Creative Little Minds Family Day Care in Grovedale, Victoria, Australia | Childcare service

Creative Little Minds Family Day Care

Locality: Grovedale, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 439 477 780

Address: Bickford Road 3216 Grovedale, VIC, Australia

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25.01.2022 FDC Party Charli is 4 years old tomorrow!! How the time flies when you are having fun! Today I put together a small party with the FDC children. I made some cupcakes, hung some decorations, and made some affirmation balloons! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #birthdayparty #charliturns4 #partyathome #playathome #familydaycare

25.01.2022 rainbow We purchased our first set of @connetix_tiles just over 1 year ago! The 62 pack which quickly expanded to the 100 pack when they were release! . Theyve been played with almost every single day since we unpacked them! Theyve been used for so much; tower building, colour sorting, maths, picture making, light box, in the window, mixing colours and soooo much more! .... Connetix Tiles were the first plastic item we added to our playroom since going completely wooden, they definitely arent loved more than our wooden toys, but they are often used together! Especially our animals having farms/zoos built for them with the tiles! . They have also withstood four children aged 1-4yo each day, both played with inside and outside! Being pushed over, thrown, stood on and banged together! Not one broken tile! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #connetixtiles #rainbow #openendedplay #playathome #learnthroughplay #playbasedlearning #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

25.01.2022 jar lanterns Fun, simple and cheap (free) to make Jars from the cupboard, flowers from the garden (pressed and dried), glue and tea light candles (or battery operated)! . Unfortunately I dont have a garden full of flowers, so I found some dried items at Kmart/$2 shops! So still a cheap creative option! ... . #creativelittlemindsfdc #lantern #creativechildren #playathome #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

25.01.2022 Christmas party We spent the afternoon at @museum_of_play_and_art for the Creative Little Minds FDC Christmas party for the FDC children! Gosh it was a lot of fun! That’s a wrap for 2020, gosh it was a challenging one! Now 11 days off! ... #creativelittlemindsfdc #christmas #christmasparty #mopa #familydaycare

24.01.2022 rainbow pasta art Super easy and simple and brings a new dimension to art! . What to do; ... 1 bag of penne pasta (divided into how every many colours you want) old container with lid baking paper tray paint (I used 6 colours) cheap wooden chopping boards (Kmart/$2 shops) drill holes yarn or ribbon for hanging PVA glue . Colour the pasta I divided the pasta 6 times (about 80g each colour) put first lot into the container squirt of paint lid on tight & SHAKE until completely covered baking paper onto the tray empty painted pasta onto the tray allow to dry some pieces might clump together, use fingers to pull apart . Best thing is you can create whatever you want, it doesnt have to be a rainbow ! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #pastaart #rainbow #playathome #creativekids #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

