On Early Childhood Educators’ Day, centres across our network unveiled something special. Children, educators and families had spent weeks working together on displays inspired by this year’s national theme, The Future Starts With Us!
The results were creative, heartfelt and full of big dreams. Today, we are proud to celebrate our zone winners and share the stories behind their work.
A project built around one big idea
Early Childhood Educators’ Day was held on Wednesday 2 September 2026. The day is an initiative of the Australian Childcare Alliance, which set this year’s theme. You can read how we marked the day in our post, The Future Starts With Us: Celebrating Early Childhood Educators’ Day 2026.
To extend the celebrations, we invited our centres to take part in a national display project during September. Each display brought together the dreams of the educators and children in the centre.
Families were part of it too. They were invited to add their hopes and goals for their children, and to learn about the dreams their children had shared.
Centres revealed their displays on Early Childhood Educators’ Day. Many took the project a step further with a “Future You!” dress up day for educators and children.
The project was sponsored by Modern Teaching Aids (MTA). Each winning centre receives a $250 MTA voucher to spend on resources for their children.
Our zone winners
Congratulations to the following centres, recognised as zone winners from Darwin to Perth, and from Melbourne to Canberra:
- Aussie Kindies Early Learning Glen Innes
- Kids Academy Early Learning Regentville
- Kids Academy Early Learning Rivett
- Kids Academy Early Learning Wyndham Vale
- Milestones Early Learning Darwin City
- Milestones Early Learning Helena Valley
- Milestones Early Learning Hoppers Crossing
- Milestones Early Learning Lynwood
- Milestones Early Learning North Parramatta
- Milestones Early Learning Riverstone Rise
- Milestones Early Learning Toronto
- Papilio Early Learning Camberwell
- The Beach Early Learning Centre Wyong
Every display was different, but a few themes came through strongly.
Educators who were once little dreamers
Several centres turned the spotlight on their own teams. They asked a simple question: what did our educators want to be when they grew up?
At Milestones Early Learning Helena Valley, educators shared their childhood photos. The team reflected on the little people they once were, and the journeys that led them into early childhood education.
Aussie Kindies Early Learning Glen Innes placed each educator’s face onto an image of the career they once dreamed of. The display sits at the centre entrance, and children now stop to point out their educators at drop-off and pick-up. Staff often hear children telling their parents how “Miss Ruby looks so cool as a vet”.
Kids Academy Early Learning Regentville took its lead from a “When I Grow Up” project in the Junior Prep room. Educators were pictured in their dream careers, next to photos celebrating the path they chose instead.
At Milestones Early Learning Toronto, the preschool children’s love of space set the scene. Educators were pictured on a rocket ship journey into their futures. A “Guess Who?” game asked families to match each childhood photo to an educator. It was such a hit that the centre kept it out for four days.
Children’s dreams in their own words
Other centres put children’s voices at the centre of the display.
At Milestones Early Learning Darwin City, the display grew out of conversations during Book Week. Preschool children created self-portraits and drew pictures of who they might become. The team said:
“The most rewarding part was listening to the children’s ideas and watching their imaginations come to life.”
Milestones Early Learning Lynwood showcased the children’s real skills and creativity. The display captured their dreams while also celebrating their growing fine motor skills.
The Beach Early Learning Centre Wyong celebrated children as capable learners. The display featured Future Scientists, Little Artists and Future Athletes, linked to the STEM, creative arts and physical activities children had explored.
At Kids Academy Early Learning Rivett, the Junior Preschool and Preschool children created pictures, and families were invited to share their own childhood dreams. Writing their responses together gave parents and children a chance to talk about their dreams.
Families at the heart of it
Families played a big part in making these displays meaningful.
At Milestones Early Learning Riverstone Rise, the team gathered families’ hopes and dreams for their children through Storypark and in person. Children stopped to show their families the display each day, and it sparked a new interest in rockets. The display has also become a helpful talking point on centre tours.
Kids Academy Early Learning Regentville invited families to share feedback about their educators and received 26 responses. One family wrote:
“Cool, calm and collected - the three of you bring such a beautiful feeling to the babies’ room.”
At Milestones Early Learning Toronto, families answered the question, “How have our educators helped shape your child’s future this year?” Their notes were added to the display alongside the children’s drawings.
Thank you
Thank you to every educator, child and family who took part. Your displays showed exactly why this year’s theme matters. The early years lay the foundations for the future, and our educators help build them every day.
Thank you to Modern Teaching Aids for sponsoring the project, and to the Australian Childcare Alliance for the theme that inspired it.
If these stories have you thinking about your own future, you can explore a career as an educator with Affinity Education.