Bright Buttons is a small 20 place centre in Waratah, Newcastle NSW. We have a strong focus on creating engaging and inviting learning environments where children are encouraged to play, learn and grow through a wide variety of interest based experiences. We strive to create a service where all families, children and visitors feel welcome in a calm and home-like environment.

Our small service provides the opportunity for children to be able to interact with their peers across all ages from 0-5 years old. We offer mixed age grouping and an indoor/outdoor learning environment for the majority of our day. This provides opportunity for siblings to interact and spend time with each other throughout the day. There are many benefits to mixed age grouping; including children having contact with other children across all ages. Younger children have the opportunity engage with their older peers and follow their lead in play. Older children have the opportunity to develop care, empathy and respect and often assert their independence to meet the needs of younger children.

We provide a play based learning environment for children based on their interests and skills, learning and development occurs through an interactive hands on approach that focuses on the process of learning rather than an end product. Each child's unique capabilities, interests and needs are paramount in our service and our environment provides opportunities for children to thrive through hands on experiences with people and materials.

What is National Close the Gap Day?

The Close the Gap campaign is the result of the Australian public’s overwhelming support for improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
the Close the Gap campaign for Indigenous Health Equality is a highly regarded movement that has shaped government policy. It is led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and supported by mainstream health and advocacy organisations from around the country.

When is National Close the Gap Day?

Thursday, 16 March

What does Saint Patrick's Day celebrate?

Saint Patrick's Day celebrates a Christian Saint named Patrick. Patrick was a missionary who helped to bring Christianity to Ireland. He is the patron saint of Ireland.

In the United States the day generally celebrates Irish-American culture and heritage.

When is Saint Patrick's Day celebrated?

Who celebrates this day?

The day is celebrated as a religious holiday by the Catholic Church. It is also celebrated in Ireland and by Irish people around the world. Many non-Irish join in the celebrations in many places, especially in the United States. It is a public holiday in Ireland.

History of Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick was a missionary to Ireland in the 5th century. There are many legends and tales about how he brought Christianity to the island including how he used the shamrock to explain the Christian trinity. It is believed he died on March 17, 461.

Hundreds of years later, around the 9th century, people in Ireland began celebrating the Feast of St. Patrick on March 17th each year. This holiday continued as a serious religious holiday in Ireland for hundreds of years.

In the 1700s the holiday began to become popular with Irish-Americans wanting to celebrate their heritage. The first St. Patrick's Day parade was held on March 17, 1762 in New York City.

What do people do to celebrate?

There are a number of traditions and ways to celebrate this day. For many years the day was celebrated as a religious holiday. People in Ireland and other areas of the world went to church services to celebrate. Many people still celebrate the day this way.

There are also lots of festivals and parades on this day to celebrate Irish culture. Most major cities have some sort of St. Patrick's Day parade. The city of Chicago has a fun custom where they dye the Chicago River green each year.

Probably the main way to celebrate St. Patrick's is to wear green. Green is the main color and symbol of the day. People not only wear green, but they dye their food green. People eat all sorts of green foods such as green hot dogs, green cookies, green bread, and green drinks.

Other fun traditions of the holiday include the shamrock (three leafed clover plant), Irish music played with bagpipes, eating corned beef and cabbage, and leprechauns.

Saint Patrick's Day Activities!

• Go Green! - Come dressed in green
• Footprint four leaf clover craft
• Class display of a Pom Pom Rainbow leading into a pot of GOLD!
• Rainbow necklace
• Make Leprechaun hats
• Who Has THIS Letter? - Make 2 sets of 26 shamrock/clover shapes and program them with letters:
  • Give out a shamrock to each student. Keep track of the letters you give out. From the second set, only have those letters in front of you, face down.
  • Make up a rhyme such as: Letter, letter. Which shall it be? Who has the letter that's in front of me?
  • Flip over a letter shamrock and the children who have that letter will let you know that they have it!
  • You could also have multiples of many letters if you want to focus on specific letters. In this case, a few children would have the same letter.
    VARIATION: This activity could be done for number recognition or color recognition as well.
• Coin Sorting (pretend coins or cut out of cupbaord)- In advance, precut pots (for pots of gold) and program them with numbers for the children to count the number of coins onto the appropriate numbers.
• Make green playdough
• Celtic Music - Play different types of Irish music (jigs, ballads, etc.) for the children to dance to. Suggest they dance to the tempo/speed of the song they hear. Add a "freeze dance" component by tell the children they need to freeze when the music stops.
• Irish Brown Bread – click link for reciepe: https://www.preschool-plan-it.com/st-patricks-day-activities.html 

What is National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence?

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NSA) is held annually on the third Friday of March. It is an opportunity for the schools, childcare centres, community to ‘take a stand together’against bullying and violence.

When is National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence?

Friday, 17 March

What kids say on the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence

Types of Bullying

• Verbal - Name calling, teasing, putting someone down, threatening to cause someone harm.
• Physical - Poking, hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, tripping or pushing someone, breaking someone’s things, pulling faces or making rude hand signals.
• Social - Lying, spreading rumours, playing horrible jokes, leaving someone out on purpose, embarrassing someone in public.
• Cyberbylling - Using technology to hurt someone else by sending hurtful messages, pictures or comments.

National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence Activities!

• Group discussion - Discussing Action against Bullying and Violence and right from wrong.
                                  - How it makes a person feel
• Feelings – talking about feelings through books, role play
• Reading stories about friendships!
• Encourage children to play with other friends in the room that they haven’t play with before
• Group activities where everyone has a turn and cheer for one another – i.e. parachute activity
• Further information and resources: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/

Everyone needs a support team!
Let Kids Helpline be a part of yours.
If you’re being bullied, it’s really important to talk to someone you trust.

If you need to talk to someone, call the kids help line on 1800 551 800.
For further information, click the following link: https://kidshelpline.com.au/kids

What is International Women's Day?

International Women's Day is an international day celebrating and recognising the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. 

The day is aimed for nations around the globe to help and raise awareness in eliminating discrimination against women and focusing on women gaining full and equal opportunities and rights.

On this day, we can take to appreciate all the hard working women we have around us from family, friends, community, politicians and women around the world that have voiced  the importance for women and the world we live.

International Womens Day 2023

#EmbraceEquity

“It's not just something we write about. It's something we need to think about, know, value and embrace. It's what we believe in, unconditionally. Equity means creating an inclusive world."

When is International Women's Day?

Wednesday, 8 March

How to get involved in International Women's Day!

• Wear Purple – Internationally, purple is a colour for symbolising women.
• Printing posters and discussing women to has had their voice heard and their achievements.
• Hold an IWD celebration at your centre – Hold an IWD themed morning tea or lunch, with women speakers
• Donate to your local women’s refuge – Why not celebrate International Women’s Day by making a donation to your local refuge?
  https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/women/womens_directory/womens_refuges_and_crisis_accommodation 
• Do something kind for a woman you love – Whether it’s your mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, girlfriend, or a female friend… Why not celebrate IWD by making them feel special?