Nurture & Grow: Mastering Early Childhood Connections - ONLINE
Nurture & Grow: Mastering Early Childhood Connections
Saturday 16th August 2025
9:00am - 5:00pm AEST (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania)
9:30am - 5:30pm South Australia, Northern Territory
7:00am - 3:00pm Western Australia
Individual - $499 - Team - $1799
Tax Deductible, Certificate received for Professional Development
Overview:
In this one-day online course, early childhood educators will deepen their knowledge and skills across key areas essential to nurturing children’s growth and wellbeing, while supporting themselves and their teams. Aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Framework (NQF), this course offers practical strategies, reflective practices, and theory-based insights to empower educators to create rich, responsive learning environments.
What Will Early Childhood Educators Learn:
Guiding Children’s Behaviour:
Explore positive, respectful strategies to support children’s social and emotional development and promote self-regulation.
Building Strong Relationships with Children:
Develop skills to foster trust, security, and a strong sense of identity in every child.
Supporting Educators’ Wellbeing:
Discover practical tools for managing stress, maintaining wellbeing, and building supportive workplace cultures.
Nature Play:
Learn how to create meaningful outdoor learning experiences that connect children to their world and enhance holistic development.
Building Partnerships with Families and Teams:
Gain effective communication and collaboration skills to strengthen relationships with families and colleagues.
Critical Reflection:
Practice reflective techniques that enable continuous improvement and high-quality education.
Embedding Early Childhood Theorists into Curriculum:
Understand key educational theories and how to integrate them into everyday teaching and planning.
By the end of the day, educators will feel confident, inspired, and equipped to deliver nurturing, high-quality early childhood education that aligns with national standards and fosters thriving children, families, and teams.
Topics:
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Objectives:
Understand positive behaviour guidance strategies
Learn how to support children’s self-regulation and social skills
Connect behaviour guidance practices with children’s wellbeing under EYLF and NQF
Key Topics:
Principles of positive guidance (respect, consistency, clear boundaries)
Techniques: redirection, offering choices, encouragement
Emotional literacy and self-regulation strategies for children
Addressing challenging behaviours constructively
Role of the educator in modelling behaviour
Activities:
Case study discussions on real behaviour scenarios
Role-playing guidance conversations
Group brainstorming: creating a behaviour guidance plan
EYLF Links:
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
NQF QA5: Relationships with children
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Building Relationships with Children
Objectives:
Explore ways to foster secure, trusting relationships with children
Understand the importance of attachment in early childhood development
Implement strategies to promote children’s sense of identity and belonging
Key Topics:
Attachment theory basics and its relevance to practice
Active listening and responsive communication
Observing and responding to individual needs and cues
Creating emotionally safe environments
Activities:
Reflective discussion on relationship-building experiences
Sharing examples of relationship-building activities
Practicing active listening and empathy skills
EYLF Links:
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
NQF QA5: Relationships with children
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Supporting Educators’ Wellbeing
Objectives:
Recognize the importance of educator wellbeing on quality care
Learn practical strategies to maintain mental and physical health
Foster a supportive team culture that values wellbeing
Key Topics:
Stress and burnout signs in educators
Mindfulness and self-care techniques
Team support, communication, and peer mentoring
Impact of wellbeing on educator performance and child outcomes
Activities:
Guided mindfulness exercise
Sharing wellbeing strategies in small groups
Creating a personal wellbeing action plan
EYLF Links:
EYLF Principle 4: Respect for diversity and wellbeing
NQF QA7: Governance and leadership (staff wellbeing and development)
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch Break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Nature Play: Learning Outdoors
Objectives:
Understand the developmental benefits of nature play Learn how to design meaningful outdoor learning experiences
Link outdoor play to EYLF outcomes and physical environment standards
Key Topics:
