A Country Garden Early Childhood Centres in Toowoomba, Queensland | Nursery

A Country Garden Early Childhood Centres

Locality: Toowoomba, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 4635 5448

Address: 38-40 Drayton Rd 4350 Toowoomba, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.acountrygarden.com.au

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25.01.2022 Summer is almost over and 2019 is in full swing! We've welcomed a lot of new little people and their families to our community. All of our room move ups have gone beautifully and everyone seems nicely settled for an exciting year ahead. Stay tuned!

25.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/301274537312405/posts/415507679222423/

25.01.2022 Today we had visitors from the Sunshine Coast when Ocean Life Education came to give the children a live Marine Animal interaction. There was a Baby Bamboo Shark, Fresh Water Turtle, Blue Linckia Seastars, Thorny Seastars, Tropical Sea Cucumber, Black Sea Cucumber, Sea Urchins.

25.01.2022 An important message from one of our families. Please take a moment to read this and join us in support by liking and sharing this page. Hi Parents, I am sure most of you have seen Georgia around Jacaranda House. Georgia was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome when she was 2.5 years old. October is the Rett Syndrome Awareness Month and as you can imagine we have a very small community in Australia so I would like to do my part in raising awareness and tell you a little about Rett S...yndrome. Rett Syndrome is a genetic neurological disorder that occurs almost exclusively in females. Symptoms do not usually occur until the child is six to eighteen months old where the child goes through a regression period leading to lifelong impairment. Speech is lost, seizures can develop, scoliosis can occur, irregular breathing patterns develop and more than half the girls lose the ability to walk. Near constant repetitive hand movements while awake begin to replace purposeful hand use (self-feeding or picking something up become more difficult or impossible). Children are usually misdiagnosed with Autism or Cerebral Palsy until blood tests results indicate Rett Syndrome. One Australian girl with Rett Syndrome is born in every 9,000 live female births. 7 out of 10 girls either never walk or lose the ability to do so. 8 in 10 girls experience seizures and are totally dependent on others for their daily needs. Speech is non-existent however the girls can learn how to communicate through eye gaze with pictures or eye gaze technology. Symptoms can be compared to cerebral palsy, parkinsons disease, epilepsy, autism and anxiety disorder. 72% of Australian Rett females are expected to be alive at 25 years of age. The most common causes of death is either pneumonia or chest infections. When Georgia isn’t at Kindy, we spend our time in therapies including physiotherapy (walking), occupational therapy (hand use), speech therapy (eye gaze training) and hippotherapy (horse riding to build muscle tone). Through these therapies Georgia has learnt to walk and communicate. Her favourite things are water play or baths, music and food. Rett Syndrome is not degenerative and biomedical research has proven symptoms can be reversed even after decades of severe symptoms. Clinical trials are currently in progress so we have hope that one day our girls may leave Rett Syndrome in their past. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have or follow Georgia’s Journey on Facebook. Thanks for readingJessika K (Georgia’s Mum) See more

24.01.2022 Happy Fathers Day to all of our much loved Dads! We hope you all get to enjoy some precious time with your families this weekend. "Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, singers of songs." Pam Brown

23.01.2022 Recently in Lemon Grove we dressed up to raise some much needed funds for farmers struggling in the drought. Together we raised $250 and donated these funds to Aussie Helpers. Our donation helped to run the ongoing programs supporting farmers, including educational support program AHVISE for kids learning in remote areas, mental health program Virtual Psychologist and Farm Aid, just to name a few. We would like to Thank families for all your support !!

21.01.2022 Today we said THANK YOU! to our amazing, dedicated Educators Thank you to everyone for the kind words in your personal messages, cards, flowers, lovely treats, gifts and goodies. It all helps to remind our Educators that they are truly appreciated for the important work that they do. Feeling Loved and Spoilt. THANK YOU!

20.01.2022 It’s a Girl! Congratulations to Jess and Simon on the arrival of Ellie!It’s a Girl! Congratulations to Jess and Simon on the arrival of Ellie!

