Childcare Philosophy at Tiny Oysters

N.B. This philosophy is a living document and will continue to evolve to reflect the voices, experiences, and perspectives of the children and families within our care.

At Tiny Oysters Family Day Care, we acknowledge the Dharawal people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, learn, and play within the Sutherland Shire. We value and celebrate Dharawal culture and language and acknowledge the continuing connection of the Dharawal people to the land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and through them to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Above all else, at Tiny Oysters we believe that children are capable, competent, curious, and confident learners who should be valued and respected as unique individuals and as active participants in their community. We believe children have the right to feel happy, safe, secure, and supported, and to freely express themselves as they explore, investigate, and make sense of the world around them.

Our practice is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and is underpinned by the principles of Belonging, Being, and Becoming. We strive to create a warm, nurturing, inclusive, and home-like environment where children experience child-centered learning, develop a strong sense of belonging, form secure and trusting relationships, and feel confident to engage in learning.

We embrace a child-centered, play-based learning approach, recognising that children learn best through play that is meaningful, interest-led, and responsive to their individual strengths, abilities, experiences, and developmental needs. We view learning as dynamic, complex, and holistic, with all areas of development intricately interconnected. Through child-initiated and educator-supported play, children are encouraged to develop curiosity, creativity, confidence, independence, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love of learning.

Our philosophy is inspired by Reggio Emilia, viewing children as capable and competent learners and recognising the environment as the “third teacher.” We thoughtfully design inviting, flexible, and stimulating environments that encourage exploration, investigation, collaboration, creativity, and self-expression. We also draw from Waldorf-inspired practices, valuing imagination, creative play, rhythm, and a holistic approach to children’s development.

We place a strong emphasis on nature play and sustainability. We believe children develop wellbeing, resilience, and a deep respect for the natural world when they have regular opportunities to connect with nature. Children are encouraged to explore outdoor environments, engage in sensory-rich experiences, care for living things, and develop an understanding of sustainability through everyday practices such as recycling, reusing materials, conserving resources, and caring for our environment.

Children’s wellbeing is central to our practice at Tiny Oysters. We support children to develop emotional security, resilience, and positive self-esteem through consistent routines, healthy practices, and nurturing relationships. Behaviour is guided through gentle guidance, clear expectations, and role modelling kindness, empathy, and respect, supporting children to develop emotional regulation and a strong sense of self-worth.

At Tiny Oysters Family Day Care, building trusting, respectful relationships with children and their families is paramount to us. We recognise families as children’s first and most important teachers and acknowledge that children are best known by their families. We value open communication, collaboration, and shared decision-making, and we strive to create continuity between home and care to support each child’s identity, wellbeing, and learning.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and culturally responsive environment that celebrates diversity and respects each child’s background, culture, abilities, and family values. Children are supported to develop empathy, respect for others, cooperation, and a sense of responsibility within their community, as well as the skills to communicate effectively and express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

As educators, we see ourselves as guides and co-learners. We intentionally observe, reflect, and respond to children’s learning, recognising the importance of our role in scaffolding children’s social, emotional, physical, cognitive, language, creative, and spiritual development. We value spontaneous learning opportunities and intentionally extend children’s learning by building on their interests, strengths, and growing needs. Children are encouraged to make choices, develop independence, build confidence, and acquire self-help skills to support positive transitions, including their transition to school.

We are dedicated to ongoing reflective practice and professional learning to ensure we provide high-quality education and care. At Tiny Oysters Family Day Care, our goal is to nurture happy, confident, resilient children who feel connected to themselves, others, nature, and their community.