Ivy Kids Educational Program
The best start to life
Research has shown that 90% of a child's brain develops by the age of five, which is why Early Childhood Education has the most profound impact on how our kids develop. Everything a child experiences in the first five years of life is crucial to their growth and development. With this knowledge, we have developed quality learning programs which stimulates all of a child's senses and to strengthen the connections in their brain.
Your child will benefit from the Ivy Kids Educational Program delivered by our qualified and caring Ivy Kids educators. Our educational curriculum is appropriately tailored to the needs of the nursery, toddler and kindergarten years and is developed to take into account the practices and principles of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). This national guide was developed to provide pedagogical guidance and support to early childhood educators and families. In Victoria, we have our own State approved learning Framework called the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) to support the national Framework.
In early childhood learning there are also many different Curriculum Approaches to compliment the EYLF and we believe there is not just one approach that works well with every child. Therefore we like to take the best aspects of each approach and tailor them to the needs of the children in the classroom. These approaches include, but are not limited to, Reggio-Emilia, Montessori, Emergent, Integrated, Inclusive and Project. Through collaboration with families, we work together to support your child's play, learning and development and to achieve common outcomes for all children.
The EYLF also describes childhood as a time of Belonging, Being and Becoming. Through our programs your child will feel a sense of belonging because of the relationships they have with their family, culture, place and community. They will discover about being in a special time in their life to play, try new things and have fun. They will learn about becoming into their own personality and start to form their own sense of identity which will shape the type of person they will become.
Join us on this extraordinary adventure, where every day is a new opportunity to learn, laugh, and love the journey of childhood!
Ivy Learn Program
A book represents our Ivy Learn Program. The beginnings of our learning have come from books. They introduce us to words, pictures, stories, facts, imagination and gives us knowledge. Books are one of the many tools we use through our learning programs.
When planning experiences for young children, we cater to the wide spectrum of abilities and interests of each individual child. Our holistic approach means that we see each child as capable and confident in learning.
Our Ivy Learn Program focuses on the following areas:
- Language and literacy
- Communication - verbal, sign language & pictorial
- Comprehension
- Numeracy and maths
- Problem solving activities
- Science and technology
- STEM projects
Our innovative 3 & 4 year old Kindergarten Program prepares preschoolers for school and life skills. Our School Readiness Program is divided into several sessions which are led by degree qualified teachers. There will also be time for children to engage in their own free play. We also form partnerships with local schools to assist families in ensuring a smooth transition to school.
Ivy Health Program
An apple represents our Ivy Health Program. It is one of the very first fruits we learn about (A is for Apple!) and one which has many symbolic meanings. Traditionally, apples have long been associated with health and wellbeing. After all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! Learning to look after our body and mind at an early age will provide the foundations of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and good mental health.
We incorporate mindfulness activities as part of our mental wellbeing education which will provide our young ones with the resilience needed for this day and age.
We also explore sustainable practices to keep our planet healthy so that future generations can enjoy it.
Our Ivy Health Program focuses on the following areas:
- Health and wellbeing
- Healthy eating habits
- Food and nutrition
- Sleep, relaxation and rest
- Emotional regulation
- Mindfulness, yoga and meditation
- Gardening in the produce area (with citrus trees!)
- Sustainable practices
- Water conservation
Ivy Active Program
A ball represents our Ivy Active Program. It is one of the most beloved toys a child grows up with and comes in many forms. Balls are one of many things which we can use to promote physical activity among young children.
Active play helps children build and explore movement skills in a variety of ways which will set them up for a healthy life.
Gross motor skills are important to develop so children can perform every day functions such as walking, running, playground skills (eg. climbing), riding a bike and ball skills (throwing, catching and kicking).
Regular physical activity will help improve children's cardiorespiratory fitness, build strong bones and muscles, control weight, promote better sleep, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and other health conditions.
Our Ivy Active Program focuses on the following areas:
- Gross motor development
- Eye-hand coordination skills
- Physical wellbeing
- Sensory integration through movement
- Body awareness and self-esteem
- Outdoor games
- Teamwork
Ivy Arts Program
An art palette represents our Ivy Arts Program. Art plays an essential role in providing children with many skills important in life. It promotes creativity, problem solving skills, self-esteem and self-expression and visual-spatial processing. It is about exploring the creative processes involved rather than how the end product looks. Most importantly, it is a very rewarding experience! Picasso would be proud!
Music is also an art form and we incorporate music experiences and basic music theory to encourage creative thinking. This includes learning about movement, tempo, melody, rhythm, dynamics and playing music as a group.
Introducing children to a second language at a young age also helps them become better at problem solving and creativity as their brains learn to communicate between two languages. They also become better at planning, concentrating and multi-tasking.
Our Ivy Arts Program focuses on the following areas:
- Art experiences
- Music lessons
- Mindfulness through art
- Drama, role play and puppetry experiences
- Sensory experiences through art
- Mandarin language program
- Fine motor development