Early Childhood Education Resources Hub
Celebrating Our Bodies, Through Foundational Skills
These resources provide fun, hands-on activities for children to explore body appreciation, diversity, and teamwork. Based on beloved children's books, each activity helps kids appreciate their bodies, build friendships, and embrace inclusivity, all while developing key social and emotional skills. Perfect for fostering self-confidence and empathy in young learners!
These resources are mapped to the Early Years Learning Framework 2.0 and use evidence-based strategies, such as play-based learning, and intentional teaching strategies.
About the Resources
These engaging units are designed to inspire young children to appreciate their bodies, foster friendships, and explore inclusivity through fun and interactive activities. With guidance from The Embrace Collective, the "Our Bodies are AMAZING!" unit helps children celebrate their bodies for what they can do, addressing early body image issues with movement and creative expression.
Exploring friendships through Melanie Prewett's Two Mates, children learn about the importance of empathy and diversity. Additionally, using Come Over to My House, children delve into adaptability and how to make spaces accessible for everyone.
How to use these resources
Introduction
Before diving into a learning experience, we give you a quick summary of what’s involved, so you can decide whether this activity is right for you.
To give you an idea of what your students will be doing, each activity falls into one of these categories:
- moving bodies
- busy hands
- quiet time
- imagination
- creation
- nature time.
Skills Development
To develop these resources we worked with Dr. Zali Yager to select reputable children's books with clear messages of body appreciation to create strong literacy links.
From here we developed four learning experiences for each book. Each activity focuses on developing a core skill from the list below:
- foundational numeracy
- foundational literacy
- science exploration
- problem-solving
- digital literacies
- social-emotional learning.
Early Years Learning Framework
All of our learning experiences align with the Early Years Learning Framework 2.0, guiding you on how these activities meet expected developmental milestones for children. Cool has consulted with a number of highly experienced professionals in a range of fields, including early learning education, social and emotional development, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators, to ensure all of the information here is at the cutting edge of early learning education.
Reading List
If you don't already have access to these books, check out the list below for where you can grab your copy:
- Embrace Your Body by Taryn Brumfitt
- Two Mates by Melanie Prewett
- Come Over to My House by Sally Rippin and Eliza Hull
- Little Miss Jessica Goes to School by Jessica Smith
- What Happened to Your Hand? by Andrea Murray
- Charlie’s Tales: Dara and the Moonlight Cub by The Pretty Foundation
- Charlie’s Tales: Peggy and the Fantastic Football by The Pretty Foundation
- Charlie’s Tales: Sylvie and the Star Tree by The Pretty Foundation
- Charlie’s Tales: Cassia and the Fire Dragon by The Pretty Foundation
- Charlie's Tales: The Sprites and the Heart Flower by The Pretty Foundation
Units of work
With thanks to our partner
The Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation, established in memory of entrepreneur and philanthropist Brian M. Davis AM, is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people.
The purpose of the Collier Charitable Fund is to continue the legacies of Alice, Annette, and Edith Collier by striving to improve the lives of Victorians and other Australians by assisting those in need.