*Intro music*
Educator: Ok. It’s nearly full!
Kids: Yeah!
Kerryn: So Bena, it'd be lovely if you could share some of your valuable insights into this. What’s happening in this good practice?
Educator: Pour it all in there!
Bena: Well here at Gundoo we really push for children's interest to be worked on and to extend and enhance that knowledge. Water play, at the moment, is used because of the hot weather not just for the children to play in, but also for the children to learn from.
Kerryn: And so, children being able to access water at any time, and to be able to use it.
Bena: And just in the little bits too of them filling the buckets and being resourceful, looking out for the environment, not wasting the water.
Educator: Let me finish digging a hole. Here look.
Kerryn: And I see a mixed age group in this setting, Bena. That's something that you support at Gundoo.
Bena: Yeah, we support it a lot. We think that they ... we find the benefits of it from the smaller kids being with the older children as a more of an advance of learning from them, yeah.
Kerryn: And that's how it is outside of the centre, we all learn off different ages yeah.
Educator: There we go.
Bena: Mainly from family because family, even the smaller ones have a responsibility to care for their siblings as well.
Educator: Can you see the water’s nearly there? (gasp) nearly Dave. Little bit more eh!
Kids: (gasp) Come here! The water’s here!
Kerryn: That really shows here with David they're trying to help someone look in the pipe.
Bena: Mmm yep.
Kerryn: They couldn't reach. He wasn't as tall as he was. And cooperative play.
Bena: That's why it's important to do that role modelling, but play in anything in front of the children because then the children can do that with their friends and in life, family.
Educator: (gasp) What about the other one Dave? You want to fill the other one up?
Kerryn: And just ... I see this child climbing up onto this block here, and taking the risk to climb up on top to just be able to see into the pipe where the water's going. Children taking risks, is that something that's valued in this space in Gundoo?
Bena: Yep because there are some benefits from the children taking risks. If they're going to learn something from it then by all means let them take that risk as long as we know the capability of the children, and what they are capable of and watching them.
Kerryn: And seeing them as capable learners.
Educator: Did you put a flower in there Dave? (laughs) Ready, you want to lift this one up? You gonna help Aunty Khai, Sheeka?
Kerryn: And just the language they used with Khai referring to herself as Aunty Khai that language used in the setting is important for educators and community children, Bena?
Bena: Yes it is. It's very important. Like I was saying, we have some non-indigenous children that do attend the centre as well also and just as a sign of respect we look at them as sisters or brothers. I'm just so glad they have that sense of belonging also.
Educator: Woah! Woah! Where’s the water going guys?
Kids: It’s going down there!
Bena: She's asking them the questions, and getting them to answer which is good also because we're trying to encourage more children to talk and have that strong sense of confidence.
Kerryn: Beautiful and then the wet sand, children feeling it, and it becomes a sensory experience.
Beca: As well. Yup.
Kerryn: It goes on, and on, and on.
Educator: Oh, sorry. Yeah, we gotta do that…
Bena: Yes. Can get a learning out of playing in the sandpit.
Educator: (laughing) Good boy!