At Little Scholars, we believe that the magic of science starts early – and for good reason. From bubbling volcanoes to magnetic wonders and curious critters, science sparks a unique kind of joy in children: the joy of discovery.

But beyond the “oohs” and “aahs,” there is a deeper purpose behind these moments. Science isn’t just fun; it’s foundational.

Why STEM Education for Early Childhood Matters

STEM – short for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – is more than a buzzword. It’s a gateway to essential skills that prepare children for a fast-changing world. Here’s why STEM education for early childhood is crucial:

  1. Builds Critical Thinking:
    Science encourages children to ask questions, make predictions, and test ideas. These are the early roots of problem-solving and logical thinking.
  2. Encourages Curiosity & Confidence
    STEM allows children to explore their world and understand how things work. When a child sees a balloon rocket zoom across a string or builds a bridge from blocks, they learn that they can investigate and influence their environment.
  3. Supports Language and Communication
    Talking about observations, explaining outcomes, and asking “why” are all part of science play. This boosts vocabulary and encourages collaborative learning.
  4. Promotes Lifelong Learning
    Early positive experiences with science can lead to a lasting interest in learning and experimentation. We believe it’s a great introduction to an important set of topics our kindy children will take with them into their primary school education.

How we do STEM at Little Scholars

We don’t save science for special occasions – it’s woven into everyday learning, and we enhance it further through our extracurricular program. Here’s how we bring STEM education to life:

Extra Curricular Program with Lab Kids

Did you know that Little Scholars offers an exciting STEM program for our kindergarten children? In collaboration with our friends at Lab Kids, we provide an incredible educational STEM program that aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian National Curriculum. Through hands-on activities and age-appropriate scientific exploration, our Little Scholars explore topics like motion and states of matter, to learning about light, sound and chemical reactions.

Excursions and Events:

This August, Little Scholars are excited to host our biggest celebration of curiosity yet, our much-anticipated Little Scholars Science Fair! Children, parents, and curious souls in between from all 17 campuses across South East Queensland are coming together for a day jam-packed with serious fun.

Expect hands-on experiments, whizz-bang demonstrations, and STEM games and challenges (your little scholars won’t even realise they’re learning!) It’s science, play, and community all rolled into one unforgettable event.

Everyday Learning!

As part of our everyday curriculum, children are regularly invited to participate in science-based activities, such as:

  • Exploring shadows and light
  • Watching plants grow
  • Observing weather changes
  • Conducting sink or float experiments
  • And much, much more!

Let's Nurture the Next Generation of Thinkers

Our role as early childhood educators is to lay the foundation for a lifetime of curiosity. By embracing STEM from the start, we’re not just teaching science – we’re raising confident, capable, and inquisitive young minds. To learn more about our extracurricular programs at Little Scholars or to book at tour at your local campus, call our team on 1800 732 926 visit https://mylittlescholars.com.au/book-a-tour/

Parents of little ones know the struggle: you need a safe, fun spot for your toddler to burn off energy (preferably without giving you a heart attack!). Luckily, if you’re searching for the best outdoor playgrounds in Redland Bay for toddler, you’re in the right spot. The Redlands Coast area of Queensland is home to some of the best toddler-friendly parks around! Think fully-fenced play zones, soft surfaces, mini slides, and even pirate ships. In this friendly guide, we’ll explore the top outdoor playgrounds in and around Redland Bay that are perfect for children aged 1–5. Grab your hats and snacks, and let’s go play!

Images and information courtesy of the organisations mentioned/linked below.

Thornlands Community Park, Thornlands

Thornlands Community Park is a toddler wonderland, fully fenced and packed with imaginative play zones. Both toddlers and parents fall in love with this place. It’s cleverly designed with all ages in mind, but there’s plenty here that’s pint-sized and perfect for the littlest park-goers. The entire playground sits on a soft rubber base and even features a sandy dinosaur fossil dig” pit – yes, your mini paleontologist can unearth a dino in the sand! Kiddos can toddle from a mini farmer’s market cubby house to gentle climbing hills, while you relax on a bench (actually relaxing at a playground – imagine that!).

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Fully fenced perimeter – so no sudden toddler escapes. You can breathe a little easier.
  • Soft fall flooring – a rubber base cushions every tiny tumble.
  • Sand play & dino dig: A large sandpit with a buried dinosaur fossil (with digger tools) offers endless sensory play.
  • Water play area: A fun pump and pebble creek for splashing on hot days. (Don’t forget a towel!)
  • Mini farm market cubby: A toddler-sized play shop where little imaginations run wild.
  • Low climbing and slides: Gentle hills, small climbing mounds, and even a mini ninja course designed low-to-the-ground for safe adventure.
  • Facilities: Shaded picnic tables, clean toilets, and a large car park are on site for hassle-free visits.

Where to Find It: Thornlands Community Park is on Cleveland Redland Bay Road in Thornlands (near Waterline Blvd) – just a 10-minute drive from central Redland Bay (Google “Thornlands Community Park QLD” for the exact spot.) With its blend of safety and fun, it’s no wonder this park is often called one of the best toddler playgrounds in Redlands!

Raby Bay Esplanade Park, Ormiston

Raby Bay Esplanade Park boasts a beachside vibe and a towering play fort that even tiny tots can conquer. Located by the bay in Ormiston, this destination playground has something for all ages, but toddlers are far from an afterthought here. The star is a massive “Goliath” play tower that looks sky-high – yet it’s ingeniously accessible for little people, featuring low-level slides perfect for timid sliders. The whole playground sits in soft white sand (bringing the beach feels right underfoot) and even includes a cute imaginary “fish & chip shop” where kids can pretend to serve up lunch. A trickling pebble creek and water pump let toddlers splash safely, and there’s a 200m bike and scooter track adjacent with road signs for pint-sized cyclists – bring the balance bike and watch them zoom! 

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Soft sand base: The entire play area is built on sand, gentle for falls and great for sandcastle building
  • Low toddler slides on big tower: The giant fort has small slides halfway up, so brave toddlers can get a thrill without the spill.
  • Imaginative play shop: A pretend “fish & chips” kiosk and fishing boat play area spark creative games (“Order up, Mum!”)
  • Water play: A pump-fed water feature trickles into a pebble-lined stream – perfect for barefoot splashing and cooling off.
  • Toddler-friendly equipment: Separate small climbing frame, swings (including a nest swing), and a spring toy mean even tiny adventurers have options.
  • Amenities: Shaded picnic tables, on-site toilets, and ample parking make for a comfortable family outing. Plus, the adjacent grassy areas and nearby beach mean you can picnic or even dip little toes in the bay after playtime.

Where to Find It: Raby Bay Esplanade Park is at the end of Raby Esplanade in Ormiston (near 3 Grenoble Place). It’s about 20 minutes north of Redland Bay. Look for the tall play tower – your kids might spot it before you do! This park truly never disappoints – the hardest part is convincing your kids to leave at the end of the day.

Beth Boyd Park, Thorneside

Beth Boyd Park brings a seaside pirate adventure to toddler play, complete with a shipwreck fort and water splash zone. Set by the tranquil bay at Thorneside, this park recently got a fabulous makeover and is now a must-visit for families with young kids. The highlight is a big pirate shipwreck-themed playground that looks like a half-sunk boat in the sand. Toddlers can clamber on deck, man the pirate wheel, peek through portholes, or dig for buried treasure in the sandpit. There’s an interactive water pump that feeds a little stream running through the play area – perfect for a barefoot splash or rinsing off sandy hands. Thanks to an abundance of mature trees, much of the play space is naturally shaded, so your little buccaneers stay cool. With the bay’s shoreline just a few steps away, you can easily combine playground fun with a beach stroll (and maybe spotting a pelican or two).

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Pirate ship fort: A large multi-level ship playground, cleverly “shipwrecked” into the sand, complete with barrels, cannons, and a big boat hull for imaginative play (Toddler translation: EPIC hide-and-seek.)
  • Water play stream: Pump the water and watch it flow along a pebbled creek – a huge hit on warm days
  • Sand treasures: A dedicated sand dig area lets little ones hunt for “treasure” (or just make sand pies). Bring a bucket and spade!
  • Mini in-ground trampoline: Yes, there’s a tiny trampoline set flush in the ground – safe bouncing for smaller kids
  • Swings and slides: Toddler swings and low slides ensure even wobbly walkers can join the fun.
  • Shaded & scenic: Big trees provide ample shade over the playground, and the sea breeze keeps things comfy. You’re right next to the bay, so scenic views are a bonus.
  • Convenience: Accessible toilets on-site, picnic tables under shelters, and street parking along Mooroondu Road make it easy to spend a long morning here. Plus, a couple of cute nearby cafés mean coffee for Mum or Dad is within reach.

Where to Find It: You’ll find Beth Boyd Park at the corner of John Street and Mooroondu Road in Thorneside. It’s about a 25-minute drive from Redland Bay. This toddler-friendly playground is a little slice of paradise where play meets the bay – don’t forget a change of clothes if your child loves water play!

Apex Park, Wellington Point

Apex Park offers a magical forest fairy theme beneath shady trees – a quiet haven for imaginative toddlers. Tucked away in Wellington Point, this playground feels like an enchanted little world. It’s set well back from the road and blanketed by a canopy of leafy trees (plus extra shade sails), so it’s cool and comfortable even in summer. Toddlers can discover a charming gumnut fairy house, complete with tiny door and windows, and a mini dragonfly slide just their size. There’s a giant ladybug to climb, a little letterbox for “fairy mail,” and wooden balance beams that encourage wobbly walkers to practice their balance. One unique feature is the small in-ground trampoline – perfectly sized for toddlers to get some gentle jumps without bouncing out of control. And just beside the playground is a paved pump bike track with gentle hills; your under-5 rider might not tackle every bump, but they’ll love cruising the smaller dips and watching bigger kids zoom by.

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Fairy-tale theme: An imaginative gumnut cottage, oversized ladybug and dragonfly structures transport kids into a storybook setting. Don’t be surprised if they start talking to “fairies”!
  • Gentle play equipment: Low mini slide, tiny tunnels, and a crawl-through barrel ensure even new walkers can play safely.
  • Sand and nature play: A large sand pit invites digging and building, while logs and soft mounds let tots explore natural textures.
  • In-ground trampoline: A small trampoline set at ground level gives toddlers a safe bouncing experience (and burns energy fast!).
  • Adjacent bike track: A looping bike/scooter track next to the park provides extra entertainment. Little riders can try the smaller bumps or just watch in awe as bigger kids whizz past.
  • Shade galore: Huge trees and shade sails keep most of the play area nicely shaded throughout the day – a sun-safe play spot.
  • Amenities: Covered picnic tables and water fountains are available. Toilets are on-site and there’s a decent-sized car park so you won’t have to park blocks away.

