Fire trucks, big hoses & little learners
The ELC gets a visit from Thornton RFS
The preschool playground buzzed with excitement as the Thornton Rural Fire Service (RFS) rolled in, sirens flashing and fire hats gleaming.
For the children, this wasn’t just a visit – it was a chance to climb into a real truck, grip a heavy hose, and practice the life-saving mantra: “Get down low and go, go, go!”
What unfolded was more than play. Through these hands-on moments, the children connected their fire drill practice to the real world, transferring knowledge into action.
They discovered that safety isn’t just something adults manage - it’s something even the youngest learners can take ownership of.
The visit reflected the Early Years Learning Framework in action: children building confidence, contributing to their community, and developing responsibility for their own health and safety. From a PYP perspective, it was agency and inquiry in its purest form.
Their wonderings - “What happens if smoke comes inside?” “How do you know when to call 000?” - sparked authentic learning, showing how real encounters deepen understanding of how the world works and how we care for one another.
And in their own words:
The firetruck may have driven away, but the learning will last far longer - leaving our little learners empowered, capable, and ready to keep themselves and others safe.