20.01.2022 Early Childhood Educators' Day recognises and celebrates the work of Australia's educators in early learning services for their wonderful contribution to the wellbeing and healthy development of the young children in their care. It's a chance to say thank you to Australia’s early childhood educators on a very personal level by service operators, families and their children, as well as collectively at the national level. Help us celebrate our wonderful, dedicated Educators who go above and beyond every day!

20.01.2022 Lest we forget...

18.01.2022 Here's a new Facebook group that might be of interest. https://www.facebook.com/groups/INSPIREddswq/

18.01.2022 This Morning, the Apple Orchard Kindy from Willow House visited the Toowoomba Community Organic Gardens where we learnt about natural gardening and farming practices. Kathy, one of the community gardeners was our guide. We learnt about composting, companion plants, bush tucker, permaculture, traditional African vegetables, rain water harvesting and more. There is so much happening in these gardens and our visit has sparked a lot of interest for us to extend on. Jacaranda House will be visiting in May.

17.01.2022 To help commemorate Remembrance Day, Joshua and Felicity brought in Medals from WW1 and WW2 which were awarded to their Dads Great Grandfather and Great Uncle. They also shared some pictures of medals from their Grandfather and Great Grand Father on their Mums side of the family. Thank you Felicity and Brendan for once again contributing and giving all of the children such an incredible opportunity to see these medals up close.

17.01.2022 Our Easter Holiday Club Program has just been released and we're almost booked out already! If you need to book in for these upcoming holidays and have not already done so, please contact us as soon as possible to secure your booking.

15.01.2022 The Math area of the Montessori classroom encompasses the use of concrete materials for the recognition of numbers and the recognition of quantity as well. Through these activities, children learn exactly how much a symbolic number stands for (i.e. the number 5 means counting the correct number of objects to make the number 5). Mathematics activities are divided into six categories that include: counting and the decimal system, memory work, concrete abstraction, arithmetic tables and geometry. Children are introduced to more complex mathematical procedures and concepts as they are individually ready. Often a child will complete a mathematical activity a few times until he or she feels ready to attempt a concept that is more difficult.

14.01.2022 This years theme for Book Week is To the book fair and beyond Reading is out of this world. The book fair commences next Monday, 13th of August. There will be some great books available to suit all ages. Funds raised will be used to purchase more books and educational resources for our rooms.

12.01.2022 The Sensorial area of the classroom helps children become more aware of smaller details that are often overlooked. Each sensorial activity focuses on one important quality such as color, weight, shape, size, texture, sound or smell. Sensorial activities develop the senses of perception and discrimination for exploring and noticing small differences in patterns as well as fine motor function development in the hands. The sensorial area builds the child's concentration for a wider awakening of the senses and perception for distinguishing different qualities and patterns. - Here are some of the sensorial activities we worked on today.

12.01.2022 Today we celebrated National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day. Some of our activities included painting, story telling, dancing and making damper. It was a great way to celebrate the cultures of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who are part of our community at A Country Garden.

11.01.2022 A Montessori child is capable, independent, curious, able to take initiative and is academically strong. Montessori is an educational approach which is based on the scientific foundation of the natural development of human beings which is why it is a truly universal education with successful outcomes for all children. It acknowledges that children have an innate desire to learn, and what they require is an environment to enable that learning to take place. Montessori children and adults are highly capable individuals, who have the skills to thrive and adapt in an ever-changing world, and who truly make an impact on the world around them.

11.01.2022 INSPIRING A LIFETIME OF DISCOVERY Come and discover A Country Garden at the Toowoomba Baby and Toddler Expo tomorrow at the Toowoomba Showgrounds. Wander through our display showcasing an A Country Garden montessori environment. Mark and our Directors will be there to chat with you and answer any questions you may have. OPEN 10am to 4pm

10.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/AusGovEducation/videos/10156624315029369/

10.01.2022 Having a blast in the Kelly’s truck!

10.01.2022 Book Week has been so much fun for us all. So many great costumes and characters with so many wonderful titles to choose from. Thank you to everyone who has participated and helped make Book Week fun and exciting!

