School Prep at Vacay Care
Outside school hours care isn’t just for older kids. See how Rocketeers’ vacation care program prepares preschoolers for a great launch into big school!
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
Outside school hours care makes it a lot easier to balance work and family life, and although this kind of approved childcare has a ‘school’ in its name, OSHC isn’t just for ages six to 12.
Some outside school hours care services provide sessions outside the normal preschool/kindy hours, and if your four- or five-year-old is off to big school soon, then Rocketeers will help to get them ready!
Rocketeers is the vacation care arm of leading OSHC provider, Camp Australia, and with the summer holidays coming soon, and Term One not that far behind, now’s a great time to see how Rocketeers can prepare your preschooler for primary education.
For starters, we can tell you that Rocketeers’ before school holiday program is all about easing your little one into their new environment to make the school transition smoother.
If your child is aged four or five, they can attend a Rocketeers session that runs in a school setting, and experience Base Camp Days, Projects and Experience Takeovers (incursions).
You’ve got the choice of a casual day here and there, or solid weeks before school starts.
And whichever sessions you book, your preschooler will get oodles of opportunities to play, learn, explore and discover with children who are also off to school soon – for the first time, or maybe the fifth!
This means familiar faces and familiar places on that first day; and although Rocketeers’ vacation care is designed to be fun, it’s also designed to support your child’s development, with the help of their amazing educators.
The different activities will help to foster your preschooler’s physical, cognitive and social-emotional skills in readiness for school.
Running, jumping, dancing, singing, cooking, crafting and storytime are all part of the program; and along the way, Rocketeers will build your little one’s confidence, curiosity and independence – to make that school start so much easier.
Your preschooler will be encouraged to take on small responsibilities, like serving themselves afternoon tea; and the regular routines at vacation care will help to prepare them for the rhythm of school life.
School aside, Rocketeers also understands that starting vacation care is a big step.
So, if you’d like to see what it’s all about before your child’s first day, you’re always welcome to drop by and chat with your friendly Service Leader.
Early in the morning or late in the afternoon is a great time to pop in, and the Service Leader will be more than happy to show you around, introduce your child to the educators, and help you both get familiar with the space.
You can explore key areas, like the play zones, quiet corners and activity spaces, while your preschooler meets some of the team – which will help them feel part of the group from the start!
You’ll also be happy to know that when school officially starts, your under-six will be escorted to and from their classroom and the service by a friendly staff member.
This will happen for the first six weeks of Term One (or longer, if needed), to make sure your little one feels safe – and gets where they need to be!
If all of this sounds great to you, then it's really easy to enrol with Camp Australia here.
Your local service can confirm if they offer Rocketeers sessions for ages four and five, and once enrolled, your preschooler has a fun summer program, and an exciting school start, ahead of them!
