ood education and care services are uniquely positioned to support children not only to be safe, but to feel safe, confident and supported. As extreme weather events, natural disasters and community emergencies become part of children’s lived experiences, high-quality services respond not by increasing fear, but by strengthening emotional literacy, environmental awareness, trust in helpers and a sense of belonging.
Disaster resilience learning in early childhood is not about drills or frightening information. Instead, it is built through ongoing exploration of weather and environmental change, learning about community helpers, embedding emotional regulation skills, and creating space for children’s voices about what helps them feel safe when things feel uncertain.
Two complementary Australian resources support this approach:
The Helping Hands Disaster Resilience Toolkit from ABC Kids Early Education, which supports educators to plan age-appropriate learning about weather, safety, helpers and preparedness
Birdie’s Tree Natural Disaster Recovery resources from Children’s Health Queensland, which use story, play and calming strategies to help children process big feelings safely
When embedded intentionally into everyday practice, these resources support services to demonstrate Exceeding practice across all Quality Areas, while keeping children emotionally protected, empowered and calm.
