Welcome to Yarn Strong Sista
For 25 years, Yarn Strong Sista has been a leader in Aboriginal cultural education, supporting educators, children, organisations and communities through culturally responsive learning, storytelling, creative arts and educational resources.
We are a proud Aboriginal-owned business, recognised through Kinaway Victorian Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and Supply Nation, committed to creating meaningful cultural learning opportunities and supporting Aboriginal enterprise.
Yarn Strong Sista delivers professional development, cultural learning experiences and educational resources that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, anti-bias practices and culturally responsive approaches across education, community and organisational settings. We offer online learning, mentoring and face-to-face workshops from our Naarm (Melbourne) city location, tailored to meet the needs of diverse audiences.
Our First Nations designed educational resources support children’s learning, identity, belonging and inclusion. Our collection includes children’s books, Diversity Dolls, games, storytelling resources, puzzles and teacher guides, supporting literacy, wellbeing, cultural understanding and meaningful engagement.
Our expertise extends across Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary education, health, community and corporate sectors, delivering keynote presentations, conference and trade presentations, cultural awareness training, community events and customised learning experiences.
Our Services
Aboriginal Education & Cultural Learning – What we Offer
Culture, Stories & Learning Resources
Celebrate diversity, identity and belonging through imaginative play and meaningful representation.
Authentic First Nations stories and books to inspire connection, imagination and a love of reading.
Connect with Aboriginal culture, stories, literacies, signs and symbols through play.
Designed in Melbourne and produced through Fair Trade partnerships, our felt resources inspire imaginative and creative play.
Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What teaching materials help me include Aboriginal perspectives in early childhood learning?
At Yarn Strong Sista, we offer Aboriginal teaching resources that embed culture, storytelling, and connection to Country within early learning. Our materials engage children through art, picture books, games, puzzles, and our unique range of felt and wooden eco toys. These experiences encourage respect, curiosity, and understanding, helping to build strong foundations for cultural awareness and belonging from the very beginning of their education journey.
2. Where can I find Aboriginal resources that suit both home and school settings?
At Yarn Strong Sista, our collection supports both educators and families. Whether you’re teaching in a classroom, setting up creative learning experiences at home, or running community workshops, you’ll find a range of Aboriginal resources to suit every setting. Our picture books, felt stories, puzzles, games, and wooden eco toys help build cultural awareness, respect, and connection through shared learning and storytelling.
3. How do I make sure resources are respectful and culturally safe for Aboriginal communities?
All Yarn Strong Sista Aboriginal resources including picture books, games, puzzles, felt stories, and wooden eco toys are designed, authored and/or illustrated by Aboriginal educators and artists. This ensures every story, activity, and image is authentic, respectful, and connected to community knowledge. By choosing Aboriginal-made resources, you’re teaching with integrity, supporting cultural voices, and helping children learn through genuine, community-led perspectives.
4. Can I access Indigenous-led resources that support early childhood storytelling and culture?
Yes. Yarn Strong Sista Aboriginal early childhood resources are designed and created by professional Aboriginal educators and artists. Focusing on storytelling, song, art, and play, they give children a strong start by embedding culture in ways that are engaging, fun, and age appropriate.
5. Why is it important to use Aboriginal-created resources rather than mainstream materials?
Aboriginal created resources are authentic and designed by professional Aboriginal educators and artists to reflect lived experiences, traditions, and perspectives that mainstream materials often overlook. Using these resources gives children a more accurate understanding of culture, empowers Aboriginal communities, strengthens respectful connections, and helps avoid cultural appropriation.
6. How can schools set up a local Aboriginal education resource centre?
Schools can begin by connecting with local Elders, Aboriginal organisations, and local councils for guidance and support. Yarn Strong Sista can provide authentic Aboriginal education resources designed by professional Aboriginal educators and artists, offer cultural awareness training for educators, and help extend the school library with materials that celebrate Aboriginal perspectives. A well-established resource centre can become a hub where teachers, students, and families access materials that honour and respect Aboriginal culture, empower communities, and support culturally safe learning.
7. What are some examples of culturally responsive teaching that work in classrooms?
Simple practices, such as using Aboriginal storybooks, incorporating art activities connected to Country, and starting lessons with an Acknowledgement of Country, can be very powerful. Yarn Strong Sista Aboriginal resources, designed by professional educators and artists, provide teachers with practical, authentic ways to embed truth-telling and culture shared through storytelling into everyday learning, while supporting respectful and culturally safe classroom practices.
8. Where do I find resources that teach Indigenous languages and land-based knowledge?
Yarn Strong Sista offers authentic Indigenous education resources written by Aboriginal authors, illustrators, and professional educators. They highlight language, songlines, caring for Country, Aboriginal literacies of signs and symbols, and the importance of local stories. These resources and activities can be used in early childhood and school classrooms to help students understand and respect the significance of language, land, and culture, while supporting culturally safe learning.
9. How do I respectfully acknowledge Country in early learning activities?
You can introduce simple Acknowledgement of Country routines with children, using age-appropriate language, stories, and play-based experiences. Yarn Strong Sista Aboriginal early childhood education resources, written by Aboriginal authors, illustrators, and professional educators, include practical examples that make these practices easy, meaningful, and culturally respectful for educators.
10. Who can I connect with for support in selecting Aboriginal-appropriate resources?
Our Yarn Strong Sista education consultants are here to help you select the right Aboriginal teaching resources for your setting. We also encourage educators to connect with local Elders and Aboriginal education resource centres to ensure learning remains culturally grounded, respectful, and supported by the community.
