How can I give my child a good start with reading?

Make books and stories an enjoyable part of everyday life. Read together, talk about pictures, follow your child's interests and let stories inspire conversations and play. There's no need to rush towards formal reading.

How do stories encourage imaginative play?

Stories introduce children to characters, places and ideas they can interpret in their own way. These ideas can then appear in drawing, building, outdoor exploration, dramatic play and storytelling.

Why is outdoor play good for imagination?

Outdoor environments can offer open-ended spaces and materials children can explore and transform through their ideas and play.

How can a book lead to outdoor learning?

A story might spark an interest in animals, plants, weather, water, building or another idea children can investigate outdoors.

What is an Educator's role in play-based learning?

Educators can listen, observe and respond to children's interests, creating opportunities that encourage further curiosity and exploration.

How can parents encourage imaginative play at home?

Keep it simple. Books, drawing materials, blocks, recycled objects and safe natural materials can all become starting points. Follow your child's ideas and see where they lead.

Where is Sanctuary Maudsland?

Sanctuary Maudsland is located in Maudsland on the northern Gold Coast, within the wider Gold Coast hinterland region.

How can I check childcare availability at Sanctuary Maudsland?

Availability can vary depending on your child's age, the days you need and your preferred start date. Contact Sanctuary Maudsland to discuss current childcare availability and the options for your family.

From stories to play: how stories inspire play in early learning

A love of stories can begin long before a child learns to read words independently.

Sharing books together gives children opportunities to enjoy language, notice pictures and sounds, ask questions and discover the joy of storytelling.

Giving children a good start to reading isn't about rushing them towards formal reading. It's about helping books, stories and language become an enjoyable and meaningful part of their world.

And sometimes, finishing the book is only the beginning.

A character, place or idea can follow children into their play, where they can explore it in an entirely new way.

Children naturally bring ideas from their everyday experiences into play – and stories can become part of this.

A story about animals might lead to an outdoor search for insects and creatures, a journey through a forest could inspire an imaginary adventure.

A story about building a home might lead to children gathering materials and constructing one of their own, or a child might take one small idea from a book and turn it into something nobody else expected.

The story provides the spark; children's curiosity helps decide where it goes next.

When children take ideas from stories into their play, they're making connections between what they've heard, what they already know and what they're curious to explore.

Depending on the experience, children might be:

communicating and sharing ideas
using their imagination
working alongside others
solving problems
experimenting and investigating
making decisions
creating stories of their own
exploring different perspectives.

But meaningful play doesn't always need an adult to decide what should happen next.

Sometimes our role is simply to notice what has captured a child's imagination and give them the time, space and opportunity to keep exploring it.

Some stories are made to escape from the page.

Natural environments offer children open-ended spaces and materials they can transform through imagination.

A stick can become a magic wand, fishing rod or building tool. Leaves can become ingredients in an imaginary café. A garden might become an enchanted forest. A dry creek bed can become the setting for an adventure. There's no single correct way to use these spaces or materials, and that's part of their value.

Children can take an idea they've encountered in a book and decide what it becomes next.

At Sanctuary Maudsland, children have opportunities to take their ideas beyond the page and into a nature-rich early learning environment.

A story can begin indoors and then travel outside.

An interest sparked by a book might lead children to investigate the natural environment, create something together, explore the garden or transform an outdoor space into an imaginary world.

Our Educators can listen to children's ideas, notice where their curiosity is heading and look for opportunities to help those ideas develop. Sometimes that might mean finding another book. Sometimes it might mean providing new materials. And sometimes it might mean pulling on a hat and heading outside to investigate.

One of the most important things an Educator can do is notice.

What are the children talking about?

Which part of a story keeps appearing in their play?

What are they trying to create or understand?

What are they curious about?

Rather than deciding the outcome, Educators can respond with thoughtful questions, materials, another story or an opportunity to investigate something further. It means the learning can grow from children's interests rather than every experience having a predetermined destination.

You don't need elaborate activities or special resources.

Start with a story and see what captures your child's interest.

You might:

head outside to look for something mentioned in the book
collect leaves, sticks or stones for creating
draw a favourite character
build something using blocks or recycled materials
act out part of the story together
make up a different ending
create your own imaginary adventure
find another book about the same subject.

