Age 3
HIPPY in Australia is changing in 2023
From this year, HIPPY is moving a year earlier: the program now starts two years before your child starts full-time formal schooling, allowing your child two whole years of learning at home for a positive and confident start to school.
Research has shown that 90% of all brain development happens in the first five years of a child’s life. By starting HIPPY a year earlier, families are better supported to teach their children and build a warm and strong home learning environment. Strong home learning environments, in turn, support children to develop a lifelong love of learning.
The new year of HIPPY focusses on the uniqueness of what it is to be three: three-year-olds are curious, love exploring and, most of all, doing! The HIPPY Age 3 curriculum includes fortnightly, fun, play-based activities that families can do at home and out in their communities.
New opportunities to connect and learn
New to the program are HIPPY Gatherings. Similar to our current group meetings, HIPPY Gatherings bring families together to make connections, play and learn. Gatherings will continue to link parents to useful services and information in their communities while also providing a fun, activity-filled and educational atmosphere.
New but proven to work
Age 3 may be new nationally, but HIPPY already has well-established three-year-old HIPPY programs in the USA, Canada and New Zealand, and HIPPY Australia has trialled it successfully in 10 HIPPY communities. The evaluation of the trial has shown that by taking part in Age 3, parents and carers:
- felt more confident about parenting
- became more connected to local services
- became more aware of positive parenting strategies
- knew more about how children learn
- felt more socially connected and supported in parenting
- reported a stronger relationship with their child.
The evaluation also identified that children had:
- increased social and emotional development;
- improved speech, language and communication;
- increased confidence and readiness in the transition to kinder;
- increased self-confidence, creativity and independence;
- an increased love of learning and play; and
- an improved eagerness to read.
Start your learning journey!
If you have a child that is starting full-time formal schooling in 2025. get in touch with your local HIPPY site to see if you are eligible to join.
