::: kallista kindergarten
We read in the paper this week that we have just come out of the best Autumn for our deciduous trees here in Australia, that we have had for years due to the wet summer, which created heaps of sugar in the leaves.
The colours were absolutely glorious and there is no better place to enjoy them than in the Dandenong Ranges, north east of Melbourne.
We combined our joy in Autumn at its finest with a trip to Kallista Kindergarten at the end of May, a five minute drive out of Belgrave, the home of Puffing Billy.
As we wandered in …
we were struck by the beautifully mounted individual works of art around the room.
We so love it when you can see the children have been discussing/studying a subject and then they are allowed to do their own take on it.
The painting corner was an artist’s delight …
with a double sided easel …
and paints in their own little bottles for the children to choose from, collage materials and glue, drawing implements and stamps.
The drawing table was similar with lazy susans filled with colour coded pencils, textas and crayons.
We loved the tree house imaginative play set up …
with the felted pond.
They had a maths area …
finger puppets, with another of those great triple sided mirrors …
and look at this lovely old mirror reflecting the sand play IN A DRAW!!
Their science table was busy the whole time we were there …
with children experimenting with electrical circuits …
- bulbs, buzzers and whirling patterns!
It’s called “Magnetic Connections – Primary Electrical Set” and it is all held together through magnetic parts!
They also had a science corner reflecting their interest in light and sound. Check out the clever use of those mini mirrors!
They had a home corner beautifully partitioned off with filmy curtains and netting …
lots of Turkish-style floor cushions …
and exciting dress ups to make it a very inviting space.
They had a computer table …
and cosy library corner …
which included a listening post.
Kallista Kindergarten has a real multicultural feel about it …
supported by an assortment of musical instruments …
from all around the world.
Another interest table about bones and the human skeleton even had an X-ray viewer!
The children were building with construction and other block materials …
and some rather interesting games.
Outside they had a covered in verandah with those see through cafe blinds which allow in the light but keep out the rain – such an easy way to extend the playing space in the colder weather. This is their eating space with cloths on the tables …
and rubbish, recycling and composting bins.
Look at the beautiful pottery tiles decorating the verandah post!
Outside we met a couple of very lucky guinea pigs living in a luxurious house.
We were very excited about the large, open fronted cubby with a gate to nowhere (Donna always dreamed of one of these!) …
(It’s true – I DID!!!)
They had gorgeous carved wooden toadstools dotted around the yard…
and a platypus curved around the divided sandpit.
On the bottom level we found more toadstools, a bike track and these fabulous balancing logs!
A secret path surrounded by native grasses lead back up to the upper level.
Kallista Kindergarten is situated in a very picturesque part of the mountain …
and has fabulous views!
Kallista Kindergarten is in the Shire of Yarra Ranges. It runs a Reggio Emilia inspired program including extended hours. They have two four year old groups and two three year old groups.
It is on Tom Roberts Road, Kallista, opposite the Primary School (Melways Reference 124 A4, Vicroads Reference 79 G8 ).
This information has been added to our Education Directory page.
pictures are gorgeous…this place is very thoughtfully put up
::: It has such a warm and homely feel to it doesn’t it Himadri?!
You can feel the warmth of this kindergarten just by looking at these pictures. Hats off to the dedicated staff and thank you for posting.
::: It was certainly a pleasure to visit there Bianca … Thank you!
Wow! That is all I can say! Wow! Wow! Wow! I can see a lot of work and dedication. A credit to staff and the C of M!
::: WOW is a good way to describe it too Karen!
Where did you get those fabulous lazy susans from-just what we need!!!!!
::: Andrea I don’t know where they got them from but I will endevour to find out … Ikea maybe!
Good golly gosh – what a wonderful kindergarten. Things I love: experimenting with the electirical circuits (I’d love to find out just what was happening there); the dramatic play area; the cubby; the imaginative play set ups. Just inspiring.
::: Oh Jenny those little circuits were awesome. I think I may have the name of them somewhere. I look about and see what I can come up with!
::: Jenny I have updated the post with a photo of the “Magnetic Connections – Primary Electrical Set” It’s fabulous as it is all held together through magnetic parts!
Wow, what an amazing space! So much to like – the home corner, the art space, the science focus and those toadstools! Always wanted some giant stepping logs in my garden.
Thanks so much for visiting these preschools and sharing – many ideas to be borrowed
::: Thanks Nichole for as much as we love sharing them we LOVE visiting them!
