TEACHERS' REFERENCE - PRE-SCHOOLS
AND PLAYGROUPS

Below is a list of venues that offer special programs for pre-schools and/or playgroups. Many other venues do not have special early childhood programs, but do offer reduced entry for groups. See the Teacher's Reference for contact information.

EXCURSIONS THAT COME TO YOU

PERFORMANCES 2008 
A fantastic resource of the performers who are authorised to perform in NSW government schools is the Authorised Performances for Schools Directory. You can find it at www.schools.nsw.edu.au/pfs.

TARONGA ZOO ST GEORGE ZOOMOBILE 2008
Tel: 9978 4554, Fax: 9978 4508, email: stgzoomobile@zoo.nsw.gov.au, web: www.taronga.org.au
Available: Daily. Bookings essential. Sessions 1 hr (approx.)
Cost: $4.40 per person (incl GST) for group size of 51 and over, with a minimum charge of $220, if the group size is less than 50.

The St George Zoomobile is a mobile zoo which usually brings 6 - 7 native animals to your centre. Presentations are fun-filled, hands-on and interactive. Animals include a possum, echidna, bird, frog, lizard, snake, leaf insect, turtle and even a baby crocodile. During the presentation the children learn about these animals and how to care for them and their environment.

TRAVELBUGS MOBILE MINI-BEASTS 2008
Tel: 4787-6362, Fax: 9899-6775, email: info@mini-beasts.com, web: www.mini-beasts.com
Available: 7 days a week, bookings essential. Workshops run for approx. 1 hour with additional 20min sessions per class for handling and examination of specimens. Also available for Pre-schools, OOSH care, fetes, scout/guide groups and parties.
Cost: $6 within Sydney Metropolitan area (Minimum 60 students / $360), $7-$10 outside Sydney Metropolitan area (Minimum numbers apply depending upon destination).

Workshop presenter and Entomologist, Jacqui Love has been studying and working with mini-beasts (invertebrates) for over 15 years and was a keeper at Taronga Zoo for 10 years. Jacqui introduces students to her diverse range of LIVE mini-beasts, and highlights their special adaptations, intricate roles in food chains, food webs and ecology. Children are given an exciting 'hands-on' experience with a diverse group of live harmless creatures such as giant stick insects, cockroaches, preying mantis, spiders, scorpions, millipedes and more, as well as a large range of preserved specimens and biofacts. Workshops are tailored to suit all age groups (Pre-K-12), with a large variety of workshops available to meet specific learning outcomes. Suitable for all schools, pre-schools, OOSH and vacation care, libraries, council events, fetes, open days, parties, in-store exhibitions and more.

CENTENNIAL PARKLANDS MOBILE RANGER STATION see below

COASTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE see below

KU-RING-GAI WILDFLOWER GARDEN, BUSHLAND EDUCATION CENTRE see below

OCEANWORLD MANLY MOBILE EXHIBIT see below

EXCURSIONS IN AND AROUND SYDNEY

AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 2008
6 College St, Sydney.
Tel: 9320 6000 (general inquiries), 9320 6163 (group bookings), fax: 9320 6072
web: www.australianmuseum.net.au.
Open: 9.30am - 5pm daily (groups Mon - Fri), bookings essential.
Cost: Self guided visits for booked groups $3, exclusive use of Kidspace (minimum 15 children) $5, adults free (1 per 4 children), additional adults: $10 ($12 from 1 July, 2008). Some temporary exhibitions have a higher charge.

Museum exhibits include ‘Kidspace’, 'Skeletons', 'Birds and Insects', 'Indigenous Australians', 'Planet of Minerals' and and two new exhibitions opening in 2008 – ‘Dinosaurs’ (opening on 15 March) and ‘Surviving Australia’ (opening in mid June).

CENTENNIAL PARKLANDS 2008
Oxford St, Centennial Park
Tel: 9339 6641 or 9339 6645, fax: 9380 5541, email: info@cp.nsw.gov.au, web: www.cp.nsw.gov.au
Office hours: 8.30 am – 5.00 pm, Mon - Fri, bookings essential.
Cost: $7.50 per child for excursions; $140 for a Ranger visit.

The early childhood education program includes multi-sensory experiences for 2 -5 year olds, held at Centennial Park or in your centre. Activities include sensory walks, dipnetting, environmental activities, stories and crafts. 

COASTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE 2008
Lake Park Road, North Narrabeen 2101
Tel: 9970 1675, fax: 9970 6907, email: CEC@pitwater.nsw.gov.au, web: www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/environment/cec
Open: Mon - Fri 9am - 5 pm and Sunday 10am-2pm
Cost: $6 per child
Age: 3 - 5 year olds. Pre-schools, playgroups, daycare and kindergarten groups.

