C&K Balaclava Community Kindergarten Open Morning

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

Your complete centre visit checklist: What every parent needs to know

27th May 2025
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Finding the right early childhood education setting for your child is a significant decision. As you prepare to tour potential centres during Open Week or at any time, here's what to observe and ask to help you make an informed choice for your family.

The environments

Pay attention to the physical space and atmosphere:

  • Is the environment clean, safe, and well-maintained?
  • Are there diverse play areas that support different types of learning (quiet spaces, active zones, creative corners)?
  • Do you see children's contributions and voices displayed through artwork and projects?
  • Are resources and materials accessible to children, encouraging independence?
  • Does the outdoor space offer opportunities for physical activity, nature exploration, and sensory experiences?

The educators, teachers and support staff

Observe how staff interact with children:

  • Do educators engage warmly and respectfully with children and families?
  • Is there a sense of joy and genuine interest in children's ideas?
  • How do educators respond to challenging behaviours or heightened emotions?
  • Do they appear calm, patient, and attentive?

The Program

Understanding the educational approach is crucial:

  • Ask to see documentation of children's learning journeys
  • Enquire about the daily routine and how it balances structure with flexibility
  • Ask how they incorporate children's interests into planning
  • Discuss how they support various developmental domains (social, emotional, physical, cognitive)
  • Ask about their views on play. Structured, intentional learning and spontaneous play

Key questions to ask

  1. About the program: "How do you plan your curriculum and how are children's interests incorporated?"
  2. About communication: "How will you keep me informed about my child's development and experiences?"
  3. About relationships: "How do you help children build relationships with educators and peers?"
  4. About transitions: "How do you support children who are settling in or feeling anxious?"
  5. About inclusion: "How do you cater for different abilities, cultures, and learning styles?"
  6. About philosophy: "What are your centre's core values and how are they reflected in everyday practice?"
  7. About practical matters: "What are your policies on food, rest times, illness, and fees?"
  8. About safety: "Are your staff and volunteers screened and trained in child safety?"

Trust your instincts

Beyond facilities and programs, notice how you and your child feel in the space. The right centre should feel welcoming and align with your family's values and your child's personality and needs.

Remember that no question is too small when it comes to your child's care and education. Quality educators will appreciate your engagement and thoughtful questions about your child's well-being and development.

Take your time with this decision and visit multiple centres to see what environment feels right for your family. Open Week is the perfect time to visit and see the regular flow of children and educators in the centre. There are over 170 events happening Queensland wide during 2-7 June. Click here to find your nearest event and RSVP now!

An Out of the Box partnership that’s just perfect

26th May 2025
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Some combinations just make sense: cheese and vegemite, sausage sizzles and Bunnings, chocolate and strawberries, picnics and parks. And that’s exactly how we feel about our latest partnership with C&K The Creche and Kindergarten Association coming on board as Principal Partner of QPAC’s Out of the Box festival and Supporting Partner of QPAC.

It’s an obvious alignment of both organisations’ values and shared philosophies to nurture and inspire children and to create immersive experiences for children to connect, explore and learn. C&K teachers and educators are encouraged to express their own individual teaching styles and artistic skills to foster creative thinking and inventiveness in the children under their care. An approach very much supported by the programmatic intent of Out of the Box.

QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy said it was vital for QPAC to partner with organisations that believe in the power of the arts and the important role the arts can play in contributing to a more cohesive and inclusive society.

“We’re thrilled to welcome C&K to the Out of the Box family knowing that they share our commitment to instilling a lifelong love of the arts in children from the very earliest years,” Ms Healy said.

“We have great admiration for the way that C&K weaves creativity into all that they do and that they prioritise immersive arts experience for both their educators and children.

Out of the Box is an extension of what happens in C&K centres around Australia every day through music, movement, drama and storytelling, so to have such a respected education-focused organisation alongside our festival is a great boost.

“We believe very strongly in the importance of arts education and every component of Out of the Box is curated in consultation with education and arts specialists to ensure the festival has an impact well beyond the children’s experience onsite.

“Having C&K on board means the reach of Out of the Box can be extended beyond the festival itself as educators are themselves inspired to make the arts even more a part of what they do each day.”

More than one million children have taken part in Out of the Box festival since its beginnings in 1992.

“It fills our hearts to meet parents bringing their children to the festival that they themselves attended as a kindy kid, and to see educators passionate about their students attending because their own love of the arts began at Out of the Box.”

C&K CEO Dr Sandra Cheeseman said, “Together with QPAC, we’re creating something special: stronger community connections, fantastic professional development for our workforce, and discovering new ways of recognising the joy of learning, accomplishment, and mastery.”

“The arts inject fun and joy into the lives of children, teachers and educators. We’re excited to see how this partnership will strengthen the creativity, playfulness, and connections that blossom in our settings.”

“Through this partnership, it is our hope to encourage more engagement in the arts for educators and children in our centres. Engaging in the arts is an important component of learning and discovering in early childhood. It helps children develop creativity, confidence, communication and social skills, as well as inspires educators to connect with their own creativity when bringing well-loved stories, music and visual arts into the learning environment.” Dr Cheeseman said

“A focus in C&K centres is to inspire a child’s curiosity for self-expression through the arts.

“We’re also excited for the professional development opportunities that our educators will experience through the partnership with QPAC, which will strengthen their creative practices and see the arts embedded in new and joyful ways in our centres.”

Ms Healy said that one of the key ingredients in the festival’s success has always been the commitment to putting children at its centre.

“Every step of the Out of the Box journey is taken with children in mind, from the development of new work and the curation of in-theatre productions and workshops through to the thoughtfully adapted onsite experience to ensure a welcoming and child-friendly environment,” she said.

“This child-centred approach is yet another value we share with C&K, and what makes this partnership just perfect.”

C&K Dixon Street Early Years Centre - Referral Partner Open Day

About Event

We invite our refferal partners to explore C&K Dixon Street Early Years Centre during our Open Day event.

Events

C&K Beaconsfield Community Kindergarten Open Week

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

C&K Waratah Crescent Community Kindergarten Open Week

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

Caboolture Apex Kindergarten Open Day

About Event

You're invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

C&K Sunset Community Kindergarten Open Week

About Event

You're Invited to Open Day!

Join us for our Open Day event on the 23rd July at 3PM , where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

C&K Durack Community Kindergarten Open Afternoon Monday 23 June 3.00pm-4.30pm

About Event

You're invited to our Kindy Open Afternoon taking place on Monday 23 June from 3.00pm-4.30pm.

We warmly welcome families to explore our Kindy and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, explore our engaging play for learning spaces, and feel the culturally diverse and vibrant community that makes our Kindy so special.

Bicultural support available for Somali and Vietnamese children and families.

Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events

Mareeba Kindy - Sutherland Street Open Day

About Event

You're Invited to Open Week!

Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.

C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💛

Open Week Events