Our Early Learning Values & Philosophy

Service Philosophy

Our philosophy represents the values and beliefs that influence and guide our attitudes, behaviours and practices within our kindergarten & pre-prep.

Unique Individuals

Here at Cuddle Bugs Kindergarten & Pre-Prep, we believe all children are unique individuals who come to us with an abundance of prior knowledge and life experiences. We recognise that this prior learning and self-identity has been influenced by children’s family, social experiences, cultural diversity, community and the surrounding environment. Our pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and pre-prep programs are designed to allow for children’s ideas, interests, and knowledge to be explored while also offering activities that introduce new ideas, extend current knowledge and challenge children within a safe, stimulating and stable environment. Children are encouraged to openly express themselves while also accepting and responding appropriately to their own needs along with the needs, ideas and feelings of others.

The Program

We provide a comprehensive pre-kindergarten, kindergarten & pre-prep program based on the Developmental Areas of Learning, Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines and Early Years Learning Framework. Our caring and qualified educators guide and encourage each child to strive to achieve their full potential. The program allows children to engage and contribute in positive and personally meaningful ways with people, environments and learning opportunities.

Play Based Learning

We recognise that play-based learning is a critical part of educating children within a pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and pre-prep program. Within our program, we allow children countless opportunities to experience a range of play-based activities that support their natural curiosity, interests, imagination and desire to learn more about the environment around them.

As active and engaged learners, children are encouraged to use a range of different processes and thinking skills, such as problem-solving, trial and error, cause and effect, experimentation, discovery, research, visual cues and investigation. Children are also encouraged to gain information and source their own learning through engagement and critical exploration of the media, texts, signs, symbols, patterns and technologies within their learning environment.

Activities are delivered in a variety of stimulating ways, including individual learning activities and small, large and whole-group experiences. This promotes a confident self-identity and feelings of belonging and involvement in the Cuddle Bugs community.

Hygiene and Safety

Here at Cuddle Bugs Kindergarten & Pre-Prep, we endeavour to provide a safe and clean environment for children. Children are guided to develop skills and attitudes that promote independence in managing their own and others’ health and safety. We encourage children and staff to develop good personal hygiene and safety practices that reduce safety risks, cross-contamination and the spread of infection.

Staff are always conscious of the need to pursue good health and safety practices, including the need to be aware of and alert to issues such as allergies and illnesses.

The Environment

Here at Cuddle Bugs Kindergarten & Pre-Prep, we consider the environment a crucial tool in educating children. Our viewpoint is that children are more visual beholders, for they approach their world through all their senses.

“A child’s environment is an aromascope, soundscope, colourscope, texturescope, and a lightscope, as well as the world one can experience through the skin, the fingers, and all sensory receptors.” (Ceppi and Zine 1998).

We provide children with the tools and experiences to understand, appreciate and respect a range of environments, such as their kindy environment, community environment, the natural environment and the man-made environments of our world. Children are encouraged to be active caretakers of our environments and learn about the impacts and needs of the world around us. We create programs and learning environments that engage children’s minds and support their learning.

Communication

Here at Cuddle Bugs Kindergarten & Pre-Prep, communication is an extremely valued component of our approach to early years education. Children are encouraged to use a range of communication methods to express themselves and connect with peers, educators, students/volunteers, parents and others inside and outside the service.

Children are taught to share and interpret ideas through skills and methods such as using spoken language, basic sign language, body language, and picture or word card signs and symbols. Children are encouraged to explore different ways to communicate, interact and share meanings.

Parental Input and Involvement

Staff at Cuddle Bugs Kindergarten & Pre-Prep consider it a true privilege to spend time with each child who attends our service. We value and encourage parental input and involvement within our program as we believe that our role (as educators and carers) is to support parents in bringing up their children. Also clear is the role families have as a truly valuable resource for our service. We are accepting of a myriad of different family, cultural and social practices, and we endeavour to build strong, supportive relationships between staff and parents. We aim to share knowledge and information with parents and families so they, too, feel part of our friendly environment.

Equal Opportunity

We accept and respect all differences and diversity within the community and here at our service. Each individual child is treated equally and with respect and dignity regardless of gender, nationality, language, cultural beliefs, abilities and disabilities. Within our service, we show welcoming acceptance of all staff, children and others, and we provide an equal opportunity for all children and staff to learn. We encourage children to be aware of and show respect for others’ needs, rights, differences, beliefs and opinions.