Physical, cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of nature play
Risk assessment and safety in outdoor environments
Incorporating loose parts and natural materials
Supporting curiosity and creativity through outdoor exploration
Activities:
Sharing photos/videos of nature play setups
Group discussion on local outdoor play challenges and solutions
Planning a simple nature play activity
EYLF Links:
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
NQF QA3: Physical environment
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Creating Strong Relationships with Team & Families
Objectives:
Build collaborative relationships with families and colleagues
Explore effective communication techniques for partnership building
Recognize the role of teamwork in delivering high-quality education
Key Topics:
Principles of respectful family engagement
Strategies for open, honest, and inclusive communication
Building trust and shared goals between families and educators
Conflict resolution and collaboration within teams
Activities:
Role-playing family communication scenarios
Developing a family partnership plan template
Group discussion on successful teamwork experiences
EYLF Links:
EYLF Principle 2: Partnerships
NQF QA6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Critical Reflection for Educators
Objectives:
Develop skills to reflect critically on teaching practice
Use reflection to identify strengths and areas for growth
Understand the role of reflection in continuous quality improvement
Key Topics:
What is critical reflection and why it matters
Reflection models: Gibbs, Schön, or Rolfe’s framework
Tools for documenting and sharing reflections
Using reflection to inform planning and improve outcomes
Activities:
Reflective journaling exercise
Small group sharing of reflection examples
Planning a reflective practice routine
EYLF Links:
EYLF Principle 3: High expectations and equity
NQF QA7: Governance and leadership (continuous improvement)
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Embedding Theorists into Curriculum
Objectives:
Gain an overview of key early childhood theorists and their ideas
Learn how to apply theory to curriculum planning and pedagogy
Align teaching practices with EYLF learning principles and NQF standards
Key Topics:
Theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner, Erikson, and Reggio Emilia philosophy
Play-based learning and social constructivism
Integrating theory into assessment and planning
Making learning visible and meaningful
Activities:
Matching theorists to practical teaching examples
Designing a mini-curriculum plan using theorists’ principles
Group discussion on challenges in applying theory
EYLF Links:
EYLF Learning Principles: Play-based learning, holistic approaches
NQF QA1: Educational program and practice
Saturday 16th August 2025
9:00am - 5:00pm AEST (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania)
9:30am - 5:30pm South Australia, Northern Territory
7:00am - 3:00pm Western Australia
Individual - $499 - Team - $1799
Tax Deductible, Certificate received for Professional Development
Overview:
In this one-day online course, early childhood educators will deepen their knowledge and skills across key areas essential to nurturing children’s growth and wellbeing, while supporting themselves and their teams. Aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Framework (NQF), this course offers practical strategies, reflective practices, and theory-based insights to empower educators to create rich, responsive learning environments.
What Will Early Childhood Educators Learn:
Guiding Children’s Behaviour:
Explore positive, respectful strategies to support children’s social and emotional development and promote self-regulation.
Building Strong Relationships with Children:
Develop skills to foster trust, security, and a strong sense of identity in every child.
Supporting Educators’ Wellbeing:
Discover practical tools for managing stress, maintaining wellbeing, and building supportive workplace cultures.
Nature Play:
Learn how to create meaningful outdoor learning experiences that connect children to their world and enhance holistic development.
Building Partnerships with Families and Teams:
Gain effective communication and collaboration skills to strengthen relationships with families and colleagues.
Critical Reflection:
Practice reflective techniques that enable continuous improvement and high-quality education.
Embedding Early Childhood Theorists into Curriculum:
Understand key educational theories and how to integrate them into everyday teaching and planning.
By the end of the day, educators will feel confident, inspired, and equipped to deliver nurturing, high-quality early childhood education that aligns with national standards and fosters thriving children, families, and teams.
