Primary Highlights 

This week, our Under Eights Day celebration was held at Jump Up for Kids at Bald Hills. The purpose of Under Eights day, as a nationwide initiative, is to celebrate the early childhood years and to deliver a message that childhood is a precious and significant time. 

Run by Occupational Therapists, Jump Up for Kids, provided the perfect environment for celebrating outdoor play and learning. Our students in Prep to Year 2 were involved in child directed loose object play and activity stations designed to encourage creativity and a connection to nature; as well as fort building, climbing small trees and even getting into the mud!   

The national theme for Under Eights Day 2021 was ‘Children Celebrating Outdoor Play and Learning’.  The importance of outdoor play in the Early Years should not be underestimated, providing many benefits including but not limited to: 

• An active lifestyle; 
• Appreciation of nature and the environment; 
• Developing social skills; 
• Encouraging independence and resilience; and  
• Understanding risk. 

 Following their excursion to Jump up for Kids, the Prep-Year 2 children returned to school for the afternoon session, where they participated in National Simultaneous Storytime. Here they were read the book “Give Me Some Space” by Philip Bunting. This was read by some special visitors to the College including two astronauts, a Storm Trooper and even Chewbacca from Star Wars!  

Most schools around Australia participate in the National Simultaneous Storytime, and Genesis Primary was proud to be a part of this literacy initiative, whilst also having loads of fun at the same time. Truthfully…learning should be fun most of the time when you are a kid in Primary School! 

Enjoy the following photos from just an awesome day in the Primary School