WEEKLY PLAYGROUP RESOURCES

  • WHY SUMMER FRUIT?

    This week we’re exploring pineapples, watermelon and grapes – all in season right now.

    • Learning about seasonal fruits helps babies and toddlers connect with nature and understand where food comes from, building early awareness of time and the environment.

    • Touching, smelling and seeing the fruit helps children develop fine motor skills, language and cognitive abilities.

    • Playing with parents and carers during playgroup also plays an important role in developing emotional regulation. The act of sharing sensory experiences and playing together fosters strong emotional connections with trusted grownups, helping toddlers feel safe and supported as they learn to manage their emotions.

    • Sensory play with fruit offers calming experiences, such as squeezing or smelling, that help toddlers practise self-regulation in a fun and engaging way.

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    ACTIVITIES FOR HOME

    Here are some ideas for continuing the conversation about this week's theme at home with your kids.

    1. Fruit Colouring Sheets

    2. Fruit Shape Hunt

    • Go on a fruit shape hunt around the house or outside. Ask your child to find things that are similar to the shapes of fruits (e.g., a round ball for a watermelon or a long shape for a banana).

    4. Fruit Sorting

    • Have a basket or bowl with a variety of real fruit, and ask your child to sort them by colour, size, or shape. You can make it a bit of a game by setting a timer.

    5. Fruit Tasting (perfect for little babies)

    • Simply grab a few different fruits and have a taste test with your little one.

    6. Visit the Sutherland Shire Farmers Market (perfect for little babies)

    • Head to the markets on Saturday morning to explore the wide variety of fresh produce. Take some time to see, touch, and smell new fruits that you may not have tried before. Let your child choose a fruit they’ve never seen and learn about it together.

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    HOW DOES PLAYING WITH SUMMER FRUIT SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT?

    NOTE: While our littlest playgroup babies may be too young for formal literacy and numeracy skills, all of the activities below support early language development

    • Exploring Textures

      • Literacy: Describing textures expands vocabulary with words like "smooth," "bumpy," and "soft."

      • Fine Motor Skills: Touching different textures strengthens hand muscles, important for early writing.

      • Numeracy: Comparing textures introduces basic concepts of comparison (e.g., "Is it softer than the other fruit?").

    • Colours and Shapes

      • Literacy: Discussing colours and shapes helps build classification skills and descriptive language.

      • Numeracy: Learning about shapes introduces geometry (e.g., round, oval), and recognising patterns.

    • Sounds and Sights

      • Science: Encourages observation of cause and effect (e.g., "What happens when you squeeze the fruit?").

    • Scent Investigation

      • Literacy: Exploring scents builds vocabulary (e.g., fragrant, fresh).

    • Size and Comparison

      • Numeracy: Comparing size introduces early concepts of measurement and comparison (e.g., "Which is bigger?").

      • Language: Helps build understanding of comparative terms like "bigger," "smaller."

    • Imagining Growth

      • Literacy: Encourages new vocabulary like "plant," "tree," and "vine."

      • Science: Introduces concepts of life cycles and plant growth.

      • Math: Explores size and measurement through imagination (e.g., "How big must the plant be to grow this fruit?").

    • Sorting and Categorising

      • Numeracy: Sorting fruits by colour, size, or shape develops classification and pattern recognition.

      • Literacy: Expands descriptive language as children categorise and compare.

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    RESOURCES

    GARDENING AUSTRALIA JUNIOR PODCAST EPISODE - MAGIC COMPOST FRUIT

    GARDENING AUSTRALIA JUNIOR -TROPICAL FRUITOPIA

  • WHY VALENTINE’S PLAY?

    This week, we’re exploring love, connection, and creativity through hands-on, sensory-rich experiences.

    From heart-shaped art to sparkly, scented playdough, and even water play with floating rose petals, every station is designed to engage little hands, spark curiosity, and build strong emotional connections.

    Why is this important?

    Sensory play isn’t just fun - it supports children’s fine motor skills, language development, and emotional regulation. When children squish, scoop, sprinkle, and swirl, they strengthen their hand muscles, develop descriptive language, and explore cause and effect.

    Playing alongside parents and carers is also key to emotional well-being. Engaging in these shared experiences fosters feelings of security, connection, and joy - helping little ones feel safe as they explore and learn.

    ACTIVITIES FOR HOME

    Want to continue the play at home? Here are some simple, love-filled activities to try:

    Heart Art
    Cut out heart shapes from paper and let your child decorate them with crayons, stickers, or even natural elements like flower petals.

    Scented Playdough
    Make homemade playdough and add a drop of rose or lavender essential oil. Let your child knead, squish, and create.

    Melting Hearts
    Freeze small objects (like flowers or beads) inside ice cubes. Let your child explore how to melt the ice with warm water and gentle touch.

    Love Songs & Rhymes
    Sing songs about love and friendship, like Skidamarink or You Are My Sunshine.

    Matching & Sorting
    Cut out different-sized hearts and ask your child to sort them by size or colour.

    Nature Walk: Find the Love
    Go on a walk and look for heart shapes in nature - leaves, rocks, or clouds.

    HOW DOES THIS SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT?

    Fine Motor Skills – Pressing playdough, scooping water, and holding crayons strengthen little hands.

    Language Development – Talking about textures, scents, and shapes builds vocabulary.

    Emotional Regulation – Sensory play is calming and helps toddlers practise self-soothing.

    Cognitive Growth – Sorting, comparing, and experimenting with materials introduces early maths and science concepts.

    Social-Emotional Learning – Engaging in loving, connected play fosters security and trust.

    Enjoy the play! Let us know which activities your little one loved the most.