23.01.2022 tie dye Charlotte and I spent a rainy Sunday morning doing tie-dye! Everything we used we had around the house! Perfect . What you need: ... Squirt bottles (1 for each colour) (or water bottles with a small hole in the lids) food colouring rubber bands white vinegar (lemon juice or apple cider vinegar is another option) wire tray (to avoid the material pooling in the colours that run out) bucket (for soaking) plastic bag/ large zip lock bag salt BBQ Aluminium tray ($2 for 2 at Kmart) white material/clothing/bags/etc (we started with socks & undies) (doesnt work well on plant-based fabric: cotton/linen) old t-shirt/ art smock gloves newspaper/old table cloth . HOW TO: (I used gloves for each part of this to avoid vinegar smell on my hands & so the dye didnt stain hands) 1. In bucket, add 1 part vinegar 1 part water (I did 500ml water & 500ml vinegar), add in white clothing, mix around until all clothing is covered! Soak for 1 hour! 2. After 1 hour, wring out excess liquid and lay onto the wire rack. Roll, scrunch, twirl or pinch (Ill attach examples) the fabric and add rubber bands to tie it up! 3. Time to dye! Mix your food dye with water into the squirt bottles! I used a minimum of 12 drops per bottle to get a stronger colour. Colour the material anyway you want! Cover the whole lot or leave areas white, its up to you! 4. Once finished, carefully transfer dyed material into a plastic bag (or ziplock), seal it and push out any excess air! Place in a warm sunny spot for 8 hours! The heat from the sun helps to set the dye into the fabric! 5. Take the fabric out of the bag and remove the rubber bands (if you have trouble cut them) WEAR GLOVES- food colouring can stain your hands and clothes! Do this over a sink/ covered surface. 6. Soak the fabric in a salt-water solution, mix together 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of water (I used the same bucket from step 1), leave to sit for 10 minutes! Wring our excess water. 7. Rinse the fabric with cold water in the sink, until the water runs clear. Wring out fabric as much as possible, then hang on a line in the sun to dry. AND YOU ARE DONE! Things to be aware of; the colour will fade; due to it being a natural way of dying (no chemicals) wash dyed clothing separately from other items. Food coloring is more of a stain than a dye. It is not as permanent as actual clothing dye, and it will fade over time. Ive added the full instructions that I used! Enjoy https://www.wikihow.com/Tie-Dye-with-Food-Coloring?amp=1 #creativelittlemindsfdc

23.01.2022 Sensory Balloon Hang I added different items in side the balloons, blew them up and hung them from the clothes line! The children were able to swing them, shake them, bounce them, but while doing that, they needed to listen to the sounds in the balloons! We tried to guess what items were inside! .... I added bells, beads, rice, mini popsicle sticks! . This was also a great learning tool on using our general hands, because if we were too rough, they would pop! . * inspired by @play_at_home_mummy #creativelittlemindsfdc #balloons #playathome #learningthroughplay #whatcanyouhear #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

23.01.2022 Lola Bowling Using our Large Stepped Pyramid, Large rainbow, largest semi-circle and our tallest Lola people, and a large ball, I built a bowling lane! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #oskarswoodenark #grimms #grapat #bowling #playathome #openendedtoys #stayhome

21.01.2022 Sun Catcher Weve been very interested in colours at the moment! Weve been learning about colour mixing, primary & secondary colours and different shades (light & dark). Yesterday we were exploring our colour blocks through the window, and seeing the reflection when the sun shone through them. To extend on this interest we made sun catchers! . I cut shapes out of card board (I recommend thin cardboard), then traced shapes out all over each shape. Then I stuck contact to... the back side of each shape. Then we stuck cellophane to the contact! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #suncatcher #craftykids #cardboardcrafts #playathome #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

21.01.2022 affirmation cards During this lock-down, Charlotte hasnt been handling it well, weve had many meltdowns, wanting to get out of the house, seeing friends and family and just being bored in the house. ! Weve been looking into ways to help her to deal with her big emotions and finding more ways to explain whats going on. One of the main things I wanted her to learn was that her feelings always matter. We got these beautiful affirmation cards in the mail and I decided... to turn them into audio cards for her to listen to me telling her about them even when I cant be there to read them to her. . #creativelittlemindsfdc #affimationcards #chameleonpen #diyaudiobook #emotions #playathome #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

21.01.2022 Bottle Brush After going for a walk and collecting a basket full of flowers, leaves and sticks, we used some beautiful stems of red bottle brush as inspiration for our next art work. We used the actual flowers to stamp onto the paper, but they went soggy very quick and lost their shape. So I pulled out an old bottle brush (that I use for cleaning paint jars etc), and we used that to create bottle brush bushes on the paper #creativelittlemindsfdc #painting #creativekids #playathome #bottlebrushtrees #familydaycare

20.01.2022 trains Charli is absolutely obsessed with trains, which works out well for us because the train goes straight past the back of our house! We upgraded our train tracks a couple of months ago and theyve been used much more often. . #creativelittlemindsfdc #oskarswoodenark #briorailway #brio #traintracks #playathome #familydaycare

