By Jen Gourley
Bubbles to blow into the breeze; playdough to roll out; fire trucks, an ambulance and a police van to climb in; water activities; fingerpainting; necklaces to make; sandpits to dig in; musical instruments to play; books to read; cubbyhouses to pretend in; robots to assemble out of cardboard boxes… There was so much to do at Thangool State School’s Under 8s Day today!
Ellen Brewer, Thangool State School’s Prep teacher and Head of Curriculum, said Under 8s Day at the school is a popular event that’s attended by not just students at Thangool but also members of the Biloela and Thangool community and local kindergartens.
“Under 8s Day has been celebrated for many years throughout Queensland,” Ellen said. “The purpose of Under 8s Day is to celebrate everything that is early childhood – childhood development, children’s interests, and have lots of fun and enjoyment.
“Today we’ve got a whole range of activities. We’ve got a lot of art and craft this morning – painting, collage, construction; we’ve got sensory play with a water trough and a rice trough; an obstacle course for gross motor skills; we have some fine motor activities like threading; we’ve got a quiet space for reading and quiet car play; music… Lots of things to do.”
Ellen explained that Under 8s Day at Thangool is a whole school event, with everyone getting involved. From 9am to 11am, the activities are open to the public and set up for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and children in Prep to Year 3.
“Then, in the middle session, our teachers take each class for a set of rotational activities and the afternoon, we get the upper school involved,” she said. “So, they plan activities such as sideshow games which might include knock-ons or mini golf, or playing in goop or slime or those sorts of things. The students plan those activities and getting involved gives them some agency because they know what they like.”
Today’s event also served as a transitional day for those children who will be starting Prep at Thangool in 2023.
You can see more photos from Thangool’s Under 8s Day on the Biloela Beacon’s Facebook page
- Tags: arts and crafts, Biloela, fun, Thangool, Under 8s Day
