Our centresOur children and families celebrate a love of lifelong learning through HIPPY
This month saw a group of very proud five year olds and their families graduate at the end of their two year pre-school HIPPY program.
HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters) is an Australia-wide play-based curriculum supporting development, community, connection and confidence for children’s transition to school. HIPPY assists children to become curious learners and to achieve important developmental milestones.
Children and their families have worked so hard over the last two years with the support of their HIPPY tutors to complete the HIPPY program. To celebrate this, we held a graduation ceremonies across our centres with certificates, presents, music and of course, cake! What a fabulous way to end the year and a great honour celebrating with parents and carers.
HIPPY is a home-based early childhood learning and parenting program that empowers parents and carers to be the children’s first teachers. Not only does this program provide structured, education-focused resources and support through organised playgroups and home-visits by HIPPY tutors, it also enables parents to spend more time with their children in activities that enhance cognitive development and social/emotional development. It stimulates positive parent/child interactions and empowers parents to view themselves as primary educators of their children.
Spokesperson Ciemara Williams, Barnardos HIPPY Co-ordinator in Warrawong says “95% of children’s brain development happens before the age of five, so the earlier children become engaged with education the better their outcomes will be.”
Barnardos offers the HIPPY program free of charge to local families in Maroubra via the Sydney Metro Children’s Family Centre, Wellington via the Western NSW Children’s Family Centre and Warrawong, Berkeley, Cringila, Port Kembla, Kemblawarra and Unanderra via the South Coast Children’s Family Centre
HIPPY is now enrolling children who turn 3 before the 31st July 2023 who still have 2 years left before starting kindergarten.
We wish our graduates all the best as they move on to big school next year, ready to take on the world!
