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✨Supporting Learning Through Play✨

If you work in outside school hours care (OSHC), vacation care, or any learning-through-play environment, you’ve likely heard of the My Time, Our Place framework. But what does it really mean — and how can resources like classroom supplies and activity kits help support it?

Let’s break it down.

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What is My Time, Our Place?

My Time, Our Place is Australia’s national framework for school-age care in Australia, developed under the National Quality Framework (NQF). It helps guide educators in creating meaningful, inclusive and engaging environments where children feel safe, valued, and free to explore.

Rather than focusing only on academic learning, My Time, Our Place recognises that children learn in many ways — especially through play, relationships, and hands-on experiences.

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At the heart of My Time, Our Place are five interconnected learning outcomes. These outcomes provide a guide for educators to shape meaningful, play-based experiences that nurture every aspect of a child's development:

The Five Key Learning Outcomes

1. Children have a strong sense of identity
   When children feel safe, secure, and supported, they are more confident in expressing themselves and forming positive relationships.

2. Children are connected with and contribute to their world
   Through engaging with their community and natural environment, children develop empathy, respect, and a sense of responsibility and belonging.

3. Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
   Physical and emotional wellbeing are closely linked. Environments that promote movement, mindfulness, and connection help children feel balanced and resilient.

4. Children are confident and involved learners
   Learning through play, exploration, and hands-on experiences helps children grow as curious, capable problem-solvers.

5. Children are effective communicators
   Children express themselves in many ways — through conversation, creative arts, digital tools, storytelling, and social interactions — and each expression helps build confidence and understanding.

These outcomes are not stand-alone goals; they are deeply connected and often overlap in practice. For example, a child engaged in a group craft project may be expressing their creativity (Outcome 5), building peer relationships (Outcome 2), and developing a sense of confidence (Outcome 4) — all at once.

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Reflective Practice: Tuning In to What Matters

A key feature of the framework is reflective practice — a process that encourages educators to observe, listen, and respond thoughtfully to the children in their care. Rather than following a rigid checklist, reflective practice is about tuning into each child's interests, strengths, and needs.

It means asking:

• What are the children curious about today?

• How are they expressing themselves?

• How can this environment better support their learning and wellbeing?

By using the five outcomes as a lens, educators can design experiences that are meaningful, inclusive, and supportive — helping each child grow with confidence in a space that truly feels like their time and our place.

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Why is MTOP Important In OSHC, Vacation Care and Childcare settings?

Children don’t stop learning when the school bell rings. The My Time, Our Place framework acknowledges that OSHC programs play a vital role in development, especially in:

• Building independence

• Supporting social and emotional growth

• Encouraging creativity and resilience

• Giving children space to be themselves

Educators using MTOP focus on child-led play, flexible routines, and meaningful interactions that help kids develop lifelong skills — all in a fun, supportive environment.

At Classroom Kits, we understand the importance of purposeful learning, which is why every product includes a recommended learning outcome to support educators in aligning with the MTOP framework.