Our Toddler Approach
Home style nutrition
We help your child develop a good relationship with health and nutrition at an early age through understanding the sometimes and always foods that they need to make decisions about. Menus are guided by the National Quality Guidelines and tailored to toddlers’ needs and sleep time. They are made with fresh quality local produce by our in-house chefs who bring homemade meals to the classroom. When toddlers are ready, they are encouraged to start feeding themselves, use cutlery and enjoy the social interactions of eating with their friends at the table.
Art portfolio
Blume Academy places much significance on a child’s creative development. We provide opportunities for our children to express themselves across a range of artistic forms appropriate to their age. Part of this process is building confidence, pride and acknowledgement through sharing their works with their families. Each child will receive an art portfolio of the artworks they create so parents have a record of the their works and the memories made at Blume Academy.
Toileting
As older children show agency and a willingness to use the toilet, they are given the opportunity to progress towards independence. We support families during this transition and work with them to ensure consistency with at-home routines.
Your second set of eyes
During the toddler stage, it is paramount that parents feel reassured about their child’s health and wellbeing, which is why our educators will keep you informed of menus and meals consumed by the children, toileting, sleep, play, learning and cute photos through our Blume app. Educators will call and consult families regarding any question that requires parent input. They will supply and record all daily activities about your child and maintain constant and ongoing supervision and care.
Play & Physical Development
Play is a fundamental component of a child’s growth and development. Through play children begin to make connections with new friends, to engage in negotiating, sharing and managing emotions and to make independent decisions. Structured physical activities also help children develop gross motor skills, to risk take and challenge themselves as they grow in confidence in their abilities.
Sensory exploration and music
First learnings occur through the things toddlers smell, hear, see, touch and feel. Educators provide continued opportunities to stimulate children’s senses and talk them through experiences to help build literacy, numeracy and scientific skills. Singing, dancing, movement and listening also assist in behavioural management, socialisation and engagement. Activities are based on children’s responses and are designed to ignite a love of learning that will take them through life.
Play Room
The play room is architecturally designed to promote learning opportunities, exploration and engagement with other children. Educators regularly change the learning spaces to meet the needs of children who grow in confidence and independence as they start to make decisions about play, learning and what makes them happy.
Outdoor garden area
Our outdoor spaces are designed to provide toddlers with a safe, stimulating and natural environment to develop their physical, social and cognitive skills. Here they will gain confidence running, climbing, building, playing games, creating in the sandpits and mudpits and just sharing it all with their friends and educators.
Sleeping space
Sleeping and rest routines are managed in consultation with families, but more importantly are dependent upon the needs of each child. Toddlers will sleep once a day after lunch or take this time to rest in a calm, temperature-controlled environment with soft music and dimmed lights. Children have their own sleeping bags with laundered cotton sheets and will be given quiet activities to do by our educators as they wake.
