Karalee

Karalee Play and Learn Centre includes infants from 6wks – 3yrs and a Kindergarten program for our 4yr-5yr olds.

“Our programs are play based aimed with knowledge that children learn best when provided with opportunities and environments to freely engage with the world around them in pursuit of their own interests and curiosities.  The classroom environments are full of innovative and original activities that allow children time and space to explore and learn.  Early Childhood Services are a platform in which children can practice the skills required for their futures such as friendships, exploring and understanding emotions and ultimately discovering their own footprint within the broader community.”

— Zoe Watts, Karalee Service Director

Our Team

Julie-Watts
Julie Watts
Operations Manager
Zoe-Watts
Zoe Watts
Service Director

Facilities

Infants (6 weeks – 18 months)

Our Karalee Infants room is licensed for 12 infants with 3 permanently employed educators.

Experience with infants over the years has taught us that sometimes babies are not predictable and a third educator may be employed to assist with the room.

Several factors will be considered in determining when three educators will work in this group they include;

  • How many bookings there is on each day – no point having three educators with one baby.
  • If a new infant is to start at the service – extra help is often needed while settling and bonding with children.
  • The ages within the group.
  • The individual needs of each infant.

Experiences

Our main focus in the room is forming secure attachments with your baby. Secure attachments and trust develop when we respond consistently, sensitively and confidently. Our attachment however will not affect your babies’ attachment to you – it helps them be close to people.

Current research very clearly tells us that babies who experience any care that is unresponsive, unpredictable or threatening may develop problems developing trust and attachment, this often affects a child’s overall development.

What we will do to establish Infant connections

  • Connect with parents so you feel relaxed and confident in using the service.
  • Smile at your baby – so simple but so powerful
  • Cuddle
  • Sing
  • Baby massage or bath
  • Read Stories

Have tummy time and encourage your child to reach their infant milestones.

Toddlers (18 months – 2.5 years)

Karalee’s Toddler room is licensed for 10 children with 2 permanently employed educators.

Settling children is again our main focus in this age grouping as now children are very aware when their primary caregivers have left.

Anxious and stressed children find it difficult to learn anything so bonding and establishing relationships with your child is vitally important.

Experiences

Our Toddlers have many opportunities to join in fun and educational experiences throughout the day. Informing us about what your Toddler loves to do helps us to plan for the transition from home to the centre.

Toddlers are developmentally egocentric. So helping Toddlers understand that there are other children in the group who may want to play with the same trucks is really tricky!! In helping this we deliberately set up our environments with multiple equipment that is the same or similar. Having one off pieces of equipment sets children up for challenges. However not everything can be avoided and nor should it, our educators are skilled in helping Toddlers learn life’s social skills.

Similarly, your child’s sensory motor development is vitally important. The Toddlers years see rapid growth in your child’s sensory motor systems and it is these systems that provide your child with the foundations for academic learning.

To continue developing the sensory motor systems we will

  • Crawl / Spin / Creep / Climb / Jump
  • Dance
  • Explore messy play – please supply old clothes
  • Skip / hop / throw / catch
  • Sing / play music
Junior Kindy & Kindy (2 years – 4 years)

Karalee’s Kindy rooms cater for children 2-4 yrs, we have three Kindy rooms.

Our two Junior Kindy rooms are each licensed for 15 children aged approx. 2.5 yrs – 3 yrs with 3 permanently employed educators per room and one Senior Kindy room which is licensed for 22 children aged approx. 3 yrs – 4 yrs with 2 permanently employed staff.

The service will be flexible with age groupings to meet the needs of our children our families and the community.

Remaining flexible with age grouping allows for children of the same family to be together or children who are friends to remain together while settling.

Experiences

Within this age group our educators are planning activities that develop the integrations of two brain hemispheres, fine hand co-ordination, sense of direction, awareness of time and many other really important areas of development.

So often we hear parents say “When will they learn their colours, their numbers and letters” and although this is somewhat important they ARE NOT the markers for a child’s ongoing success and later learning. What I mean is a child may be able to recite the alphabet but unable to sit for a story or problem solve with peers.

Our service looks at children holistically across many areas of development some that cannot be seen nor measured nor sent home on a piece of paper but please note we are always thinking planning and evaluating all that we do.

In our Kindy groups we will be

  • Running
  • Playing ball
  • Drawing
  • Painting and some days it will be messy.
  • Water play
  • Listening to story / music
  • Playdough and clay
  • Climbing…….parents look away if you have to….! But small risky play is vital and if we deny children of risk taking in Early Childhood they will take greater risks as adolescents and these risks will have far graver consequences. So please allow us to be at the top of the fort…
Pre-Prep (4 years – 5 years)

Our Karalee Pre-prep room is our Approved Kindergarten program led by our Early Childhood Teacher.

The room is licenced for 22 children with 1 Teacher and 1 Assistant and children in this room who are then moving to Prep will be 4yrs old by June 30th.

Let’s get ready for Prep …….not really at Karalee!! What??? What is being ready anyway? It will be so different for each child and each family. So often parents rely on markers such as knowing colours and letters as being school ready and that could not be further than the truth.

