for them to start.

Early childhood educators are usually equipped to know whether it’s the right time for your child to progress to formal education. Parents, you should always feel free to ask your child’s educator about their opinion on the matter.

If you’re a parent who isn’t sure, or you’re an educator who could use a refresher on school readiness, have a read of our 4 Things to Consider about School Readiness.

1. School readiness is more than age

Of course a child’s age comes in to play when deciding if they are ready for school, but there are so many other factors to consider.

Personality can dictate whether a child is suited to started school sooner or later, as well as their skills – this includes physical, social and emotional ability.

There are many checklists available online, like this one from renowned early childhood expert Kathy Walker. Kathy’s Early Life Foundations fact sheet on the topic talks about 7 key areas to consider whether children are ready for school, including:

-Separate easily from parent / carer at preschool drop off
-Self initiate, engage and sustain engagement (6 – 8 minutes), have the skills to solve basic problems and ask for help from the educator if needed
-Have basic independence skills (able to put shoes and socks on, art smock on, toileting independently)
-Self regulate their emotional response when they need to do something they don’t want to (eg don’t tantrum when it is time to pack up).

2. Do the research

Research has made it very clear that there are many benefits to starting school that little bit later (while there are no benefits to starting earlier). Read our previous blog on this subject here.

Australia has some of the youngest school entry in the developed world, so there’s no rush. Early childhood educators should be equipped to guide parents in making the right decision that is best for each individual child and their future.

3. Know the legal requirements in your region

Many parents are confused about what age is the right age for their children to begin formal schooling in a primary school setting and it’s not surprising as the age requirements vary quite a lot across each state of Australia. Currently the law in each state is as follows (via Kidspot):

VIC: Children must be five by 30 April to begin the school year.

ACT: Children must be five by 30 April to begin the school year.

NSW: Children can begin compulsory Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 31 July in that year.

NT: School is compulsory from the age of six. Children can enter non-compulsory Transition at the start of the school year if they turn five by 30 June that year. To enter Year 1 (compulsory) children must turn six before 30 June in the year they are enrolled.

QLD: Queensland offers a year of Prep for children who turn five by 30 June in the year they are enrolled. Prep is not compulsory so compulsory schooling begins with Year 1 when children must be enrolled in the year they will turn six by 30 June.

SA: Children must enroll at school by six years. If your child turns five before 1 May they will start school on the first day of term one in that year. If they turn five on or after 1 May, they will start school on the first day of term one the following year.

TAS: Children must be five by 1 January to be enrolled in Prep, the first year of school. In Tasmania you may enrol your child in non-compulsory Kindergarten if your child turns four on or before 1 January of the year they start.

WA: Schooling is compulsory from the beginning of the year a child turns six years and six months of age. Children must be five by 30 June in the same year to attend the first year of school and it’s now compulsory for children in WA to enrol in Kindergarten or Pre-Primary programs.

4. Don’t rush it

There are so many things to consider before sending children to school, so don’t rush it. The argument that some children are moved into school because they are bored at pre-school is one that may unfortunately be valid at times, depending on the pre-school children are attending.

This is one of the reasons why we are so passionate about ensuring that kinder programs are able to attain the delicate balance of structured and somewhat challenging learning and school readiness initiatives along with free play at this crucial time before children enter formal education.

Make sure children are in a program that is stimulating and creates an exciting pre-school experience. This can go a long way toward preventing young children from starting formal schooling before they are emotionally and socially ready. And that means a better chance of laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Photo Designed by Freepik

18/11/201618/11/2016

A Practical Approach to a Positive and Stimulating Environment

In 2016 we launched Wellness Works! The Complete Early Childhood Leaders Conference – and what an inspiring response we have had for this practical professional development for early childhood educators.

Our Newcastle event was no exception, taking place on Monday 14 November. If you haven’t heard about Wellness Works yet, it’s a collaboration between Bonkers Beat creator and innovative early childhood expert Galina Zenin with international early childhood presenter and renowned Early Childhood Business Developer Alina Dan.

Galina and Alina (or the “Duolinas” as they were dubbed at one event!) have dedicated their careers to improving the quality of care in early childhood in Australia and overseas, taking their holistic approaches to the masses. The goal? Well there’s not just one.

Tackling the Challenges Faced in Centres Together

Earlier this year we revealed the top three challenges faced by early childhood educators: motivation, transitions and documentation.

This remains true. Here’s a few things we identified during the year:

-Management find their educators are struggling with motivation, and management are struggling to find ways to motivate them.

-Everyone feels overloaded with documentation.

-The lack of practical knowledge found in centres reflects the need for more hands-on training – both initially and through ongoing professional development.

-Educators find themselves focusing on managing behaviour – this needs to shift with new strategies in place.

We address all of these areas and more at Wellness Works, so if you haven’t signed up to be among the first to learn of new dates for this event, please do by heading to the registration section: bonkersbeat/wellnessworks

Creating a Positive and Stimulating Learning Environment

We need to create a shift in our approach to children’s behaviour and the way we manage it. This is a key area because managing behaviour is a major source of stress for educators. If we can use more effective strategies for this we can simultaneously tackle behavioural issues while improving educator wellbeing – and in turn, improve the wellbeing of children.