09.01.2022 Congratulations Maikki on your Award for Excellence! We’re all very proud of your achievements. Well deserved!

08.01.2022 Our favourite Children’s storyteller and musician, Renata Jayne, returned with her The Power of Words Show and everyone was very happy! Welcome back Renata and Thankyou for another great show!

08.01.2022 Lest We Forget.

08.01.2022 Concentration is the cornerstone of learning. Whether we are learning to tie our shoes, cooking in a MasterChef competition, or performing complex mathematical equations, there is a specific concentration required to complete the task at hand. Doctor Maria Montessori understood this power and designed her methodology to nurture the skill of concentration as a foundation for life. After all, a child who is interested in their work, will have an easier time concentrating and absorbing knowledge. Within the Montessori classroom, the ability to concentrate is nurtured by providing children with the time and space to work without interruption. The Montessori work cycle provides children with almost unlimited time to complete a cycle of activity, and provides rich opportunities to maximise sensitive periods for learning.

08.01.2022 Miss Hannah leading the way on the zipline!

07.01.2022 Willow House - This week we introduced Apple Orchard and Lemon Grove to flower arranging, whilst Strawberry Patch had fun with floating flowers. Our future Florists!

07.01.2022 Today, there was laughter and tears as we said farewell to our Willow House Director, Mrs Amanda O'Neil who is sadly leaving after over 16 years of dedicated service with A Country Garden. Amanda started as a 17 year old trainee and went on to forge a remarkable career, filled with achievements. She has enriched the lives of so many children and families through her dedication, professionalism and love for her vocation. It has been a privilege to have Amanda as part of our community for so long. We truly wish Amanda and her beautiful family a lifetime of success and happiness. Thank you Miss Amanda, you'll always be a part of the A Country Garden family and we are going to miss you.

07.01.2022 Christmas is a great time of the year, a time for family, fun and friendship. Sadly, that’s not the reality for everyone. For some in our communities, Christmas can be a tough time of year. Many households struggle to simply put food on the table, but there’s something that we can do about that. The Loads of Love Appeal is all about ‘sharing the love’ by collecting and distributing non-perishable food to those in our communities who need the support during the Christmas season. Willow House and Jacaranda House are both registered collection points for this great appeal. Help us to support Loads of Love if you can.

05.01.2022 Dear Families and Friends, If anyone is interested in participating in this important research project on childrens screen time, please read on for more details. Hi there, I am a provisional psychologist and Masters of Clinical Psychology student at the University of Queensland. I’m emailing to ask whether you would be willing to share some information about an important new research project aiming to explore how parental factors influence children’s screen use, and whether ...brief informational messages have an effect on parents’ beliefs and intentions around their child’s screen use. This could be through sharing a link or information about the project in your newsletter, or in an email or on your social media page if you have one. Why is this research so important? With advancements in technology, excessive exposure of young children to screens is becoming problematic, and is linked to rising rates of obesity, cognitive and language delay, and anger and aggression. Greater screen use in early childhood is also associated with greater screen use later in life. We know that parents are key to ensuring appropriate screen use in early childhood; however, engaging parents in child health-focused parenting interventions remains problematic, and research into better ways to engage parents is sorely needed. Our research aims to find better ways of engaging parents in parenting interventions targeting children’s screen use. The research This study will investigate how parental beliefs influence children’s screen use, and test whether brief informational messages can shift parents’ beliefs and intentions around their child’s screen use. Parents of children aged 0 to 4 years are invited to participate in an anonymous online survey, which will ask parents about their beliefs around their child’s screen use and also randomly allocated them to view up to 2 short informational messages about children’s screen time. They will then be asked to complete a short follow-up survey 2 weeks later. The link to the study website is, https://exp.psy.uq.edu.au/screen/, and parents can access more information there as well as contact details for any questions. I have also attached a brief study information notice as well, which may be of assistance. Thank you very much for considering this request, and please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Kind regards, Kate Kate MacLaverty BPsycSc(Hons I) Provisional Psychologist Master of Clinical Psychology candidate The University of Queensland E: [email protected]

