The 2026 National Reconciliation Week theme, All In, calls on all Australians to play their part in advancing reconciliation. At Goodstart Moonee Ponds, this theme inspired us to reflect deeply on what it means to create a community where everyone feels seen, heard and valued.

Through thoughtful discussions as a team, we recognised that our centre is a unique meeting place. Each day, children, families and educators from diverse backgrounds come together, bringing their own stories, perspectives and experiences. We wanted to honour this collective strength by creating an opportunity for everyone to contribute. Children, families and educators were invited to design a tile that represented what coming together means to them.

As contributions flowed in, we saw beautiful examples of child voice, meaningful words from our community, and powerful imagery and symbols that reflected belonging, connection, respect and hope. Each tile told its own story, while also contributing to a larger shared narrative. Together, these individual pieces formed a community wall that celebrates our special meeting place. The artwork serves as a visual reminder that reconciliation is strongest when everyone is included and when every voice has a place.

It reflects the spirit of All In - that meaningful change happens through collective action, shared responsibility and genuine relationships. More than an art project, this experience sparked conversations, encouraged reflection and strengthened connections across our community. It provided a platform for children and families to contribute their perspectives and reinforced that reconciliation is an ongoing journey of listening, learning and growing together. As we continue our reconciliation journey, this wall will remain a living symbol of our commitment to being All In And creating spaces where every person belongs, every story matters, and every contribution helps shape a more connected and inclusive future.

At Doonside Kindergarten, the Bottlebrush children have been exploring this year’s theme ‘All In’ by learning about Aboriginal history, and by discussing the importance of teamwork, collaboration, kindness, and caring for Country. Leading up to Reconciliation Week, we spent our group times reading and unpacking the book ‘Somebody’s Land’.

During one particular group time, we were having a discussion about teamwork and helping others. One of the children shared a beautiful memory from preschool, “like that time I was doing that big Cocomelon puzzle and I couldn’t do it. But then everyone helped me and then we all did it together and we solved it!” It was this memory that inspired our Puzzle Piece Artwork, which is our interpretation of the theme ‘All In’.

The artwork is a vow - it represents each child’s commitment to working together towards reconciliation. I spent time with each child one-on-one, first asking them to colour in their own puzzle piece, and then inviting them to draw an image that represents their learning from our group times. I had all sorts of discussions with the children, ranging from teamwork, friendship, helping others, saying sorry, sharing, and caring for Country.

Slowly, the children helped me put each puzzle piece into place. We intentionally left empty spaces in the puzzle, and I also chose not to use any edge or corner pieces. This is because we believe that reconciliation is not something you ‘complete’. Rather, it is a continuous, ongoing, and reflective process that changes over time.

This is further represented by the fact that the puzzle pieces are not glued in place (they are stuck on with blu-tack) and therefore can be moved around and changed to create a different picture. The artwork also represents that we all have a unique part in something bigger than ourselves.

For National Reconciliation Week, our nursery embraced this year’s theme, “All In” by creating a collaborative installation that reflected our shared commitment to reconciliation, connection and belonging.

As educators, we each wrote a personal pledge outlining how we are “all in” for reconciliation within our everyday practice. These pledges became the foundation of our experience and guided the conversations we shared with children and families. To bring this commitment to life with our babies, we spent time outdoors on real grass, intentionally creating opportunities to connect with Country through sensory exploration and shared experiences.

Together, we observed the plants, animals and environment around us and spoke about caring for and respecting the land. The babies explored painting using natural colourants. Alongside this, we provided ethically sourced natural resources including bark and leaves-collecting only what had already fallen, ensuring no habitats were disturbed and taking only what we needed.

Children freely created on our “I’m All In” installation circles and natural resources while educators engaged in age-appropriate conversations about reconciliation. Families were also invited to participate by creating their own pledges, recognising that reconciliation is strengthened through community and shared action. These family pledges were brought together with the children’s artwork and educator commitments to create a permanent nursery installation.

This installation now stands as a visual reminder of our collective responsibility and ongoing commitment to walking together towards reconciliation, showing that meaningful connection and reconciliation can begin in the earliest years, and that we are all in.