Kinder Kits - English

Every child enrolled in a funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program in 2024 is eligible to receive a Kinder Kit.

Title page on green background with illustration of two children playing, text displayed is Guide for Families.

About Kinder Kits

For children, play and learning go hand in hand. Playing is how children discover and learn about themselves and the world around them. Parents, carers and families are a huge part of that journey. Everything in your child's Kinder Kit is designed to be shared and enjoyed as a family.

Illustration of two children playing outside. One is riding on a scooter one is playing with building blocks.

At kindergarten, the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) is used to create learning experiences that support your child to grow and thrive across five learning and development outcomes. These five outcomes are:

  • Identity
  • Learning
  • Community
  • Communication
  • Wellbeing

Activity box

Illustration of two adults with two children using the Kinder Kit outdoors.

The activity box is more than just a case to carry books and toys. It can be used to support learning and development in many ways.

  • Take the activity box for a picnic or an outing with friends and family
  • A playdough mat
  • A prop for play

Did you know? The activity box is designed to be an environmentally friendly product. It is made of recycled materials where possible and can be reused to store your child's treasures. Fold the Kit into an easel or lay the Kit out flat so the green surface can be used for imaginative play.

Chalk, board and duster

Illustration of a child drawing a teddy bear using the Kinder Kit chalk and activity case inside. Adult female wearing Hijab supervising child.

The chalkboard and chalk are great for creativity and developing fine motor skills as children hold the chalk. The chalkboard can be used as a surface to draw with chalk can also be used to create shapes with the playdough.

  • Find a place outside and draw what you see around you
  • Use the chalk to create a world from your imagination
  • Practice writing your name
  • Use the koala on the duster to create rubbing art. Place the koala under some paper and rub lightly with the chalk

Did you know? The chalk duster contains recycled plastic left over from when Australian money is made.

Seeds

Illustration of child and two adults outside. Child is wearing a hat and watering the Kinder Kit seeds in pots.

Planting seeds with children is a rich, science-based learning experience that allows them to see the wonder of the natural world. They will learn about nature, build language and learn to follow simple instructions. They will also learn how to observe things over time.

  • Talk about plants and name their parts
  • Plant them together
  • Learn about the plant life cycle
  • Name fruit and vegetables at the shops

Did you know? Alfalfa is a legume from the pea family and rich in vitamins and minerals. When the leaves of the plant are hurt it sends off a signal to wasps that tells them to help it re-pollinate. You can even use it in your cooking!

Threading animals

Illustration of child, adult and dog sitting on the floor inside. The adult and the child are using the Threading Animals activity from the Kinder Kit.

Early childhood is when children start to gain more control over the smaller muscles in their hands, fingers, wrists, feet and toes. Developing the fine motor muscles in the hands and fingers is important for children's self-care and later, for writing. Your child can develop their fine motor skills by using playdough, crayons or threading animals and later, for writing. Here are some ways you can practise fine motor skills:

  • Thread the lace through holes of the animal
  • Open and close the activity box
  • Practice doing up zips or buttons
  • Roll playdough with hands and fingers

Did you know? Shoelaces have been used since around 3000 BC to tie leather to feet.

Australia map puzzle

Illustration of a family of two adults and one child sitting on the floor inside. The Australia map puzzle is partially complete. They are working on the puzzle together. One adult and the child are both holding a piece of the puzzle.

Simple puzzles help your child develop patience, concentration, problem-solving and fine motor skills. As your child interacts with the puzzle, they make choices, recognise shapes and use their memory.

  • Practice resilience by using trial and error to complete the puzzle
  • Talk about the animals
  • Explore taking turns
  • Encourage children to talk about the shapes and if they fit together

Did you know? The echidna and platypus are the only mammals in the world that lay eggs.

Crayons and art pad

Illustration of a family using the Kinder Kit Activity Pad. One parent is standing holding a newborn baby watching the second parent holding the activity pad while a child using a walking frame draws a dog on the pad with a green crayon.

Drawing with crayons provides many ways to learn:

  • improving fine motor skills like pencil grasp
  • hand-eye coordination
  • learning about colour and shape
  • expressing creativity with paper and other materials.

Most importantly, children will learn to express themselves safely and confidently. Some children may be making marks that are unrecognisable to you and this is okay. This is the natural process of learning to draw and write.

  • Use the Art Pad to prompt ideas
  • Encourage family drawing experiences
  • Talk as you draw
  • Name colours and shapes

Did you know? The crayons are made from beeswax, which comes from honeycomb made by Victorian bees. When bees are in the garden and find something that is important for their family, they return to the hive and do a little wiggle dance.

Shape Shakers

Illustration of adult and child inside, playing music. The adult is playing the triangle, and the child is using the Shape Shakers from the Kinder Kit. There is a guitar against the wall in the background and a snare drum on the floor in the foreground.

Creating music is a fun way for children to learn new words, sing songs, learn how to count and feel good about themselves. Dancing, singing, moving and bouncing are all part of the fun. Here are some ideas to enjoy music with your child:

  • Experiment making different rhythms
  • Dance, move and shake to your favourite song
  • Count the beats
  • Use songs or rhymes to build your child's vocabulary

Did you know? Many cultures believe in using rainsticks as a musical instrument to bring rain during times of drought.

Playdough

Illustration of a family of two adult males and a child playing with the Kinder Kit playdough. The child is holding a ball of playdough, one of the adults is holding a rolling pin and the other is holding a toy hammer. There is playdough on the activity mat and a feather on the floor beside the mat.

When your child is using playdough to create, they are doing a variety of very important things:

  • improving fine motor skills
  • using their senses to explore
  • using their imagination.

Creating with playdough is an important part of learning for your child.