Where to Find It: Apex Park is at 8–12 Starkey Street, Wellington Point, behind the Wellington Point community hall. It’s roughly 25 minutes from Redland Bay. This park is a hidden gem with a relaxed vibe. Perfect for a quieter playdate or a picnic under the trees while the kids play make-believe in fairyland.

Wellington Point Recreation Reserve, Wellington Point

Wellington Point Reserve isn’t just a playground – it’s an adventure destination for little ones! Set right by the beach at Wello Point, this playground combines nature play with classic equipment under the sprawling branches of enormous fig trees. For toddlers, there’s a dedicated smaller play structure featuring a little pirate ship wheel and low slide, all oriented toward the sparkling bay. Scattered wooden huts and climbing frames invite creative play – one moment your child is in a house, the next it’s a boat or a shop depending on their imagination. Swings, including toddler swings, nestle under the leafy canopy, and a mini climbing wall gives budding climbers a safe challenge. The whole area has a wonderfully natural vibe – big tree roots to step over, leaves to crunch, and plenty of sticks and shells to collect.

One of the coolest bonuses of Wellington Point Reserve is the famed King Island walk: at low tide, a sandbar emerges leading across the bay to a tiny island. It’s an easy 1km walk (or paddle) that even toddlers can attempt with hand-holding – they’ll be amazed “walking on water”. Just plan around the tides and have towels handy! After playtime, families often spread a picnic rug on the large grassy area or splash in the calm beach shallows.

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Nature-inspired play: Play huts, wooden climbing frames, and a sandy floor let kids blend playground fun with nature exploration
  • Toddler play ship: A little pirate wheel and boat-shaped structure facing the bay give tots a seafaring pretend-play experience without leaving shore
  • Swings and mini climbs: Toddler swings, a small slide, and a low climbing wall offer age-appropriate challenges under the trees
  • Massive shade: The gigantic Moreton Bay fig trees form a natural umbrella over the playground, so it’s shady and cool (plus kids love climbing on the fig tree roots!).
  • Beachside fun: A safe swimming beach and the famous walk to King Island make this park extra special – a chance for a mini beach adventure during your playground visit
  • Facilities: Heaps of parking and a large overflow lot for busy weekends, BBQs and gazebos, toilets and outdoor showers (to rinse off sandy toes), and even a little café/kiosk nearby for coffee or ice cream.

Where to Find It: The reserve is at 2A Main Road, Wellington Point, at the very end of the Wellington Point peninsula. From Redland Bay it’s about a 30-minute drive. If you want a mix of toddler-friendly playground and natural seaside exploration, Wellington Point is a must-visit.

Capalaba Regional Park, Capalaba

Capalaba Regional Park is the ultimate all-abilities playground, and it’s terrific for toddlers too. This large park in Capalaba features an expansive fenced playground with a soft rubber and bark surface that’s easy on little feet. The main play area boasts a wooden fort structure with wide ramps and low platforms – great for toddlers still finding their balance. There are built-in shopfront cubbies at ground level of the fort, so your tiny ones can play shop or “house” safely on the ground floor. Climbing nets, swings, and musical play elements (like steel drums to bang) provide sensory fun. Don’t miss the “musical forest” – a section with outdoor instruments that toddlers can happily clank and toot! The park also has gentle hills with built-in slides, a sandpit area, and a sensory totem maze for curious explorers.

Outside the fenced zone lies a beautiful parkland with duck ponds, bridges, and walking paths. It’s perfect for a pram walk or letting toddlers observe ducks and turtles after playground time. You truly can make a day of it here: play, nature walk, picnic, repeat!

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Partially fenced play area: The main playground is fenced on most sides for peace of mind (though do watch the exits).
  • Soft surfaces: Mix of rubber flooring and bark mulch under equipment, plus ramps for pram and wheelchair accessibility
  • Toddler-safe fort: A big wooden fort with easy ramps and wide platforms – no scary high drops – plus tiny shop windows underneath for pretend play
  • Musical and sensory play: Drums, chimes, and a spinning sound wheel let toddlers make joyful noise. The sensory maze of poles is great for a little hide-and-seek.
  • Sand & water: A sand pit invites digging (bring toys!), and sometimes there’s water play elements active (check for a pump or damming games).
  • Swings and slides: Standard swings, toddler bucket swings, and several slides (including short hill slides) to keep them busy.
  • Wide paths for bikes: Flat, paved paths weave through the area – perfect for beginner bikers or scooter riders to practice in a safe environment
  • Facilities: Toilets (with baby change) are close by and accessible. Shaded picnic shelters and BBQs surround the playground, and there’s plenty of grassy space for running or kicking a ball. A large car park is adjacent, and the park is right next to Capalaba’s shopping centre if you need to grab lunch or extra wipes.

Where to Find It: The park is located off Pittwin Road North, Capalaba – about 25–30 minutes west of Redland Bay. Look for the signs for Capalaba Regional Park or follow the laughter of kids! It’s one of the most toddler-friendly playgrounds in Queensland, offering a fantastic blend of play equipment and natural surroundings.

Jingeri Park, Shoreline (Redland Bay)

Jingeri Park is a brand new playground in Redland Bay’s Shoreline community, featuring a unique 8.5m lighthouse play structure that will wow kids of all agesThis park is a showcase of community spirit and local culture – even its name “Jingeri” means “greetings” in the local Indigenous language. For toddlers, Jingeri Park provides plenty of safe adventures. The signature red-and-white lighthouse tower is big and eye-catching, but little ones can explore it via gentle ramps and stairs, and there are two slides (one enclosed) coming down from different heights to accommodate the tiny tots as well as older siblingsThe playground design incorporates local coastal themes: there’s a mini jetty-style boardwalk to toddle on, boat-shaped elements, and even carved wooden animals hiding around. Soft landscaping and sand underfoot keep things safe. Parents will love the thoughtful touches – shaded picnic areas and mature fig trees transplanted into the park provide shade and a connection to nature

This playground was created in partnership with Quandamooka traditional owners, so you’ll also find beautiful Indigenous art murals and native plants throughout, making it a subtly educational environment too. But for your 2-year-old, it’s just pure fun – climb, slide, repeat! After a play session, you can take a stroll on the walking paths or grab a coffee at the Shoreline estate café (if open) while the little ones nap in the car.

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Multiple mini slides: The lighthouse play tower offers smaller slide options so little kids can enjoy the big feature safely. No need to climb too high for a thrill!
  • Climb and explore: Low climbing nets, bridges, and ramps are built into the design, encouraging gross motor play for young ones. It’s designed with toddlers in mind, despite the tall centerpiece.
  • Theming and visuals: Bright lighthouse, jetty and boat-themed play pieces spark imaginative play – your child might pretend to sail the bay or be a lighthouse keeper “helping ships.”
  • Shaded picnic spots: Shade sails and large transplanted fig trees provide shade over parts of the playground and lawns. Perfect for a snack break in the shade.
  • Gardens and nature: Native plants and a storytelling mural along the park walls add visual interest (and opportunities to talk to your child about local animals or colors).
  • Quiet paths: A paved loop around the park is great for little bikes or a calming walk when playtime winds down.
  • Facilities: The park is so new that facilities are still being added, but currently you’ll find picnic tables, bins, and plenty of open space. (Public toilets are not on-site yet – plan a pit stop beforehand just in case.)

Where to Find It: Jingeri Park is located in the Shoreline development at Redland Bay (near the end of Serpentine Creek Road, then into Shoreline Drive – look for Jingeri Street). It’s right in Redland Bay, so local families have a fantastic new toddler spot close to home. This park is a fresh addition to the Redlands Coast, combining cultural storytelling with playground fun – definitely put it on your list for a visit!

Denham Boulevard Park, Redland Bay

Denham Boulevard Park is a hidden gem in Redland Bay – a quiet neighborhood playground that’s especially great for toddlers and preschoolers. It may not have the giant towers of the bigger parks, but it shines in toddler-friendly design. Much of the play equipment here is undercover, with shade sails covering the slides and swings to keep kiddos sun-safe. Speaking of equipment, there’s a little bit of everything: modern climbing frames, a small flying fox (yes, a mini zip-line that even cautious toddlers can try with help), slides, and toddler swings. The playground is set next to a scenic wetland, so you might spot ducks paddling nearby as you play, adding a nice nature touch. Two spacious sheltered picnic tables sit right next to the play area – convenient for supervising parents to relax (and perhaps enjoy that takeaway coffee). There’s also an adjacent grassy field that’s perfect for kicking a ball or spreading a picnic blanket.

One thing to note: Denham Boulevard Park is a neighborhood park, so it’s not fully fenced and doesn’t have toilets on-site. You’ll want to keep a close eye on little runners since the park is open to the surrounds (though it’s set back from the road), and plan potty visits in advance. On the plus side, there’s a water bubbler for drinking water and even some outdoor fitness equipment for parents to use (or for toddlers to amusingly attempt mimicry). For a low-key, local outing this park is just the ticket.

Toddler-Friendly Highlights:

  • Sun-safe play: Many of the play structures are covered by shade sails, a huge bonus on hot or bright days. No hot slides or overheated kiddos here – it’s a true “Sun Smart” playground.
  • Age-appropriate gear: The climbs and slides are just the right size for younger kids. Nothing too towering or daunting – perfect for building confidence.
  • Mini flying fox: A small flying fox (zip-line) with a bucket seat lets adventurous toddlers swoop low to the ground. It’s gentle but exciting – likely to be ridden over and over!
  • Swings and spinners: Toddler bucket swings and a couple of spring riders give variety for those who love motion.
  • Picnic & play: Two undercover picnic areas sit right next to the playground. You can literally sit at the table and be within arm’s reach of your child on the equipment. Ideal for snacks or a mini lunch break.
  • Wildlife spotting: The adjacent wetlands mean ducks and water birds are frequent visitors. A short stroll on the path might become a mini bird-watching adventure with your little one. 
  • Quiet location: Being nestled in a suburban area, this park is usually peaceful and not overcrowded – great for toddlers who can get overwhelmed by big, busy playgrounds.

Where to Find It: Denham Boulevard Park is on Denham Boulevard in Redland Bay’s newer estate area. It’s roughly a 5-minute drive from Redland Bay town center. You can park along the street nearby. This little park is proof that sometimes the simple local playgrounds are the best for toddlers – easy, calm, and just plain fun.

(Pssst, also in Redland Bay: check out Neville Stafford Park on Banana Street for a waterfront playground option. It’s an unfenced bayfront park with a basic playground and gorgeous views of the bay – perfect for a stroller walk and play, especially if you fancy a ferry-watching with your little one.)

