kindergarten programs Archives - Early Learning Childhood Education

23/02/201724/02/2017

The Benefits of Open Days for Families (and Centres!)

Open Days are an essential ingredient to help families make the right choice for their children when it comes to starting their early childhood education.

For a family to choose the centre or kinder that best suits their needs and preferences for their child isn’t as simple as looking at a website or hearing positive things in the community. While these are important and help with the decision-making process, there’s no substitute for getting up close and personal with a centre and its staff.

Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale, Victoria is hosting an Open Day on Saturday 4 March. From 10am until midday we have invited members of our local community to come along and visit our centre.

We’ve arranged a music show and yoga with Bonkers for children and families to be entertained as well as gain a deeper, more interactive understanding of our approach to early childhood education.

Attending Open Days presents many benefits to families. Here are three of the main reasons families should definitely attend Open Days to get firsthand experience of a centre:

How Families Can Get the Most from Open Days

1: Programs and Facilities
Explore the centre and see for yourself what it has on offer, rather than read or hear about it.

2: Meet the Educators
Meet some of the individuals you would be entrusting with your child’s wellbeing.

Questions to consider:
-Do I find the educators and staff to be likeable and friendly?
-Did the team seem genuine and passionate?
-What are the team’s qualifications and specialty areas?

3: Trust Your Feelings
Get a feel for the centre that can only be felt in person.

Questions to consider:
-How do you feel visiting the centre?
-Can I see my child enjoying spending time at the centre?

Perhaps you’re from a centre and have been wondering if an Open Day is worthwhile for you to showcase what you have on offer for local families – here’s how you can deliver to the community and give them the information they need to decide if you’re the right fit for their families.

Reasons Why Your Centre Should Hold an Open Day

1: Showcase your centre
Don’t just tell – SHOW the local community and families what you have to offer. Planning an open day allows you to put your best foot forward and demonstrate to families why they should choose your centre for their child or children.

2: Meet the Families
Early childhood education is a crucial part of a child’s life and in our communities. Engaging with local families shows and grows your passion for your centre’s wider community and its members. An Open Day could be the beginning of a long relationship between you, your centre and these parents and children.

3: Be Transparent
You can have great flyers, ads and a perfect centre, but the way your centre makes parents and families feel when they are there is a key factor when it comes to enrolling. Let your centre’s positive energy and warm atmosphere shine through to families on a day dedicated to your centre and all that it has to offer children who attend!

Attend or hold an Open Day this year and enjoy the benefits for yourself as either a parent or a centre.

If you’re local to the Aspendale area, visit our Open Day at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder & Childcare on Saturday 4 March, 10am-12pm. Hope to see you there!

30/06/201630/06/2016

WHY Wellness REALLY Works

“Wellness is a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential. Wellness is multidimensional and holistic, encompassing lifestyle, mental and spiritual wellbeing, and the environment. Wellness is positive and affirming.” National Wellness Institute

We all want to be the best version of ourselves possible. And we want the children in our care to reach their full potential too. Working towards wellness is the key.

Wellness is made up of several connected parts, and can really only be approached holistically. By approaching early childhood education with wellness in mind, we can make an incredible positive impact for all involved.

The Australian Psychological Society’s 2015 survey on stress and wellbeing in Australia showed that the wellbeing of Australians is faring worse than the first survey in 2011 – we’re reporting lower levels of wellbeing and workplace wellbeing, as well as higher levels of stress, depression and anxiety symptoms. This is in line with BeyondBlue’s statistics that suggest there are 3 million Australians living with depression or anxiety.

It’s time that we in early childhood education put some serious effort into the wellness of both educators and children. The best way to change the future is with wellness and some inspired leadership action. This is the mentality behind The Complete Wellness Works Educational Leaders Conference.

This is a conference like no other, designed specifically for educational leaders, management, directors and owners. It’s time to lead your centre with an early childhood revolution. You can learn more and register today at www.bonkersbeat.com/wellnessworks/.

Early childhood education needs a holistic approach, and the multi-faceted nature of wellness is the ideal foundation to build the future on.

Wellness in early childhood really does work, and The Complete Wellness Works Educational Leaders Conference is going to show you how to make it work for you and your centre.

Alina Dan is an internationally renowned early childhood presenter and business developer – her presentation will empower you to reach your full potential in your role as a leader.

Galina Zenin is a multi-award winning educator and her Seven Stone Philosophy is a clear path to incorporating wellness in early childhood. Her presentation is not only informative but gives you practical tools and inspiring insights into incorporating wellness to make your centre the best it can be.

Why does wellness work?

Here’s the simple answer: the path to wellness in early childhood is also the path to reaching our full potential. Let’s get started on the journey to wellness and watch as your team and the children in your care flourish – not to mention your centre.

Spots are filling FAST! Secure yours now – register at www.bonkersbeat.com/wellnessworks/

14/04/201614/04/2016

3 Reasons Open Days are a MUST

When it comes to choosing the right centre to kick off a child’s early childhood education, parents are dedicated to making an informed choice. Many spend time researching online and seeking opinions from family, friends and colleagues. However, there is no substitute for visiting a centre and getting a feel for the facilities, the environment and the people.

For parents, Open Days at early learning centres offer the opportunity to see firsthand what the centre has to offer. When Open Days are scheduled for weekends, you get the freedom of exploring the centre and chatting with educators and staff without interruptions. For centres, Open Days give you the chance to showcase what you’ve got to offer your community’s youngest members and put your very best foot forward.

First, let’s look at 3 reasons why Open Days are a MUST for parents to attend, then we’ll go through 3 reasons why centres should have Open Days.

3 Reasons Why Families Should Attend Open Days

1: Programs and Facilities
Explore the centre and see for yourself what it has on offer, rather than read or hear about it.

Questions to consider:
-Does the centre have a rich curriculum to benefit my child?
-Are educational programs embedded in the curriculum and offered daily?
-Is there a funded kindergarten program?
-Do the programs give my child the best start?
-Is the centre engaging and does it reflect the children’s learning journey?
-Are the facilities clean and up to date?

2: Meet the Educators
Meet some of the individuals you would be entrusting with your child’s wellbeing.

Questions to consider:
-Do I find the educators and staff to be likeable and friendly?
-Did the team seem genuine and passionate?
-What are the team’s qualifications and specialty areas?

3: Trust Your Feelings
Get a feel for the centre that can only be felt in person.

Questions to consider:
-How do you feel visiting the centre?
-Can I see my child enjoying spending time at the centre?

Now, for centres that are wondering why they should have an Open Day, consider that you need to deliver based on the above reasons that are so important to parents and families. Here’s some more information for centres on these areas…

3 Reasons Why Centres Should Have Open Days

2: Meet the Families
Early childhood education is a crucial part of a child’s life and in our communities. Engaging with local families shows and grows your passion for your centre’s wider community and its members. Open Days can be the beginning of a long relationship between you, your centre and these parents and children.

3: Be Transparent
You can great flyers, ads and a perfect centre, but the way your centre makes parents and families feel when they are there is a key factor when it comes to enrolling. Let your centre’s positive energy and warm atmosphere shine through to families on a day dedicated to your centre and all that it has to offer children who attend!

We have an Open Day coming up this Saturday 16 April at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder & Childcare in Aspendale, Victoria. From 10am-12pm we have invited all families in our community to visit the centre and enjoy a fun morning of exploring. For anyone who would like to see what the Bonkers Beat programs are all about, please join us at 49 Laura Street, Aspendale from 10am-12pm this Saturday 16 April.