ST BERNARD State School came alive with laughter, learning, and community spirit this morning as it hosted its annual Under 8s Day celebration.
The much-anticipated yearly event brought together students, families, local kindergartens, and a wide range of community groups to celebrate the early years of learning through hands-on and play-based activities.
Acting Principal Janelle Menzies opened the morning with a warm welcome, acknowledging the importance of nurturing curiosity in young minds.
“Today is all about celebrating our wonderful preps, Year 1s, Year 2s, and the magic that happens when young minds are given the chance to explore,” she said.
“This year’s theme, Unleashing Scientific Thinking Through Play, encourages our children to experiment, investigate, question, and discover the world around them.”
Former student Toby Angus and bandmate Martin Niklasson, known as the local band Blind Corners, kicked off the event with a live performance, setting the tone for a morning of creative and educational fun.
Children rotated through a range of themed zones including slime-making and potion-mixing in the Sensory Zone, and crown-making, biscuit decorating, and clay sculpting in the Creative Zone.
A Chill Zone offered books, Lego, and soft play for quiet time.
Community involvement was at the heart of the day, with appearances from local emergency services, Tamborine Mountain Library, Goat Track Theatre, All 4 Dance, and various local sports clubs including the Bush Rats cricket club, Bulls Basketball, Gold Coast Rugby League, and the Tamborine Mountain Wolves.
“We’re so proud to involve so many community organisations and volunteers who support children’s learning through play,” Mrs Menzies said.