Topics:
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Objectives:
Understand positive behaviour guidance strategies
Learn how to support children’s self-regulation and social skills
Connect behaviour guidance practices with children’s wellbeing under EYLF and NQF
Key Topics:
Principles of positive guidance (respect, consistency, clear boundaries)
Techniques: redirection, offering choices, encouragement
Emotional literacy and self-regulation strategies for children
Addressing challenging behaviours constructively
Role of the educator in modelling behaviour
Activities:
Case study discussions on real behaviour scenarios
Role-playing guidance conversations
Group brainstorming: creating a behaviour guidance plan
EYLF Links:
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
NQF QA5: Relationships with children
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Building Relationships with Children
Objectives:
Explore ways to foster secure, trusting relationships with children
Understand the importance of attachment in early childhood development
Implement strategies to promote children’s sense of identity and belonging
Key Topics:
Attachment theory basics and its relevance to practice
Active listening and responsive communication
Observing and responding to individual needs and cues
Creating emotionally safe environments
Activities:
Reflective discussion on relationship-building experiences
Sharing examples of relationship-building activities
Practicing active listening and empathy skills
EYLF Links:
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
NQF QA5: Relationships with children
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Supporting Educators’ Wellbeing
Objectives:
Recognize the importance of educator wellbeing on quality care
Learn practical strategies to maintain mental and physical health
Foster a supportive team culture that values wellbeing
Key Topics:
Stress and burnout signs in educators
Mindfulness and self-care techniques
Team support, communication, and peer mentoring
Impact of wellbeing on educator performance and child outcomes
Activities:
Guided mindfulness exercise
Sharing wellbeing strategies in small groups
Creating a personal wellbeing action plan
EYLF Links:
EYLF Principle 4: Respect for diversity and wellbeing
NQF QA7: Governance and leadership (staff wellbeing and development)
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch Break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Nature Play: Learning Outdoors
Objectives:
Understand the developmental benefits of nature play Learn how to design meaningful outdoor learning experiences
Link outdoor play to EYLF outcomes and physical environment standards
Key Topics:
Physical, cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of nature play
Risk assessment and safety in outdoor environments
Incorporating loose parts and natural materials
Supporting curiosity and creativity through outdoor exploration
Activities:
Sharing photos/videos of nature play setups
Group discussion on local outdoor play challenges and solutions
Planning a simple nature play activity
EYLF Links:
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
NQF QA3: Physical environment
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Creating Strong Relationships with Team & Families
Objectives:
Build collaborative relationships with families and colleagues
Explore effective communication techniques for partnership building
Recognize the role of teamwork in delivering high-quality education
Key Topics:
Principles of respectful family engagement
Strategies for open, honest, and inclusive communication
Building trust and shared goals between families and educators
Conflict resolution and collaboration within teams
Activities:
Role-playing family communication scenarios
Developing a family partnership plan template
Group discussion on successful teamwork experiences
EYLF Links:
EYLF Principle 2: Partnerships
NQF QA6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Critical Reflection for Educators
Objectives:
Develop skills to reflect critically on teaching practice
Use reflection to identify strengths and areas for growth
Understand the role of reflection in continuous quality improvement
Key Topics:
What is critical reflection and why it matters
Reflection models: Gibbs, Schön, or Rolfe’s framework
Tools for documenting and sharing reflections
Using reflection to inform planning and improve outcomes
Activities:
Reflective journaling exercise
Small group sharing of reflection examples
Planning a reflective practice routine
EYLF Links:
EYLF Principle 3: High expectations and equity
NQF QA7: Governance and leadership (continuous improvement)
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Embedding Theorists into Curriculum
Objectives:
Gain an overview of key early childhood theorists and their ideas
Learn how to apply theory to curriculum planning and pedagogy
Align teaching practices with EYLF learning principles and NQF standards
Key Topics:
Theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner, Erikson, and Reggio Emilia philosophy
Play-based learning and social constructivism
Integrating theory into assessment and planning
Making learning visible and meaningful
Activities:
Matching theorists to practical teaching examples
Designing a mini-curriculum plan using theorists’ principles
Group discussion on challenges in applying theory
EYLF Links:
EYLF Learning Principles: Play-based learning, holistic approaches
NQF QA1: Educational program and practice