Time to play!

From pirate ships to fairy forests, the Redland Bay area has an incredible variety of toddler-friendly playgrounds waiting to be explored. These outdoor parks cater to what parents care about most: safe play equipment, shaded spots to beat the Queensland sun, soft surfaces for those inevitable tumbles, fences (where we need them), nearby amenities, and plenty of engaging fun to keep our little scholars busy and happy. The best part? Watching your child’s face light up as they conquer a new slide or dig up “dinosaur bones” in the sand – those moments are priceless.

So pack the sunscreen, strap on those tiny sandals, and head out to enjoy the best playgrounds in Redland Bay for toddlers.  We’d love to hear from you: Which playground is your family’s favourite? Did we miss a great toddler spot in or around Redland Bay? Let us know on socials @littlescholarsearlylearning! 

If you’re after the best childcare in Redland Bay, look no further than Little Scholars. We have two beautiful centres in the heart of Redland Bay – Little Scholars Redland Bay and Little Scholars Redland Bay South. Contact us or book a tour today to ensure your little one gets the best start to life that they can.

At Little Scholars, we’re not just about early learning, we are all about our families and community! That’s why we’re here to share our favourite outdoor playgrounds in Ipswich for toddlers.

Finding the perfect play spot for your toddler can feel like hitting the jackpot, and in Ipswich, Queensland there are plenty of winners. We’ve rounded up the best Ipswich playgrounds for toddlers – think soft-fall surfaces, mini slides, sand pits, and even friendly farm animals – all geared toward kids aged 1–5. These toddler-friendly playgrounds in Ipswich offer safe, fun environments for little ones to explore. So grab your sunhat and snacks, and get ready to discover the best outdoor playgrounds in Ipswich for toddlers!

Images and information courtesy of the organisations mentioned/linked below.

Queens Park, Ipswich - Water Play & Wildlife Fun in One Park

Queens Park is an all-in-one adventure for toddlers, combining an exciting playground with a mini wildlife experience. The playground itself features a wonderful water pump and little stream where toddlers can splash, pump water, and float leaves downstream. There’s loads of pint-sized play equipment on a soft-fall rubber surface, plus a big grassy lawn perfect for wobbling runs and family picnics. Towering shady trees keep much of the play area cool, and parents will appreciate the nearby Ipswich Nature Centre – a free mini-zoo home to kangaroos, farm animals, birds and more – accessed by a pram-friendly boardwalk. After meeting the animals, you can pop into the Environmental Education Centre across the path for interactive toddler activities, or recharge at the on-site café (which even has a kids’ menu). It’s easy to spend a whole morning here with your little explorer!

Toddler Highlights:

  • Interactive water play area (pump-operated stream)
  • Plenty of toddler-sized climbing structures and swings
  • Soft rubber ground and open grassy space for safe play
  • Mostly shaded by large trees (great for hot days)
  • Extras: Ipswich Nature Centre (mini zoo) and Environmental Education Centre on-site for added fun
  • Amenities: Toilets (with disabled access and change tables) and an on-site café for coffee or kids’ meals

Location: 10A Milford Street, Ipswich

Leichhardt Park, One Mile - Fruit & Veggie Themed Toddler Haven (Fully Fenced!)

If you have an energetic toddler who loves to roam, Leichhardt Park will be your new best friend. This adorable playground is fully fenced (a huge relief for parents of runners!) and sits on a soft bark base for gentle landings. The entire play space is cleverly designed for under-5s with a charming fruit-and-vegetable theme. Little ones can bounce on a giant watermelon rocker, play shopkeeper at the pretend veggie market stall, and clamber up a pint-sized fort – all sized perfectly for tiny hands and feet. There’s even a big sandpit with a digger where mini construction-lovers can scoop and sift to their heart’s content. Covered picnic tables and BBQs sit within the enclosure, so you can relax and snack without losing sight of your child. With its imaginative theme and thoughtful design, Leichhardt Park truly ticks all the boxes for safe, creative toddler play.

Toddler Highlights:

  • Fully fenced play areas – peace of mind for parents
  • Soft bark and sand ground surfaces (gentle on little feet)
  • Whimsical fruit & veggie theme for imaginative play (watermelon rocker, shopfront, etc.)
  • Dedicated toddler-sized fort, low slides and mini climbing equipment
  • Large sandpit with a kid-operated digger for tactile play
  • Swings (including toddler swing seats) and fun bouncers
  • Amenities: On-site toilets with baby change facilities, shaded picnic tables and BBQs inside the fence

Location: 1A Old Toowoomba Road, One Mile

Flagstone Adventure Park, Flagstone - Mega Park with a Toddler Zone & Water Play

You’ve probably heard the buzz about Flagstone Adventure Park – it’s one of the biggest playgrounds in South East Queensland, and it definitely lives up to the hype. But don’t let the epic scale scare you off if you have a toddler. Tucked within this 10-hectare mega-park is a fantastic dedicated toddler zone designed for little adventurers. In this smaller area, kids will find a low-to-the-ground climbing fort with mini slides and ladders, a fun tunnel built into a hill, toddler-sized climbing frames, and baby swings – all perfect for the under-5 crowd. There’s also an in-ground trampoline (just their size) and a sand play area for sensory fun. And here’s the best part: right next door is the Flagstone Water Play Park, a zero-depth water playground with sprayers, bubblers and jets where toddlers can cool off and splash safely!

While Flagstone Adventure Park isn’t fully fenced and can get busy (so keep a close eye on your little one), it offers endless entertainment. Older siblings can enjoy the giant climbing towers, skate plaza, and flying foxes, while you and your toddler stick to the gentler attractions. There are shelters and seating (the central play areas even have shade sails overhead), so you can take breaks as needed. A coffee cart/café is usually on hand near the water park – lifesaver! – and toilets are available on site. Pro tip: bring a picnic and maybe a change of clothes for the kiddo, because between the sandbox and water jets, they will get delightfully messy.

Toddler Highlights:

  • Dedicated toddler play area with low climbing fort, tiny slides and a sunken tunnel
  • Sand play zone and even a little in-ground trampoline for bouncy fun
  • Water Play Park adjacent with shallow spray jets and fountains (perfect for splashing on hot days)
  • Multiple swings including toddler bucket swings
  • Soft-fall rubber play surfaces and large grassy areas to run around
  • Partial shade from shade sails in the toddler section (bring hats and sunscreen just in case)
  • Amenities: Accessible toilets on site, off-street parking area, and a nearby café for coffee/snacks

Location: Trailblazer Drive, Flagstone (Jimboomba area)

Denmark Hill Conservation Reserve, Ipswich - Nature Play & Mini Bushwalks for Tiny Explorers

For a mix of playground fun and nature time, you can’t beat Denmark Hill Conservation Reserve. Nestled in 11 hectares of bushland right near Ipswich Central, this reserve includes a gorgeous nature-based playground that’s ideal for toddlers with big imaginations. The play equipment is all made from wood and natural materials, and it’s set low to the ground. Little ones can scamper over log balance beams, wobble across a small rope bridge, clamber on totem poles, and swing in a cute bird’s-nest swing. There’s even a pretend campfire ring and a tiny wooden stage – perfect for creative play and impromptu toddler performances! The ground is covered in soft mulch and sand, so tumbles aren’t a big deal.

What makes Denmark Hill extra special are the built-in mini hiking adventures. Just beyond the playground you’ll find several short, toddler-friendly walking trails looping through the forest.  They’re easy, mostly paved or bitumen paths – great for little feet or even prams. Along one trail, keep an eye out for large metal storybook frames which are part of the reserve’s “Tales and Trails” story walk, adding a touch of magic to your stroll. After your walk, you can picnic at the tables near the playground (there are BBQs and shelters too), or simply enjoy the birds and butterflies in this peaceful green haven. Bonus: an amenities block with accessible toilets is located by the picnic area, so you have all the essentials for a comfy outing.

Toddler Highlights:

  • Beautiful nature-themed playground with wooden climbing and balancing equipment
  • Low structures: no tall towers here – ideal for ages 1–5 to explore independently
  • Imaginative play features like a pretend campfire circle and mini stage for budding performers
  • Small basket swing (bird’s nest style) and fun obstacle-course elements (logs, ropes, nets)
  • Short bushwalk trails starting at the playground – easy grade, suitable for toddlers and prams
  • Storytime trail: discover the quirky story-frame installations along the paths (a hit with curious kids!)
  • Amenities: Picnic tables, shelters, BBQs, plenty of parking, and toilets (with disabled access) on site

Location: 20 Chelmsford Avenue, Ipswich

Faye Carr Park, Ripley - Rocket Ships & Toddler Learn-to-Ride Track

Calling all future astronauts – Faye Carr Park is a must-visit! This vibrant park in Ripley is famous for its trio of giant red-and-green rocket ship towers that wow you on arrival. But for toddlers, the real fun is at ground level: a snakes-and-ladders themed toddler playground that’s jam-packed with interactive play equipment. There are mini forts and slides, toddler swings, little spinners, bouncy rubber domes to hop across, and even a custom rope obstacle run – all designed for the 1–5 age group. In total, the park boasts 16+ developmental play activities just for young children, so there’s no shortage of things to touch, spin, climb or slide on. It’s partly covered with shade sails and has a mix of soft rubber, sand, and bark underfoot for safe play.

One of the standout features here is the learn-to-ride track that loops around the playground. This mini roadway comes complete with street signs and road markings, offering the perfect practice ground for kids on trikes or balance bikes – don’t forget to pack your little one’s wheels! Beyond the toddler zone, Faye Carr Park also includes open grassy fields and a half basketball court, so older siblings (or energetic parents) can kick a ball or shoot hoops. Family-friendly extras like picnic shelters, BBQ facilities, and water fountains make it easy to linger for a lunch break. The park is relatively new, very clean, and although not fully fenced, it’s set back from any main roads in a quiet estate. Parents will also appreciate the accessible toilets and baby change facilities on site, plus convenient on-street parking. All in all, this “rocket park” delivers a space-age level of fun for little kids!