20.01.2022 caves cabinet #itsfinallyhere The 2 month wait was totally worth it! It fits in perfectly in our lounge room, its hosts my collection of witchy magic and a small collection of Charlis favourite toys and puzzles! .... I took off two of the cabinet doors and left the other two! I wanted to mix it up a little (just a few screws) . #creativelittlemindsfdc #poppyslittletreasures #rattan #crystals #witchymagic #woodentoys #grimms #playathome #familydaycare See more

19.01.2022 ! Make sure to send your educator and scheme some extra love this year! It has been beyond tough for FDC lately and your educators have shown up, welcomed your babes with a smile on their faces even when facing the unthinkable from our government ... https://www.familydaycare.com.au/promoting-you/awards

18.01.2022 baby bath Weve been having some beautiful sunny weather (unfortunately 5 days of rain is forecast from tomorrow), so to make the most of the beautiful weather (and encourage Charlotte to go outside while I did some decluttering around the house). I set up a baby bathing station. . Warm water, bubbles, towels & face washes, rubber ducks and some buckets! It ended up being a huge hit and kept her busy for half the day! .... #creativelittlemindsfdc #babybath #waterplay #playoutside #playathome #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

18.01.2022 books So we are a pretty book obsessed family, well Charli and I are , its not uncommon for us to pick up a new book (or 3) each time we go to the shops . Our new @chameleon.reader has helped give us a break from reading 10+ books in a row and given Charli more independence in listening to books and reading to get some quiet time! .... #creativelittlemindsfdc #bookobsessed #playathome #learnthroughplay #playbasedlearning #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

18.01.2022 Playspace Revamp After researching for weeks about a new way to set up shelving and a learning space, it’s finally been put together! I am so happy with how it has turned out and the progress with it so far! This will be a great space for Charli next year as she goes off to 4yo Kinder. ... I still have some things to do to this space, varnish the wood, storage containers and new labels, and waiting for the stools to be delivered! Using the bestå bookshelves from IKEA and some wooden planks from Bunnings and my handyman Fiancé to help build and put it all together! #creativelittlemindsfdc #playspace #playathome #ikeahack #cornerdesk #learningspace #learningthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare

17.01.2022 FAMILY DAY CARE VACANCIES Creative Little Minds Family Daycare has a few vacancies available now and in 2020! Registered with City of Greater Geelong Family Services. ... Monday x2 Wednesday x1 * Suitable for age 18months and above! LOCATED IN GROVEDALE; near Grovedale Community Centre, Grovedale College & Grovedale West Primary School - Diploma Qualified - First Aid, Asthma & Anaphylaxis & CPR - Food Handlers - Working with Childrens Check - Child Protection - loving home away from home - open ended toys/ wood based - huge outside yard; climbing, mud kitchen, sand pit - play based learning experiences - daily check ins via Kinderloop - seperate sleep room Catering for ages 1-12years old, daycare, vacation care, casual care (when spots are available), after school care. Contact me for more information in regards to either of these vacancies.

17.01.2022 Childrens Day This day is an opportunity for all Australians to show their support for Aboriginal children, as well as learn about the crucial impact that community, culture and family play in the life of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child. . Our new artworks and peg dolls arrived at the perfect time, and have helped me and the children learn more and more about the First Peoples of this land! .... Our new artworks from @yarli_creative have some beautiful meanings that I felt suited Creative Little Minds FDC! Self-love , Growing & Sharing . #creativelittlemindsfdc #indigenous #culturaldiversity #firstnations #diversityandinclusion #playathome #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

16.01.2022 MyNook ITS HERE! ITS HERE! YAY! It arrived today during nap time which gave me the chance to play with it first (I promise, it’s for the children )... I quickly tried out some of the suggested builds; Digger, Castle, Campsite & Car! Chris and I are excited for the Games Night and Spare Bed set up for child free times! @ilovemynook #creativelittlemindsfdc #mynook #ilovemynook #latechristmasgift #playathome #playcouch #familydaycare