05.01.2022 Today we supported Retts Syndrome Awareness Day by wearing purple and raising a small donation to help raise awareness of Retts Syndrome. We had a special visit from Georgia who was with A Country Garden for four years before moving on to School. Georgias sister Charlotte was delighted to tell everone about her big sister Georgia. For more information about Rhetts Syndrome visit https://www.rettaustralia.com/

04.01.2022 To all of our wonderful Dads, we hope you have a Happy Father’s Day!

03.01.2022 Today we started our day with meeting some baby farm animals. Spending time to observe and interact with animals teaches children about many aspects of empathy, respect, relationships, responsibility, environment and nature, to name a just few. The animals were greeted with much love and affection, giving the children a wonderful, positive experience for them to share. Their smiles say it all!

03.01.2022 A Country Garden continues to expand our range of Holiday Club excursions with one of the favourites of the Easter holidays being an adventurous outing to Camp Cooby.

03.01.2022 Tomorrow were celebrating Early Childhood Educators Day 2019. Join us in showing our appreciation and saying thank you to all Educators for their wonderful contribution to the education and care of our precious children.

02.01.2022 Jacaranda House - Today Charlotte's Dad dropped her off in one of his trucks! Charlotte's Dad let the children from Apple Orchard and Lemon Grove have a look inside the truck and they all had a turn at blowing the big air horn. It was such an exciting experience for everyone. Definitely the biggest vehicle we've had in our car park. Thanks to Mitch and Kelly Transport for taking the time to show us through this awesome truck!

02.01.2022 Today, Willow House was filled with love and smiles as we welcomed many of our Grandparents who joined us for a Grandparents Day morning tea. As always, the children were proud to show their grandparents around and to introduce them to their friends and educators. A lovely morning!

02.01.2022 Consistency and stability with educators is incredibly important. It helps enable children to form positive trusting relationships, allowing them to thrive socially, emotionally, physically and academically. The Group Educators at A Country Garden have been part of our team for 8.5 years on average, with some as long as 16 years in our service! This long term stability and experience allows our educators to better deliver a high quality program with greater developmental progress and benefit for your child.

02.01.2022 To all of our wonderful Mums, we wish you all a Happy Mothers Day for Sunday. For those of you who were in this morning, we hope you enjoyed your little bag of goodies. We just wanted to treat you and let you know that you are appreciated by your children and by all of us, for being such wonderful and dedicated Mothers.

02.01.2022 This morning, Jacaranda House celebrated their Grandparents Day with a morning tea, beautiful weather and best of all, spending some quality time with some of their favourite human beings, their grand parents. Grandparents Day is is always a wonderful celebration of the Family and in particular the importance of Grandparents in the lives of children.

01.01.2022 Felicity's Mum kindly brought in this skeleton from her Veterinary practice. Miss Hannah had an engaging discussion with the children in Lemon Grove who were absolutely fascinated. Thank you so much Mirriam!

01.01.2022 Congratulations to Jess, our truly outstanding Jacaranda House Director, for passing the 10 year mark of service with A Country Garden. From humble beginnings as a Trainee Assistant to Centre Director, Jess has excelled in every role that shes been appointed to along the way. Thank you Jess for the last 10 years and for always going the extra mile. For always putting the children first and for building such strong supportive relationships with our families. You've always held high standards in everything you do. You're a great leader to your team and we just wanted to acknowledge your achievements and say Congratulations and Thank You !

01.01.2022 Today in Willow House, Apple Orchard made some Wreaths, Lemon Grove made Medals, Blueberry Lane made Poppies whilst Strawberry Patch looked at Poppies.

01.01.2022 Congratulations Sam! An excellent prize that will last many years.