Toddler Highlights:

  • Unique rocket ship theme – exciting visuals without being too scary for littlies
  • Dedicated toddler play area with low-to-ground forts, small slides and ramps
  • Interactive play elements: spinners, a mini see-saw, puzzle panels, and bouncy rubber mounds
  • Learn-to-ride bike/scooter track encircling the playground, with real traffic signs for imaginative play
  • Five-person group swing and inclusive merry-go-round for social play (toddler and parent can ride together!)
  • Half basketball court and open lawn adjacent – great for a pram walk or kicking a ball
  • Amenities: Wheelchair-accessible toilets, baby change tables, sheltered picnic areas with BBQs, and water taps

Location: 1 Joy Chambers Circuit, Ripley

Grande Park, Springfield Lakes - Fully Fenced Wonderland with Bike Track & More

True to its name, Grande Park offers a grand day out for families – especially those with adventurous toddlers. This park is a fully fenced wonderland of multiple play zones set amid beautiful eucalyptus trees. Inside the extensive fenced area, you’ll find a dedicated toddler playground as well as areas for older kids, all on soft bark and rubber surfaces. For the little ones, there’s a cute toddler fort with slides and a mini climbing wall, plenty of ground-level activities, swings (including a toddler bucket swing), and spinning elements that are just the right speed for younger children. One highlight is the pair of hill slides built into an artificial mound – even tiny tots can enjoy a gentle slide with a grown-up’s help. Meanwhile, mini daredevils can try the small climbing nets or wobble on the low balance beams. Because everything is enclosed, you can relax (a bit!) while your toddler toddles from one activity to the next in this safe space.  

Grande Park also features an awesome traffic-themed learn-to-ride track just outside the main playground fence, winding through the trees. It has real road signs, painted lines, and little bridges – perfect for a preschooler on a balance bike or scooter to practice “road rules” (and burn extra energy). Bring the bikes and trikes! There are also walking paths leading to a small creek and bushland around the park, so curious little explorers can enjoy a short nature walk with you. Other facilities abound: picnic pavilions, BBQs, toilets (accessible), and even a fenced dog-off-leash area across the road for your furry family members. With so much to do, it’s easy to spend a whole morning or afternoon at Grande Park. Pack a picnic (and a change of clothes if mud or water play might tempt your tot), and make a day of it!

Toddler Highlights:

  • Entire playground area fully fenced – stress-free play for wanderers
  • Soft fall bark and rubber flooring throughout, plus large grassy sections to run around
  • Dedicated toddler equipment: small slides, a low climbing fort, baby swings, spinners
  • Fun extras like hill slides built into a grassy mound and little climbing nets
  • Traffic-themed bike/scooter track on site with signs and road markings – A+ for pretend play and biking practice
  • Shady spots under sails and trees; adjacent bushland paths for a mini nature walk or scoot
  • Amenities: Toilets (wheelchair-accessible), covered picnic tables, BBQs, and easy parking nearby

Location: 40 Grande Avenue, Springfield Lakes

Time to play!

Ipswich truly delivers when it comes to toddler-friendly playgrounds – from imaginative themed parks to nature-filled play spaces, there’s something here for every little personality. Now it’s your turn to explore! Why not plan your next family outing around one of these amazing parks? Pack the stroller, plenty of water, and a spare set of clothes (just in case!), and get ready for giggles and good times. We’d love to hear about your adventures, so feel free to share with us on social media @littlescholarsearlylearning! which Ipswich playground for toddlers becomes your family’s favourite.

If you’re after the best childcare in Ipswich, look no further than our brand-new campus, Little Scholars Karalee! Contact us or book a tour today to ensure your little one gets the best start to life that they can.

Babies are a mysterious bunch. For many months, their main forms of communication are cries, squeaks, gestures and coos. Parents fall madly in love with these little humans without knowing what they’re thinking and feeling, often just guessing at best.

How babies play, how and what they’re learning, and what they’re interested in can be a mystery to many. Many parents have seen their baby pull out every book off a shelf, for example, watch it fall, then grab another, while that parent scratches his or her head and says ‘why?’

 

There’s an answer. It’s a schema. A schema is both a category of knowledge as well as the process of acquiring that knowledge. In play, babies are often involved in repeated actions or certain behaviours as they explore the world around them and try to find out how things work. Those repetitive actions, such as a baby pulling out book after book, allows a child to practice and construct meaning to something, until they’ve understood that schema. Then they find something else to focus on and lather, rinse, repeat!

As Yvette, educational lead from our Burleigh campus says, it’s children’s development making sense.

“All of those little things that you see children do that seem a bit cute, or frustrating even, like throwing, it’s a schema, a child’s pathway of development for making sense of the world,” Yvette says.

The repetitive action of a schema allows a child to practice and construct meaning until they have mastered the understanding of the schema. Being aware of play schemas helps in two ways:

  1. It helps parents and educators to differentiate between ‘behaviour’ vs ‘natural urges’ which move past the belief that a child is just being ‘difficult’
  2. It helps parents and educators to plan learning environments that support the development and mastery of schemas

There are a number of types of schemas when it comes to babies.

Trajectory schema – The trajectory schema is one of the earliest schemas observed in babies. They are fascinated with how they, and objects move. Children will often throw objects or food from their pram or highchair. They climb and jump in puddles and enjoy exploring running water.

Transporting schema – Little ones enjoy repeatedly moving resources around, from one place to another. They will carry many items at a time using their hands, pockets, containers,
baskets, bags, or anything else that will hold their newfound treasures.

Enclosing schema – Children show an interest in enclosed spaces. They may want to sit (and hide in) boxes or laundry baskets. Or they may show interest constructing fences and barricades to enclose toy animals or themselves.

Rotational schema – Children showing a rotational schema may display a preference for turning taps on and off, winding and unwinding string, and playing with
hoops. They may also be fascinated with the physical experience of twirling and twisting their body, spinning around on the spot, or rolling themselves down a hill. They have an interest in things that turn, such as wheels and windmills. They enjoy rolling tyres around, turning lids and watching the washing machine on a spin cycle.

Enveloping schema – Children with an enveloping schema are interested in covering and hiding items, including themselves. They will enjoy dressing up, and filling and emptying bags and containers with different objects.

Connecting schema – Children displaying the connecting schema want to join items together. They find resources like string to tie things. They connect and disconnect toys such as rail tracks.
They enjoy construction toys, and doing arts and crafts where they can glue and stick pieces together.

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Orientation schema – Children like to turn objects and themselves around and upside down, to get a view from under the table or from the branch of a tree. They may bend over and look at the world backwards through their legs. They enjoy seeing things from a different view when exploring using cardboard tubes, binoculars or a magnifying glass.

By adapting this theory, we have been able to slow down and become more in tune to the children and noticing their behaviour patterns in play. It is now so important to us that we allow our babies and young children the time to explore the repetitive actions of schematic play.

-Jodie, lead educator

Theory of Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget was one of the first to use the term “schema” back in 1923. Piaget was an important child development theorist and his Theory of Cognitive Development was and still is read and followed today by early childhood specialists. He was one of the first who believed children think differently than adults and that they have an innate desire to learn and actively build up their knowledge about the world. They are not passive creatures waiting for someone to teach them.

Susan, our group pedagogical leader, is bringing her schema knowledge across our campuses to the lead educators in the nursery and toddler studios in 2023. Learn a bit more below about how we use schema theory, and how one educator has taken it on in her nursery.

Schematic Pedagogy

Through our collective curriculum, our educators are guided through a ‘schematic lens’, meaning they can plan for children’s thinking, not just activities. This has a strong link to our Collective Curriculum, our educational program for children.

The learning environment

Our educators apply teaching methodologies to design their play spaces and are intentional in the resources offered.

Observing and planning for children’s thinking

Through our collective curriculum, our educators observe the children through their play, to determine schemas explored through the children’s engagement to an activity or resource. Through observing patterns of learning, our trained educators can plan forward to scaffold their cognitive capabilities.

Partnering with children in play

Through ongoing mentoring and coaching, our educators are able use their knowledge of schemas and plan effectively. Our educators are encouraged to partner with children in their play and observe behaviours explored through schemas.

“Schemas are an intrinsic part of child development, knowledge to schemas provide our team of educators an opportunity to identify and encourage independence in children as they explore patterns of movement, often related to schemas,” Susan says. “Supporting assessing through a schematic lens, provides our educators with a framework which can be used to analyse children’s learning, supporting the planning process within our curriculum.”

Educator Q&A

You may be wondering if you have a baby or a small toddler in one of our campuses, how we use schemas to help their development. We talked to one of the educators at our Deception Bay campus about using schemas for educational programming. Deception Bay Little Scholars was recently rated as Exceeding the National Quality Standard (NQS) after it was assessed by the Department of Education. The NQS sets a high national benchmark for early childhood education and care in Australia. Jodie, lead educator in the nursery studio, says learning about schemas was a game-changer.

  • Q: When did you first learn about schemas?
    A: I first heard about schematic play by attending a professional development webinar with Semann & Slattery. It resonated with me as I had observed children engage in the different schemas, but didn’t know about schematic play. I found it so intriguing and needed to do more research. I found Jean Piaget’s psychology theory; “while a schema in psychology still refers to how information is organized, it focuses on how the human mind does it”. I have now learnt the what, why and how children learn through repeated patterns of behaviour.
  • Q: How long have you worked with nursery children? What were your interactions like before?
    A: I have worked in the industry coming up to 14 years and only in the past four years, I have engaged in a more full-time educating role with the nursery and toddler-aged children. Prior to this, I struggled with understanding this age group on the emphasis of what, why and how this age group do things so differently, developmentally, and emotionally. Especially toddlers as they are so spontaneous and busy, and how I could best support them as an educator. It wasn’t until I had my second child, who was so vastly different to my first child! She was much more inquisitive, very busy and just like a little tornado ripping through the house. She was never content until she had everything out on the floor! For the most part she never sat and engaged with her toys, (like my first child did). However, could sit very quietly and go unnoticed at times, especially when she would discover the creams on the change table, or the dirt and mud in the backyard while I hung out the washing.
    [After learning about schema theory] I was able to resonate with this from my daughter’s tornado toddler years. That it seemed she wasn’t content until she had gone around and pulled everything out, to not even play with any of it, but just move it from place to place. When in fact she was learning! She was learning about horizontal trajectory (dropping objects), vertical trajectory (throwing, pulling, pushing, pointing, climbing) and transporting (moving objects from place to place).
  • Q: How has your knowledge of schemas adjusted how you spend time with babies and toddlers?
    A: With the support and guidance from Susan, I have since adapted Jean Piaget’s schema theory into our collective educational program. By adapting this theory, we have been able to slow down and become more in tune to the children and noticing their behaviour patterns in play. It is now so important to us that we allow our babies and young children the time to explore the repetitive actions of schematic play. Allowing our babies to construct meaning in what they are doing, as babies and young children learn best through, opportunities to engage in active learning through hands on experiences. These opportunities allow babies and children to problem solve, question, predict, imagine, speculate, and develop independent choices as they make decisions in an area, they are familiar with.
  • Q: How do you see schema theory in action in your nursery?
    A: Our younger babies spend a lot of their time engaging in trajectory play. They can be observed doing tummy time, reaching out for objects, kicking their legs, opening and closing their hands, grasping objects, waving arms up and down or side to side. Then onto rolling, sitting, and crawling where their patterns of movement emerge to larger body movements in horizontal and vertical lines e.g., pushing, kicking pointing, rocking, climbing, or stepping up and down as they work towards their important milestone of walking (horizontal trajectory).

