Moorditj Kulungar Playgroup

Moorditj Kulungar

Our Moorditj Kulungar Playgroup is a My Time program that brings children, parents, grandparents and extended kin networks of the local Kwinana and Rockingham Aboriginal communities together to learn about their culture and support them through a child’s early years. Through storytelling and planned activities for children aged 0 – 4 years led by our Aboriginal Resource Worker, we provide opportunities for Aboriginal families who visit us to learn about the first 3 years of a child’s life and prepare them for school. We inform parents of the importance for children to have early positive experiences and create strong attachments with a consistent adult and connect with each other.

We hope by providing this service we can build a strong sense of pride in the Aboriginal culture and close the gap in early education and health.  With a strong focus on child development, we aim to build confidence and self-esteem for not only the children that come along, but for their families too. Role modelling nutritional practices, we provide tucker time every playgroup session that children and parents can help prepare and outings into the wider community to celebrate significant occasions and activities.

We strive to provide an environment at playgroup where Aboriginal children are supported and encouraged to grow and become confident, socially competent and environmentally aware members of our community; a place where every opportunity is taken to nurture and enhance children’s learning in the early years and provide a foundation for a positive future education.

Through planning and consultation that involves families, extended kin networks and Aboriginal community leaders, we will include in the program of activities that are culturally appropriate, valuing the cultural knowledge of the children and their families by encouraging the sharing of stories about their culture, community and kinship.

Our service recognises that Kwinana and Rockingham consists of many diverse Aboriginal nations, living in the one community, so we believe that by building strong networks and collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal families we will strive to provide a service that is flexible and free from dispossession, marginalisation and racism.

We recognise and honour the parent’s role as the child’s first and primary carer and teacher. In working to achieve these aspirations, we embrace and promote the National Quality Framework, including the early years and school age frameworks and the research and theories that underpin the outcomes they seek for Aboriginal children.

With the City of Kwinana as the service’s Approved Provider, we are committed to the journey of Conciliation and respect Aboriginal people’s connection to country as the traditional custodians of the land. We acknowledge that the Noongar people are the traditional custodians of the land in Kwinana and surrounding areas and we pay respect to their Elders past and present.

“The City of Kwinana’s vision is to work together with the Kwinana community to build positive relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.  Throughout this journey the City aims to promote and assist with the development of pathways and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that are meaningful, mutually beneficial and sustainable”
(City of Kwinana 2018 Boola Maar Baldja Koorlinj Plan)

Ears2Learn – Ear Screening for Children

As part of our service to the Kwinana Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, we have partnered with Connecting Communities for Kids to facilitate ear screening for the children.

How to join our mob

Our Moorditj Kulungar Playgroup is held every Tuesday at our Coordination Unit in Orelia, 26 Bolton Way (opposite Orelia Oval) from 9:30am to 11.30am, during school term. Bring your little one’s down for a fun time of stories, activities, freshly prepared morning tea and a friendly yarn.  Our outdoor playground is open for the children to enjoy and we provide a pick up and drop off service for families in the local Kwinana area.

Interested? Give us a call and chat to our My Time Facilitator.