14.01.2022 Stocking Pre-Writing Trace This is a great activity for developing fine-motor and colour-matching skills, and for encouraging mindfulness. Inspired by @a.day.for.play ... #creativelittlemindsfdc #christmas #stocking #finemotor #openendedplay #looseparts #playathome #learnthroughplay #familydaycare

14.01.2022 fairy land Simple, quick and easy! Coloured rice (metallic purple & pink), Grapat Nesting Bowls & Fairy figurines. . How to make: ... In a bowl add; 2 cups of Rice - per colour 1 squirt of non-toxic paint Use a fork to mix until the rice is completely covered. Leave in bowl for 5 minutes, mix again to loosen (itll start to clump together), leave another 5-10 minutes! Use hands to break up any remaining clumps and to check its all dry. Then its done! Add it to a tray for play and add spoons, cups & figures! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #sensoryplay #colouredrice #fairygarden #grapat #playathome #smallworldplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

12.01.2022 ladybug count We recently added @sumblox to our resources, which Charli has been absolutely loving! To extend on her interest, I set up an invitation to count! *inspired by @a.day.for.play & @lets.play.all.day ... . #creativelittlemindsfdc #oskarswoodenark #grimms #grapat #sumblox #invitationtocount #playathome #playbasedlearning #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

12.01.2022 SHARED FROM A FRIEND Today at work, a child fell and scraped his knee. He came to me instantly- scared and upset- wrapping his arms around me while crying. We ...snuggled while we talked about what happened, and then i saw his bloody knee that had been pressed against my leg as we hugged. When he lifted his head off my shoulder, my arm was covered in his drool and his tears. This is Childcare, even during a pandemic. When people call us the frontline its because we are working on the floor directly with kids 3 years old and under. Kids who cant control their emotions or their bodily fluid. We wipe their tears and their blood before we consider the risk because they need us. We havent been able to social distance since we opened, we just have a mask which is really just protecting them. Earlier before the blood, drool and tears covered my body, I was applying sunscreen to 5 different children. Their hands touch my skin while i apply their sunscreen, they talk to me while Im helping them and often times they spit while they talk. Then one child actually sneezed on me and another child. Were not protected from that type of hazard either because we work face to face with kids who cant control these types of scenarios. Sure its gross, sure we worry about where theyve been or where their families have been when hundreds of their droplets cover my arm, but my coworkers and i still go to work and do what we can to protect ourselves and others. We change diapers and wipe bums all day long, sanitize and wipe down toilets between uses, clean up after their lunch and snacks, rub their backs to help them fall asleep, wipe their faces, clean their scrapes and ouchies, and read to them while they sit across our body. Schools obviously may have many more children to worry about, but the kids in childcare are young and dependent on us for almost everything. They sit on us and directly in front of us, were touched all day long and sometimes see 4 different types of bodily fluid in a day. Just today, I had blood, drool, and tears on me before 10am. While everyone is worried about schools opening and being safe, Id like to recognize my coworkers and fellow Early Childhood Educators who have also been putting themselves at risk every day doing their jobs all throughout this global pandemic. A lot of my coworkers are scared, stressed, and unsure what to do some days, but they show up anyways and face these hazards head on so parents can go to work and their child can have a safe and nurturing place to thrive in : - ss s - s s - s & s

12.01.2022 very first test After working a few nights straight to complete, perfect and upload the Café Shop Front to @minnieandmeinteriors . I was then sent our very own Tester for our Play Kitchen. I could see a few imperfections, sizing isn’t quiet right, the background colour was different to the colours Kristy already had on her website. But with lots of work and testing, we finally perfected the Shop Fronts and have been very popular since released on Boxing Day 2020! ... I’m excited to get some more Shop Fronts printed off and set up our home corner to suit! #creativelittlemindsfdc #minnieandmeinteriors #homecorner #shopfronts #cafe #ikeakitchenhack #duktigkitchen #playkitchenhack #duktigdecals #playathome #familydaycare Minnie & Me Interiors junimoon_shop

