Creative Garden Early Learning Centre Arundel

Our Early Learning Environments

Creative Garden Arundel early learning centre provides a nurturing and enriching early learning environment that fosters exploration and curiosity.

The outdoor environments at our Arundel child care centre include an outdoor mud kitchen, bush kindy play area, a bike track, sand pits, forts and more. Our outdoor learning program focuses on the development of your child’s strength, balance, and self-confidence. Our indoor learning spaces offer a variety of engaging resources including interactive whiteboards for children to learn and grow. Our experienced educators and teachers use these to design various age-appropriate play-based experiences.

Dedicated Team of Educators and Teachers

At the heart of our child care centre in Arundel is our longstanding team of early childhood educators and teachers with some team members at the centre for over 5 years. Our team of passionate and qualified early childhood teachers and educators are dedicated to ensuring every child feels safe, nurtured, and inspired throughout their early education journey.

Health and Nutrition

Our Arundel child care centre provides children with nutritious, unprocessed, and seasonal whole foods. Our menu rotates seasonally to cater to diverse dietary requirements. We actively involve children in food preparation to promote healthy eating.

At Creative Garden Arundel child care centre, we recognise the importance of play in a child’s learning and development journey. Our team tailors play-based learning activities in line with national standards, specifically the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), helping prepare them for kindergarten and school readiness.

We also offer the following enriching learning experiences:

• Sustainability Program: Helps children develop and understand the importance of embedding sustainable practices into everyday life. Children learn about recycling, conserving water, growing food and the importance of protecting our planet.
• Sports Program: Our Billy’s Buddies sports program every Monday allows the children to be active and learn about different sports and movements.
• Bush Kinder: Children head to the local bushland to connect with nature and learn in the great outdoors.

Our Kindergarten programs are tailored to meet your child’s individual learning needs across numeracy, literacy, emotional and social development, resilience, and self-regulation.

At our Arundel early learning centre, we offer a QLD Government-approved Kindergarten enhanced learning program, supporting your child’s development and well-being from now, at school and beyond. In Queensland, 4-year-old children are able to access a funded Kindergarten program that fosters play based learning, led by a Bachelor Qualified Early Childhood Teacher. If eligible, your child will be able to participate in the Government-approved Kindergarten program, at no cost, up to 15 hours per week, 40 weeks per year. Talk to us about how this reduces your out-of-pocket costs.

The added benefits of our Kindergarten program include:

• QLD ‘Free Kindy’ Government-approved program
• Extended opening hours
• Open all year round (excl public holidays)
• Programs developed and delivered by our Early Childhood Teachers
• Exclusive music and movement program for self-regulation

Rooms

Our Arundel centre provides care for the following age groups:

Babies (6 weeks – 12 months) – 8 children per day

Our Nursery room offers:

• An early learning program led by a Diploma-qualified educator
• A nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and discover
• Tummy time and physical activity
• Messy play and sensory activities
• A language-rich environment through play-based experiences such as music, singing and rhymes

Waddlers (12 months – 15 months) – 8 children per day

Our Waddlers room offers:

• An early learning program led by a Diploma-qualified educator
• Play-based music and movement activities that enhance sensory-motor development
• A nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and discover
• Messy play and sensory activities
• Opportunities for children to form relationships and develop their self-confidence
• A language-rich environment that supports development through books and conversations
• Opportunities for children to explore literacy and numeracy through real-life experiences

Toddlers (15 months – 2 years) 12 children per day

Our toddler room offers:

• An early learning programs led by Diploma-qualified educators
• Play-based music and movement activities that enhance sensory-motor development
• A nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and discover
• Opportunities for children to form relationships and develop their self-confidence
• A language-rich environment that supports development through books and conversations
• Opportunities for children to explore literacy and numeracy through real-life experiences

Junior Kindy (2 – 3 years) – 22 children per day

Our Junior Kindy room offers:

• An early learning program led by Diploma-qualified educators
• Social learning through group and individual play throughout the day
• A nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and discover
• Opportunities for children to form relationships and develop their self-confidence
• A language-rich environment through books and conversations
• Opportunities to learn about literacy and numeracy in a safe and inspiring environment

Senior Kindy (3 – 4 years) – 33 children per day

Our Senior Kindy room offers:

• An early learning program led by Diploma-qualified educators
• An environment that builds a healthy physical and mental wellbeing
• Social learning through group and individual play throughout the day
• A nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and discover
• Opportunities for children to form relationships and develop their self-confidence
• A language-rich environment through books and conversations
• Opportunities to learn about literacy and numeracy in a safe and inspiring environment
• Boundless opportunities for outdoor teaching and play
• Safe opportunities for risky play and extracurricular activities
• Active sport program

Kindergarten (4 – 5 years) – 33 children per day

Our kindergarten room offers:

• A government-approved kindergarten program led by bachelor-qualified early childhood teachers, focused on literacy and numeracy through play-based learning
• An environment that builds a healthy physical and mental wellbeing
• Social learning through group and individual play throughout the day.
• A nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and discover
• Opportunities for children to form relationships and develop their self-confidence
• A language-rich environment through books and conversations
• Opportunities to learn about literacy and numeracy in a safe and inspiring environment
• Boundless opportunities for outdoor teaching and play
• Safe opportunities for risky play and extracurricular activities
• Active sport program
• The development of social and emotional skills
• Enhanced self-awareness and respect for others.

