Newsletter | October 2025
What’s On This Month
Key Dates
4th October | World Animal Day
17th October | Loud Shirt Day
18th - 26th October | Children’s Week
23rd - 25th October | FDCA Conference
26th October | Grandparents Day
Recipe | Creamy Chia Pudding
Cook: 10 Minutes | Serves 8
Ingredients
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 cups milk of your choice
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 heaped tbs almond butter
1 tbs vanilla bean paste
good pinch of sea salt
To serve:
2 cups muesli or granola
1 cup Greek yoghurt
1 cup fresh berries
edible flowers (optional)
2 tablespoons honey
Method
Place the chia seeds into a blender and blitz until finely ground. Remove from the blender and measure 2 heaped tablespoons of ground chia. Set aside (Save remaining ground chia seeds for next time).
Place the 2 tablespoons of ground chia seeds, milk, raspberries, blueberries, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla and sea salt into the jug of a blender.
Blitz for 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and pop into the fridge for an hour or two.
Place a layer of muesli into a serving glass, layer with chia pudding and yoghurt, top with fresh berries, muesli, edible flower and honey.
Source: Image & recipe ‘My lovely lunchbox'
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Eat a rainbow
Spring is the perfect time to brighten up lunchboxes and family meals. “Eating a rainbow” simply means offering fruit and vegetables in many colours across the week. Each colour generally delivers different vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients that help growing bodies and brains.
Winning strategies for fussy eaters
Small, pressure-free tastes: Offer coin-sized bites alongside familiar foods. Repeated, calm exposure works better than bargaining. (Ensure size and texture is appropriate for age)
Make it dippable: Hummus, yoghurt, or tzatziki with veg sticks (capsicum, cucumber, carrot) adds flavour and fun.
Blend and sprinkle: Grated carrot or zucchini in sandwiches and bolognese; finely chopped spinach in omelettes; corn in mini fritters.
Skewer colour combos: Cherry tomato (red), cheese cube (yellow), cucumber (green). For little ones, use blunt-ended food picks.
Smoothie ice blocks: Banana + spinach + pineapple blitzed and frozen make a cool after-play snack.
Keep it predictable: Serve new foods with safe favourites. A simple “you don’t have to eat it” can reduce mealtime battles.
Smart lunchbox swaps
Swap crisps → wholegrain crackers + cheese + capsicum sticks for crunch, protein and colour.
Swap fruit straps → fresh fruit or no-added-sugar freeze-dried fruit as an occasional treat.
Swap biscuits → 2-ingredient oat-banana bites (ripe banana mashed with oats; bake until set).
Add a rainbow roll-up: wholemeal wrap with cream cheese, spinach, grated carrot and beetroot.
Sustainability
Water Warriors
Water is the most common substance found on earth and less that 1% is available as fresh water. Yet all plants and animals need water to survive. So let’s not waste a drop. Try these activities at home to make sure you’re doing everything you can at home to be water wise.
Do a fun home “splash check”: with a grown-up, add one drop of food colouring to the toilet tank, if the bowl changes colour without flushing, a sneaky leak is hiding.
Count the drips: Do you having a dripping tap? Count how many drips there are in a minute. Leave a measuring jug under the tap for the day and see how full it is at bedtime. Don’t forget to get this fixed! Imagine what a week’s worth of drips looks like.
Other savvy water tricks: Save water with a 4-minute Shower Song, turn the tap off while brushing teeth, catch the cold “waiting water” in a jug for plants or pets, tip leftover drink water into a plant, run only full loads in the washer/dishwasher, grow tough native plants with cosy mulch, and sweep paths instead of hosing.
Source: Love Food Hate Waste
Educator of The Month
Congratulations to …
Amy Li
Mount Waverley
Coordinator: Yan Zhang
Amy consistently creates an inspired learning environment both indoors and outdoors, where children feel safe, supported, and motivated to explore and learn. She ensures that each child enjoys a comfortable and hygienic sleeping environment, allowing them to rest well and recharge for the day’s activities.
She demonstrates exceptional individualised programming, tailoring activities to support children of different ages and developmental stages. Her thoughtful approach ensures that every child’s learning needs are met, and that each child feels valued, included, and empowered.
In addition to her classroom practice, Amy actively organises family engagement activities, fostering close connections and ensuring families are involved in their child’s learning journey. She also plans routine excursions, giving children the opportunity to engage with local communities, explore nature, and develop a sense of belonging to the wider world.
Books we Love
Our Top Picks
Contact Creations
Clear book contact is a fabulous art making resource, it is also a great base for some ‘almost’ mess free creations. This activity is wonderful for children of all ages.
You will need:
Clear book contact, Scrap paper, tissue paper, feathers, patty pans, pom poms (beware of chocking hazard), straws, wool.
Optional guide: Use a permanent marker to draw a simple outline on the non-sticky side of the contact as a shape for children to fill—or leave it blank for free play.
Set-up: Use masking tape to secure the contact to a wall or window with the sticky side facing out.
Materials: Offer light items you have on hand e.g., tissue or coloured paper, feathers, wool, leaves, pom-poms—anything light will stick.
How to create: Place the materials in a bowl or tray and invite children to stick, layer, and arrange their design.
Tip: Many pieces can be peeled off and reused day after day. The sheet will stay tacky for several days; extend its life by pressing the backing paper back onto it when not in use.