CHILDREN beginning three-year-old kindergarten will receive a Kinder Kit to give themselves the best chance to start their schooling journey.
Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes recently unveiled this year’s Kinder Kits, which over 2500 children starting three-year-old kinder in the northern Victoria region this year will receive.
When children and families open their kits, they can get creative with playdough, draw with crayons, play with stacking blocks, plant alfalfa seeds, and practice reading with stories from Australian authors. This year’s Kinder Kits also double as a backpack which can be opened into a felt playing surface for imaginative play.
Other fun, educational items for kids include timber story rollers, a colouring book, a jumping frog game, a card game exploring maths concepts, and felt stickers that can be used to create stories on the backpack’s lining.
More than 227,000 families have received Kinder Kits since 2022.
Every item in the kit is recommended by education experts to support learning through play. More than 50 Victorian businesses have contributed to the kits since 2022, with products made, designed, or printed in Victoria, written by a Victorian author, or produced by a Victorian business.
Ms Symes said the kits would benefit both children and their hardworking parents.
“Kinder Kits are a helping hand at a time when every dollar counts,” she said.
“It’s about giving children the best possible foundation for life. By providing these Kinder Kits, we’re reinforcing the message that every child deserves access to the resources that support their learning and development.”
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn said there was plenty of positive impacts for families.
“Victorian families are feeling the pinch, and every little bit helps,” she said.
“That’s why we’re supporting kids to get the best start to life with these free kinder kits, and saving families up to $2600 a year with free kinder.
“With the cost of living rising, many parents are forced to make tough choices about where their money goes. The Kinder Kits ensure that every child, no matter their background, has access to fun, engaging, and educational tools that support their development.”
