Play Based Learning Program
Learn about our evidence based global program for children aged 3-6 years.
Choose your path
I'm a Parent / Home Educator
Great activity ideas to ensure your child has strong foundation skills.
I work in Early Childhood Education / Allied Health
Help children to improve confidence and competence. Simple to implement. Evidence-based. Fun for kids.
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Making the Connections: Motor Skills and Mental Health
A Word from our
Program Director and Facilitator
"Most of my working life has been about putting theory into practice - sharing knowledge and best practice to make a real difference in the lives of children and their parents. "
- Sue McLaren
Our Partners
Events and Workshops
The passion behind the Animal Fun Program is all about helping children to achieve their potential.
Our research confirms that giving young children the opportunities to practice and refine their motor skills in a fun and non-competitive way really sets them up for having lots of positive experiences around physical activity and gives them the self-confidence to achieve their goals.
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The Motor–Cognition Connection: How Movement Fuels Learning in Early Childhood
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The Summer Holidays Bedtime Battle: Why Sleep Matters for Preschoolers
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Animal Fun @ Home
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How Early Childhood Educators Can Support Pre-Schoolers to Develop Physical Literacy (with the Help of Animal Fun)
Discover how early childhood educators can support preschoolers in developing physical literacy through fun, engaging activities. By incorporating movement into everyday routines, you can help children build confidence, coordination, and a lifelong love of being active, all while fostering their overall physical, social, and emotional development.
Good Balance Is Important For All Children
Balance is the ability to maintain control over the body and is an important skill in everyday tasks such as walking, sitting, dressing, or riding a bike. Balance begins to develop in infancy. The child first learns to maintain control over their head, then as core...
Testimonials
Kindy teacher, Laura Fox-Woodford, discusses how she uses the Animal Fun Program and the benefits for the children in her classroom.
"I frequently recommend your program for the pre-prep, prep and grade 1 classes as a whole-class program, and when explaining it to teachers I emphasise that it is not just a 'gross motor program' but a whole body development program which is evidence-based for improving motor skills, social skills and attention.
The teachers I work with are time-poor and their days are usually quite packed with curriculum, so I find that they are generally quite keen on a program that ticks so many areas. Thanks so much, I’m a big fan of the program and keen to spread the word to my schools!"
"This program sounds like a lot more fun than FMS style rotations."
"Animal fun – research based, extremely engaging, well packaged resource – we are using across Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2, together with our Physical Education specialist, hoping to use the strategies with our children with discrete needs."
"I am really impressed with the ‘Animal Fun’ resource and can never recommend it highly enough to others. It is simple to use, engaging and entertaining for the kids (mine love ‘row your boat’ and ‘friendly fighting antelopes’!) and our Kindy will definitely be using it again next year."
"Absolutely, hands down, the only motor program I recommend for the early years. Easy to implement as well as evidence based. Programs such as Animal Fun are vital to future academic success, physical health and mental wellbeing."
"I just wanted to say that Animal Fun has been a fantastic resource for the clients that I work with in the disability sector. I have been utilising the program in the school setting, as well as in the clinic setting, for my clients with a range of disabilities, including Down Syndrome, Autism, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and FASD.
I have been finding the way the resources are presented incredibly helpful to optimise client engagement, compliance and gross motor skill acquisition. Hence I just wanted to say a big thank you for contributing to optimising the gross motor outcomes of the clients that I work with."
"We have started using the program and are really enjoying it. My Pre K class love it. I am particularly impressed to see my Pre K’s upper body arm strength already improving. It’s a fabulous, fun program. Thank you."
"It’s a fantastic program for Kindy and PP kids. Great gross motor, core strength, stability, locomotor skills, fine motor skills and more! Activities that you can do as transitions, short lessons and full lessons.
So good! Highly recommend it to build your class’ motor skills. My class love it and look forward to our sessions each Kindy day, the fun and laughter that comes with it all is an added bonus."
"At last a program which will benefit the students and be easy to implement."
"As a current relief teacher (and previous kindy teacher) I can see how worthwhile and effective these activities can be – both in isolation and as a sequence. I can even use this as a relief teacher for many age groups! Not often you can say that for PD’s. Thank you."
“Thank you Sue for your amazing knowledge and fun activities.”
"Animal Fun has certainly lived up to its very high expectations! Our Professional Learning experience with Sue was engaging, practical and as fun for the adults as it is for the children.
Not only is Animal Fun evidence based, it is easy to use and embed into classroom routines. I would highly recommend Animal Fun to schools looking to support (or extend!) their youngest student's perceptual motor skills."