Both our younger babies and older babies really enjoy dropping objects or putting things in and out of containers (vertical trajectory). Using old formula tins and cutting an opening in the top with lids from jar foods a milk bottle lids, is a big favourite.

Our older babies are seen continuing with trajectory and begin to start exploring other forms of schematic play like, transporting, rotation, connecting  and this can lead to a disconnecting schema where the child builds something that they can demolish or through [activities like] untying knots, as well as enclosing, positioning, enveloping and orientation, such as looking at things from different viewpoints like hanging upside down, looking through their legs, looking at things upside down. No wonder our little people are so busy and on the go all the time!

Thanks, Jodie!

Related:

Pedagogical Practices: Bringing new learning techniques to Little Scholars

Tips for parents looking for care for their child for the first time

You’re having a baby! Congratulations! It’s such a thrilling time! But it can also be intimidating, stressful and overwhelming thinking of all things you need to think about and prepare for, before your child even arrives.

Or perhaps you have that sweet child, and while many take a leave of absence from work after baby is born, at some point families have to make the decision if and when they will return to work. That’s when you have to look at early learning and care for your children. Overwhelmed? We’re here to guide you and make life just a little bit easier.

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With some many childcare options, how does one choose?

There are several options. Consider what early learning services are nearby and how far you’re willing to travel to drop-off and pick-up. You could even do it during peak hour traffic to get a better idea of how long it might take to get to these locations.

Check out the websites dedicated to listing early learning services such as Starting Blocks, Australia’s free government website dedicated to early childhood, the National Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) national register or sites like  Careforkids.com.au – which share services by location,  including pertinent information such as assessment and rating outcomes, what each service offers, contact information and more.

Then, visit websites and start making some calls and book tours. That will be the best way for you to get ideas on philosophies, curriculums, learning and play environments, and they can answer any questions you may have.

Waitlists - what they are and when to join them

Early learning and care providers in Australia have strict educator-to-child ratios, which is for the safety and benefit of both children and their educators, but that can mean spots fill quite quickly in each age and development learning environment, and in high-demand areas, waitlists can fill up quickly. However, don’t let us scare you, many high quality services have spaces available when you need them.

While this sector is thrilled to be able to allow more parents to continue or join the workforce, that does mean demand will be higher for quality early learning and care.

Start early. Contact the campus you’re interested in to see if there is indeed a wait list. Ideally, get names on wait lists at least six months to 12 months before you need care. Often, services will be considering what spots are available for the next year toward the end of the year – October to December. That doesn’t mean if you need care in May that you’re out of luck, but for busy services, thinking of the first of the year as a start time might be realistic. Sometimes, families get their unborn babies on wait lists just to be sure. At Little Scholars, if this is the case for your family, we’ll contact you about one month after your due date to see where your family is with thinking about care for your new addition.

Visit the service before joining the waitlist. Most early learning locations offer tours, you just need to book them in advance to avoid disruption and guaranteeing someone will be able to provide you the time you need to get a feel for the service.

Keep in contact with the service to see how your child is progressing on the wait list.

Some services offer places to families who have been on the waitlist the longest. Some may place internal families first, meaning families who already have a child in their care and are adding additional children. Some services may have a strict “first-in, best-dressed” approach. It’s worth asking what the policy is.

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Ratios in early learning

In early learning, a “ratio” refers to the comparison between the number of educators and the number of children they are responsible for supervising, essentially showing how many children each adult is looking after at a given time; it’s a crucial aspect of ensuring children’s safety and wellbeing in an early childhood setting, with different age groups often having different required ratios depending on their developmental needs.

The ratio for our children is as follows:

  • 0-24 months – one educator for every four children or 1:4
  • 24 months and less than 36 months – one educator for every five children or 1:5
  • 36 months up to and including preschool age – one educator for every 11 children 1:11
  • Over preschool age – one educator for every 15 children or 1:15

These ratios adhere to the requirements of the National Quality Framework.

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a government initiative designed to help families manage the cost of early learning. Your child’s time in care is charged as a daily fee by the service, and the government may cover a portion of this cost based on your individual circumstances. This is known as the subsidy

You can apply for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) even before enrolling your child in early learning, in fact as long as your child has a birth certificate, you can apply. You then have 13 weeks to activate your CCS with an early learning service. If that time lapses, you can go online to reactivate it.

We have a helpful webpage dedicated to everything you may need to know about CCS!

The benefits of care for our youngest learners

The benefits of placing small children in early childhood education are numerous. Early learning can help babies develop social skills, motor skills, and cognitive abilities. Because of course, learning doesn’t start when a child begins school, it begins at birth!

Social development
Babies can begin forming connections, learning to share, and developing early communication skills in a supportive environment.

Motor development
Early learning settings provide safe opportunities for babies to explore movement, such as reaching and grasping. These experiences help strengthen motor skills, with research suggesting that babies who engage in active exploration may reach developmental milestones earlier.

Cognitive growth
Exposure to a variety of learning experiences supports cognitive development. Studies indicate that children who participate in early learning programs may develop stronger cognitive abilities compared to those who do not.

School readiness
Early learning helps children prepare for kindergarten by teaching them to follow instructions, interact with peers, and adjust to time away from their parents.

Academic success
Research shows that early education programs can contribute to improved academic achievement in children.

Little Scholars and most early learning services will suggest to parents that they enrol their children at least two days every week in care. Why? Nearly a quarter of Australian children start school without the foundational skills they need in areas like communication, social skills, emotional wellbeing, and physical health. 

Attending for at least two years, with a minimum of 15 hours per week, is linked to better literacy and numeracy outcomes that persist into adolescence. High-quality early learning also supports secure attachments with educators, helping children settle and understand routines, and engage more actively with peers. 

In our learn and play studios, At Little Scholars, we provide tailored, age-specific early learning and childcare across four key stages: nursery, toddlers, pre-kindy, and kindy. Our expertly designed programs cater to the unique needs and developmental milestones of each age group. Our children learn through play, reflected through our dedicated early learning curriculum.

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Separating from your child for the first time

We understand the bonds young children have with their parents or caregivers. There is no denying that it may not be a smooth process, but we encourage parents to remember all the benefits children gain from attending early learning. Research also proves that having a child in care doesn’t negatively affect the bond with his or her main caregivers.

If you have a little ones who you think may struggle with separating from parents, check out our blog post: Tips and tricks for dealing with separation anxiety

If you as a parent are struggling with feelings of being away from your baby, we have a blog post for you in which we spoke with a clinical psychotherapist for her suggestions: Children aren’t the only ones who deal with separation anxiety

We very much welcome you to chat with us if you or your little one are or may deal with these feelings. You’re not alone and we can support you both through this transition.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child, we have an open door policy and we invite you to talk to your educator, educational leader or campus manager any time.

Little Scholars offers you and your child the very best facilities, resources and early educational, play-based programs available, which are underpinned by the early years learning framework. Our belief is that through quality education and care for children we can also encourage, assist and support the entire family.

Our dedicated team of educators are committed to the individual needs and interests of children and their families, and thus we encourage and welcome family input and involvement.

We aim to be like an extension of your family and are very relationship-driven. We support nurturing relationships between our educators and your child, the relationships your child has with the other children who attend, and we value our relationship with you as the parent and other family members. So book a tour today to get started!

If you’re the parent or guardian of a child under five, you’ve probably observed some lies at some point during their young life.

That’s normal and dare we say, developmentally appropriate. We didn’t say it’s OK, but it’s common! Your child isn’t headed for a life of crime and incarceration, so you can now let out a sigh of relief. And there are certainly things you can do to help lead your child to a more honest way of communicating!

Why children tell lies

But from a developmental perspective, a blog shared by Early Childhood Australia confirms that lying in young children is rarely cause for concern.

From the ECA blog: “lying is often one of the first signs a young child has developed a “theory of mind”, which is the awareness others may have different desires, feelings, and beliefs to oneself. When a child misleadingly claims “Daddy said I could have an ice cream”, they’re using this awareness of others’ minds to plant false knowledge.”

Children can start lying by the time they start stringing sentences together, between the ages of two and four. The tales they tell may get more elaborate from the age of roughly four and up, as they start to understand what may be more likely to be believed, as their understanding of how others might think and interpret what they say gets more sophisticated.

But the reason behind the lies could also be far less sinister than you think it might be.

Perhaps, your child is just looking to be seen. It might be that they’re feeling invisible to you, and to really get your attention, to get you to make a big deal out of something in their lives, they need to make their story bigger. It can be easier for adults to think their problems, concerns and issues are so much bigger and more important than a child’s, but important to whom? 

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How can parents handle the situation when recognising a lie from their children?

Interestingly, research has found that while almost all children lie at some point, they also have a pretty clear understanding young that lying is wrong. Kay Bussey from Macquarie University, found that children as young as four years of age rated ‘lies about misdeeds as being very bad and that the liar would feel guilty for telling such a lie. Furthermore, they rated this type of lie more negatively than other types of lies and even misdeeds themselves.’

So, children not yet school-aged do understand right from wrong, yet they do it anyway.

How might a parent react to this that would be an effective way to tamp down the untrue stories children sometimes tell?

One way to approach children lying, according to Jess Vanderwier, an American psychotherapist, is to come at it with curiosity and compassion.

Vanderwier’s strategies include:

  • Staying calm – Your initial reaction sets the tone for the entire interaction. Take a deep breath and remember this is a learning opportunity, not a crisis. By remaining calm, you create a safe space for your child to tell the truth.
  • Getting curious – Instead of accusing or jumping to conclusions, ask questions to understand the situation better. In our case, I asked, “Help me understand… ” This approach invites your child to explain their perspective without feeling attacked
  • Communicating at their level – When having this conversation, physically get down to your child’s eye level. This simple act shows that you’re present, engaged, and ready to listen, which can make your child feel more comfortable and less intimidated
  • Focusing on truth-telling – Instead of focusing on lying behaviour, focus on truth-telling. Instead of: “You shouldn’t have lied about not eating breakfast.” You can say, “In our family, we always tell the truth, even when we think it means we won’t get what we want. It helps us trust each other and solve problems together.”
  • Focusing on connection – Instead of blaming or shaming a child for lying, try connecting with their feelings. “You told me you haven’t eaten breakfast yet because you really want a Timbit. That makes sense. I’m not mad.”
  • Using natural consequences: Rather than punishing your child for lying, allow them to experience the natural consequences of their actions. For instance, if they lie about making a mess, they have to help you clean it up.

