I have been caring for children as a Family Day Care Educator since 2000, as well as raising my own two children. I provide a fun, warm, inviting and nurturing atmosphere for children, with many families continuing to use care with me until their child goes to school, and often returning for vacation care once in primary school. I have a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, as well as a Bachelor of Education, a Graduate Diploma in Special Education and a Bachelor of Education in Librarianship.
 
We play outdoors in the children's garden which has a large shaded play area with many different types of play equipment including slides, a baby swing, a circular swing, climbing frames, sandpit, sand box, balls and racquets, ride on toys, and mini trampoline to encourage active play. The children learn to appreciate the environment, and learn about sustainability by helping to care for our strawberry plants and other plants such as sunflowers which we grow from seed in season. We feed the plants with worm tea from the worm farm, which are fed with scraps from the children's meals as part of our sustainability program. Indoors I offer a variety of activities based on the children's interests and developmental abilities, including art and craft, dancing and music, construction sets, trains, toy animals, puzzles and much more. We focus on social skills where children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect in readiness for school.  

The program plans for the children are based on the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, as well as my observations of the children's development, parental input, the children's interests, and intentional teaching in areas such as road safety, literacy and numeracy, and being healthy. Children's portfolios are regularly sent home with families for them to look at together. The portfolios provide information to the families about the children's experiences and progression in family day care, as well as the opportunity for families to contribute family experiences and photos to the portfolio. This enhances the connection between family day care educator and families, and encourages children to feel that they are part of the family day care community in my home. The children love to look at their portfolios, and treasure them as a record of their friends and experiences while in family day care.

We attend story time at local libraries, as well as go on excursions to places of interest for the children, including various playgrounds. I am able to do kinder drop offs and pick ups, and am flexible in regard to booked hours, and other requests so as to be able to meet families' individual needs. I maintain the same sleep routine that you have for your child, and move through toilet training and other developments with families as the child, and families' needs change over time.  

I usually have preschool vacancies at the end of each year as older children leave to go to school, and I am happy to add names to my wait list (for no fee), as I will offer care to those who have a place on my wait list before any other requests for care. Care vacancies can change and it is best to contact me if you would like to be placed on my wait list for care as vacancies become available Please call me to discuss your care needs on 0435 197 811.