From excursions to Taronga Zoo and the Australian Museum, trampolining and mini Olympics activities to Lego Brick Worx, t-shirt designing and bush tucker talks, there’s no shortage of awesome activities on offer as part of our Vacation Care program this coming school holidays.
But it’s not just about fun excursions and activities. We also provide opportunities for children to get involved in highly unique, small-scale experiences that teach children the joy of giving back.
Take the children attending our Manly Vale centre last school holidays, who had an excursion with a unique community focus, thanks to the hospitality of a very special group of neighbours.
It all started post Covid, with children dropping off notes, craft and tasty baked treats to their neighbours at Hardi Aged Care. It has since evolved into a meaningful partnership for everyone in involved. In a Beaches-own version of the popular TV series Old People’s Home for Four Year Olds – minus the cameras – children visited the centre in person, and both young and old love the opportunity to play games, chat and create art together.
Another group of children from our North Harbour Centre celebrated Anzac Day this year by creating a memorial wall with members from their local Balgowlah RSL club.
These local excursions and activities are just two examples of our varied Vacation Care program catering for the varying interests and needs of the 150 children who visit our centres at Manly Vale, Cromer, and North Harbour in Balgowlah.
Driven in part by ideas from children, parents and staff, the program is an ever-evolving smorgasbord of ideas, offering enrichment experiences on anything to do with the environment, Aboriginal Culture, the community, science and the arts.
Council’s Vacation Care is guided by the 7 National Quality Standards set by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. This ensures our program delivers a broad range of experiences for children that also guarantee standards on processes like safety, environment, staffing, leadership and relationships and allows families to access Child Care Subsidy. It’s an important part of our program, that many don’t know about, but ensures children have an enriching and safe experience in our care.
When booking your children’s activities next school holidays, why not look at the smaller excursions and activities on offer through a different lens and add them to the to-do list for your children.
Bookings for our Vacation Care program for the coming school holidays are now open. Book early to avoid disappointment.