Finally she says when your child tells the truth, especially in difficult situations, praise them for their courage and honesty. Noticing their honesty can encourage more truth-telling in the future.

If you suspect more serious lies might mean signs of harm

Sometimes children lie or keep secrets to hide serious issues, such as experiencing harm or witnessing harm to others. For instance, children who have been abused by adults or bullied by peers might lie because they fear consequences or feel unsafe speaking up.

If you suspect your child is lying to protect someone or themselves:

  • Reassure them that they will be safe and supported if they tell the truth
  • That you love them no matter what they tell you
  • Let them know you’re committed to helping them and making the situation better.

Creating a safe environment is key to encouraging honesty and addressing any underlying issues. This is something that should be done all the time, not just when honesty is questioned.

Please know children’s safety is paramount to us. If we at Little Scholars suspect a child is being harmed, we have a duty of care to and will report it. 

Teaching children emotional awareness, in themselves and recognising emotions in others, is an important part of children’s growth and wellbeing. Understanding emotions is also not something ingrained, and not necessarily an easy thing to teach or grasp, especially as these small humans’ brains are rapidly developing in all areas.

In children, all kinds of changes are happening at the same time, and some areas, such as children’s language skills, develop before their self-regulation skills. This means that while your child may have a broad vocabulary, they still may not be able to put into words how they’re feeling. A toddler’s capacity to regulate their emotional state and emotional reactions can affect everyone around them, and can carry on to academic performance, long-term mental health, and their ability to thrive in a complex world.

Helping children to identify and label emotions is an important first step and something Little Scholars focuses on in our educational programming. Small children do not yet have the vocabulary to identify feeling words like angry or frustrated, or have the skills to “read” facial cues or to interpret body language.

So how do we teach emotional intelligence in children?

Even the littlest Scholars are learning emotional intelligence by communicating how they feel, according to Jodie, a lead educator in the nursery studio at Deception Bay.

“If a child is expressing an emotion or a behaviour, [we question] is it because they need something from us? ‘I can see you’re feeling sad, how come you’re feeling sad?'” Jodie says. “If we begin to speak to the babies about what they’re feeling, information I’ve learned from [child psychologist] Justin Coulson, it will relate to five things, either them being hungry, angry, lonely, tired or stressed. It’s often one of those things that will cause big emotions.

“They’re obviously not able to completely communicate with us on what their needs are. I’ve learned not to ask the children what they want, but what do they need?” she says. “Maybe they’re feeling hungry and frustrated, so offering them an apple could work, where they can get some of that anger out through crunching. Maybe they’re feeling tired, but they need a little more comfort first. What other feelings are they feeling?”

At our Burleigh campus, children and educators have feelings chats as part of their morning routine. In the Toddler studio, children ask their educators questions such as ‘why is she angry?’ providing a great opportunity for further conversation. Educators support the children in understanding their emotions through discussions as part of their morning routine.

“During the morning, we will sit down for our morning meeting [with children] so when we come inside, we’ll ask how they’re feeling, they’ll express how they’re feeling – happy, sad, ‘good’, and throughout the day we’ll do activities and they’ve gotten really good at recognising and showing those emotions,” says Sasha, lead educator in the Toddler 2 studio. “It’s crazy to see how much they can take in and understand.

“It’s harder for some of the younger ones [to grasp], but we still try to get them involved by asking ‘how do you think that person looks in the photo?’ or ‘how could we make that person feel better?’ and get them to try to understand how others may be feeling,” Sasha continues. “They’re getting really good at being able to understand their own emotions, and we try to support them in how they can support themselves if they are feeling sad, or feeling overwhelmed and need space. Next year they’ll be learning more about how others feel and how we can help them.”

Raylene, an educator in the senior kindy studio at our Yatala campus, says the benefits of exploring emotions, all emotions including the hard ones, allows children to not only identify them but develop the skills to go through them.

“One child mentioned that she would cry all day if she couldn’t see her mummy again. Mr J mentioned that he gets angry when he can’t find his treasures. Mr T doesn’t like when Mummy drops him off etc which led to a discussion about developing strategies to cope with these emotions when they occur. [It’s] so powerful. Mr J said that he could take a big breath and then think about where he put his treasures. Miss K said that she would give her sister a big hug if she couldn’t hug Mummy. Mr T said he could come with Miss Ray,” says Raylene. “Ensuring educators create opportunities for children to communicate their feelings and then giving children the tools to not only identify them, but develop strategies to manage them, rather than saying ‘you’re OK’ is the power moment.”

Tori, an educator at the same campus agrees.

“I feel teaching children about their emotions is so important, especially teaching children their emotions are valid and it is OK to feel those emotions,” says Tori. “One of my favourite book series is the ‘A little spot of’ which demonstrate scenarios for children and strategies to help with those emotions. I find once children know it is OK to feel various emotions and learn strategies they can use when they feel this they begin to regulate easier, understand and respect their peers more when they go through the emotions and can support one another.”
 

Jodie is right. Research shows that children who learn how to understand emotions in themselves and others are better able to regulate their own responses to strong emotions. Helping children to identify and label emotions is an important first step, and this is supported by the Early Years Framework in helping children develop a strong sense of identity.

Further information

We adore the endless stream of questions that little ones bring to us every day!  From an early education standpoint, we want children to learn at every opportunity. Children are inquisitive beings, and they have lots to learn! At Little Scholars, we cherish this innate curiosity in children and strive to foster a lifelong passion for learning.

As parents and educators, we understand that some questions from our little ones can catch us off guard, leaving us searching for the right words to provide age-appropriate answers. We’re here to lend a helping hand, so let’s tackle a few of these tough questions together!

Conception

How are babies made/how did a baby get in a mummy’s belly?

Children at this age are curious about the beginning of life. You can answer simply, “A tiny seed, called sperm, from the daddy joins with a special egg from the mummy, and that’s how a baby starts to grow inside the mummy’s belly.” They may understand it like a fruit grows from a seed. For young children, this should satisfy the question. You may want to explain it’s not the same kind of egg we eat for breakfast!

Death

What does dying mean?

The concept of death can be challenging for young children to grasp. We think it’s important to be honest here. You can say, “Dying means that a person’s body stops working, and they don’t feel pain anymore. They don’t breathe, eat, feel hungry or cold. It’s a natural part of life’s cycle, like when leaves fall from a tree in the autumn.” This is a topic that may be followed up with further questions, such as ‘will I die or will you die?’ and be honest. “Yes, we all die. But I hope to be around for a really long time. I have no serious illnesses that could change that.”

What happens to us when we die?

For toddlers and preschoolers, you can offer a comforting response like, “When someone dies, they become like a beautiful memory in our hearts. We remember all the happy times we shared with them, and they will always be a part of us.” If your family has cultural or religious beliefs around death, this may be the place to share, “in our family and our culture/religion, we believe when the body dies ______.” Your child may work through this further through their play, but just be there for them and prepared to revisit this topic.

Same-sex relationships

How come Louis has two dads?

Children may notice different family structures. You can say, “Families come in all shapes and sizes. Louis is very lucky to have two dads who love and care for him just like your mummy and daddy love you.”

Separation

Why does Ashley’s mum live in a different house from her dad?

When answering a small child’s question about why a couple has divorced, we think a simple, honest, and age-appropriate response that takes their emotional well-being into consideration works best. Here’s one way to address the question: “Sometimes, mummies and daddies decide to live separately because they have found they feel happier when they have some space. It’s like when friends need some time apart.

If it’s your separation, your child will need a lot of reassurance from you. “Even though mummy and daddy won’t be living in the same house, we both still love you very much, and we will always be there for you. You will have special time with both of them, and we will continue to love and care for you in different homes.”

Young children may have a limited understanding of complex situations like divorce, so keeping the explanation simple and reassuring them of their parents’ love is crucial. Encourage them to share their feelings and questions, and assure them that it’s okay to talk about their emotions. Creating a supportive and open environment helps children navigate through changes and emotions in a healthy way.

News events

What happened in the news that’s making everyone so sad?

Addressing sad news can be tricky. Open the discussion by asking your child what they know about what’s happened in the news. This is a good opportunity to correct false information and provide context. Remember to use age-appropriate language. Check your child’s understanding throughout the conversation and allow them to ask questions. You can say, “Sometimes, sad things happen in the world, and it can make people feel upset. It’s okay to feel sad or worried, and we can always talk about our feelings with someone we trust. You can always talk to me about anything.”

Natural disasters

I’m scared, why is the weather so bad?

Living in Queensland, while wonderful most of the time, also means we face all kinds of weather events, such as flooding, bush fires and extreme heat, and cyclones. Unusual weather can be scary for young children, so it’s important to stay calm and make sure the information you give them is age-appropriate and simple to understand.

It’s natural for children to feel scared, so reassure them with calm and simple words. Acknowledge their feelings and let them know they are safe. You might say:

“I can see that you’re worried, and that makes sense. These weather events can be scary, but we are safe. People are working hard to protect us, and we keep learning how to stay even safer in the future.”

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms occur when warm, moist air rises rapidly into cooler parts of the atmosphere. As the air cools, clouds and rain form. Inside the clouds, lightning, a form of electricity, builds up. When lightning strikes, it heats the surrounding air, causing it to expand quickly and create the sound of thunder – BOOM! At the same time, cooler air sinks toward the ground, leading to strong winds.

Cyclones

A cyclone happens when warm air over the ocean rises up, creating a low-pressure area that pulls in cooler air, making it spin around like a whirlpool, and as the air gets higher, it cools down and forms clouds, bringing heavy rain and strong winds; basically, it’s like a big spinning dance of hot and cold air over the sea! These winds and rain can cause damage, but this is why we have emergency services to help keep us safe, and life will eventually go back to normal.

Flooding

Floods happen when it rains heavily for a long time, causing rivers, canals, creeks and oceans to overflow and water to spread onto land that is normally dry. It’s a natural event, and not anyone’s fault, and that while sometimes scary, there are ways to stay safe and prepared!

Bush fires

Bushfires happen when dry conditions, high temperatures, and strong winds cause trees and grass to catch fire. Sometimes, they start naturally, like from lightning, and other times, they are caused by people. Firefighters and experts work hard to prevent and control them to keep people and animals safe. 

 

Science-related

Why is the sky blue?

The secret behind the blue sky lies in something called “Rayleigh scattering”. It’s a fancy scientific term, but it’s a super interesting phenomenon that helps us understand why the sky is blue. When sunlight enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it interacts with tiny particles like dust, water vapour, and pollen. This mixing causes the sunlight to scatter, or spread out, in all directions. When light waves hit these particles, they bounce off and scatter in different directions, just like water droplets scatter after you throw a rock into a pond.

