The Coastal Environment Centre's award winning "Where the Land Meets the Sea" program is designed especially for pre-school children. The coastal program is focussed on a child's experience of the sounds, sights, and feel of elements of coastal life. The new bushland program complements the coastal program with a sensory experience of the Australian bush, imparted through stories, games and art activities. Both programs incorporate extensive 'hands-on' participation, and are aimed at giving preschoolers an introduction to the local coastal environment, the plants and the animals living there. Please refer to the 2011 brochure for more details.

Each visit is led by an experienced environmental educator. For water safety reasons, all of our Pre-school programs are conducted away from the water's edge. Children can learn in the grounds of the Coastal Environment Centre or we can come to you. This will save you from having to organise appropriate parental supervision and transport.

Basic Coastal Program

Teachers can choose from an integrated package of activities that will present a group of pre-schoolers with tactile and visual experiences of the coast to share with each other and with parents.

Activities May Include:

• The Water Cycle (exclusive to the CEC): Understanding a simple water cycle. Making "rain" using our 3-D catchment model and following its path as the water travels from the land to the sea. Children learn about the importance of keeping our waterways healthy.
• Beaches: Listening to an interactive story about our coastal creatures which involves music and role play. Touching rocks, shells, sponges and seaweed and matching their shapes. Learning about our coastal creatures such as prawns, fish and crabs. Discovering how each creature moves, eats, protects itself, and adapts to its environment.
• Fun learning activities: Children work in groups with "feely bags" - trying to guess what beachcombing treasure is in each bag, then share their discoveries with the group. Children can create fish collage using recycled paper, which they can take home with them.
• Ideas for later: Extension activities with a coastal theme including art activities and puzzles are provided. Fun activities for children to do with parents include: making sandcastles, looking at rockpools, and reading coastal picture books at local libraries.

Please Note - all enquiries are welcome. We can tailor the program to better suit your specific interests or requirements if needed, and are delighted to discuss your requirements and include your suggestions in the program.

Cost - the program runs for approximately 1 hour & fifteen minutes (the time can be adjusted to meet your needs). The cost is $8.00 per child, with a minimum group of 20 children + Travel Fee ($20 - $60)

Bookings and Inquiries - to book your class please call 1300 000 CEC (232) and ask for our Pre-school Program Coordinator.

Updated: 07 Nov 2011