Free Early Learning Teaching Activities, Lessons and Curriculum Resources
A collection of professional development courses, useful resources, teaching tips, and activity ideas for kids, to help Early Learning Educators improve outcomes for their children and centres and expand their creative horizons of learning experiences.
All of these resources:
- are mapped to the National Quality Framework
- use evidence-based strategies, such as play-based learning, and intentional teaching strategies
- are FREE TO USE!
How to use these resources
If you’ve never used a Cool resource before, allow us to take you through how they work and what they include.
Before diving into an activity, we give you a quick indication of what’s involved, so you can decide whether this activity is right for you.
We begin with a Quick summary of what kids will be doing in the activity. You’ll also be able to see how long this activity is expected to take, as well as some of the equipment, items, and resources you’ll need to have on hand to make this activity run smoothly.
All of our activities align with the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, 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.
If this all sounds appealing, click to download the Activity Worksheet. It comes as a Word document, so if you’re feeling creative or need to add your own notes, it’s fully customisable!
Activities usually contain a Learning Goal so that you know what you’re aiming to develop in kids by undertaking this activity. These goals match up nicely with the EYLF Learning Outcomes.
There might be some background information to help you become more knowledgeable about what you’re about to teach.
Then it’s onto the learning sequence. This section contains absolutely everything you need to know about what you’re doing (and what kids should be doing) in a clear, step by step series of instructions.
Scattered throughout lessons are helpful little teaching tips about developmental milestones for kids. Consider these ‘mini PD’ which you can absorb on the go to improve your practice. Or perhaps they’ll spark an interest for you to conduct more research – in which case we’ve included some helpful links to start your on your learning journey.
Active listening shows students that what they have to say is important. This helps maintain joint attention and supports more complex thoughts and ideas to be injected into a conversation as it unfolds. You can show students their contributions are valued by:
• Using verbal and non-verbal cues including
• Making eye contact
• Nodding
• Using short verbal cues such as ‘mmm’, ‘yes’ to show you’re listening
• Facial expressions (e.g. surprise, concern) and gestures (e.g. shrugging)
• Allowing a student’s interest to steer the conversation by building onto their contribution.
For more evidence-based advice on supporting oral language development click here.
Finally, we’ve included a helpful reflection form to keep track of what your kids achieved today.
Units
Cool organises all of our lessons into units so that if you find something you like, you can stick to similar activities.
Want to focus on all things Bluey? Maybe you’re looking for ideas on how to help kids in your centre to get active, or calm their bodies and minds using breath circles.
Click below to find each of these collections. Or, browse all of our early learning activity ideas in one place.
Bluey
Get Active
Breath Circles
Caring for Country
All Early Learning Resources
Activities
Cool has so many suggestions for games, readings, and learning experiences to share with kids in your centre.
Each of these self-contained activities has all the information to support you through how to prepare your space, guide kids through the activity, and the expected developmental milestones for kids these activities are targeting.
Check out some of our favourite picks below.
Professional Development
Cool has produced a range of learning opportunities to help you further your practice and gain valuable skills.
As early learning education continues to develop, Cool pursues the cutting edge of these practices, collaborating with highly skilled educators and researchers and bringing this valuable learning to you in an easily digestible, practical, and fun series of courses.
Caring for Country
Introduction to Early Learning STEM
Teach Nature Play
Use Sustainability to Achieve EYLF Outcomes
With Thanks to our Partners
This hub is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Phillips Foundation and the Thyne Reid Foundation.
© 2022 Cool Australia
Cool Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to land, water and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past, present and emerging.