Now you might ask, “Why is the sky blue and not another colour?” That’s because blue light has a shorter wavelength than other colours of light, like red or yellow. Shorter wavelengths scatter more easily when they interact with the tiny particles in the atmosphere. So, when we look up at the sky, we see more blue light than other colours.

But guess what? The sky isn’t always blue! Sunrises and sunsets are not only beautiful but also full of science. The colours we see during these times depend on the angle of the sun and the distance its light travels through the atmosphere. The lower the sun is in the sky, the more atmosphere the light has to pass through. This causes shorter wavelengths, like blue and green, to scatter more, leaving the longer wavelengths, like red and orange, to dominate the sky. That’s why we see those breathtaking colours during sunrises and sunsets!

Clouds, pollution, and weather can also change the sky’s colour, making it look grey, white, hazy, or yellow.

Where do birds go at night?

Children might wonder where birds go when it gets dark. You can say, “Birds have special nests or cozy spots where they rest at night, just like we have our beds to sleep in.

How do plants grow?

Children might be fascinated by the growth of plants and flowers. You can say, “The plants have roots at the bottom that absorb water and minerals in the ground, and then the stem starts growing. With the help of the sunlight, the stem grows in branches. Green leaves start growing out of the branches. The five things plants need to grow are sunlight, water, minerals, and food..

Why do we have seasons?

Seasons happen because the Earth goes around the sun. The Earth travels around the sun, called an orbit, once a year or every 365 days. As the Earth orbits the sun, the amount of sunlight each location on the planet gets every day changes slightly. This change causes the seasons. When it’s closer to the sun, it’s warmer, and when it’s farther away, it’s cooler.

Where does rain come from?

Children may be curious about rain and weather. Sunlight heats up water on Earth’s surface. The heat causes the water to evaporate/dry up into the sky, or to turn into water vapor. This water vapor rises into the air and makes up clouds. As the water vapor cools, it turns back into water, in the form of droplets or rain drops.

How do airplanes fly?

Little ones might be fascinated by airplanes in the sky. “Airplanes have special wings that help lift them into the air. When they move forward, the air goes over and under the wings, which creates lift and allows the airplane to fly.”

If they have follow-up questions, we liked the answers from Britannica Kids.

Growing up

Why do I have to go to bed early?

Children may question bedtime rules. You can say, “Going to bed early helps our bodies and minds rest and get ready for a new day of fun and learning.”

Why do I have to eat vegetables? 

Answer with something like, “Vegetables have special nutrients that help our bodies grow strong and healthy. They are like superhero foods for our bodies! We need a variety of food that have different types of nutrients so our bodies can get everything they need to be the best they can be.

How come your body doesn’t look like mine?

We bet you thought the puberty question would come later! But nope, your child has noticed there’s a slight difference between their bodies and their parents’ bodies. We know this can feel awkward to answer, but your child doesn’t understand why it could be hard for their parents to explain, so use proper words and keep it simple.

  • Why do you have hair down there? Getting hair under your arms and on your private parts is a normal part of growing up for boys and girls.
  • What are those bumps on mummy’s chest? They’re called breasts and they come in all different sizes. They can make milk when mummies have babies in their bellies and can feed babies while they’re little.

It’s okay not to have all the answers, and it’s perfectly fine to keep explanations simple and age-appropriate. If you don’t have the answers, you can look it up together. By embracing your child’s questions and engaging in open conversations, you’re nurturing their curiosity and building a strong foundation for their learning journey. Be sure to let your lead educator know you’re having these conversations at home. Your child is likely not the only one wondering some of these questions, and your educators can find ways to help them understand life’s curiosities!

Supporting boys in understanding emotions to grow into kind, resilient individuals

In recent years, news headlines have frequently highlighted the challenges surrounding men’s mental health, and the troubling rates of violence and suicide among men. While these stories are not representative of men overall, these issues don’t emerge overnight. They’re often rooted in childhood, shaped by how boys are taught to understand emotions, handle challenges, and connect with others. While these statistics are concerning, they also present an opportunity. If we start now, we can nurture a generation of boys who grow into kind, empathetic, and resilient men. If we encourage sensitivity, respect, and emotional awareness from an early age, we can help our little boys become the well-rounded, compassionate adults our world needs.

Raising both sexes present different challenges for parents, but really it’s a very individual approach to each child to ensure they’re learning to become kind, respectful human beings.

Traditionally, little boys have been taught to “man up” and avoid showing “weakness” by expressing emotions. This can be deeply isolating, leading to feelings of loneliness or frustration, and in some cases, acting out through belittling or bullying those who are more open with their emotions. In fact, a recent international study found that Australian teenagers experience bullying at the second highest rate among developed countries. The good news is that bullying numbers are showing a downward trend, suggesting that shifts in attitudes are making a difference.

By encouraging young boys to embrace and express their feelings, as well as having awareness of them in others, we can cultivate environments that support kindness and empathy, helping them build respectful relationships and healthy ways to cope with emotions. This approach is essential for raising well-rounded, compassionate individuals who understand that true strength comes from being open, understanding, and kind to themselves and others.

At Little Scholars, we believe strength comes from vulnerability, showing and sharing the range of human emotion, and understanding and displaying empathy rather than ignorance.

Our goal is to provide a secure and trusting environment in which all children feel a sense of belonging. We support children to form positive relationships with peers, educators and their environments, while recognising and maybe improving their existing relationships with their family and community.

Part of building and maintaining these relationships means teaching children to recognise the range of emotions within themselves and in others. This in turn builds empathy, understanding and respect for others. We do this in a variety of age-appropriate ways to support children’s emotional development. From understanding what the various feelings are, understanding how they feel, how to see these in others, as well as mindfulness practices to deal with harder feelings when they arise.

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Dean with his little boy on #LoveUBro Day (via Instagram)
What can parents do in raising boys to be caring and compassionate?

To get an understanding of some of the potential reasons for what’s happening in males, what we can do now, we spoke to Dean Cooper, the program manager for White Ribbon Australia, a not-for-profit global social movement working to stop men’s violence against women.  The organisation’s mission is to strive for a society where all women and children are safe. November is White Ribbon Month in Australia, we encourage you to visit the White Ribbon Australia website and contribute if you can.

Dean also happens to be the proud dad of two little boys, one of whom is pictured with Dean in the top photo and attends Little Scholars. We’re thrilled to have Dean’s expertise on this important topic.

Could you please tell us about your role at White Ribbon Australia?
 

I design programs for high schools and workplaces on domestic violence (DV), masculinity, respectful relationships, consent, etc. Secondary to my role at White Ribbon Australia, I am an ambassador for the innerBoy app which is an app assisting men to heal from trauma and get support for any mental health challenges they are facing.

How did you get involved in this important work?

Well, originally I wanted to play Rugby Union professionally, however that didn’t work out, so I studied criminology and undertook a career in corrections, conducting assessments on people who committed offences of all kinds. I began to focus solely on working with men and fathers who used violence, and about seven years ago I started facilitating men’s behavioural change programs for men being released from prison for DV offences. Quite alarmingly, what I learnt was a lot of behaviour I engaged in within sporting environments, such as sexist jokes, violent chants, and street harassment on nights out, actually made their way into these programs, and condoned or supported a lot of problematic beliefs these men who were using violence had. It was my full circle journey to realising that not all disrespect leads to violence, but all violence starts with disrespect. I’ve decided to stick with this work and found a passion for it as I think it’s important that those who are being disrespectful or choosing to use violence receive counter narratives from culture to say these behaviours aren’t okay.

What has made you so passionate about ensuring we raise kind, respectful boys?

I am passionate about the role men play in shaping children, especially boys, and have a desire to see every father role-modelling safe and respectful behaviour. I truly believe safe, engaged, and present fathers can positively impact our future generations and are the solution for the social issues we see today. Unfortunately, what I’ve learned in this work is that a lot of men either didn’t have positive role models growing up, or look around at music, TV, movies, pornography, social media, etc. and have no mainstream examples of what positive, safe, and effective fathering looks like. It’s my passion to create spaces for men to learn what fathering means and how we role model respect, equality, and safety.

The most important question: what could parents, especially of little boys, do now to ensure they’re raising kind, respectful human beings?

There isn’t much at such a young age that we can ‘teach’ in that formal sense. Children will learn from observing so it’s important we role model more than try and teach. I’ll just provide my own strategies.

One thing I am trying to personally do is role model accountability. If my son says something like ‘that makes me sad’ or ‘I don’t like it’ if I am playing, or implementing a boundary I try to talk to him about why it upsets him and validate his feelings. I also role model saying ‘sorry’. Likewise, with my wife I make a purposeful attempt to apologise for things and role model what it’s like to get it wrong and change my mind. It’s crucial to show we don’t always have the answers, we are going to make mistakes, but we can always acknowledge our impact and make amends. 

I try to hold myself proactively accountable as well. As adults, we know when we haven’t done our best work. If we are distracted on our phone when our child tries to engage us, or if we snap at them for not doing something we asked, or if they are talking and we interrupt with something else. We can proactively hold ourselves accountable, I try to say ‘son, when you were talking then I realise I wasn’t fully listening and I am sorry, what you have to say is important and I recognise by not listening I didn’t show that.’ 

“I also believe we play a huge role in teaching our boys to regulate their emotions. We seem to be better at comforting girls or more accepting of their emotions. In terms of our boys, we need to shift from correction to connection.”

Another, ‘I’m sorry I yelled before, it’s my responsibility to stay calm and I didn’t do that, it wasn’t my intention to make you upset but I realise it did, I am sorry for that and next time I am going to do better.’ If I see my son be unkind to someone in the playground or at kindy drop off, I try use those moments to ask him what he thinks the impacts were and how we can make amends. For example, ‘I saw when you took those two toys and didn’t give one to Johnny. Look at Johnny now, does he look happy or sad? Johnny looks sad and I think it’s because he doesn’t have a toy, can you help me find a way for Johnny to have a toy too?’ and layer that in with an apology for not sharing. Taking those steps to encourage my son to see the impact they have on others, be comfortable with reflecting on what they’ve done, and how to repair. That’s how we start to shape kind, reflective, and safe boys.

At least once a week, I try:

 1. Admit a mistake I made

2. Share what I learnt about that mistake

 3. Ask for help. 

This is how we mark ourselves as a psychologically safe person. If we can role model getting it wrong, learning from that, and being willing to accept help, we role model that we are a safe person to hold accountable, we’ll treat their mistakes with empathy and understanding, and it’s okay to make mistakes. If we can mark ourselves as safe people by role modeling this, then we normalise recognising the impacts we have on others and repairing those. I just never want my children to hide something from me because they felt like they couldn’t tell me. I don’t want them to say ‘I made a mistake don’t tell Dad’ and instead say ‘I made a mistake I have to tell Dad.’ That’s the goal.

