Children at Seymour Community House occasional care had an exciting meet and greet with Seymour CFA members on Tuesday, June 13.
The rain held off as the fire truck pulled into the driveway and the children eagerly peered through the windows.
Lead educator Krystal Russell said the initial hesitation at the new sight faded fast as the children, aged between two and three years old, were shown the cabin, equipment, hose and lights and sirens.
“They were really excited. We started hyping them up about two weeks before,” Ms Russell said.
“In the room currently, we have some children who are pretty excited about trucks. We have bought some first responder toy trucks. As an extension of that, we thought we would link in with the community and get the local CFA down.”
Ms Russell said the visit was a chance to show the children different parts of the community that they may not see in their day-to-day lives.
“None of the kids had first responder parents, so it was quite new for them,” she said
“It’s about giving children an opportunity to know what’s out there behind the uniforms. They can be scary for young children, so it helps getting them used to the look of them.
“It’s just about building that familiar idea around first responders, that they are safe people and they are there to help.
“It was great. They all had a close-up of the truck. Kylie from the CFA got the hose going for the children and assisted them in holding it and they got to have a squirt of the water, which they absolutely loved.”
The visit was such a hit that the team has bought some dress-up first responder uniforms and a doll house with first responder figurines for the children to continue playing.
“At this age they definitely enjoy the dress-ups. We have a police and firefighter outfit and hat, they enjoy putting them on and role playing,” Ms Russell said.
Next, Ms Russell is planning to ask the police for a visit to chat with the children and read some books.
The event was open to the public. Upcoming events can be viewed on the Seymour Community House Facebook page.
Occasional care is a twice-a-week childcare service for local families.