Nurturing toddlers through to preschool readiness in our Centre.
At Mi Kids Warriewood, our Nursery and Toddler Room caters for children aged 3months to 2.5 years, providing a nurturing and homely environment where each child feels safe, loved, and supported to grow at their own pace.
Our beautifully designed spaces use organic, warm, and inviting colours to create a sense of calm and security. The environments are thoughtfully arranged to stimulate sensory development and support babies and toddlers in reaching their physical and developmental milestones confidently.
Building strong foundations for junior preschool
Our Nursery and Toddler Room programs focus on developing the foundational skills children need to thrive in the Junior Preschool Room, including:
Physical milestone development, such as crawling, standing, grasping, and walking, supported by safe spaces and equipment that encourage movement and autonomy.
Finger Gym Program, building fine motor skills and hand strength through age-appropriate activities to support feeding, grasping, manipulating toys, and early pre-writing skills.
Self-help skills, such as assisted self-feeding, drinking from cups, and simple dressing tasks, fostering independence and confidence in daily routines.
Strong sensory program, incorporating music, reading, singing, art, and material exploration (Play-Doh, clay, paint) to support brain development and sensory processing.
Communication development, with educators supporting babies and toddlers to use verbal and non-verbal cues to express needs and ideas. Introducing the Whole Centre Mi Kids Keyword Signing Program which features a new keyword each month in every room of Mi Kids.
Social and emotional learning, helping children label their feelings, regulate emotions, and begin to understand empathy and sharing – all important for successful group learning in Junior Preschool.
Daily reading sessions to foster a love of books, build early literacy skills, and develop attention and focus for group experiences.
Happy Feet sessions introducing creative music and movement, supporting rhythm, coordination, and confidence.
General transition between rooms
We support smooth and confident transitions for children by:
Holding Happy Feet sessions in the Toddler Room for Nursery children to become familiar with the space, educators, and routines of their next room.
Hosting family sharing times in the Toddler Room to build familiarity and comfort alongside trusted family members and educators.
Providing opportunities for toddlers to visit the Junior Preschool Room and Upper Playground, helping them explore new environments gradually, build confidence, and form connections with future educators and peers.
This gentle, supported approach ensures children feel secure, connected, and ready for each new stage in their learning journey.
Natural and safe outdoor play areas.
Child Safety Program
Our Child Safety Program underpins all Nursery and Toddler programs, creating a culture of safety, trust, and respect. Babies and toddlers begin to learn about personal safety, body autonomy, and protective behaviours through age-appropriate practices, fostering their sense of security and belonging.
Wellbeing Educator and Inclusion Support (through Care and Connect)
Our Wellbeing Educator and Inclusion Support will work alongside families and educators to cater to each child’s individual needs. They:
Provide additional guidance, information, and tailored strategies to support children’s development.
Connect families with appropriate external services and therapists to ensure holistic support and continuity of care.
Facilitate the Triple P Parenting program, empowering families with practical tools to strengthen relationships and support their child’s wellbeing.
Optimising time spent with educators
At Mi Kids, our priority is always putting children first. We optimise educator-to-child ratios to ensure meaningful, present interactions, and use daily reflective journals with meaningful photos rather than extensive documentation, allowing educators to be fully engaged with each child.
Orientation process
We honour each child’s unique journey with a gradual orientation process, starting with short visits (around 40 minutes to 1.5 hours) and gradually extending to 2–3 hours and then a half-day stay. Children begin their regular days once they feel comfortable to eat, play, and sleep in our care – for some this takes a couple of weeks, for others a month. Families are welcome to call at any time for reassurance.
Consecutive day attendance
We encourage a minimum two consecutive days of attendance where possible, helping children see familiar faces regularly and settle confidently into their routines.
Ongoing Support and Family Involvement
We believe in strong partnerships with families, working together to support each child’s growth and wellbeing. We connect with families through:
Formal parent-teacher interviews at the beginning and mid-year to discuss progress, goals, and development.
Informal chats during drop-off and pick-up for open, daily communication.
Sneak Peeks, our weekly program preview shared with families, highlighting upcoming learning experiences and ways your child can contribute.
Invitations to centre events, including Occupation Week, Book Week, and other celebrations to foster community connections and shared experiences.
Educational summaries and milestone reports are shared throughout the year, highlighting your child’s growth, strengths, and next steps. We also use Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences to understand and nurture each child’s unique learning style and potential.
Developing fine motor skills.
Self-help program
In the toddler room we are introducing the concept of self help where children are being part of their routine, helping educators in preparing their morning tea and cleaning up for themselves.
Ongoing support and involvement
Our early childhood educators provide an ongoing record of children’s learning and development and families are encouraged to access this information. We will continually discuss with families our observations and together with families set out short-term and long-term goals for their child’s growth and development. Also the educators will discuss the learning styles that their child is strong in using Gardner’s theory. Throughout the year there will be educational summaries and milestone checklist reports provided to families to show their child is meeting the goals set.
Following Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence, Mi Kids embrace the different learning styles of each child through the physical environment and through our daily programs, expressing learning opportunities in multiple ways through music, bodily kinesthetics, mathematics, visual, verbal, nature and group experiences.
All meals are prepared onsite by our co-owner and cook, Isara Crea. Meals are child-friendly, nutritious, and filled with hidden vegetables for peace of mind. Some meals are prepared with children’s assistance as part of our cooking program, fostering early food literacy and self-help skills.
At Mi Kids, our Nursery and Toddler Room is a warm, nurturing space where babies and toddlers are supported to grow, explore, and build the foundation skills they need to thrive in the Junior Preschool Room and beyond.