Try following rather than directing. Your child's idea might be completely different from yours – and that's part of the adventure.

Stories don't only come from books.

A walk through the garden, an unusual insect, a cloud in a funny shape or something discovered on the ground can prompt questions and imaginative ideas of their own.

For families living around Maudsland, Tamborine Mountain and the Gold Coast hinterland, there are plenty of opportunities for children to notice and wonder about the natural world around them.

You might ask:

“What do you think lives there?”

“Where do you think that path goes?”

“What could we build with this?”

“What do you think happens next?”

You don't need to know the answer, sometimes a question is simply the beginning of another story.

If you're exploring early learning centres for your child, look beyond a list of activities. Consider what children are actually able to do within the environment.

Can they investigate and explore?

Can their ideas develop over time?

Are there open-ended spaces and materials?

Do Educators listen and respond to children's questions?

Are there meaningful opportunities to spend time outdoors?

And importantly, do the children appear comfortable, connected and valued?

A centre tour gives you an opportunity to experience these things for yourself.

For families living around Maudsland, Tamborine Mountain and the wider Gold Coast hinterland, choosing childcare can mean balancing location and family routines with finding an environment that feels right for your child.

Sanctuary Maudsland provides early learning and care in a nature-rich environment where children have opportunities to connect, explore and follow their curiosity.

If you're searching for childcare in Maudsland, exploring childcare near Tamborine Mountain, childcare near Mount Tamborine or comparing early learning options across the northern Gold Coast hinterland, we invite you to discover Sanctuary Maudsland.

Because a good start in early learning isn't only about preparing children for what comes next. It's about making the years they're experiencing right now meaningful too.

Explore Sanctuary Maudsland, enquire about current availability or book a tour with our team.

How can I give my child a good start with reading?
Make books and stories an enjoyable part of everyday life. Read together, talk about pictures, follow your child's interests and let stories inspire conversations and play. There's no need to rush towards formal reading.
How do stories encourage imaginative play?
Stories introduce children to characters, places and ideas they can interpret in their own way. These ideas can then appear in drawing, building, outdoor exploration, dramatic play and storytelling.
Why is outdoor play good for imagination?
Outdoor environments can offer open-ended spaces and materials children can explore and transform through their ideas and play.
How can a book lead to outdoor learning?
A story might spark an interest in animals, plants, weather, water, building or another idea children can investigate outdoors.
What is an Educator's role in play-based learning?
Educators can listen, observe and respond to children's interests, creating opportunities that encourage further curiosity and exploration.
How can parents encourage imaginative play at home?
Keep it simple. Books, drawing materials, blocks, recycled objects and safe natural materials can all become starting points. Follow your child's ideas and see where they lead.
Where is Sanctuary Maudsland?
Sanctuary Maudsland is located in Maudsland on the northern Gold Coast, within the wider Gold Coast hinterland region.
How can I check childcare availability at Sanctuary Maudsland?
Availability can vary depending on your child's age, the days you need and your preferred start date. Contact Sanctuary Maudsland to discuss current childcare availability and the options for your family.

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Recent Articles From Sanctuary