11.01.2022 doctor Ive been seeing so many different Montessori doctor kits, which are great as they are a real-life way of learning! . But we already had a huge collection of different doctor items and with running a daycare, I have boxes of gloves, out of date first aid items and the doctor equipment; even a working stethoscope .... Over the weekend, I found this beautiful vintage beauty case which works wonderfully as a Doctors Bag ! . Inside the bag Ive added, doctor jacket , mask, gloves, stethoscope , bandages, then a wooden doctor equipment set! Plus it goes wonderfully with our light box and X-rays (Ive got more human X-ray parts coming) . #creativelittlemindsfdc #montessori #playathome #learnthroughplay #xray #doctorplay #imaginationplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

10.01.2022 Happy Birthday And just like that shes 4 years old! Happy Birthday Charli . #creativelittlemindsfdc

09.01.2022 under the sea Using a bag of the calming sand from @kisschaseydesigns that Charli got in her advent calendar at Christmas time! The smell is absolutely amazing and the sand is so soft, and the hints of blue glitter through out! ... Add in some mini figurines (from @wilddough.co) and a great sensory tray! #creativelittlemindsfdc #sensorytray #underthesea #sensorysand #playathome #familydaycare

09.01.2022 family Received these beautiful Indigenous inspired peg people from @nungacreations to add to our collection and to help with the learning of the First People of Australia . #creativelittlemindsfdc #firstpeople #indigenous #culture #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycareaustralia

09.01.2022 calming dough The start of our 2021 has been very slow and being back to work this week hasn’t been full so far. Today was a day off for me and Charli, we spent the day in our pjs and did lots of slow paced activities. The beautiful smelling calming dough from @kisschaseydesigns was a favourite today. ... #creativelittlemindsfdc #calmingdough #sensoryplay #playathome #dayoff #familydaycare

08.01.2022 life... Life has been crazy busy and has gotten away from me a bit the last few months! Last weekend it was very busy, celebrating Charlis 4th Birthday, Fathers Day and spending some much need time with Chris, who has been working/staying away a fair bit over the past few weeks! . I spent some time rotating the shelves to fit Charlis new birthday presents. Unfortunately Auspost caused a few of the presents to not arrive in time so we are still waiting for them to c...ome! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #grimmswoodentoys #grapat #ostheimer #charliturns4 #isobirthday #playathome #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more

06.01.2022 merry christmas in a world full of Grinches, be a Cindy Lou Who We would love to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! May 2021 be an incredible year for us all! (I know there are some exciting things happening for me; I’ll tell you all next year)!... #creativelittlemindsfdc #christmas #cindylouwho #thegrinch #dressup #merrychristmas #familydaycare

06.01.2022 Bath Salts Another beautiful DIY gift for the mums/important ladies in our life! ... We used; 2 cups of Epsom Salts 1/2 cup of baking soda 15-20 drops of essential oils Mix of dried flowers (roses, lavender and chamomile) Recycled jars Crystal Chips Recipe from @the.botanical.mama #creativelittlemindsfdc #christmas #christmascrafts #madebykids #bathsalts #playathome #familydaycare

05.01.2022 Doctors Charlotte has been really interested in being a doctor, using bandages, checking temperatures and giving medicine to her babies. . #creativelittlemindsfdc #doctor #roleplay #homecorner #playathome #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare

04.01.2022 Coloured Sand Another NAIDOC Week experience that I didn’t get a chance to post, but has been played with everyday! Simple and easy and keeps little hands busy for ages! Of course, it doesn’t look like this anymore, all the colours are mixed together and it has been spread out into a bigger container! The sand is super soft and loved because it’s coloured! ... Sand purchased from Officeworks & eBay! #creativelittlemindsfdc #naidoc2020 #naidocweek #sensorytray #colouredsand #playathome #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare

