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Family Fun Day at The Retreat

On Saturday 12 September more than 100 Junior School children, parents, carers and grandparents enjoyed IGS in nature – a day of picnicking, play and connection at The Retreat, Kangaroo Valley.

 

Three children sit on a patterned mat outdoors at The Retreat, painting wooden fish shapes with colourful paints as part of Family Fun Day. An adult sits nearby, and a basket of wood pieces is in the foreground. Grass and other people can be seen in the background, making it a perfect setting for family activities.
An adult and a child play swingball on grass in a park, smiling. A family sits on a rug in the background, surrounded by trees under a sunny sky—capturing the spirit of Family Fun Day at The Retreat.
A smiling woman in a green dress and flower crown leads a small white pony with a young girl in a helmet riding it through the sunny, grassy park at The Retreat. Trees and other people enjoying Family Fun Day are visible in the background.
Two children sit outdoors on a mat at The Retreat, shaping clay with tools. A clipboard with pottery designs and instructions is nearby. They are focused on creating pottery in a natural, sunny setting with trees in the background—a perfect scene for Family Fun Day.
A child in a helmet sits on a white pony adorned with flower garlands, while a woman in a green dress and flower crown holds the reins during Family Fun Day at The Retreat, creating a sunny, grassy outdoor scene filled with delightful family activities.
Three children and an adult sit on a picnic blanket outdoors at The Retreat, working on crafts with various art supplies. Trees and grass surround them on a sunny Family Fun Day, filling the scene with warmth and creativity.
Two children sit on a patterned mat outdoors at The Retreat, shaping clay with their hands and using rolling pins on wooden boards. Sunlight filters through trees, and nature surrounds them—capturing the spirit of a Family Fun Day.
A person sits outdoors at The Retreat, holding a clipboard and using a blue pencil to draw a detailed owl, referencing a printed owl illustration beside their sketch. Art supplies and clipboards are visible nearby, creating an inviting atmosphere perfect for Family Fun Day.
Two children wearing hats play outdoors at The Retreat, gathered around a wooden table with bowls, utensils, flowers, and water bottles. On this sunny Family Fun Day, they joyfully engage in pretend cooking or mixing activities together.
A child wearing a helmet sits on a white pony, while two women—one in a green dress and flower crown, the other in casual clothes—stand nearby in a sunny, grassy clearing with trees in the background at The Retreat’s Family Fun Day.
Two young children sit on grass near a picnic blanket with drinks and snacks during The Retreat’s Family Fun Day. An adult and another child sit behind them, while trees and other people enjoy the festivities in the background under a sunny sky.
At Family Fun Day at The Retreat, an adult and a child sit on a blanket outdoors. The child paints on a piece of wood with colourful paints while the adult watches. Trees and other people are visible in the background, adding to the lively atmosphere.
Two young children in sun hats sit on a patterned mat outdoors, using tools and clay to create art at The Retreat’s Family Fun Day. Adults and more children are nearby, with natural materials and clay objects scattered around them on the mat, making it a delightful family event for all ages.
An adult and child sit on a blanket outdoors at The Retreat, painting pieces of bark with colourful paints. Trees and people are in the background on this sunny Family Fun Day.

 

Children and their families explored the peaceful IGS property and some completed the Nature Scavenger Hunt. Children developed confidence enjoying pony rides by The Enchanted Unicorn in the shade of the many trees. A range of nature based experiences facilitated by educators from Bush Play School provided unhurried, child-led, play based experiences in the spacious natural setting of the property including making native Australian animals using clay, painting on bark, cooking in the mud kitchen, using hammers and tools to create, and learning about wattle as a season marker in Aboriginal culture.

Some children enjoyed playing giant games including Jenga and Connect 4. Fresh air and outdoor activities helped work up an appetite and a sausage sizzle lunch was served for all who attended.

We experienced impeccable spring weather with families enjoying a day trip to the property, or a weekend away in the beautiful southern highlands or south coast regions.

Thank you to all families who joined us for the day, and to our Junior School staff for their preparation and for joining in the day. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Family Fun Day!

 

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