OLD FASHIONED KIDS PLAY CARE
GOLD Coast parents are turning to boutique childcare centres with cottage-style care and chicken patting, rather than the once-common franchised businesses.
Operators say more parents are opting for hands-on care in centres that are family owned and operated, offering an old-fashioned play day approach with quirky extra curricular activities.
Little Seeds Early Learn- ing Centre will open next week in the new Palm Beach Heights estate with a focus on nature-inspired learning while centres like Joy’s Place for Children in Southport and Little Scholars in Yatala and Stapylton pride themselves on boutique family care.
Little Scholars owner Jae Fraser, president of the Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland, said operators were moving towards more niche care.
“Families are more attuned to early education than ever and understand the first five years of a child’s life are critical,” he said.
“With the local familyowned childcare centres they get to meet the owner or op- erator and it’s more hands-on with their children. Families want more time on the weekend to do things, so having those extra-curricular activities during the week really helps them.”
Little Seeds Early Leaning Centre will have activities, including making mud pies, catching insects and cleaning out chook pens. Centre owner Terrie Watson said previous childcare models had stifled a natural play and learning approach because of their focus on streamlining costs and economies of scale.
“We focus on what children want to learn through experiencing nature and getting dirty while still incorporating traditional activities on softfall surfaces,” she said.
“This could be anything from making mud pies through to marvelling at the wonders of bugs and insects caught with a jar or learning how to catch a ball.
“Good, old-fashioned play can still happen within the safeguards of the industry’s legislation and regulations and our centre will be championing this type of activity.”
Families are more attuned to early education than ever and understand the first five years of a child’s life are
critical JAE FRASER