education & learning
Focus Groups
TOT Spotz
I'm only between 6 weeks to 12 months old. I'm probably still breastfeeding and I have a pretty strict routine around my bottle times, meals, nappy changes and sleep, which I need more of than the older kids!
I get personalised care and cuddles from my educators because I need lots of affection and attention. I also get to listen to music in small groups. After my 1st birthday, I can start to follow instructions and I start to do things for myself.
MiNi Spotz
I'm a toddler. I can eat on my own, I'm toilet trained and I can wash my hands properly. I'm learning lots about speech, language and literacy. I still stick to a routine and have set times for meals, rest and play every day.
I'm becoming social and, when the weather is nice, my KiDZSPOT friends and I get to spend a lot of time playing outside.
I'm learning to do much more on my own.
MiGHTY Spotz
I'm 3 -4 years old. I'm pretty independent and can do most things on my own.
I can scribble and do some 'early writing', I get to play with puzzles and games and I love imaginative play.
I'm involved in drama activities and I participate in Show and Tell.
I have rest time every day; but if I don't want to sleep, I can sit quietly and do something on my own with my educator watching over me.
PREP Spotz
I'm over 4 years old and enjoying the final stage of childcare. I'm a pre-schooler and doing the School Readiness Program so I can be ready for kindergarten.
At the end of the year, my educators start the School Transition Program, I get to wear a cap and gown when I graduate and I even get to go on a trip to my local school with my KiDZSPOT friends.
About STEM Learning
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
STEM learning in early education is crucial to the successful transition to school because STEM is important for all children. It’s not just for kids who have natural abilities in maths and science. STEM learning is vital for the development of skills such as critical thinking, observation, problem-solving and planning. STEM is about applying knowledge rather than just remembering it.
STEM subjects helps children construct meaning of the world around them as they engage in hands-on explorations in co-constructed environments.
Curriculum
Core learning areas
My Spot
We support child-led learning. What is it child-led learning?
Child-led learning is learning that is directed by the child's interests. Children don't have to do anything they don't want to do.
We all know that having to do something that is forced on us doesn't really bring out the best in us. So we create an environment where we allow children to choose what they want to do. It supports everything we claim learning to be: it is empowering and instils a love of learning.
Our kids love it. We're sure yours will too.
Reading Room
Reading is a part of our everyday routine.
Children are exposed to a variety of topics to broaden their horizon and introduce them to new ideas and concepts. Reading time also involves discussion time where questions can be asked and interpretations made. It's all about building vocabulary, learning sounds and mastering language. Reading is the gateway to imagination and creativity. Let us open those doors for your child.
We say reading is the heart of learning.
Maths in Motion
We turn maths into everyday life.
Numeracy for pre-schoolers includes the teaching of traditional practices, such as numbers, words and counting, and we include it in just about everything else we do.
Numeracy is incorporated into play activities, such as cooking, building blocks, even in drama and reading. We introduce the concept of 'numbers in life' so that children grasp the relationship between maths and daily life as early as possible.
Science Lab
Science helps nurture a child’s interest in the natural world.
We use science to stimulate curiosity, teach science concepts, foster a sense of adventure and curiosity, so children learn to appreciate and understand the amazing natural world.
It also helps with problem solving and introduces children to the basic elements of scientific reasoning (seeking evidence, testing predictions etc.).
The wonders of science come from those who wandered...
Music & Dance Studio
Children naturally love music.
We feel music both physically and emotionally because it is naturally linked to the rhythms of our bodies.
We use dance and music as a form of expression. Children get to release energy as they can move to a beat, however fast or slow they choose. Music helps development in some very important areas, such as gross motor skills, awareness of movement and body, social skills, emotion and thought expression, and, of course, balance, coordination and rhythm.
We say that music is the soul of learning.
Dramatic Play
Kids love make-believe.
Just like the benefits of music and dance, drama unleashes expression, imagination and creativity. It refines public speaking skills, develops emotional intelligence and empathy, and strengthens social skills. It's also fantastic for concentration.
Drama is not about creating professional actors – it's about giving children the space and place to do pretend play and express their artistic abilities.
Construction Workshop
Constructive play involves working with ‘things’ and getting young minds and hands to stack assemble, disassemble, sort, mould and shape.
Constructive play for pre-schoolers helps children develop their fine and gross motor skills as they master control and manipulation of objects. It's like mini project management. Children get to think, plan, prepare, do and review. It also requires problem-solving as well as working as part of a team.
Constructive play is project management in action.
Art & Craft Workshop
We use arts & craft to unleash the talent within.