  • Roll a ball, bang it, pound it, squish it
  • Use the koala on the duster as a stamp
  • Add other objects like sticks or feathers or shells
  • Make patterns with what you can find

Did you know? Playdough is easy to make at home and there are lots of recipes on the internet. Making your own playdough together is a fun learning activity to teach everything from early maths to beginner science.

Children's books

Illustration of a child looking at a book while sitting between their grandparents on a couch.

Reading books together is a great way to bond and spend time as a family. It is one of the most important ways to support literacy development. Sharing a regular story-time with your child will improve their imagination and vocabulary.

  • Choose a book together
  • Find a comfy place to settle in and read
  • Let them turn the pages
  • Use different voices for characters, talk about the pictures

Did you know? There is value in reading the same books often and not only focusing on the story. Ask your child about what they see, talk about the pictures and ask 'I wonder what will happen next?'

Finger puppets

Illustration of adult and child outside, sitting on a picnic rug playing with Kinder Kit finger puppets.

Finger puppets can help children master language, explore emotions, and learn ways they can manage them through dramatic play. Storytelling and role play is an important part of how children make sense of the world and themselves.

  • Name the animals in English and other languages
  • Create characters
  • Make up stories
  • Use puppets indoors and outdoors

Did you know? You can create different voices for each puppet making it a fun way to enjoy creative play.

Balancing gems

Illustration of a family inside playing with the Kinder Kits balancing gems. There is a child on a mat balancing gems on top of a box. An adult male holding a baby is watching as the child places the third gem on the tower.

The balancing gems encourage creative play. When used to stack and build, the different angles and shapes of the gems promote problem-solving, spatial awareness and fine motor skills.

  • Construct alone or combine with other blocks and cartons
  • Practise patience when stacking the gems. If they fall, take 3 deep breaths and try again
  • Use your imagination to create different worlds with the gems
  • Explore descriptive language about shape, size and colour

Did you know? Gems such as garnet, topaz and zircon have been found in Victoria.

Building community

Illustration of an adult male and child standing at a round table looking at a world globe. There is a piece of paper on the table with “hello” written in different languages.

Victoria is a diverse community, home to many cultures and different spoken languages. Diversity is a big part of what makes us who we are. The items in the Kit support conversations about different communities. For children, play and learning go hand in hand. Playing is how children discover and learn about themselves.

  • Use the playdough to pretend to make food from other cultures, or your own
  • Shake the Shape Shakers while listening to traditional music from other cultures, or your own
  • Talk to your child about other countries and their native animals

Did you know? You can access the guides in multiple languages here: vic.gov.au/kinder/translations(opens in a new window).

Books in Auslan

Illustration of an adult and child sitting on a purple mat inside while they watch a person on TV use sign language. The child is holding a book.

All books included in the 2024 Kinder Kit have Auslan translations available. You can use the QR code below to link to videos of the books. Auslan and captioning is included with the videos too.

Education experts have found that there are many benefits to children learning in another language at a young age, including:

  • increased pre-reading and pre-writing skills:
  • cognitive flexibility
  • bolstering self-esteem and wellbeing
  • strengthened cultural identity.

Click on this link to watch book reading videos that include Auslan and captioning.

Did you know? The Victorian Government provides additional funds to participating kinders to employ a qualified language teacher to deliver part of the Four-year-Old Kinder program in another language at no additional cost to parents. Learn more at: vic.gov.au/early-childhood-language-program.

Wellbeing and extra support

Illustration of two adults talking inside while two children are sitting on the floor playing with blocks.

All children learn differently and at their own pace. The Kinder Kit offers your child books and toys that can be used in lots of different ways to challenge all abilities. If you think you or your child might need some extra support, there are a number of ways to access help:

  • Victoria's kindergarten teachers have the skills and knowledge to help. Talk to your child's teacher about your questions
  • Make an appointment to see your doctor or maternal and child health nurse to discuss your questions
  • Call Parentline on 13 22 89 for free, confidential counselling and support

Need Support? To find out more about what kinds of supports may be available for your child go to: vic.gov.au/kindergarten-programs-and-initiatives. You can also ask your kinder teacher for extra guidance on appropriate supports for your child.

Respecting identity

Illustration of two children sitting inside on the floor while an adult points to symbols on a yellow mat. There is an Acknowledgement of Country sign on the wall in the background.

Koorie cultures are an important part of Australian history. Encouraging all children to learn about all cultures builds understanding, acceptance and pride. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are living and thriving today, and we are proud to celebrate them as authors and artists in the Kits. Here are some of the activities that help your child learn more about Koorie traditions and cultures.

  • Learn Koorie symbols for objects or animals
  • Talk about Koorie leaders, sporting heroes or artists
  • Learn more about Koorie cultures and peoples

Did you know? The Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. website has fun, engaging activities that explore Koorie traditions and cultures. Visit the website at: vaeai.org.au.

Aboriginal artwork

Illustration of a koala sitting in a tree at nighttime. This is the Aboriginal artwork designed for the Kinder Kit activity box.

It's night time on Ginditjmara Mirring (Country). The moon and the many stars shine bright in the sky.

The karrayn (kangaroo) tracks are scattered throughout Mirring. Sometimes you can spot karrayn hopping or eating the grass.

Weengkeel (koala) is awake and holding onto a branch of a river red gum tree. This tree was used to create objects such as shields, canoes and coolamons.

The land, sky, waters and animals are important. Remember to respect them.

Nakia Cadd is a Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Bunitj, Boon Wurrung and Taungurung woman. Nakia is a mother, artist and small business owner of 'More than Lines' and has a passion to both capture and share stories through art.

Ask: Who are the Traditional Owners of the land you live, learn and play on? When you're outside, what do you see, smell and hear?

Back cover instructions about the kinder kit packaging, includes an illustration of a child holding the Kinder Kit.
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