Hi my name is Jo, and I am the Centre Manager here at Community Kids Mornington. I began my early childhood education and care career in 2000 and started working at  in 2018. I hold a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Advance Diploma in Community Sector Management.

Each child is an individual and unique in their own way, they develop in their own time, and there is no right or wrong way in learning. As an educator, I have found it is important for us to adapt our teaching styles to suit what the children need, not the other way round.

I am very passionate about helping children in their learning and life journey. I want every child to feel safe and secure in their learning environment. We are there to make sure that they are confident to take risks and accept new challenges. But to also know we are there to support them no matter what and help them achieve a positive outcome.

Children learn from each other, form close bonds with their educators and friends. And this is all beneficial to their learning and development. Being at an early education centre, we focus on the child. We also work closely with the families to ensure we have a learning-rich program with lots of variety for their child.  Some examples of our learning environments include dinosaur exploration, the children telling stories using puppets, camping and the links to bush kinder.

Our team understands just how important your children are to you, and we ensure we take our responsibilities seriously. At Community Kids, we make sure all children feel safe and secure in their learning environment and treated as an individual. We ensure we follow all correct health and safety policies, and we regularly clean throughout the day. We teach the children about washing their hands and the appropriate times to do this.

We are more than a team at Community Kids Mornington. We are a family! We have staff members who have been at the centre for many years, with many living in the local community. As a smaller centre, we have the great advantage of getting to know all our families and children no matter what room they may be in. They work together as a team, and their main priority and passion are the children in their care.

As a parent with their child at the centre, I understand how daunting it is trying to find the perfect centre that fits the needs of yourself and your child. When the parents come into the centre, I talk through the main aspects of the centre and let them know some of the differences we have to other centres. I answer any questions on the spot and reassure them. If parents struggle with the enrolment papers, I am more than happy to talk them through the, as well as setting up their accounts and organising their . I do that one step at a time to ensure that the parents understand it.

Welcome to Community Kids Mornington!

“Let the child be the scriptwriter, director and the actor in their own play” - Magda Gerber

Nursery Space: 6 weeks – 2 years

Learning starts from before birth, and our Educators have created a welcoming and nurturing nursery environment where each baby feels safe to explore and discover new things - through their senses, their communication and cues (body language, facial expression and sounds) and through experimentation. On any given day you can see the nursery children engaging in all types of play including sensory play, music time, story time and more. Every day provides a brand new, exciting adventure for our babies to support their development, learning and wellbeing.

Toddler Space: 2 - 3 years

Our teachers and educators encourage the children to learn through play to help enhance their sensory-motor development. This happens through carefully planned music, dance, games, role playing and reading experiences.

On any given day the Toddlers can be seen developing their numeracy by building a tower, sorting objects, pointing and identifying shapes and patterns and participating in counting songs and games.

Children in our toddler space are encouraged to participate in group play. Group play is important as it helps our toddlers develop important social skills such as, turn-taking, developing self-confidence and emotional self-regulation. Our skilled team helps children through talking, planning and role modelling.

Kindergarten Space: 3 – 6 years

Kindergarten is a unique time for learning with peers and developing skills for later learning including confidence and curiosity, important skills for starting school. Our play-based program has school readiness at its core, encouraging active engagement in learning and supporting a range of positive developmental outcomes including resilience, independence, critical thinking and creativity.

The oral language supports literacy learning and a child’s oral language ability is the best predictor for later success in learning to read and write. Hearing the sounds within a language is the first critical step for all literacy learning. Our team supports our Kindergarten children's literacy development by engaging in rich discussions, reading, storytelling, dramatic play and experimentation all of which introduce new vocabulary as part of everyday conversations.

Throughout the Kindergarten year, children use their language to share ideas, ask questions, express themselves, and connect with peers and adults in social settings.

Social-emotional skills, including the ability to self-regulate emotions, are supported through group learning experiences. Our team supports each child’s social and emotional development by labelling and talking about emotions and supporting appropriate responses as together, they engage in new and challenging situations. Our goal in the kindergarten year is to prepare children and families for a smooth transition to primary school.

Our centre offers the VIC Government-approved ‘Best Start, Best Life’ Kindergarten Program.

Our centre offers the Victorian Government-approved ‘Kinder: Best Start, Best Life’ program for 3–4-year-olds, providing up to 15 hours per week of funded Kindergarten. This program supports children’s learning, development, and well-being, setting them up for future success.

Our Enhanced Learning Program for Kindergarten children focuses on:

• Numeracy & Literacy: Developing key skills for lifelong learning.
• Self-Regulation: Fostering emotional control and resilience.
• Social & Emotional Development: Supporting independence and building healthy relationships.
• Creativity & Problem-Solving: Encouraging curiosity and critical thinking.

With extended hours and a year-round program (excluding public holidays), our Kindergarten program is delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers committed to supporting your child’s individual development.

Additional Benefits Include:

• Government subsidy: Further reduces out-of-pocket Kinder fees in addition to your eligible Childcare Subsidy (CCS).
• Personalised Learning Plans: Tailored to your child’s unique needs.
• Rhythm and Resilience Program: Music and movement to improve emotional regulation.
• School Readiness: Preparing your child for a smooth transition to school.

We also engage with local schools and provide transition statements, ensuring your child feels confident and prepared for the next steps in their education journey. Stay connected with your child’s progress via our Xplor platform, which offers regular updates on their learning and development.

Our centre chef prepares and cooks nutritious meals daily, catering to the unique dietary requirements of every child. We believe that by encouraging active participation (such as growing their own fruit and vegetables, preparing, and finally cooking!) children learn to appreciate and understand the importance of healthy eating across a wide variety of food.

Our centre offers seasonal whole food-based menus – created to delight the fussiest eaters.

At our centre, we provide a variety of engaging experiences that enhance and bring our learning curriculum to life each day. 

Weekly Activities:
• Rhythm & Movement For Self-Regulation Program (RAMSR): Designed to develop fundamental skills that help support children’s self-regulation, memory, and concentration (all ages).
• Cultural Day: Our centre offers a specially designed menu that introduces children to a variety of flavours and dishes from different cultures, giving them the opportunity to experience foods they may not usually try (all ages).
• Cooking Classes: Encouraging active participation in meal preparation, teaches the children the importance of healthy eating (all ages).
• Sustainability program: helps children understand the importance of embedding sustainable practices into everyday life (all ages).
• Discovery Projects: each room explores a specific topic of interest and develops a project around it, with children involved throughout the process. Topics may include areas such as space, butterflies, or animal habitats, encouraging curiosity, exploration, and deeper learning.

Monthly Themes:
• Our centre also offers a variety of incursions, excursions, and special programs to enrich children's learning. These may include visists from Funky Farm, library visits, and King Swim sessions to support literacy, animal awareness, and water confidence.

• During school holidays, enrolled children can enjoy special holiday programs, and Kindergarten-aged children may participate in excursions such as visits to The Big Goose, extending learning beyond the classroom.

(Programs may change based on children’s interests/availability. Speak to your centre manager to find out more).