Willow: 6 weeks - 12 months (8 places) and Eden: 1-2 years (12 places) and Sage: 1-2 years (12 places)
The naturally curious infants begin to explore as they observe, listen, investigate and learn. The educators are committed to providing a safe and stimulating environment for children’s holistic growth, development and sense of belonging.
The educators welcome each new infant with respect and anticipation. They take the time to learn about each child through careful observation and through daily communication with families to understand their unique requirements and routines.
Free movement: the educators believe in Emmi Pickler’s philosophy, “Babies are allowed to move naturally and spontaneously follow their own developmental timetable.” Environments at Harmony are designed to invite children’s free movement and educators encourage the infants to reach out, roll, crawl and cruise in order to develop their core muscles which supports them to become independently mobile.
Baby led weaning: educators invite children to feed themselves from the time they commence solids, following the infant’s lead. The centre provides a healthy, balanced mix of finger foods and supports the child to monitor how much they wish to eat. Educators are always sitting and engaging with the child during mealtimes.
Individualised care moments: educators remain ‘present’ during nappy change times and communicate respectfully with children. Emmi Pikler and Magda Gerber believe caregivers need to take the time to make nappy-changing, feeding, bathing and dressing an unhurried, relaxed and pleasant quality time – with the baby being an active partner.
Exploratory times: each day children at Harmony have uninterrupted time for play and interaction. Crawling and walking infants are invited to freely explore the indoor and outdoor areas and gardens, interacting with nature, each other, and the world around them. Non-mobile infants are supported by the educators.
Luna: 2-3 years (20 places) and Aura: 2-3 years (20 places)
At this age, the children learn through exploration, investigation and inquiry. The passionate early childhood educators at the centre welcome each child with enthusiasm and respect. They know that this age group is curious, energetic and in a growth leap – that’s why the educators focus on learning about each child and develop a self-paced environment to help them flourish and succeed. Educators encourage comprehensive, two-way communication to keep parents informed with how their child is progressing.
Rest and sleep times: the educators begin to develop rest and sleep rituals for the two to three year olds. For those children who do not require sleep during their day, educators offer alternative, quiet-time learning experiences.
Mealtimes: children are viewed as confident and capable during mealtime and are aware of their own needs. Educators know that they’ll eat as much or as little as their body needs.
Independent toileting: educators invite children to this experience with patience and trust. They create an unrushed and positive experience for each child while they gain toileting independence. A child will be supported with the utmost respect and with special attention to their dignity during these moments.
Creative experiences: educators invite children to explore a selection of materials and resources, colour palettes, utensils and surfaces each day – all readily available and within easy access to express their thinking and understanding of the world.
Exploratory times: each day, the children are offered large blocks of uninterrupted time for play and inquiry. Children at Harmony can plan for play across all our spaces using a wide variety of resources and materials with support from peers and educators.
Echo: 3-5 years (33 places)
At Harmony, the educators are committed to providing an environment which enables children to flourish as critical thinkers, confident learners and resilient play partners. The qualified pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and preschool teachers and educators are committed to working with and alongside each child as they engage with the ever-changing nature of the world. Educators know they’ll need a wide range of life skills and an emerging sense of self as they approach their school years.
Morning meetings: this group’s morning meetings are an important launch point and key ritual for the day. All children are encouraged to share their thinking for play and encouraged to plan for their play. This could be a verbal plan discussed with an educator or a drawing/record of their plan. This helps them create a structure for their large block of uninterrupted time in the morning.
Mealtimes: educators work with progressive meals times as part of supporting self-regulation for all age groups of children. In this way, children have an opportunity to sit with small groups of friends to enjoy a self-serve meal or snack at the table. Children use real crockery and utensils in order to connect to the real world. Educators always sit at the table alongside children to support this social learning experience.
Rest times: educators use rest time as an opportunity for children to begin to develop autonomy as they are supported by educators to go to sleep or rest independently – including older infants. All children can rest or participate in quiet time learning activities for a period during the day to recharge for the afternoon.
Small group times: these are offered throughout the day and include music, dance, story reading and storytelling, small and large muscle physical play, games with rules, and reflections on learning.
Creative experiences: the educators invite children to explore a selection of materials and resources, colour palettes, utensils and mediums each day– all readily available and within easy access to express their thinking and understanding of the world.
Exploratory times: each day children are offered large blocks of uninterrupted time for play and inquiry. Children at Harmony can plan for play across all our spaces using a wide variety of resources and materials with support from peers and educators.
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