What an inspiring place!!! … no doubt that the children who are blessed to go through your program in that awesome environment … will always keep in touch with their inner child as adults! I marvel at what I am seeing from kindred spirits ‘down under’ and around the globe … I yearn to see more of such programs in the US! Great ideas to incorporate at The Bee Hive… and I know my ‘Busy Bees’ will love them!!!
::: Thanks Renee … It really does appear to us, as we visit these wonderful programs around Victoria, that the philosophy behind play based learning tends to lean towards these beautiful, relaxed learning environments!
Thank you Donna and Sherry, for writing such a beautiful post about our Kinder. Also to the readers for the lovely comments
The lazy susan’s are from Ikea, with holes cut into them to hold the glasses to stop them spinning off.
The electronics was a mixture of the magnetic set (Modern Teaching Aids), shown in the first photo, and a typical basic set you put together from things found at Dick Smith. The children were exploring basic closed circuits and some had moved onto parallel and serial parallel circuits with lights, buzzers, motors and switches.
::: Thank you for that information Lu-Ann! As for a beautiful post … well that is all thanks to you and your wonderful staff and kinder families!
What an awesome place! Wish I was a kid again living and attending there!
::: Thanks Colleen!
What a wonderful space! I want to go here. It looks like you have all put so much of your hearts and souls in to this. I Love the play house areas. The science area all look so fun and I have a few kids in mind when looking at the logs for balance. And what an inspiring art area …can I come over and color?!!! Thank you for posting I am just getting my new space up and going after to many years in other folks centers you have given me lots of new Ideas. I only wish I could see some of your class scedules so I could get a better idea of when everything is used. I hate regid schedules (which is 0ne reason I am doing my own thing now) but I know kids need some type of routine. Can you post a sample shedule so we can all see what that looks like…..
::: Pam the beauty of a play based program is that there is very little scheduling needed. We’re sure if you were to email Lu-Ann via their kinder website she would be happy to talk to you about it!
Absolutely inspiring, the place looks huge. I’m not far from there so may pay them a visit!
::: That’s great Rachael after all that’s what having this directory is all about. We feel it’s so important for parents to have access to those centers running play based programs.
What a fantastic environment!! I love the detail, thought and care that has gone into the presentation of each activity. What an inspiring place for children!
Where on earth did you get the fab lazy susan, what a great idea.
::: Nicole, Lu-Ann, the Director at Kallista got the lazy susan’s from Ikea and had the holes put in them to hold the ‘cups’.
Adorei. Que lindo Jardim de Infância.
::: Concordamos O’felia. É certamente! … ( We agree O’felia. It certainly is!)
SO beautiful!
::: Cheers Sarah!
WOW! Need I say any more?
::: Probably not Greg!
And wow from me too – absolutely stunning. Thanks again.
Louise
::: Cheers Louise.
I took a trip into Ikea for the first time – to grab myself one of those lazy Suzan’s . Fabulous idea – and only $15
Saw those small paint jars too. I am looking forward to Ikea opening in Springvale later in the year as I will be going back.
I would love to know where those tiny mirrors were sorced from. I have been going through the suppliers books….. no luck as yet.
Love your room set up!!!! esp your small cushions at the table on the floor!
::: Lisa I’m not sure exactly which small mirrors you are referring to but the three sided timber mirrors are available from ‘man made creations’ … http://www.manmadecreations.com.au/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=15&sort=20a&page=1 while the small right angled mirrors can easily be made by using mirrored tiles stuck onto cardboard. Good luck!
I love the artist’s corner and the sandpit in a drawer really caught my imagination. I love creative repurposing! It’s a great role model for kids – don’t throw it out – find another way to use it!
::: We couldn’t agree more Beth … Oh and what an amazing draw that is too!
I went to this kinder many years ago, it’s wonderful to see that it’s still such a wonderful space for children! It brought back lovely memories looking at the photos
::: Awwww that’s so cool Sarah. How lovely that you get to see it again!
This is beyond awesome!!!!!
I’m sure you network with like-minds. Do you know of anything like this in the Newcastle area?
::: I’m sorry to say Karina that we don’t but you could try our blogging buddy Greg ‘Bear’ Harvey over at Males in Early Childhood … He’s up near Newcastle … https://www.facebook.com/pages/Males-in-Early-Childhood-Education/234007526614527