The Coastal Environment Centre's "Where the Land Meets the Sea" is an award winning Environmental Education Program designed specifically for pre-school children.  It focuses on children’s sensory experiences of the sights, sounds and feel of elements of coastal life.  Children learn through participating in child-centred, hands-on activities. The flexible program can include such activities as sea creature feely bags, interactive sea story, visual demonstration of a simple water cycle and  a close look (and touch) of sea plants and animals. The Pre-school program is offered Monday to Friday on request and bookings are essential.  You can visit the Coastal Environment Centre on the shores of Narrabeen Lagoon or we can come to you.  The program runs for an hour and fifteen minutes at a cost of $6 per child. 

KU-RING-GAI WILDFLOWER GARDEN, BUSHLAND EDUCATION CENTRE 2008
420 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives.
Tel: 9424 0353, fax: 9440 0439.
Open: 8am - 4pm, seven days per week.
Age range: 2 - 5 years, suitable for pre-schools and playgroups
Cost: $3.50 to $5.50 per child, $4.50 accompanying parents, teachers no charge. Bookings essential.

The 'Nature for the Very Young' program is a nature excursion program. Contact time is 1 hour and the program can be developed to run over 3 weeks or 3 months (visiting once per week or month). Topics include Bush Senses, Aussie Animals, Native Plants and Aboriginal Ways. Bushwalk, fauna presentation, craft and/or stories are included. Other topics and themes are available and the program can be tailored to meet your needs.

MUSEUM OF FIRE 2008
1 Museum Dr. off Castleragh Rd, Penrith
Tel: (02) 4731 3000, fax: (02) 4731 2983, email: mail@museumoffire.com.au, web: www.museumoffire.com.au.
Open: 7 days 9.30am - 4.30pm, pre-schools Mon - Fri, bookings essential for group activities.
Cost: preschools: $5 per child, teachers free (1 per 4 children), additional adults $5; playgroups: children $5, adults $8

The program is especially pitched at this age group and includes finding out about good fires and bad fires, hot things and exploring smoke alarms. The kids also get to dress up, play games, have a fire engine ride ($2.50 per person, $1.50 for groups of 15 or more) and films in the theatre. The program takes about 90 mins.

OCEANWORLD MANLY 2008
West Esplanade, Manly.
Tel: 8251 7872, fax: 9949 7950, email: education@oceanworld.com.au, web: www.oceanworld.com.au.
Open: Mon - Fri, bookings essential.
Cost: children $6.50 (playgroups: children under 3 free), pre-school teachers free (1 per 3 children), extra adults $12.95. $50 extra for an education officer to accompany your visit for groups of under 30 children. For groups of over 30 the Education Officer is provided Free of Charge. Risk Assessment information and teaching resources can be found on our website

The main aquarium has a transparent underwater tunnel for you to walk through. Here you will see fish, rays and sharks. Other exhibits include coral, tropical fish, crocodiles, snakes and monitor lizards. There are shows and presentations throughout the day including the Dangerous Australian Animals Show.
For groups that can't get to us, call and discuss our "mobile exhibit" that may be able to come to you.

ZOE'S HOUSE at the POWERHOUSE MUSEUM 2008
500 Harris Street Ultimo
Tel: 9217 0222, fax: 9217 0622, email: edserv@phm.gov.au, web: powerhousemuseum.com/teachersguide
Open: daily, 10am - 5pm
Cost: $5 per child (non-exclusive booking)

Getting the job done before quitting time has never been so much fun until now at Zoe's House. An unfinished house awaits, surrounded by tools for budding builders - a crane, conveyor belt, rubble chute, rail network, wheel barrows, lifts, even hard hats and jackets. So kids, roll up your sleeves and start building Zoe's house, an interactive installation encouraging cooperative and creative play for 3-6 year olds.

THE SCIENCE CENTRE AND PLANETARIUM, WOLLONGONG 2008
Squires Way, Fairy Meadow.
Tel: (02) 4286 5000, fax: (02) 4283 6665, web: http://sciencecentre.uow.edu.au
Open: Daily 10am - 4pm, bookings essential.
Cost: children $6 for 90 minute visit, teachers free (1 per 5 children), additional adults $8.

Visits include time with the hands-on science exhibits, a fun science show such as 'Bubbles and Balloons' and a 'Laser Show'. Exhibitions suitable for small children include 'Changing Worlds'; 'Energy and Motion'; and 'Zap! Understanding Electricity'.

SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK 2008 
Tel: 9714 7888 Fax: 9714 7822 web: www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au
Open: The park is open daily from dawn until dusk. Our Kids in the Park program runs each school holiday period and early childhood sporting programs are generally run Mon - Fri, bookings essential. Our Visitor Information Centre is open from 9am – 5pm daily with extended hours during major events.
Cost: Visit www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au or www.kidsinthepark.com.au for more information about our early childhood programs and activities.

Sydney Olympic Park runs a regular school holiday program called Kids in the Park which offers a range of activities and clinics to entertain kids of all ages during the school holidays. We also offer a number of sporting programs for children under 7 years, including Phizz Kidz,run by the Tennis Centre; and Aqua Babies, Water Babies and Learn to Swim classes run by the Aquatic Centre. You can also visit the Park to enjoy a picnic, barbeque and entertain the kids in our free kids playgrounds.