This is a regular morning playdate five-year-old Ava and her four-year-old brother Jona have with their mum, Kayla Agius
"I really liked this activity because it gave them the option to differentiate between things that animals would eat and things that humans would eat and then they have to do the sorting."
The activity is part of an early intervention program that coaches parents to be their child’s first teacher.
"We learn about how to work with the kids so it's not just here you go, cut this out, colour this in - we really interact the whole time. The stuff that's in the book really gives you ideas on what to say to the kids and how to interact with them."
Hippy has been helping disadvantaged families across the country for more than 20 years.
But a new study commissioned by the Brotherhood of Saint Laurence, a social justice organisation that manages the program, has measured just how much difference it’s making to children like Ava and Jona.
Associate Professor Julie Connolly from Griffith University is the lead author.
"Home learning, particularly for disadvantaged families, is incredibly important. We know from evidence internationally that it can make a difference in terms of the way children adapt to school and subsequently their academic performance at school."
To hear the full report click on the audio link above.
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