Our Space
Our spacious indoor and outdoor areas and natural play spaces inspire and enhance children's learning. Our environments are rich and stimulating and our program is thoughtfully implemented, incorporating spontaneous and planned teaching experiences. Through our deep connection with nature, focus on play-based learning and rich daily experiences with music and art- endless opportunities are provided for children to explore and develop their curiosity and sense of wonder.
Nature
Nature play and exploration is embedded in our program and we are lucky enough to be surrounded by a beautiful, natural outdoor setting.
Children often spend most of their day exploring our large open spaces, freely digging in the dirt, playing in the sand pits, splashing around with waterplay and tending to their vegetable gardens and worm farms.
We also utilise the ‘Grassy Park’ nearby for regular visits to explore, play soccer, collect special bits and pieces for arts and crafts and look out for our resident koalas and birds in the trees! We believe that it is essential for children to have the freedom to be able to connect with nature and the world day around them every day.
Music and Movement
Music and children go hand in hand as it ignites all areas of child development.
Along with all of the spontaneous music and movement groups that naturally happen throughout the day (we love to sing and dance!) we also offer a progressive music program, and yoga that is tailored to every age group, starting in the Jingi Walla Room (0-2).
Rochelle Wright from the Northern Rivers Conservatorium works within the children’s interests and suggestions to support their knowledge of rhythm, tempo, pitch, volume and melody. The children learn about instruments, different cultures, numeracy, literacy and understanding emotions.
We begin simple yoga- breathing, stretching and moving in the Jingi Walla Room and it flows throughout our program. In the Djimbelung Room, yoga is offered as a weekly program with Joanna, (International Yoga Teachers Diploma) who has a wealth of experience in this field with 20 years of yoga teaching.
These yoga sessions are presented in a creative and fun way through a variety of songs, music, movement and stories. Yoga is a beautiful way for children to practice conscious movement, recognising and dealing with emotions, and calming their bodies.
Music and movement comes naturally to children and our groups are always meaningful and of course lots of fun!
Art
The children at BCCC are inspired every day to express themselves creatively by exploring a wide variety of art tools, natural materials and different mediums.
We believe that every child is an artist, and our annual Children’s Art Show is a highlight of our year and well known throughout the community. The children take great pride in seeing their creations on display in the Art Gallery and throughout town.
Our centre is well equipped with an unlimited amount of arts and crafts opportunities and resources for your child to utilise, with a focus on sustainability using natural and recycled items.
We encourage children to get messy - to engage their senses with tactile play and art experiences-gooey, gluey, muddy, colourful, hands on fun!
Play!
‘Play’ is the epicentre of our centre’s philosophy, program and curriculum.
It is known that play based learning is the best way for a child to be able to develop crucial skills and dispositions for learning in their own way, led by their individual interests as they engage with their educators, peers and the world around them.
Through a variety of different experiences such as construction, sand play, water play, messy, gooey, sensory play, small parts, active and dramatic play, children are able to discover, create, improvise and imagine.
Play expands children’s thinking and provides endless opportunities for them to ask questions, solve problems, engage in critical thinking, form relationships and enrich their desire to know and learn about the world around them. It allows them to simply enjoy ‘being’.
Early Childhood Education is all about fun and celebrating and exploring the joy and wonder of each moment.
“Childhood is not solely or even mainly preparation for adulthood or for the future—it is a time to be, to experience childhood”
(Early Years Learning Framework, November 2008)