Welcome to the August edition of The Stride Scoop.
As we enjoy the final weeks of winter and begin looking towards spring, children across our centres have continued to learn through practical, imaginative and play-based experiences. From preparing their own sandwiches to creating igloos inspired by Frozen, everyday interests have become opportunities to build independence, problem-solving skills and confidence.
This month, we’re sharing some of these special moments from across our centres, highlighting Stride’s ongoing investment in educator development and helping families prepare for outdoor play as the seasons begin to change.
Thank you for being part of the Stride community. We hope you enjoy catching up on this month’s stories and seeing the many different ways our children continue to learn, create and grow.
The Stride Early Learning Team
THIS MONTH AT STRIDE
INVESTING IN THE EDUCATORS WHO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD
At Stride, high-quality early learning begins with educators who are supported to keep learning and growing.
Across our centres, educators are encouraged to strengthen their skills through ongoing training, nationally recognised qualifications and clear professional development pathways.
The Stride Traineeship Program builds on this commitment by providing aspiring educators with paid practical experience, dedicated mentorship and a pathway to complete a nationally recognised Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care at no cost following a successful probation period.
By investing in educators at every stage of their career, Stride continues to build capable, confident teams who can provide meaningful learning experiences and consistent support for every child.
AROUND OUR CENTRES
Children across our Stride centres have been turning everyday interests into meaningful opportunities to learn, create and build new skills.
At Bayswater, our little chefs prepared their own sandwiches, carefully choosing and assembling their ingredients. This practical experience helped strengthen motor skills, coordination and independence while giving children the confidence to complete an everyday task for themselves.
At Ardross, children brought the magical world of Frozen to life by creating their own igloos. As they planned, shaped and constructed their designs, they strengthened their fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities while enjoying imaginative play.
These experiences show how cooking, construction and favourite stories can become valuable opportunities for children to explore ideas, make choices and learn through play.
HEALTH & WELLBEING
STATE SWIM BEGINS
Enrolments are now well underway for our new State Swim program across all Stride centres, with a large majority of families already booked in and ready to get started.
This exciting initiative gives children the opportunity to build confidence in the water while developing an important life skill in a fun and supportive environment.
Families will continue to receive information from their Centre Manager about program dates, enrolment details and next steps.
We’re excited to see so many families embracing the program and look forward to hearing all about the children’s swimming experiences as sessions get underway.
Click here for more information on Swimming at Stride
Allied Health now available
Our Allied Health support has officially begun, and we’re already seeing the benefits of bringing additional expertise closer to the children, families and educators who need it.
With speech and occupational therapy support available through Stride, our goal is simple: to make it easier to identify developmental needs early, support children in familiar surroundings and give educators and families practical guidance that can become part of everyday learning and play.
It’s another way we’re building more support around every child, without families having to navigate it all alone. Because when the right support is there at the right time, children have even more opportunity to grow with confidence.
GETTING READY FOR MORE OUTDOOR PLAY
As winter draws to a close and spring approaches, outdoor play continues to be an important part of each child’s day at Stride.
Please ensure your child brings a hat and a labelled water bottle every day, regardless of the weather. Our educators monitor UV levels, plan outdoor experiences when conditions are safe and support children to reapply sunscreen throughout the day.
Working together helps children enjoy the outdoors safely and confidently as they explore, move and learn through play.
Pumpkin Scones from Stride Dayton
Ingredients
- Ingredients: ¼ cut pumpkin
- 3 cups self raising flour
- 80g chilled and cubed butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 °C
- Cut the pumpkin into chunks and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook in oven for 30-40 minutes (or use leftover pumpkin).
- Sift flour into bowls with cinnamon. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the self-raising flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Mash the cooked pumpkin and add to the flour mix with a butter knife. Mix until a soft dough forms. Add more milk if required.
- Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface (use plain flour) and knead until smooth.
- Lightly dust the baking sheet with plain flour.
- Pat the dough into 2 cm-thick round. Cut scones using 5cm cookie cutter or a glass to cut.
- Place scones on the baking tray and sprinkle with flour. 9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and well risen.
COMMUNITY NOTICE
YOUR STRIDE PARENT HANDBOOK
The Stride Parent Handbook is a helpful guide to everyday centre life and includes information about what to pack, sun safety, health and hygiene, meals, communication, attendance, policies and important enrolment requirements. Families can access the handbook at any time through the Stride Parent Hub. Please speak with your Centre Manager or educators if you have any questions about the information provided.
Everything you need to know, all in one place.
QUICK LINKS & CONTACTS
We always value open communication with our families. If you have any questions about your child’s development, daily routines or upcoming programs, please feel welcome to speak with your centre team.
Parent Hub and Resources
Available via the website or through your centre team
Contact Us
Phone: (08) 6285 7400