Arts & craft activities are designed to develop a child's fine motor skills by enhancing hand-eye coordination and building levels of manual dexterity.
Getting arty and crafty helps children identify new shapes, colours and textures. It also boosts creativity as children get to bring to life the wonderful ideas in their expanding minds.
There is no right or wrong in art - there's just expression.
Physical Play
We participate in the NSW Government’s Munch & Move Program. What is Munch & Move?
Munch & Move is a play-based program that supports child development by promoting healthy eating and physical activity. The children are taught about healthy living by practicing a new physical skill every week.
Munch and Move runs throughout the year and involves fun games and activities as the children practice kicking, balancing, jumping and more. Healthy minds need healthy bodies, let’s keep them munching and moving.
For more info, click here
The Natural World
We teach children about the importance of the natural world so they learn to respect the environment and develop a sense of responsibility in protecting it.
We introduce them to different plant life and we host cute little creatures from the animal world, which is always a big hit! From chicks to turtles, we have the occasional visitor hang out at a KiDZSPOT Centre.
We talk about natural systems and how they function and we demonstrate sustainable practices by using recycled objects in play and in teaching strategies wherever possible.
We are the natural world. We need to protect it.
Events & Incursions
A very big component of the educational program are the events and incursions that enrich the learning experience.
The children get to learn about different cultures and traditions, social and environmental causes, important world events...all of which are presented in fun, interactive ways that are meaningful to growing young minds.
There are also excursions to local schools for our older children so they get to see the school setting in real life.
Through our events and incursions we bond, we celebrate, we dress up, we play...as we grow and learn.
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About Early Learning & Childcare
Studies show that a child's brain develops more between birth to age 5 than at any other time in life. We also know that children who do not attend preschool are 50% more likely to start school behind their peers. Early learning programs will escalate a child's skills and abilities in key social and cognitive functions, such as:
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Fine and gross motor development
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Healthy eating and wellness habits
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Problem solving
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Increased vocabulary
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Scientific thinking and enquiry
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Speaking in sentences/conversation
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Emergent writing
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Mathematical thinking, counting and measuring
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Planning and reflection
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Eagerness/curiosity for learning
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Persistence
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Social skills with peers and adults
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Greater identity of who they are
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Understanding of people, places and environments
AT KIDZSPOT, our approach is based on customising learning so it is based on a child's needs.
Our Education Program is made up of FOCUS GROUPS that are loosely defined by age. We say loosely because age is just a guide. Every child learns at their own pace, in their own style and in their own time. Learning has to be as individual as each child if we want it to be effective and life-long.
Our understanding of how young minds learn and develop has changed greatly over time. We now know that age is an important indicator of a child’s development, but it is by no means the only indicator. It is fundamental to know and understand that every child is different and they will develop and grow in their own natural style. Streamlining children into educational programs based on age only is tricky and can be a major disadvantage for the child both now and well into their entire educational life and beyond.
Effective early education is based on a holistic experience that encompasses a child's strengths, weaknesses and interests. Effective learning can only take place when we feel safe and valued. Where a child is today is not necessarily where they should be; some children will be way ahead while others may need time to catch up because the way they process, absorb and adjust to information is different. Our teaching strategy is based on bringing out the best in our children; we start by ensuring our children feel safe and valued in our care. We then transcend our philosophy of bringing out the best in our education program by developing and assessing a child based on their age as well as their developmental stage, their interests and their overall needs. So, a child's KiDZSPOT FOCUS GROUP is the Group which better reflects their current skill level and their existing development needs.
Towards the future
Everything we do is to prepare our children for school and a future of curiosity, imagination and a love for learning. It all starts from Day One.
Our education program is based on the National Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which is expertly crafted to stimulate brain development through interest and play-based learning.
Our weekly curriculum is made up of a range of activities mapped to the following 5 key learning outcomes in the Early Years Learning Framework:
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Children have a strong sense of identity
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Children are connected with and contribute to their world
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Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
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Children are confident and involved learners
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Children are effective communicators
Customised learning through child-led play
Our approach
Your child's progress
We keep you in the loop so you're aware of where your child is at. Every KiDZSPOT child has their own learning portfolio, which is a collection of their progress notes, photos, activities and anything else related to their learning development.
We provide our families with regular updates using OWNA, which is a digital journal where we share highlights of daily events, photos and progress of our learning requirements against the EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework). OWNA is in real time and it's a private app so only the family gets to see the feed.
It's all a part of the service from us to our families.
Child development
Explore the journey of growth from newborn to early childhood through key milestones in physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development
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