Toddler
Toddler group is run by a qualified educator and is held in our 3yo kinder room, making it an ideal transition to kindergarten. Activities are carefully planned and offer a range of experiences including sensory, imaginative and creative play.
Sessions last 2 hours, featuring 1 hour of indoor play-based activities with various options for toddlers to explore at their own pace. This is followed by group time with stories and songs, morning tea (BYO), and outdoor play in our spacious, natural bush setting. Brentwood Park Toddler Group offers a nurturing environment for toddlers and their parents/grandparents, providing a smooth transition to kindergarten.
Additional Information
Timetable
Duration: 2 hours Per Week
Fees: $165.00 Per Term
Group Size: Up to 20 toddlers with their carers.
Age: Must turn 2 by April 30th in the year of attendance.
Wednesday
9:15am – 11:15am
Group
3 Year Old
Brentwood Park Kindergarten 3 year old enrolments are processed through MIKA (Maroondah Integrated Kindergarten’s Association).
Group
Duration: 10 hours Per Week
Fees: Funded (free to families)
2025 Timetable
Ladybirds
Monday
8:30am – 1:30pm
Thursday
8:30am - 1:30pm
Butterflies
Tuesday
8:15am – 1:15pm
Friday
8:15am - 1:15pm
2024 Timetable
Ladybirds
Monday
8:30am – 1:30pm
Thursday
8:30am - 1:30pm
Butterflies
Tuesday
8:30am – 1:30pm
Friday
8:30am - 1:30pm
4 Year Old
Music program, incursions and excursion to Chesterfield Farm. Health Care card holders are exempt of fees when a current copy of a Health Care card is provided.
Group
2024 Timetable
Koalas
Duration: 15 hours Per Week
Fees: Funded (free to families)
Monday
8:15am – 2:15pm
Wednesday
8:15am - 11:15am
Thursday
8:15am - 2:15pm
Possums
Tuesday
8:15am – 2:15pm
Wednesday
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Friday
8:15am - 2:15pm
2025 Timetable
Koalas
Monday
8:15am – 2:15pm
Wednesday
8:15am - 11:15am
Thursday
8:15am - 2:15pm
Possums
Tuesday
8:30am – 4:00pm
Friday
8:30am - 4:00pm
Bushkinder
Central to the philosophy at Brentwood Park Kindergarten is respect for the environment and the way in which we learn, connecting children with their local community and encouraging creative thinkers and problem solvers who take safe risks. There are obvious synergies between this philosophy and the principals underpinning the bush kinder program.
Originating in Scandinavia 50 years ago, 'Forest School' or 'Bush Kinder' for the Australian environment, is a play-based approach to nurture children's relationships with nature. It's an opportunity for children to explore the natural environment in an open-ended and play-based way, as such, 'no tools, no toys, no art supplies'.
We are fortunate to have Maroondah City Council permission to use an area of natural bushland and open recreational space for our bush kinder program. We also recognise the significance of Land and Country to the traditional Custodians, the Wurundjeri People. We recognise that Aboriginal people of Australia have a deep respect and spiritual relationship to their country and have lived, worked and played on this land for over eighty thousand years before us. The elders have passed on through their generations, their customs, traditions, beliefs and dreamtime. We share common values of Love, Respect and Gratitude for the Land we live, play and work on for Bush Kinder.
Transitional Period
We will be transitioning into this program during the first term as we get to know your child and your child becomes familiar with our kinder environment and their peers. We will also have incursions and education programs for the children covering topics of road, dog and snake awareness and safety to learn and practice before commencing the bush kinder program.
We'll update you via School Stream as well as with a notice at the sign-in area once the first few weeks of term have passed regarding dates and times, we will be visiting the bush kinder site through excursions. These excursions will lead up to the commencement of the bush kinder program starting on site as timetabled (page 6).
The following information contained in this handbook is written for when we begin the bush kinder program on site. For excursion purposes, we will be following the same practices and policies set out in this handbook, e.g. children will still require appropriate clothing when visiting the site.
In readiness for this experience, we will also provide children with engaging safety-orientated development opportunities, including dog safety incursions and road safety training.
Download the PDF Bush Kinder Handbook
Originating in Scandinavia 50 years ago, 'Forest School' or 'Bush Kinder' for the Australian environment, is a play-based approach to nurture children's relationships with nature. It's an opportunity for children to explore the natural environment in an open-ended and play-based way, as such, 'no tools, no toys, no art supplies'.
We are fortunate to have Maroondah City Council permission to use an area of natural bushland and open recreational space for our bush kinder program. We also recognise the significance of Land and Country to the traditional Custodians, the Wurundjeri People. We recognise that Aboriginal people of Australia have a deep respect and spiritual relationship to their country and have lived, worked and played on this land for over eighty thousand years before us. The elders have passed on through their generations, their customs, traditions, beliefs and dreamtime. We share common values of Love, Respect and Gratitude for the Land we live, play and work on for Bush Kinder.
We will be transitioning into this program during the first term as we get to know your child and your child becomes familiar with our kinder environment and their peers. We will also have incursions and education programs for the children covering topics of road, dog and snake awareness and safety to learn and practice before commencing the bush kinder program.
We'll update you via School Stream as well as with a notice at the sign-in area once the first few weeks of term have passed regarding dates and times, we will be visiting the bush kinder site through excursions. These excursions will lead up to the commencement of the bush kinder program starting on site as timetabled (page 6).
The following information contained in this handbook is written for when we begin the bush kinder program on site. For excursion purposes, we will be following the same practices and policies set out in this handbook, e.g. children will still require appropriate clothing when visiting the site.
In readiness for this experience, we will also provide children with engaging safety-orientated development opportunities, including dog safety incursions and road safety training.
Welcome To Bush Kinder
Bush Kinder will provide all children explore the natural environment through open ended play, investigating and exploring, child led learning, and being able to ‘just be.’
Bush Kinder
Central to the philosophy at Brentwood Park Kindergarten is respect for the environment and the way in which we learn, connecting children with their local community and encouraging creative thinkers and problem solvers who take safe risks. There are obvious synergies between this philosophy and the principals underpinning the bush kinder program.