Empowering educators and managers to create of a learning environment that is positive and stimulating could be an important first step, incorporating a holistic approach that caters to every child’s needs.

We can’t wait to continue this early childhood revolution with you all in 2017!

Don’t miss out on our next Wellness Works event – sign up in the registration section of our website and you’ll be the first to know about our next Wellness Works! The Complete Early Childhood Leaders Conference: bonkersbeat/wellnessworks

P.S. A HUGE congratulations and thank you to our inspiring, passionate and AWESOME attendees! You all make us so proud to be working together and we can’t wait to create positive changes through practical professional development.

29/09/201629/09/2016

Amazing results in centres – and an exciting announcement

early childhood professional development

There are many centres across Australia running our Bonkers Beat Music and Wellbeing programs. And the management and educators at each and every one of those centres get the opportunity to attend two Wellness Summits each year. These Wellness Summits are early childhood professional development days exclusively open to centres who are Bonkers Beat members.

Taking place in summer and winter, the Wellness Summits head to each state so teams don’t need to worry about traveling – or missing out.

Our Winter Wellness Summits 2016 have just finished up, so this is the time to reflect, summarise and share feedback from our participants. Now is also the time to get ready for a BIG announcement about our keynote speaker for Summer 2017.

More Children, Motivated Educators, Engaged Parents

Reflecting on the success of the recent Bonkers Beat Wellness Summits and Bonkers Beat Program progress over the last seven months, many centres who implemented Bonkers Beat programs have noticed that:

Their occupancy increased by 18% (some centres reached full capacity!)
The attitude of their educators has improved, leading to a more positive culture
Educators became more confident and competent using music and wellbeing experiences with children
Parents became more engaged, leading to an increase in participation
Children have improved a vast range of skills and can’t stop singing and dancing at home
Parents are raving about centre programs and are spreading the good word to other parents!

Improved NQS Rating, Saved Thousands on Professional Development

We also found that most centres have improved all seven areas of the National Quality Standard and some centres have even achieved a higher rating.

Last, but not least, the owners and management have provided their entire team the most comprehensive and practical training, which has saved them over $23,000 within one year!

Another Successful Early Childhood Conference

We were thrilled with all our speakers this year. At the Wellness Summits we had the honour of providing three of Australia’s leading parenting and education experts, public speakers and authors Kathy Walker, Shona Bass and Kerrie O’Neill, who is also a founding committee member of the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange.

We were also delighted to bring to the Summits some of the best wellbeing experts who gave us inspirational and practical strategies to enhance children’s and our personal wellness.

In summary, we were overwhelmed with the results and are proud of the practical and inspiring professional development training that we have provided to these incredible teams.

Benefits to Educators

In summary, the benefits to educators included:

Gaining a vast range of practical skills
Learning new songs and games
Learning new wellbeing strategies
Discovering new ways of documentation
Bonding as a team
Meeting many other likeminded, passionate educators

“The Bonkers Beat Winter Summit is so different… hands-on, engaging, participations that can be implemented into the service and into the program, real topics that are relevant to educators in centre, broken up with activities. One of the best things was to learn and incorporate Bonkers Beat into the program, the explorations, Kerrie O’Neill was engaging, fantastic, provocative and inspiring!” – Troy Murphy, Room Leader – Billy Bear Preschool and Long Day Care Centre

Benefits to Management

The benefits to management included:

Connecting with management from other centres
Discussing ideas for effective marketing, meaningful documentation, motivation and strategies for retaining quality staff

“Practical…Meaningful…Engaging! Kerrie O’Neill’s presentation on documentation and of course Galina’s presentation of the songs were fabulous – just not long enough!” – Kay Doyle, Approved Provider, Bachelor ECE – The Forest Childcare Centre

To find out more about what management and educators thought of the Wellness Summits, click here.

Currently we’re working on many projects that will enrich centres and will be announced before the end of 2016. We look forward to continuing this exciting journey together.

If you’d like to learn how your centre can join us, simply email info@bonkersbeat.com. While we only offer a limited number of spots across the country within our Bonkers Beat Programs, we do have some availability.

Here’s the BIG news!

Our next speaker for Summer Wellness Summits 2017 will be National and International Early Childhood presenter and renowned Early Childhood Business Developer, Alina Dan.

Alina will give a very clear, concise and empowering presentation about documentation, the role, responsibilities and goals every Educational Leader and Manager should know about.

Summer Wellness Summit Dates 2017

Melbourne: February 11 2017

Sydney: February 25 2017

Brisbane: March 4 2017

Mark these dates in your calendar now and get ready for a big adventure in 2017. Don’t miss out!

If you’re centre is not currently a Bonkers Beat member, you can find out how to join us by emailing info@bonkersbeat.com – there’s still time to sign up and have your entire team attend our Summer Wellness Summit in 2017.

Not to be confused with the recent (and fantastic!) Wellness Works! Early Childhood Leaders Conference, which was a ticketed event, the Wellness Summits are early childhood professional development sessions only open to centres with membership to the Bonkers Beat Music and Wellbeing program.

For all centres running Bonkers Beat within their curriculum, please remember that the Wellness Summit is a 1-day event for your entire team to attend together with NO additional costs, fees, tickets – it’s all included in your Bonkers Beat membership!

Can’t wait to see you all again soon!