04.01.2022 online activities With Covid-19 putting us into a lockdown again, and being unable to leave the house for excursions or walks, weve begun getting involved with some great Online Activities! Weve been joining in with Lil Fi Music classes and Karen Feldmans Dance classes . Something a little different, interactive and fun! Getting our bodies moving, learning to listen to the teachers and copying the movements! .... #creativelittlemindsfdc #musicclass #danceclass #onlineactivities #playathome #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare #iso2 See more

03.01.2022 tiara & wand Weve been loving contact crafts a lot recently. One of the favourites was making our own Tiaras! We collected flowers and leaves around the garden and use them to decorate the tiaras. To go with our tiaras we also made some wands ($2 for 2 at Kmart)! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #craftykids #tiara #wand #kmart #naturefinds #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare

03.01.2022 Enrolment Opportunity 2021 Monday & Wednesday 8:45am - 3:45pm (not flexible) ... School Terms only Age 6mo+ Message me for more information

02.01.2022 lock down So we are back into lock-down... we are on stage 3 which Melbourne is in stage 4... personally it doesnt bother me too much. I work from home 4 days a week and I do plenty of online shopping! . It does make it hard seeing friends and family, so we rely on FaceTime, or going for walks (although only allowed 2 people in public; makes it hard when I always have Charli with me), and now we have to wear masks whenever we leave the house! and no visitors/visitin...g! . Everything at Creative Little Minds FDC has changed also, all parents to wear a mask at drop off/pick up, avoid hanging around chatting, wiping high touch areas after each use, hand sanitiser everywhere, disinfecting the house/toys multiple times a day, keeping children home with any sign of illness (even if its small), and so much more! . We build this wall and used it as a way to show Charlotte that we need to keep space between us and other people. It was also used to remind us that if our friends/family do come to our house, all communication will be done at the front door, they wont be allowed in and we have to stay inside! Especially with Charlis birthday coming up, we wont be able to celebrate with everyone. . #creativelittlemindsfdc #oskarswoodenark #grimms #grapat #playathome #lockdown2020 #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #isolation #familydaycare See more

02.01.2022 alphabet match I wrote the letters of the alphabet on our tuff tray and using these great foam letters from Kmart, we matched the foam letters to the chalk letters. . #creativelittlemindsfdc #alphabetmatch #kmart #tufftray #letterrecognition #learnthroughplay #playathome #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare

02.01.2022 treasure tubes We have been waiting for these to be restocked for ages, and we finally got our hands on them! They came at the perfect time as Charli has be talking about flowers and their colours and how they grow and how some have a scent and others dont! The tubes make exploring fun and easy and simple! We also discovered that some of the flowers close up at night! Check out my stories to see! . #creativelittlemindsfdc #woodyouliketoplay #discoverytubes #natureplay #exploringnature #playathome #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare

01.01.2022 Chameleon Reader Ive been eyeing off the @chameleon.reader for a fair few months now, and I finally took the plunge to buy it! Im very happy that I did! Ive spent the afternoon recording some of Charlis favourite books onto the reader. Ive also done some multilingual books as well, English and German! . Its also great, because you can record up to 4 different voices/languages onto each book/sticker! Mum can be green, dad can be yellow, nana can be red & poppy can ...be blue! Or each colour can have a different language! . The whole unit is rechargeable with a USB cord! No changing batteries! Its simple, small and easy to use; perfect for littles and even better, has a headphone port, so you can take it in the car but dont have to hear the same story 10+ times! . Purchased from @thecreativetoyshop . #creativelittlemindsfdc #chameleonreader #diyaudiobook #voicerecording #storytime #books #learnthroughplay #earlychildhoodeducation #familydaycare See more