A new purpose-built Goodstart Early Learning centre at Plympton has opened its doors to educators, children and their families.
The centre, which replaces the existing Plympton centre, will boost the number of places offered from 39 to 111.
Rather than the current three rooms, the new centre will feature seven rooms, and the large, natural playground has plenty of space for everyone.
Centre director Erica Walker said she was excited about the move, and the new challenges it would offer.
She said she believed in assisting the development of the whole child by promoting them to learn skills necessary to effectively participate in their world through play.
“Play provides children with natural opportunities to engage in meaningful activities that enhance physical, emotional, cognitive, creative, social, language and moral growth.
“With the use of both the indoor and outdoor environment we will encourage the children’s ability to observe, perceive, explore, investigate, imagine, make choices and problem solve.”
The centre includes sensory gardens and paths with stone or concrete steppers in turf and soft ground coverings, challenging natural play elements such as balance logs and rope climbing frames and covered decking and hub areas for family gatherings and larger group activities.
There will also be exploration paths around sand pits, a mud kitchen, an earth pit with digging patch, loose pebbles and herb planting and vegetable gardens.
Timber is used extensively throughout – from the timber logs and bridge to the natural tepee, and an open cubby house for those aged up to two years.
“There is a dry creek bed of mortared and rounded river stone pebbles, and water sources that run in to the sandpits,” Ms Walker said.
The existing staff, including cook Jenny Kammerman, have transferred to the new centre, and there will be a focus on providing healthy nutritious food in an open meal hub. The centre has been built to Goodstart’s design brief standards which provide guidelines to consolidate the knowledge the organisation has gained from many years of experience.
Goodstart Early Learning is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit social enterprises, with turnover exceeding $1 billion. Proceeds are reinvested into providing quality early learning and delivering our vision of giving Australia’s children the best possible start in life.
The centre, which replaces the existing Plympton centre, will boost the number of places offered from 39 to 111.
Rather than the current three rooms, the new centre will feature seven rooms, and the large, natural playground has plenty of space for everyone.
Centre director Erica Walker said she was excited about the move, and the new challenges it would offer.
She said she believed in assisting the development of the whole child by promoting them to learn skills necessary to effectively participate in their world through play.
“Play provides children with natural opportunities to engage in meaningful activities that enhance physical, emotional, cognitive, creative, social, language and moral growth.
“With the use of both the indoor and outdoor environment we will encourage the children’s ability to observe, perceive, explore, investigate, imagine, make choices and problem solve.”
The centre includes sensory gardens and paths with stone or concrete steppers in turf and soft ground coverings, challenging natural play elements such as balance logs and rope climbing frames and covered decking and hub areas for family gatherings and larger group activities.
There will also be exploration paths around sand pits, a mud kitchen, an earth pit with digging patch, loose pebbles and herb planting and vegetable gardens.
Timber is used extensively throughout – from the timber logs and bridge to the natural tepee, and an open cubby house for those aged up to two years.
“There is a dry creek bed of mortared and rounded river stone pebbles, and water sources that run in to the sandpits,” Ms Walker said.
The existing staff, including cook Jenny Kammerman, have transferred to the new centre, and there will be a focus on providing healthy nutritious food in an open meal hub. The centre has been built to Goodstart’s design brief standards which provide guidelines to consolidate the knowledge the organisation has gained from many years of experience.
Goodstart Early Learning is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit social enterprises, with turnover exceeding $1 billion. Proceeds are reinvested into providing quality early learning and delivering our vision of giving Australia’s children the best possible start in life.