Our teachers deliver a high quality; flexible program based around the needs of 3, 4 & 5 year old children. Children are provided with a wide range of learning experiences where they are encouraged to explore and discover with support and care.
Our program is influenced by the Reggio Emilia Experience. This philosophy of teaching and learning has been embraced and researched by Sofi and all teaching staff.
The kindergarten program aims to provide a balance of active and quiet activities, both indoor and outside. There are lots of different and popular experiences offered to the children such as painting, drawing, music and movement, telling stories and recording them, a home corner, play to stimulate the senses, puzzles and games. These are enjoyed inside the kinder and out in the beautiful garden.
In addition to the regular kindergarten program, alternate experiences are encouraged to extend the children’s interest in topics they are exploring. Incursions and excursions remain integral, broadening the children’s opportunities for learning and fun. Dressing up, meeting animals, listening to music, becoming an audience member and exploring new environments could all be part of their journey. The kindergarten is exceptionally well equipped with many educational resources for early childhood learning.
Bush Kinder
Wattle Hill’s bush kinder program offers an exciting play experience for all children enrolled in our four-year-old program, and is held in beautiful Wattle Park, adjacent to our kindergarten.
Children enrolled in our four-year old kindergarten program participate in approximately one session of bush kinder each fortnight, where they explore, discover, learn and connect with nature. There are no toys or tools, just the natural materials found in the park. Outdoor play in natural environments has wonderful benefits for children’s health, development and wellbeing. The program also relies on parent involvement and support to go ahead.
Sustainability
Wattle Hill Kindergarten supports children to develop their awareness of sustainability principals and how our actions can have an impact on the world around us.
Through hands on learning experiences we engage children in learning knowledge, skills and values which develop their ability to maintain their own wellbeing – and that of their community and the planet.
Sustainable practices are embedded across the kindergarten and integrated into our program.
What this looks like at our kindergarten:
- Chickens where children can feed their food scraps
- A worm farm where children can feed their food scraps
- Water tank for the children to water the garden and veggie patch
- Sort our morning tea and lunch ‘waste’ into separate containers – food scraps (for our friendly chickens and worms), recyclables and rubbish