At Southern Cross Schools Pre-school, one of our core values and lessons that we teach our children is the importance of kindness and giving back to our community. Throughout the year we try and instil this through various lessons and opportune moments that arise within our day-to-day activities and learning themes.
For Barefoot Day earlier this year, we all came to school without wearing shoes, we brought along new or pre-loved shoes which we donated to children and families less fortunate. It was so endearing to see our little ones at such a young age grasping how chilly and uncomfortable the morning was without shoes. It was heart-warming to see how even the smallest of our children, the Earth Tots, found such incredible joy in giving away a pair of shoes they had out grown; knowing that it would be going to someone in need. This was such a simple, yet meaningful day.
Each week we have ‘Show & Tell’ in our Pre-school; this is an opportunity for our little ones to bring in objects or bits of information from home matching a particular theme, in so doing they help extend each other’s learning.
One of our weekly Show and Tell lessons was to bring in a can of tinned food which was to be donated to Gracious Living, our local old age home. There were only smiles and excitement from all our Pre-schoolers as they knew they were doing something kind for someone else.
As a Pre-school we hope that our children progress forward having learnt the importance of kindness and that they have sensed the joy that caring for one another and helping those in need brings. One of the most important lessons we can teach our children, not only for now, but also for their futures, is compassion for others. We are very fortunate to have children and parents who also share these values with us.
