You are welcome to bring your child at any time, however we recommend bringing children a little before our first group experience of the day (9:00am), so that they can settle into their day with a little free play.

1) A backpack bag (into which you can place the following items) 2) A water bottle from which your child can easily drink. 3) Two sets of spare clothes. Some learning experiences can get messy, and children’s clothes can become wet during water play and during toilet training. 4) Any comforters and sleeping bag/blanket the child might need to make them feel more settled during rest, if needed. NB) No other items (i.e. no sunscreen, medications, food or drink) are allowed in the bags, as these can pose a risk to children, if they ingest them.

Being non-profit allows us to invest in our care for children by having higher levels of staffing (7 permanent educators and 3 very regular casual educators), more highly qualified staff and ongoing up-to-date training, including child protection.

1) All meals – morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea (and a small late snack for children who stay late). To protect the health and wellbeing of the children with allergies, we do not permit food to be brought into the centre. As we rent our spaces from North Shore Temple Emanuel, we do not offer pork nor shellfish. Our centre is also nut free. 2) A brightly coloured bucket hat 3) Sunscreen. A protective sun hat must be worn every day when playing outside and sunscreen must be applied. 4) Bedding/sheets and blankets for children who still have naps - children are set up on individual beds. The younger children (3-4 years), who no longer nap, have a rest each day after lunch. The older children (4-5 years) have a quiet time each day after lunch.

When you arrive, press the Apples and Honey button at the gate to tell us your and your child’s names. If you have received your access card during orientation, you can use it to access the campus carpark. When you arrive at the building entrance press the Apples and Honey button for us to open the door and welcome you into the foyer. We’ll show you how to sign your child in, answer any questions, and support your little one during their transition inside.

If your child is upset during their transition inside, an educator will stay with them, guide them through the regular routine and support them as they work through their emotions. This may involve distracting them, while reassuring them that you will return, and helping them to express their feelings and listening to their needs in that moment (eg. if they would like to hold onto a special comforter from home). Generally, children settle during the morning. For children who need a little more support in the first few days, we may be in touch with you during the day if we think that your child would benefit from being picked up a little earlier. Our goal is to support the children as they take this big step on their own and become accustomed to their new learning environment, children and educators.

Make sure you have plenty of time at drop off (and at home when preparing to leave for preschool). If you are feeling at peace and express positivity about your child’s first day, they are more likely to transition more easily. When the moment for your child to transition inside comes, you can tell them reassuring things such as: - you’ll come pick them up after lunch, after their sleep, or at a specific time (following through on this promise is also important) - you love them very much - they’ll have a fun day playing with new toys - you look forward to them telling you about their favourite new toy or activity.

The first day (and first few weeks) is all about building relationships between educators and other children. We will support your child in getting to know their new environment, encouraging them to engage in fun and creative experiences which are of interest to them.

Our Educational Program and Practice is rated as "Exceeding" in the National Quality Standard. When a centre is assessed they are assessed under 7 Quality Areas as listed by the National Quality Framework as devised by ACECAA (Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority). The NSW Department of Education assesses a centre and rates them as Working Towards, Meeting or Exceeding under each quality area. When considering a centre always ask about this rating.