Prep teachers often tell us that if a child can look after their own belongings at school they will be eternally grateful…. But that doesn’t sound as glamorous at the end of the day does it…. “Oh...by the way your Billy put his pencil in the pencil holder today” said NO Teacher ever…..but at Play and Learn Karalee those life skills are just as important as learning our colours.

Our kindergarten program is based on the Queensland Curriculum guidelines and a copy can be found at

www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/kindergarten/curriculum

Experiences

We look at children holistically and our programs are play centered – (hence our name) Block play, games, puzzles, arts and crafts, dress ups, dancing, stories and singing are just a few things your child will enjoy.

Fun environments ensure that children learn best. When children are pressured to rote learn, recite and spend long periods of being directed and lectured by adults learning actually becomes far more difficult. When it happens naturally driven by children interests it has greater meaning and therefore retained more easily.

Getting ready for prep is:

  • Using language to communicate ideas and feelings.
  • Co-operating with peers without hitting /pushing and biting.
  • Adjust to separating from their primary caregiver
  • Working independently
  • Expressing ideas and thoughts though the arts
  • Developing language for problem solving i.e. Words like “lets negotiate”
  • Mastering fine and gross motor skills – I cannot write if I don’t know where my body is in time and space.

Fee Schedule

(Subject to change without prior notice)

Group Name Age Daily Fee
Infants & Toddlers 6wks - 2yrs $131/day
Junior Kindy 2yrs - 3yrs $131/day
Kindy & Pre Prep 3yrs - 5yrs $129/day

What you need to bring

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Wide Brim Hat

Your first sun smart hat is supplied by Play and Learn
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Water Bottle

To keep children hydrated throughout the day
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Footwear

So little feet get used to wearing shoes
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Linen & Blankets

Play and Learn Karalee will supply all linen.
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Spare Clothes

For after water play or lunch time adventures
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Preferred Formula

If your child can’t have the S26 we provide
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Comforter

That special item your child find comfort in
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A Bag

To put everything into morning and afternoon

Upcoming Events

Jan

New Year’s Day Public Holiday -Service Closed

January 2, 2023

New Year’s Day Public Holiday -Service Closed

Jan

Chinese New Year – Year of the Rabbit

January 22, 2023

Chinese New Year – Year of the Rabbit

Jan

Australia Day Celebrations

January 25, 2023

Australia Day Celebrations

Jan

Australia Day Public Holiday - Centre Closed

January 26, 2023

Australia Day Public Holiday - Centre Closed

Feb

Centre 5th Birthday

February 18, 2023

Centre 5th Birthday

Feb

Pancake Day

February 21, 2023

Pancake Day – Pancakes for morning tea

Mar

Dr Seuss Day

March 2, 2023

Dr Seuss Day – dress up

Mar

March Red Nose Day

March 17, 2023

March Red Nose Day

Mar

Harmony Day

March 21, 2023

Harmony Day

Apr

Easter Break – Service Closed (7th - 10th)

April 7, 2023

Easter Break – Service Closed (7th - 10th)

Apr

PJ Day

April 6, 2023

PJ Day

Apr

ANZAC Day–Service Closed

April 25, 2023

ANZAC Day–Service Closed

Apr

National superhero Day

April 28, 2023

National superhero Day

May

Labour Day - Centre Closed

May 1, 2023

Labour Day - Centre Closed

May

Ipswich Show Day - Centre Closed

May 19, 2023

Ipswich Show Day - Centre Closed

May

National Sorry Day

May 26, 2023

National Sorry Day

May

Reconciliation Week (27th - 3rd)

May 27, 2023

Reconciliation Week (27th - 3rd)

Jun

Family Day

June 15, 2023
4pm

Family Day – 4pm bring along all your special family members to celebrate all our wonderful families.

Jun

Fairy Day

June 26, 2023

Fairy Day - come dressed as a fairy or princes

Jul

NAIDOC Week (3rd - 10th)

July 3, 2023

NAIDOC Week (3rd - 10th)

Jul

Teddy Bears Picnic

July 10, 2023

Teddy Bears Picnic – bring along your teddy

Jul

Crazy Hair Day

July 29, 2023

Crazy Hair Day

Aug

Book Week (20th - 26th)

August 20, 2023

Book Week (20th - 26th)

Sep

Celebrating Educators Day

September 7, 2023

Celebrating Educators Day

Sep

R U OKAY Day

September 14, 2023

R U OKAY Day

Sep

Talk like a Pirate Day

September 19, 2023

Talk like a Pirate Day

Oct

Month of October – Polished Man – Violence against children

October 1, 2023

Month of October – Polished Man – Violence against children

Oct

Centre Closed- King’s Birthday

October 2, 2023

Centre Closed- King’s Birthday

Nov

Recycling Week (9th - 15th)

November 9, 2023

Recycling Week (9th - 15th)

Nov

Remembrance Day

November 11, 2023

Remembrance Day

Nov

Odd Sock Day – wear your odd socks

November 21, 2023

Odd Sock Day – wear your odd socks

Dec

Wear your Christmas shirts all month

December 1, 2023

Wear your Christmas shirts all month

Dec

Preschool Graduation

December 15, 2023
3:30pm - 4:00pm

Preschool Graduation

Dec

End of Year Party

December 15, 2023
4:00pm - 5:30pm

End of Year Party

Dec

Last day - End of year water party

December 22, 2023

Last day - End of year water party

Contact Details

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