As a group of kindy children sit deeply immersed in a story about Aboriginal culture, 3 community Elders feel a proud glow that is warmer than Toowoomba's mid-morning sunshine.
This book-reading scene features in a heartwarming video for the Let's yarn about kindy campaign, which is about encouraging more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to enjoy the benefits of kindy.
Aunty Robin Shipp, Aunty Zona Martin and Aunty Irene Bevin thoroughly enjoyed their roles in the filming.
Aunty Irene said she had enjoyed reading stories to the children and teaching them about Aboriginal culture.
'Just seeing their faces listening to the story ... it’s good,' Aunty Irene said.
'Learning about culture is important because they’ll know who they are, and they don’t have to be ashamed.
‘I teach them a lot of the Aboriginal words I know, so they’re still keeping up.’
Aunty Zona said all people, young and old, had fun filming the video.
‘I enjoyed Irene talking, and I told her to turn the book around so I could see what the little kids were enjoying because I wanted to enjoy it myself,’ Aunty Zona said.
‘I think it’s great for the kids, and even the adults who want to come down and join in.
‘You can hear the kids enjoying themselves, they’re very happy.
‘I am sure the adults enjoy it as much as the kids do.’
Aunty Robin agreed and said she loved being at kindy as much as the children.
‘I just love to see little kids having fun out there, playing in the sandpit. They just love it,’ Aunty Robin said.
‘Just their little personalities ... it really sucks you in to see what they’re doing in the playground, or when they’re doing artwork or anything, really.
‘And they love the fact that they have all these lovely people who help them.'
Watch the video and listen to Elders and community leaders in Toowoomba and Cunnamulla yarn about culture and kindy on the
Early Years Count website.
All early childhood services and family support services are encouraged to yarn about kindy with their families.
Resources, including
posters and a kindy brochure, are available on the Early Years Count website.