Facilities

Our Arundel service provides the following facilities:

• Nappies
• Morning tea
• Lunch
• Afternoon tea
• Sustainability program
• Veggie garden
• On-site parking
• SMART Interactive Whiteboard
• Classroom technology – iPads
• In-house cook
• Fully air-conditioned
• Large, natural play environments
• Early Childhood Teacher
• Government Approved Kindergarten Program

Rachel

I started working in early childhood education in 2015. I joined Creative Garden Arundel as a Assistant Centre Manger in 2022. I hold a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.

I have always enjoyed my career as it is so rewarding, and I love building connections with children and their families. Watching the children explore, learn and become conformable within themselves would have to be the best part of this role.

I have learnt that children all learn differently and not everything can be taught just from the four walls in the classroom. I believe it’s important for children’s learning to be guided by their interests and allowing them to explore the world around them.

I think providing a safe and welcoming environment for the children to learn in is crucial for their ongoing growth and development. Allowing children to practice a variety of self-help skills whilst in care encourages their independence and confidence.

A dedicated early learning environment is a great way for children to further develop their communication skills and build relationships with other children. They will build resilience and independence as they are constantly challenged with our specially designed learning programs.

We are lucky to have many long-standing staff at our service who hold the foundation of our family feel service. Together we all work together as a team to build positive relationships and maintain constant communication with families and their children to create a comfortable and welcoming environment.

A centre tour is a convenient way to experience the centre of your choice and meet with our qualified educators at a time suitable to your family schedule. Creative Garden also offers the virtual tour option in all our centres. Click here to book a tour online.

On the day of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to observe practices and interactions within the centre environment. You’ll be able to see all the rooms and playgrounds, ask the team members any questions you have in mind, and get all the information you need to make the best decision for your child.

Creative Garden’s Family Support team will add your child’s name to our waitlist if one of our centres is currently full in your child’s age group. We will then contact you as soon as a place becomes available.

We also do monthly check-ins to review the availability, and you will receive a text message confirming if you’re still happy to remain on the waitlist each month. If you would like to get an update at any point, you’re welcome to reach out on our Web Chat or give us a call.

Our Family Support team can also help you find more G8 early learning centres near you, with the same offerings at the Creative Garden’s centre you are interested in that have immediate availability.

It’s common for a child to experience separation anxiety when they first start child care. When you’re getting ready to start child care, you can help your child overcome anxieties by visiting the child care centre together for a Stay and Play session, and easing into new routines at home.

Click here to read more tips about how to make the transition easier for your child.

Most of our Creative Garden’s child care and early education centres offer the following:

• Nappies and wipes
• Sunscreen and hats
• Nutritious meals prepared by our in-house cook

Some centres also provide sheets and formula, so you may not need to remember to pack them.

For nursery children, be sure to bring: nappy rash cream, dummies, bottles and teats, comfort toys or blankets, three spare outfits, spare socks and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

For toddlers and preschool or kindergarten-aged children, it’s best to bring: spare underwear, water bottle or sippy cup, sun hat, closed-toe shoes, two spare outfits, spare socks and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

Plus anything else your individual child may need, such as breast milk, a sleeping bag, a comforter or medication.

It’s best to speak to your centre of choice for a full list of everything included.

Creative Garden uses Xplor Home as our family communication app. It is the best and easiest way to keep track of your child’s day. After you enrol your child with the centre, you can utilise Xplor Home to book child care days, manage your account, receive the photographs that capture your child’s learning, learn about your child’s progress, as well as keep up-to-date with upcoming centre events and important information.

If your child shows signs of an infectious illness when they arrive at the centre or becomes sick during the day, you may be notified that you need to make alternative arrangements or pick up your child from the centre, and keep them home until they are no longer infectious. While we understand that this can be inconvenient, Creative Garden is committed to maintaining a healthy environment and reducing the risk of infection for all children.

Under the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), families are allowed 42 absence days per child, per financial year. These can be taken for any reason, including public holidays and when children are sick, without the need for families to provide documentation.