First Five Early Learning Bundall

Our play-based curriculum is grounded in early childhood education research and evidence-based practice to afford optimal outcomes for children’s learning and development.

We know from research that young children learn best through play. Play supports children’s physical, social and emotional wellbeing, and improves their language, thinking and problem-solving skills. Purposeful learning environments for play provide unhurried time for children to play, discover and learn.

For babies, our nursery spaces have clearly defined areas to help very young children make sense of their environment. The design of the space guides babies to different types of play and engagement. Babies can see everything in the space but can’t attend to everything they see when it’s too crowed or overstimulating. Our design is uncluttered and calming. We use baskets and arrange materials so that they are accessible to babies and encourage them to move toward, reach and grasp.

The design of our toddler rooms responds to schematic play (repeated patterns in children’s play) and children’s changing movement patterns such as stepping and climbing. The resources support schemas such as transporting items across the room, connecting objects together such as blocks and cars, and learning about the trajectory of objects and how they move. While play items do travel in the hands of toddlers, clear visible boundaries for each learning area reminds children of where things belong. Play spaces within our toddler rooms also respond to children’s beginning dramatic play and how they act out real-world experiences of home and community.

Learning environments for children aged 3-5 years afford rich stimuli and opportunities for extension as children become more detail-oriented in all aspects of their learning. Dramatic play is a feature as children take on roles and act out a range of scenarios, building their social and language skills as they engage with co-players. Dedicated block play spaces provide varied and complex materials and invitations to plan, build, evaluate and describe. Open art shelves present an array of quality materials in recognition of the arts being a primary language for young children to express their creativity, imagination and emotions. Literacy, numeracy and STEM are embedded in multiple ways across the play spaces.

Across all age groups, learning environments afford dedicated book areas to promote a love of reading and stories, and children’s oral language development. A focus on open-ended materials invites curiosity, multiple ways to play and negotiation as children collaborate and communicate with each other around how materials will be used. Defined spaces, uncluttered environments, clear walls and ceilings are responsive to children’s individual sensory profiles and their need for familiarity and safety.

Our government approved kindergarten program is delivered by a bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher with 27 years experience. Within the kindergarten program, children develop five (5) foundational skill sets in preparedness for transition to school. Physical skills, social skills, emotional skills, oral language skills and dispositions for learning are foundational to formal learning at school and coping with the demands of the school day.

Our service offers the Queensland Government approved ‘Free Kindy’ Program, delivered by an experienced bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher. Within our play-based kindergarten program we celebrate what it means to be 4, and support children to develop foundational skills for learning, school and life. Added benefits of our kindergarten program include extended hours of care, and access 52 weeks of the year. We offer 9-hour, 10-hour, and all day sessions.

To support your child’s transition to school, we focus on 5 foundational skill sets for early learners as part of the kindergarten program:

1. Physical skills to build strength in movement patterns linked to writing, reading, and coping with the physical demands of the school day.

2. Social skills to establish, maintain and enjoy friendships, and work collaboratively with others.

3. Emotional skills to identify, label and understand emotions, leading to self-regulation.

4. Oral language skills as the basis for learning to read and write and communicate effectively.

5. Dispositions for learning required to be a successful learner including curiosity, confidence, problem-solving, persistence, concentration, and cooperation.

Pre-reading and pre-writing skills are central to learning in the kindergarten year, with our skilled teachers promoting a love of stories and storytelling, mark-making and emergent writing, and early mathematical skills including patterning, sequencing, and counting. Engagement with literacy and numeracy concepts is embedded within all learning experiences and across all play spaces.

Within our kindergarten program, children access specialist learning spaces including our Clay Studio, STEM Studio and Nature Garden. These spaces afford deep engagement with project work, small group learning, and opportunities to extend on learning both indoors and outdoors using a range of materials and techniques.

For more information about Free Kindy and the added benefits of a government-approved kindergarten program in a long day care setting, go to the or contact us today.

Our Centre Chef, Nan, prepares fresh, nutritious meals daily in line with Nutrition Australia requirements and guidelines. Individual children’s allergy profiles and preferences are catered for to ensure safety and positive food experiences. Nan engages with the children around ingredients, food preparation and taste.

Newly installed vegetable and herb gardens in our playgrounds and outdoor Nature Garden provide opportunities for the children to work with Nan around planting, harvesting and preparing fresh ingredients for mealtimes.

As eating is a social practice, our educators sit with children during mealtimes to talk about the meal and share stories of home and community. We offer progressive mealtimes for older children during morning and afternoon tea to ensure play is uninterrupted and mealtimes unhurried.