Toddler room
The centre provides a specialised toddler room that caters for only 5 children with one educator or on Tuesday and Wednesday 8 children with two educators. The educators focus on ensuring each child feels loved and supported to build a strong sense of belonging. Close collaboration with families ensure the centre meets the individual needs of each child.
The centre operates with a great deal of flexibility encouraging child-initiated play and learning. We also acknowledge the importance of a simple routine for children and understand that they feel secure when they know what is coming next.
Transition to School Program
Qualified Early Childhood teachers and educators run daily transition to school sessions. We have a close liaison with local schools to ensure your child’s transition is as smooth as possible.
Educational Program
We believe children learn through play in a stimulating environment with caring teachers. We place a great deal of emphasis upon connection. Connection with each other, connection with community and connection with nature. Our nature based program encourages a love of and respect for nature. Children are enabled to explore our bush tucker garden/outdoor environment building deep knowledge, skills, respect and a sense of wonder in the natural world. Our experienced and qualified educators not only share their knowledge and passion for the natural world but also delight in learning alongside the children. We model and encourage scientific processes such as careful observation, prediction, investigation, hypothesising and testing, as well as encouraging dispositions such as patience, persistence, respect and the disposition to look closely at the world. Children develop both factual and heuristic knowledge and skills, enhancing their confidence and self esteem.
The program provides a learning environment that encourages children to discover, create, imagine, construct and initiate. An opportunity to develop self help skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving, build self-confidence and esteem are encouraged.
We provide a balance of indoor and outdoor, active and passive, individual, small and large group activities that include experiences across the curriculum field such as language, literacy, creative expression, gardening, bush walks, construction, science, maths, drama, music and movement.
The Early Years Learning Framework forms the foundation for the program and teaching practices.
Our trained, experienced staff are knowledgeable about early childhood theories and perspective that best support children’s learning and continually enrich their understandings through resource books and professional development training. The program is displayed on our notice board.
Feel free to chat to staff for more information about any of the planned experiences. Significant experiences of each day are seen through photos displayed on the laptop which is on the sign in desk each afternoon.
Bush Kinder: Nature Pedagogy is the practice of teaching and learning with and in nature, it is an understanding of our sense of belonging to the land, our senses or working with nature. It’s learning with nature, not just teaching about nature. (C Warden)
The aim of the practice is to teach holistically through the engagement of hands heart and mind alongside nature to develop the whole learner, cognitively, socially, and physically as well as having fun…
Our Bush Kindy Program will grow as we grow. It will emerge according to what we are playing, it will be child-led, Acknowledging country and representing First Nations people.
Wondering about wonder article from ECA on Federal educational program
Centre Timetable
8.00am
Centre opens, indoor free play
9.00am
Progressive Morning tea
(Aimed to meet the individual needs of the children and ease the morning transition)
9.45
Group time on the deck, acknowledgment of country
songtime
Small group time
10.00am
Group morning tea
10.30am
Morning outside
Inside/ outdoor planned experiences / Free play
12.15pm
Toddler lunch
12.30pm
Group Storytime
3-5 year old lunch time
12.45
Toddler rest time
1.15pm
Preschool quiet time and transition to school group
2.15pm
Outdoor play – Group games, craft activities and free play
3.00pm
Outdoor play and Pack away
3.30pm
Afternoon tea and group games
4.00pm
Indoor quiet activities
4.30pm
Centre closes