12/06/2026
โ๏ธโ๏ธ Yesterday the sunshine was out, just like it is todayโฆ and it was a beautiful reminder of why I love what I do.
Two little girls with bright red pigtails. One little boy. Two families who had never met before.
And one giant chess board.
Were they 2ยฝ? Maybe 3? Maybe 4ยฝ? Honestly, Iโm not entirely sure. What I do know is that for almost half an hour, those little people were completely captivated by a game that wasnโt really a game at all.
Together we explored.
We talked about taking turns.
๐ค White has a go.
๐ค Black has a go.
We discovered that the Queen is incredibly powerful.
We learned that the Knight is a little bit cheeky because it can jump over other pieces.
We moved pieces here, there and everywhere.
There were no strategies.
No grandmasters.
No winners.
No losers.
Just curious little minds asking questions, making discoveries and creating their own adventure on the chess board.
At one point both dads admitted they knew how to play chess.
I laughed and declared:
โBy the time these kids are six, theyโll be beating you!โ
The smiles that followed were priceless. ๐
But my favourite part wasnโt the chess.
It was knowing that somewhere in those little memories will be of a sunny day in Ringwood East. Standing around a chess board. Meeting new children. Laughing with strangers who became friends for a moment. Learning something new without even realising it.
Thatโs one of the greatest joys of The Coffee Apple.
Not selling toys.
Watching learning happen right in front of my eyes.
Hearing the laughter.
Seeing the curiosity.
Watching confidence grow one tiny discovery at a time.
And every now and then, being reminded that some of the most important learning doesnโt happen in a classroom at all. โค๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธ
CuriousMinds PlayBasedLearning SmallBusinessBigHeart MomentsThatMatter ChildhoodMemories
