The Beach Early Learning Centre gets moving with the Mariners

Children from The Beach Early Learning Centre Kincumber on the New South Wales Central Coast have been showing off their soccer skills with A-League team the Central Coast Mariners as part of an initiative to get children active.

The Mariners dropped in to the service to give out prizes and take part in outdoor games with the children, capping off the 2024 Move like a Mariner program, which teaches fundamental movement skills to children aged three to five years of age.

Move like a Mariner is a joint initiative between Central Coast Local Health District’s Health Promotion Service and Central Coast Mariners.

The six-week program sees early childhood educators on the Central Coast provided with resources and receive professional development to increase their confidence to teach these skills in fun and engaging ways.

More than 3,400 children from 61 early childhood education and care (ECEC) services on the Central Coast took part in the program in 2024. 

As well as encouraging movement the program helps children to learn about healthy snacking and the importance of drinking water.

All services who take part in the program receive an equipment kit with a variety of resources including a set of balls, cones and goals. Participating children also got to take part in a march past at a Mariners men’s and women’s home game back in November.

Two lucky services received additional prizes, with The Beach Early Learning Centre Tuggerah winning a visit from two Mariners stars and its service in Kincumber winning a visit from the full men’s first team.

Emma Wildschut, director at The Beach Early Learning Centre Kincumber, said the program has been a great way to promote physical activity.

“The Move like a Mariner program has been so much fun for us,” Emma said. “Children have loved learning the different games.

“As educators, it’s been great for us to see those skills develop throughout the program, and we’ve been able to incorporate that into things we do on a daily basis, such as getting the children to hop outside, rather than just walk.”

“We have then been able to recommend different activities the kids have enjoyed to their families to do at home.”

The children were excited to welcome the team, and the players were reportedly great with the children. 

“Me and the team joked that some of them could have a career as an early childhood educator when they retire from football,” Emma said.

The Move like a Mariner program has run five times since its inception in 2018, providing sporting equipment and teaching resources to over 80 per cent of early childhood services on the Central Coast and reaching more than 13,000 children.

The program is delivered in parallel with the NSW Health Munch & Move initiative.

For Michele Munday, health promotion officer at Central Coast Local Health District, said the Move like a Mariner program continues to go from strength to strength.

“This has been another record-setting Move like a Mariner program, with more services and children taking part than ever before,” she said.

“We were able to incorporate more new aspects in the program in 2024, with families receiving a Mariners matchday experience and additional video content featuring Mariners players demonstrating games and fundamental movement skills, as well as some of their favourite healthy foods.”

“The player and team visits are always a great way to cap off the program. The players were so great with the children – it was amazing to see so many happy faces.”

Learn more about Move like a Mariner here.