Community Playdate

Community Playdate at ELTHAM College
A joyful introduction to Prep for you and your child

Starting school is a big milestone — and parents want a place where their child feels known, confident, creative and excited to learn. Our Community Playdate series is designed to give you and your child a genuine taste of what Prep at ELTHAM College feels like.

Across three welcoming, small-group sessions, your child will step into the kinds of rich, specialist experiences that are a hallmark of our Prep program — the very opportunities many families tell us are hard to find in early years settings.

What makes this experience special?

At ELTHAM College, Prep students don’t just stay in one classroom — they explore, create and connect across a broad range of specialist learning areas from the very beginning.

During our Community Playdates, your child will have the chance to:

• Create in Art – exploring imagination, colour and self-expression
• Discover in the Library – building early literacy through storytelling and curiosity
• Move with Music – developing rhythm, confidence and joy through sound
• Engage in PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) – supporting coordination, resilience and physical confidence

And in our final session:

• 🌿 Experience Bush Play in our Environmental Reserve — a much-loved ELTHAM experience where children connect with nature, take risks safely, and build independence.

Meet our teachers

All sessions are led by our Prep teacher and specialist staff — passionate educators who are deeply experienced in early years learning and genuinely adored by our students. This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to feel at ease with the people who could be guiding their first year of school.

Event dates

Join us for all three sessions:

• Wednesday 7 May, 4.00pm
• Wednesday 21 May, 4.00pm
• Tuesday 3 June, 9.00am (Bush Play experience)

Why families love this experience

Parents often tell us they are looking for a school where their child can:

• Feel happy, safe and confident from day one
• Develop social skills and independence
• Be encouraged to explore their interests and creativity
• Build a love of learning that lasts

Community Playdate is designed with exactly this in mind — giving your child a positive, low-pressure introduction to school, and giving you a meaningful insight into our approach.

Join us

We warmly invite you to register and experience Prep at ELTHAM College for yourself.

Places are limited to ensure a calm, personalised experience.