At Gowrie NSW Erskineville, we’re fortunate to offer children regular opportunities to explore the world beyond the preschool, taking our learning into the vibrant local community. This year, we made some intentional changes to our excursions to ensure they’re even more meaningful, aligning them closely with our curriculum. By expanding our walking radius to 2 kilometres and increasing the duration to 2 hours, we opened up countless new possibilities for learning, discovery, and connection.
In this blog, we’ll share how these community excursions foster children’s sense of belonging, identity, and understanding of the world around them.
Exploring the Community: Building a Sense of Place
One of the central goals of our excursions is to help children develop a sense of place. This year, as we’ve ventured further into the local community, children have engaged in rich conversations about where they are from, where they live, and what makes their community special. Through small group discussions, stories, and interactive activities, we’ve encouraged them to reflect on their personal connections to both their immediate surroundings and the broader world.
These excursions go beyond simple outings—they’re opportunities for children to delve deeper into their sense of belonging and understand how they fit into their local environment. Children are not only learning about the physical spaces they inhabit but also starting to connect emotionally and socially, seeing themselves as active members of a larger community.
Empowering Children Through Exploration
Our approach to these excursions is driven by a commitment to children’s empowerment. By giving them the space to explore their community, we encourage children to become active participants in their environment. They learn to ask questions, notice details, and discover new places and people, fostering independence and curiosity.
Through these experiences, children gain a perspective that helps them feel confident and valued within their community. They’re developing a foundation for a strong personal identity, one that’s informed by and connected to the world around them. Our intention is to create moments that empower children to see themselves as important contributors to their local community.
The Role of Intentional Learning
Each excursion is thoughtfully planned to ensure it aligns with our learning goals. We’ve broadened the scope of our outings, ensuring they reflect the children’s evolving interests and provide experiences that support a well-rounded sense of community. Our focus on intentional learning means each trip has clear objectives, whether it’s observing local architecture, visiting parks, or learning about local businesses.
This structured approach helps children develop not just academically but also socially and emotionally. By linking these outings with our program, we’re able to offer children a meaningful framework for understanding their world, encouraging them to see each outing as a way to learn, grow, and connect.
Looking to the Future: Where to Next?
With our commitment to meaningful and empowering experiences, the possibilities for community excursions are boundless. Each step we take with the children allows us to deepen their connection to the community and expand their worldview. We’re excited to continue exploring, discovering, and fostering a strong sense of identity and belonging for each child in our care.
As we look forward, our goal remains the same: to create an environment where children feel empowered, valued, and connected to the places and people that make up their community. The sky is the limit, and we can’t wait to see where our next adventure will take us!
