The team at Sonas Day Care Wanneroo is not afraid of getting their hands dirty.
In fact, they’ve opened their doors to mess on a mega scale.
As part of the centre’s commitment to its community, staff host free messy mat sensory play dates each month, inviting local families to join up to two hours of fun at the centre.
As well as regular messy mat stations of coloured pasta, playdough, jelly; and water and ice play when the weather is warm, the team organises a themed event.
These have included ‘under the sea’ events for World Oceans Day in June, where students ‘saved’ the sea animals from debris in the water play, and NAIDOC Week in July where children celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Sonas Wanneroo child educator Jessica Maas said the community had embraced the events.
“It’s all about creating a fun forum for children in our greater community to play and engage,” she said. “At the same time, it showcases our wonderful centre and incredible play space and enables us to get to know the local community.
Sonas Wanneroo child educator Jessica Maas
“We usually have activities for children aged 0-5 and over the summer holidays we extended that out so some of the older siblings can come along.
“I think it definitely helps that we have a partnership with the coffee shop, Xcite Coffee, opposite our centre so we have free coffees for all the mums. It’s a real community collaboration.”