Starting with us
We recognise that starting preschool is a big change for children and we work together with parents to support a smooth transition for their child. We invite new children to spend some time with us, with their parent, to ease them in. Children are welcome to visit a number of times if required, and are encouraged to join us for morning tea and participate in some of our exciting activities.
What to bring
Morning Tea & Lunch
We encourage healthy eating at Jannali Preschool in line with our Munch and Move program which is a NSW Government initiative.
Please provide foods such as:
- fresh or dried fruit
- cheese and savoury crackers
- yoghurt
- vegetable sticks
- sandwiches and wraps
It’s great if your child can access their food independently as it builds their autonomy and self-help skills for transitioning to school. The educators are always there to help open things when needed and we love to talk about nutrition and relax in conversation with your children at this time.
As we do not have the facilities or ‘safe food handling’ qualifications we are not able to cut food up for your child or heat anything. All foods are kept refrigerated.
We often discuss our responsibility to make environmentally responsible decisions with the children so we encourage families to pack morning tea and lunches using as little plastic packaging as possible.
Jannali Preschool is a Nut-Free Centre
Jannali Preschool is a nut-free zone. No nut or nut products are permitted to be brought onto the preschool for the safety of our children and families.
It is okay to bring products that state that they ‘may contain traces of nuts or tree nuts.’
Munch & Crunch
Research tells us that children who have opportunities to “munch and crunch” on something healthy through the day helps them stay alert and concentrate well.
We encourage families to bring a small container (in addition to their morning tea and lunch) with some chopped up fruit or vegetables that your child can get from their bag in between meals at preschool.
This initiative is also being implemented in many schools and will therefore be a great familiarisation activity to support your child’s transition.
Drink
Please bring a clearly labeled drink bottle that has a cover on the spout to prevent cross infection. It is to be filled with water only.
Children can access their drink bottles independently any time throughout the day and we actively encourage them to drink often and discuss how this helps keep our bodies healthy and hydrated.
Clothing
Please dress your child in clothing that is going to help them manage toileting and play activities such as climbing and messy play.
Hats
Jannali Pre-School has been approved as a Sunsmart Centre by the NSW Cancer Council and all children must bring a hat with a brim no less than 6cm. Caps and visors are not approved hats and cannot be worn.
If children or educators forget to bring a suitable hat, the preschool offers spares. We also sell hats and t-shirts.
From October to March, sun protection is required at all times. We ask families to apply SPF30+ broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen on their children in the morning. Educators then re-apply sunscreen 20 minutes before outdoor play in the afternoon.
Please label all items of your child’s clothing and also bring a spare change of clothes each day appropriate to the weather.