I also believe we play a huge role in teaching our boys to regulate their emotions. We seem to be better at comforting girls or more accepting of their emotions. In terms of our boys, we need to shift from correction to connection. Again, I think we need to role model this and talk about when we are frustrated, sad, disappointed, happy etc. I speak with a lot of dads who openly state at times they’ve been sad or angry, their children will ask ‘Daddy, are you okay?’ and they respond ‘Yeah, I am fine’ when they really aren’t. Children are these perfect little emotional barometers and what we actually do in that moment is not protect them from any negative feelings, but lie to them and tell them their sense of emotions was wrong. Instead, I try and role model ‘Daddy is feeling sad right now, thanks for noticing and asking if I am okay. When I feel sad I like to find an activity that makes me happy or find Mummy and give her a big cuddle.’ It’s important we teach boys to recognise their emotions, deal with them, and implement strategies to cope.

Physical affection is so important. As a guy growing up I always heard about this ‘tough love’ approach to parenting and the whole ‘just wait till your Dad gets home’ disciplinary role we were supposed to play. In my career, I’ve worked with a lot of men who have poor emotional regulation or traumatic backgrounds and they all report a lack of being told they are good enough and to be embraced. We do some exercises in prison groups where the men outline what they wish they had more of as children, all of it comes back to being told they were of value just as they were, and wishing they were shown love more.

Thank you, Dean, we’re so appreciative to have your insight!
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Building relationships at Little Scholars

At Little Scholars, we feel strongly it takes a village to raise a child, and we’re very proud to be a part of your child’s community as she or he grows and learns about the world. All of our little scholars learn about emotions in a number of age and developmentally-appropriate ways. It’s a very important facet of our early educational curriculum, supported by the Early Years Learning Framework.

We aim to provide a safe and secure space in which they grow and thrive. To ensure we’re doing this, we’re constantly working to improve our knowledge and practices. Our educators regularly take on professional development that helps them understand and guide children through not only their letters and numbers, but their emotional and social growth, on topics like developing mindfulness practices in their studios, developing frustration tolerance even more specific learnings such as trauma-informed practice. 

Of course, ensuring children’s safety is paramount, and our educators are also regularly trained and updated on Child Protection Policy and procedures.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child, we have an open door policy and we invite you to talk to your educator, educational leader or campus manager any time. 

Little Scholars offers you and your child the very best facilities, resources and early educational, play-based programs available, which are underpinned by the early years learning framework. Our belief is that through quality education and care for children we can also encourage, assist and support the entire family.

Our dedicated team of educators are committed to the individual needs and interests of children and their families, and thus we encourage and welcome family input and involvement.

We aim to be like an extension of your family and are very relationship-driven. We support nurturing relationships between our educators and your child, the relationships your child has with the other children who attend, and we value our relationship with you as the parent and other family members. So book a tour today to get started!

As Little Scholars celebrates its milestone decade of educating and caring for South East Queensland children we met up with Jae Fraser, the founder of Little Scholars, to hear his memories and reflection of the past 10 years operating Little Scholars School of Early Learning!  For a bit of background on Jae, he’s spent more than half his life educating young children. 

After years working in the early learning and care sector, starting as a trainee and working his way up to early childhood teacher and campus manager, Jae eventually became general manager of Australia’s largest ASX-listed childcare company. But he felt a constant pull to do things differently. This drive led him to purchase his first Little Scholars campus, a run-down campus in Yatala. Ten years later, Little Scholars now educates more than 7,000 children across 16 campuses and employs more than 600 staff.

From the beginning, he wanted to offer what no one else did. The result for families who are enrolled with the Little Scholars School of Early Learning are innovative offerings such as chef-prepared take home meals for busy parents who don’t have time to cook, as well as our Family Time program that offers specialist appointments as well as dental and haircuts so families can use their free time together. Little Scholars was one of the first to introduce Bush and Beach Kinder in Queensland, all of this as well as first-class education and care in beautiful spaces to play and learn.

 

Jae, why did you leave a successful general manager career to start your own early learning service?

As a passionate teacher, I never thought I would find myself in a corporate role as a general manager of a company with more than 500 centres and 6,500 staff, but I loved every moment of it, especially the people I had the pleasure of working alongside. I’d always felt a deep conviction about early learning. It’s absolutely more than a career, it’s my calling. I was incredibly proud of the work we did in my previous role, but I kept dreaming of something that could be even more child-centered, community-focused, and creatively enriching. 

I wanted to create something different, something that families and educators hadn’t seen before, a space where children could explore, get messy, learn about kindness, and discover the world on their own terms, environments that . I had a vision to create an early learning centre unlike anything in the market—an elevated, high-quality experience where every environment is thoughtfully designed to inspire wonder, nurture growth, and offer a truly exceptional foundation for young learners.

Little Scholars was born from that vision. I didn’t leave because anything was missing per se, but rather because I knew there was something special, we could create that could go beyond the traditional expectations in early childhood education. Little Scholars was my chance to bring that vision to life fully.

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Can you describe the feelings you had between quitting your job and opening Little Scholars? And was it stressful balancing both roles initially?

Opening the Yatala campus was exhilarating but incredibly intense (and so so stressful). In those first few months, I was wrapping up my role as general manager, while putting everything I had into Little Scholars at Yatala. It was chaotic, but the kind of chaos where every long day, every sleepless night, felt like it had real purpose. There were times when I felt that I had taken on too much and was I ever going to get there?

When I eventually stepped away from my GM role to focus solely on Little Scholars, it was already showing the spark of what it could become. People were resonating with what we were building, a place where families felt at home and children felt empowered, and that was everything I’d hoped for.

 

What are some memories of support you received in those early days ?

We started with nothing but a dream, pouring all our savings into opening that first campus; with limited funds, we did everything ourselves – cooking, cleaning, gardening, renovating, and managing every detail to bring our vision to life while building a new business from the ground up. Honestly, I’ll never forget those early days. Family, friends, our new team, and even complete strangers chipped in, offering hands-on support, encouragement, and assurance. Andrew was there by my side constantly, and the team that joined early on was absolutely invaluable – they believed in Little Scholars right from the start. Local families and businesses welcomed us, and that sense of community support really set the tone for everything we’ve done since.

I also remember families telling us that they drove past four other services, to come to Little Scholars – they loved it that much and so grateful for what we were creating for their children. Little Scholars became a destination early learning facility, a place families were willing to travel to because of our never-ending commitment to education and our philosophy of learning through play, where every experience is designed to ignite curiosity, joy, and a lifelong love of learning.

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What was the scariest part of that time?

The scariest part was wondering if this dream was something I could actually bring to life. If I could truly build a place where children would feel that they belonged and where parents felt absolute trust. Another was the relentless hours, working 15-16 hours a day, seven days a week, with barely enough funds to keep us going. I was constantly worried about whether we’d ever make it. We were now employers, responsible for our team’s livelihoods, knowing they depended on us to help pay their rent and mortgages. On top of that, there was the pressure of delivering on every promise I’d made, ensuring that our vision didn’t just stay a dream, but that the outcomes we set out to achieve would truly come to life.

There were days I’d wake up worrying about all the unknowns: ‘Will families see the value in what we’re doing? Will children thrive here the way I envision?’ But every time I walked into the Yatala campus and saw the smiles on those little faces, it reaffirmed that we were on the right path.

Do you remember when you started to feel, ‘oh my goodness, this might just work’?

I remember when the moment I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, this might just work,’ so vividly. I mean, each Monday morning, after a weekend spent making improvements, we’d see the amazement on the children’s faces, the excitement in the educators’ eyes, and the families’ appreciation for what we were building. But the real turning point was our Open Day. Over 500 people came through, and the response was overwhelming! Families were captivated by the environment and everything we had created.

One of my friends, who had just come to visit, ended up taking enrolment fees on the EFTPOS machine because people were lining up, eager to be a part of it. Seeing that level of enthusiasm and belief in what we were doing was when I realised this dream was resonating with others in a big way.

I watched children running into the campus with huge grins, so excited to start their day, and I thought, ‘we’re onto something.’ Families would tell me how their children talked about their teachers, their new friends, and the garden we’d planted together. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a service, it was really becoming a meaningful part of people’s lives. And even 10 years later, that feeling never gets old.

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Are there early-days memories you haven’t shared before?

Oh, there are so many memories from those early days! I remember the late nights spent painting walls and bike tracks, filling sandpits, washing buses, planting gardens and laying turf until my hands were blistered.  It wasn’t glamorous work, but it was honest and heartfelt, and every effort meant we were creating a place that was genuinely ours to share.

One memory that’s always close to my heart is my best friend Mel bringing her little boy into the campus on weekend to help while we were still setting up. He’d toddle around, exploring every corner as if he were inspecting our progress, and his joy and curiosity reminded me of exactly why we were doing this. Countless weekends were spent working alongside friends and family, all of us taking a quick break in the playground, enjoying a Yatala Pie before moving on to the next task.

Those moments of shared effort and laughter laid the foundation for everything Little Scholars stands for today.

Another of my biggest dreams in starting Little Scholars was to make it possible for educators to become teachers without facing the same struggles I did coming from humble beginnings. I always hoped that one day I’d be in a position to support others on that journey. I’ll never forget the day an educator at Yatala mentioned they wanted to study to become a teacher but couldn’t afford it. In that moment, I was able to look them in the eye and say, ‘I’ll fund your study and support you every step of the way to help you become a teacher.’ That educator is still with us today, teaching at our Yatala campus, and their journey is a constant reminder of what Little Scholars is truly about.

Where do you see Little Scholars in the next 10 years?

Looking back, it’s incredible to think that five campuses once felt like a dream, and now, with over 17, we’re just getting started. In the next 10 years, I see Little Scholars as a leading light in early childhood education, not through size or numbers, but through our commitment to quality and impact. We’re dedicated to refining what we do best, focusing on the growth and development of every child, and ensuring our teams have the support and professional opportunities to grow their careers and reach their potential. We’ll also continue to participate in meaningful research and projects to improve the educational journey and outcomes for children, even beyond Little Scholars. Our goal is to deepen our connections with families and communities, staying true to our heart-driven purpose to create spaces where each child feels seen, heard, and genuinely valued.

It’s about holding onto what makes Little Scholars special and continually raising the bar in early learning.

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Come and see the Little Scholars difference

Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!

Come and see the Little Scholars difference

Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!