Toola the Cow and sheep Missy, Coco, Alfie and Bowie aren’t your regular farm animals.

They live on the grounds of Oakville Preschool Learning Centre and are a calming influence and welcome distraction for the 64 children and 21 staff that attend the service every weekday.

They're part of the centre’s Humane Animal Therapy Program, where they breed, foster and raise farm animals and rescue Australian native animals.

Oakville Preschool Learning Centre Director Kristy McCartney said the little learners aged from two to five play a vital part in caring for the animals every day.

“During our routine the children scrape their scraps after every meal and then bring their buckets out throughout the day to visit and feed the animals,” she said.

“The children are part of raising the animals from the early years and this involves bottle feeding, visiting and patting them.

“The children will often come out and visit the animals if they are experiencing separation anxiety, as they provide calmness and a feeling of being needed.”

Sustainable learning

Oakville Preschool Learning Centre has been operating for more than 30 years on an acreage 50 kilometres north-west of Sydney in Oakville in the Hawkesbury region

The rural location offers the children the unique opportunity to connect to the natural world through sustainable education.

Worm farms, composting and gardening are all part of their daily routine.

“We are actively implementing ways to educate the children, families, staff and community on ways we can care for the world we live in,” Director Ms McCartney said.

“We adopt the mantra ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ and are always working towards reducing our carbon footprint and making others aware of what they can do to help our environment.

“As educators and role models to our future citizens we feel it is our job to teach and influence young children so they can make informed decisions during their lives to better our environment.”

The centre has an extensive school transition program for the preschoolers with primary schools in the area and prepare the children in their Kangaroo Prep Room Program.

“The memories made this year will last a lifetime. We cherish every moment with the children before their big transition to school. We ensure the preschool journey is finished on a high,” Ms McCartney said.

Preschool readiness

Deputy Secretary of Early Childhood Outcomes Mark Barraket said the NSW Department of Education encouraged parents and carers to prepare their children for their transition to early learning, recommending that three- to four-year-olds attend a preschool program.

“By attending a preschool program your child will learn valuable skills that support language and literacy, develop social and emotional skills, creativity, confidence and motor skills,” he said.

“All children are different and each child’s transition to preschool will be unique, with children experiencing a variety of emotions. There is a lot of advice and community support available.”

Research shows that children who participate in a quality preschool education program for at least 600 hours in the year before school are more likely to arrive at school equipped with the social, cognitive and emotional skills they need to engage in learning.

The NSW Government is continuing to expand access to early learning through various programs and initiatives, so that every child, no matter their background or postcode, can have the best start to life and learning.

Tips for getting ready for preschool

• Get to know your early learning service

• Dress your child in comfortable and practical clothes

• Let your service know about your child’s allergies, health conditions and additional needs

• Label everything

• Make sure your child’s immunisations are up to date

• Pack food you know your child will eat

What your child needs

• a bag, a lunch box and food unless your service provides meals

• a drink bottle

• a change of clothes, including socks and underwear

• a hat

• a sheet and/or blanket for rest time