Our youngest children are cared for in the Coolaroo and Cooinda rooms. The ages of the children enrolled in this area are between 3 months and 15 months at the 1st of January.

These rooms are calm and relaxing environments where even our youngest babies are encouraged to learn and explore their surroundings using all of their senses. Each room has their own indoor and outdoor play spaces designed with the children’s skills and abilities in mind. Children are naturally curious about the world around them and our teachers support and nurture the children in their explorations as they begin to develop a sense of belonging in their new environment.

Teachers endeavour to provide consistent routines for children. Teachers work closely with the families to ensure that routines remain flexible yet are similar to the ones at home. Individual children’s routines are discussed with families during orientation and re-assessed at regular intervals during the year. Having extra teachers in the rooms also allows for successful implementation of home routines. Our rooms have separate sleep rooms which provide warm, comfortable and quiet places for rest and sleep.

Our pedagogy identifies that young children thrive in environments that are predictable. Environments and routines which are predictable can help children feel safe, secure and settled. Children are able to gain confidence and build trusting relationships with teachers when they can predict the next sequence of events. For example, washing hands and sitting at the table/high chair identifies that food is coming or putting on a coat and beanie means a trip outside.

Infants and babies use all their senses to learn about the world around them. They will use touch, sight, sound, taste and smell. They “talk” with others through actions and sounds, and experiment with objects and noises. They enjoy watching the results of their actions. Our teachers build trusting relationships with children by meeting their needs quickly, offering comforting cuddles, using positive tones, facial expressions and eye contact and showing a genuine interest in their play and skills. This early sense of trust will help them develop positive relationships for the rest of their lives.

We appreciate that every child is different. Babies grow and develop at their own rate and are blissfully unaware of the milestones listed in parenting textbooks. Teachers regularly document and are available for discussions and support for families. Portfolios and informal discussions with teacher’s can provide an in depth overview of each child’s individual progress and learning journey.