Bottling the Moments at Sanctuary Buderim

By Lauren Hall • August 20, 2026

Welcome back to Bottling the Moments, where I take you behind the scenes of my centre visits and share some of the moments that make me smile, make me laugh and remind me why early childhood education is such a special place to be. My recent visit to our beautiful Buderim centre was all about connection. Connection with our children, our team and many of our families during pick up. Families who trust us with their children every single day. When I arrived, Cody was waiting to take me on a tour of the centre, popping into every room to say good morning to the team, and to the children. I love starting a visit this way. It gives me the chance to say hello to everyone and get a feel for what is happening across the centre before I settle in and spend time with the children. Most of my morning was spent with our littlies in Starfish and Jellyfish. I was greeted by our Jellyfish toddlers with the most beautiful smiles. Mateo and Lenny could not have been more excited to see me, and honestly, it filled my heart with joy. Being welcomed like that by our little ones is pretty special, and it was the perfect way to start my morning with them. Lunch in Jellyfish was chicken curry, and I will admit, I did not expect to be quite so impressed watching a room full of toddlers tackle it. Spoons loaded, little hands determined, they fed themselves with a level of focus and independence that had me completely captivated. I loved watching how confidently they were feeding themselves. It was another one of those everyday moments that reminds me how much learning happens throughout the entire day. I then spent some time in Starfish with our littlest ones. With only four babies there that day, I was very lucky to get plenty of smiles, cuddles and playtime with Mauve, Lola, Ayla and Oliver. Oliver is still settling into his new environment, so I was more than happy to sneak in a few extra cuddles to help him feel safe and secure. Starting care is such a big transition for our babies, and for their families too. It is such a privileged position we are in. Our families trust us with their most precious little people, and in those early days, our babies are learning to trust us too. To learn that when they need comfort, we will be there. That they are safe. That they are cared for. And eventually, that Sanctuary is a place where they belong. Being part of building that trust is pretty special. After rest time, I found myself with Turtles and Dolphins for a treasure hunt. My group was Remi, Ella, Charlie and a couple of their friends, and off we went in search of treasure. We found an ant. We found a leaf. We found some bark on a tree. And apparently, according to every single member of my group, we also saw a bird. I did not see the bird. But they were absolutely adamant it was there, and despite my best efforts to tell them I couldn't see it, I was very clearly outnumbered! It was so much fun following their excitement as they discovered each new piece of "treasure" along the way. Over in Coral, it was story time, and this one was a little bit special for me. I had brought along a couple of books from my own son Austin's collection, and the group chose A Hero Like You and Boogie Bear. They loved them. Genuinely, properly loved them, calling out, pointing, joining in with the parts they already knew by heart. I absolutely loved being able to share a couple of Austin's favourite books with the children, and seeing how much they enjoyed them made this moment extra special for me. Over in Seagulls with our kindy children, everyone was outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine and there was plenty of energy to burn, so naturally, a game of tag was the perfect choice! Before long we were running around the playground, with everyone very determined not to be caught (and equally determined to make sure Miss Lauren was!). Very quickly I had about ten children chasing me, and at one point I somehow ended up on the ground being tickled, with a few of our team looking over to make sure I was okay! There was lots of laughter, lots of running and I think it's fair to say the children had a little more energy left in the tank than I did. After all that excitement, I found a quieter spot with Austin and a few of the children who were drawing. Austin and I have shared lots of special little moments since he first started with us as a baby in Starfish, so it was lovely to sit together drawing pictures and having a chat. It was one of those beautiful little moments that reminded me just how special it is to watch our children grow. From those early nursery days to now sitting beside me in Seagulls, these are the connections I feel incredibly lucky to have. Some of my favourite moments from a visit are also connecting 1:1 with our team members, either while they are in their element in their environment with the children, where they share the exciting activities from the week, or over a cuppa or lunch in the staff retreat. I had a beautiful conversation with Josie, one of our educators, who was so curious about our other Sanctuary centres. We chatted about what makes each of them different, what they are like and some of the wonderful things happening across our wider Sanctuary community. I loved her genuine interest and curiosity. I also spent some time with Chloe for one of our Future Leaders mentoring sessions. These are conversations I absolutely love. Creating opportunities for our future leaders to reflect, grow in confidence and discover what they are capable of is one of the most rewarding parts of my role. Cody, Laura and Annie had organised a special lunch in the lunchroom so I could sit with the team on their break, away from the busyness of the rooms. We talked about everything and nothing. Everyone was buzzing about the upcoming Long Lunch, and somewhere along the way the conversation turned to what everyone was currently watching, which, if you have ever sat in a staff room, you will know is a very serious topic of debate. Moments like these matter just as much as anything that happens in the rooms. Our educators give so much of themselves every day, and getting the opportunity to sit, laugh, chat and simply connect with them is something I really treasure. As I drove home that afternoon, I found myself smiling again, not because of one big moment, but because of dozens of little ones. The excitement on Mateo and Lenny's faces. A room full of toddlers proudly feeding themselves. A bird I apparently missed. Sharing two of Austin's books with a new little audience. A beautiful conversation with Josie. Time spent with Chloe talking about her leadership journey. And a lunchroom full of laughter and excitement about our upcoming Long Lunch. These are the moments that remind me why creating the right environment matters so much. They are the moments that make Sanctuary what it is. Until next time… Lauren x