It’s not every day that a fairy comes and joins you for story time and music! The children at Mirboo North Early Learning Centre, were delighted when as part of their 20^th birthday celebrations, Merri the Fairy entertained them with stories, songs, games and even a little magic.

Rachael Frassenei, Centre Director at the service, said, “We celebrated 20 years on the 20th of August, and it was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the journey of the service over the years. Together with the children we planned this event over the last few weeks, making it a meaningful experience for both children and educators.

Having worked at the service for a total of nine years, I have had the privilege of building strong relationships and connections with children, families, educators and the wider community. During this time, it has been amazing to see how the needs of families have changed, alongside the improvements in our facilities and the growth of knowledge and skills within our team of educators.”

“It is hard to believe how quickly time has passed and this anniversary was a special chance to celebrate the memories, relationships and many changes that have shaped our Centre over the past 20 years. It’s been really lovely to have this celebration and have families join in with us,” she added. “We had such a great turn-out and the children were so excited.”

“We’d asked the children what they would like to do for the celebration, so many of the ideas came from them. While we couldn’t fit the disco in due to all the people, we did have a wonderful birthday party, with party decorations, party food, party hats, bubbles, facepainting, stickers, playdough, and a birthday cake!”

For educators, Chelsea and Charlotte, the strong connection that the service has with the community really comes to the fore during milestones such as this. The fairy’s appearance had been arranged by members from St Andrews Church. “Having the support of the community means so much to us,” added Chelsea.

Educational Leader at the service, Bec, is proud of the long-standing and significant role the Centre plays for children in the area. “It’s such an important foundation for a child’s future. The early years are a time of remarkable growth, when children develop essential social, emotional, language, and cognitive skills that shape their confidence and approach to learning.”

“Our quality program provides children with so many opportunities. As educators, families, and communities, it is our shared responsibility to ensure every child has access to nurturing, inclusive, and enriching educational experiences.”

Families joined in an afternoon tea enthusiastically prepared by the children, which included chocolate chip cookies and fairy bread.

Parent, Gerard O’Shae, complimented the team on the event and his family’s experience. “It was great joining the centre’s 20th anniversary celebrations. It is one of Mirboo North’s vital institutions, and we are lucky to have such a high-quality and caring program in town. Our two boys have loved going there. We wish Rachael, Bec and the team all the best for the next 20 years!”

Find out more about Mirboo North Early Learning Centre and their program here.