International Music Day is on the 01st October. This day offers a powerful reminder that music is more than melody—it’s a language of connection, culture, and emotional expression. In early childhood settings, music becomes a bridge between generations, a tool for self-regulation, and a canvas for authentic child voice. Whether through spontaneous rhythm play, family-shared songs, or gentle lullabies, children experience music as a way to explore identity, build relationships, and express feelings beyond words.
The following list of cultural and special events that are taking place in October 2025. This should help you to plan and organize for upcoming events and celebrations for October 2025.
Over the past decade, many educators have observed a troubling trend: biting, pushing, and other aggressive behaviours among toddlers are increasingly normalized as developmental inevitabilities. While it’s true that young children often lack the verbal tools to express frustration or overwhelm, the sector’s growing tolerance for these behaviours—without deeper investigation or family collaboration—raises serious concerns about safety, equity, and emotional wellbeing.
Here's a practical Quality Area 5 Cheat Sheet that includes key standards, element breakdowns, and real-world examples that reflect emotionally intelligent, trauma-informed, and child-centered practice. This area focuses on building secure, respectful, and reciprocal relationships that support children’s wellbeing, belonging, and development.
Here's a breakdown of Exceeding Theme 3: Meaningful Engagement with Families and/or the Community across Quality Areas 1 to 7, tailored to your advocacy lens. This theme is all about co-constructing practice with families and communities—ensuring their voices shape decisions, environments, and outcomes.
In a moment of reckoning for one of the nation’s largest early childhood education providers, Tim Hickey, CEO of Affinity Education Group, has publicly apologised for a series of safety breaches across the organisation’s centres. His statement was delivered during a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry examining systemic issues in childcare safety and regulation.
Pedagogy in early childhood isn’t just about teaching—it’s about how we nurture, guide, and co-construct learning with our youngest citizens. It’s the heartbeat of early education, where relationships, play, and emotional safety shape every moment.
In early childhood settings, educators often face a subtle but powerful choice: should learning focus on the process or the product? While both approaches have their place, understanding the distinction can transform how we nurture creativity, independence, and critical thinking in young children.
In a landmark move toward equity and empowerment, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) services are expanding across New South Wales, offering families more choice, more places, and more opportunities for culturally grounded early childhood education.
As part of its commitment to expanding access to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC), the NSW Department of Education is offering targeted support to providers through the Flexible Initiatives Trial (FIT)—a $20 million program designed to help services test and trial new operating models. To help applicants navigate the competitive grant process, the department is hosting grant-writing workshops on the 25th of September, delivered online via MS Teams.
By empowering early childhood educators to embrace Auslan and foster inclusive communication from the earliest years. Here's a scaffolded guide to help you begin teaching Auslan in early childhood settings for toddlers and preschoolers.
Here's a comprehensive breakdown of Exceeding Theme 2:Practice is Informed by Critical Reflection across all quality areas 1 to 7 of the National Quality Standard (NQS). This theme emphasizes how services use deep, ongoing reflection to inform and improve their practices—not just occasionally, but as a core part of their culture.
In a powerful step toward inclusive and culturally responsive education, early childhood educators across New South Wales are invited to a fee-free face-to-face workshop* with Jessica Staines, founder of Koori Curriculum, on Saturday, 1 November, at TAFE NSW Kingswood.
In a bold move toward future-proofing early learning environments, a Brisbane early learning centre has become one of the first in Queensland to introduce AI-powered security systems, marking a significant leap in how childcare services protect children, staff, and families.
