Childcare News

In early childhood education, emotional intelligence is finally being given the recognition it needs. It’s well-known that educators who are skilled in emotional intelligence are better carers and can support children in fostering emotional and social intelligence of their own. Lincoln Bridge Tweet Emotional intelligence means being able to understand, manage and express your emotions, …

Emotional intelligence: the missing link for early childhood educators Read More »

In a continued effort to improve learning outcomes for all children in Australia, free health and development checks for 4-year-olds will become available in early childhood education centres in 2024. Lincoln Bridge Tweet Developmental issues are often undetected until the child has started school because many families are skipping the 4-year health checks, research shows. …

New free health checks in ECEC will drastically improve school-readiness Read More »

It’s becoming clear that music plays a remarkable role in helping babies – not just toddlers and children – in their cognitive, emotional and social growth. Childcare centres are implementing and seeing the changes first. Lincoln Bridge Tweet For decades, we’ve known music is a powerful influence on growing minds. From Playschool to Sesame Street, …

Music for babies: How childcare centres are helping baby’s brains grow Read More »

For better or for worse, artificial intelligence is everywhere. So, should we embrace it in the classroom? Here’s how some Early Childhood Centres are potentially adopting artificial intelligence to tailor their curriculum and streamline daily tasks. Lincoln Bridge Tweet In simple terms, artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that performs tasks we’d normally attribute to …

AI in early childhood care: the green lights and the red flags Read More »

In June, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that all Queensland children will be entitled to 600 hours of free kindergarten per year, saving over 50,000 families an estimated $4,600 per year. Lincoln Bridge Tweet In recent years, several states have rolled out free kindy programs to give all children access to education services before starting …

Free kindy announced for another 50,000 Qld kids in 2024 Read More »

More reform to the childcare sector is on the way after the Albanese government announced its 2023 budget. The boost to the sector will help more families access childcare and improve workforce support. Lincoln Bridge Tweet The federal government announced its budget in early May. A driving focus was government-funded support for Australians as families …

2023 budget gives the ECEC sector a multi-billion dollar boost Read More »

Today’s childcare centres are more inclusive, child-focused and mindful of children’s emotional, mental and physical needs. It’s thrilling to see continual growth in innovation, and the development of practices such as these 6 emerging trends. Lincoln Bridge Tweet Over the past years, early childhood education has undergone an enormous and unexpected evolution, transforming into a …

6 game-changing emerging trends in Early Childhood Education Read More »

It’s often said that variety is the spice of life, and never is this truer than when providing children with opportunities to engage in rewarding, interactive outdoor play. Lincoln Bridge Tweet By capturing the wonder and imagination of a child’s mind, open-ended outdoor play promotes healthy sensory and motor development, psychological resilience, problem-solving skills and self-esteem. …

The secret to creating innovative outdoor spaces that stimulate lifelong learning Read More »

The first-ever independent review of the Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC) sector comes just as the new multi-billion-dollar preschool reform initiatives are launching in NSW and Victoria. Lincoln Bridge Tweet In mid-2022, the Premiers of New South Wales and Victoria announced joint proposals to radically improve ECEC accessibility, which will give all children the opportunity …

NSW launches free childcare and ‘first ever’ state-wide ECEC review Read More »

The statistics are shocking: in Australia, over 80% of children aged two to five years use the internet. That’s four in five preschool aged children turning to risky cyberspace for entertainment, learning, creativity and school preparedness. Lincoln Bridge Tweet The catastrophic Optus and Medibank hacks recently have reminded us how easily our privacy and personal …

Cyber Safety skills for preschool age children: report says to start early Read More »