What makes a good child care centre?

A good child care centre provides a safe, nurturing and engaging environment where children build strong relationships with educators and have meaningful opportunities to learn through play. Families should also look for qualified educators, clear communication, strong safety practices and a learning philosophy that respects each child as an individual.

What questions should I ask when touring a child care centre?

Ask about educator qualifications, child safety, daily routines, learning programs, communication with families, meals, sleep and rest, outdoor play and how educators support individual children's needs. Also spend time observing how educators and children interact.

How can I tell whether my child will feel comfortable at a centre?

Look beyond the facilities. Notice whether educators engage warmly with children, whether children seem comfortable approaching them and whether the environment feels calm, welcoming and inclusive. Ask how the centre supports new children during orientation and settling in.

Is play-based learning important in child care?

Yes. Play gives young children opportunities to explore ideas, communicate, solve problems, develop relationships and build physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills. Quality play-based learning is supported intentionally by educators who observe children's interests and extend their thinking.

What learning frameworks does Sanctuary use?

Sanctuary's early learning programs are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework. Kindergarten learning is also informed by the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline.

Does Sanctuary offer Kindergarten?

Sanctuary provides an approved Queensland Kindergarten program at each centre. Kindergarten learning is designed to support children's development and transition towards school. Families should check their preferred centre for specific program and enrolment information.

Where are Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure centres located?

Sanctuary has centres in Ashmore, Buderim, Southport at the Health and Knowledge Precinct, Maudsland and Redlynch. Highfields Child Care Centre is located in Highfields.

How can I decide if Sanctuary is right for my child?

Visit your nearest centre. A tour gives you the opportunity to explore the environment, meet educators, ask questions and see how Sanctuary's approach feels for your family.

What Makes A Great Child Care Centre? What Families Should Look For

Every family is different, but there are some important signs of quality to look for when comparing early learning centres.

Consider:

how educators interact with children
whether children appear comfortable, engaged and included
how the centre approaches child safety and wellbeing
the qualifications, experience and ongoing development of educators
how learning is guided through children's interests and play
how the centre communicates and partners with families
the quality of indoor and outdoor learning environments
whether the philosophy and values of the centre align with your family's.

A centre tour is one of the best opportunities to see these things in practice.

Children learn best when they feel safe, secure and connected.

That's why relationships sit at the heart of our approach at Sanctuary. We take time to understand each child as an individual, including their interests, strengths, routines and the relationships that are important to them.

Strong relationships with families matter too. Families know their children best, so collaboration helps our educators create learning experiences and routines that are meaningful for each child.

Our aim is to create a genuine sense of belonging – a place where your child feels known, valued and confident to be themselves.

The people caring for and teaching your child make an enormous difference to their early learning experience.

At Sanctuary, we believe investing in our educators is an investment in every child. Our teams bring together qualifications, professional learning, reflection and a shared commitment to creating meaningful experiences for children.

Our educators observe children's interests and ideas, build relationships and thoughtfully extend learning through everyday play and exploration.

For families touring a centre, watch the educators as much as you look at the environment. Notice how they speak with children, respond to their needs and join their learning.

Children need to feel safe before they can confidently explore, connect and learn.

Child safety at Sanctuary is embedded across our environments, people, practices and systems. Just as importantly, we want children to experience emotional safety – knowing they will be listened to, respected and supported.

Wellbeing is also part of children's everyday experience. Depending on children's interests and needs, this can include movement, outdoor play, healthy eating, creativity and opportunities for calm and reflection.

Together, these experiences help children build confidence, independence and a strong sense of self.

Young children learn through relationships, play, curiosity and meaningful everyday experiences.

Our approach follows children's interests and gives them opportunities to investigate ideas, solve problems, create, communicate and explore their world.

Our programs are guided by Australia's Early Years Learning Framework, with our Kindergarten learning also informed by the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline.

Rather than seeing learning and play as separate activities, we recognise how much learning happens through play. Building, gardening, painting, storytelling, cooking, movement and exploring outdoors can all create opportunities for children to develop new skills and ideas.

A quality early learning environment should do more than look beautiful. It should help children feel comfortable, capable and curious.

Our environments are thoughtfully created to encourage exploration while providing spaces for connection, creativity, movement and quieter moments.

We want children to be active participants in their environment rather than simply being entertained by it.

This includes opportunities to connect with nature and learn about sustainability. Gardening, caring for our environment, exploring natural materials and learning about the world around us can help children understand that their choices make a difference.

For children approaching school age, an approved Kindergarten program can support a positive transition into the next stage of learning.

At Sanctuary, our Kindergarten approach is about more than preparing children academically for school. We support children to develop confidence, communication, independence, problem-solving skills, relationships and a positive attitude towards learning.

These foundations can help children approach school feeling capable, curious and ready for what comes next.

For us, early childhood education is about the whole child.

We bring together connection, collaboration, inclusion and respect to create environments where children can develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively.

Our approach is shaped by:

strong relationships with children and families
child-led and play-based learning
committed educators
child safety and wellbeing
creative and engaging learning experiences
nature and sustainability
practical life experiences
welcoming, home-like environments
connection with our local communities.

Most importantly, we want every child to feel that they belong.

Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure is a family-owned and operated early learning provider with six centres across Queensland:

Each centre reflects its local community while sharing Sanctuary's commitment to connection, collaboration, inclusion and respect.

The best way to understand whether a centre feels right for your family is to experience it yourself. We warmly invite you to visit your nearest centre, meet our educators and explore the learning environments your child could call their home away from home.

What makes a good child care centre?
A good child care centre provides a safe, nurturing and engaging environment where children build strong relationships with educators and have meaningful opportunities to learn through play. Families should also look for qualified educators, clear communication, strong safety practices and a learning philosophy that respects each child as an individual.
What questions should I ask when touring a child care centre?
Ask about educator qualifications, child safety, daily routines, learning programs, communication with families, meals, sleep and rest, outdoor play and how educators support individual children's needs. Also spend time observing how educators and children interact.
How can I tell whether my child will feel comfortable at a centre?
Look beyond the facilities. Notice whether educators engage warmly with children, whether children seem comfortable approaching them and whether the environment feels calm, welcoming and inclusive. Ask how the centre supports new children during orientation and settling in.
Is play-based learning important in child care?
Yes. Play gives young children opportunities to explore ideas, communicate, solve problems, develop relationships and build physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills. Quality play-based learning is supported intentionally by educators who observe children's interests and extend their thinking.
What learning frameworks does Sanctuary use?
Sanctuary's early learning programs are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework. Kindergarten learning is also informed by the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline.
Does Sanctuary offer Kindergarten?
Sanctuary provides an approved Queensland Kindergarten program at each centre. Kindergarten learning is designed to support children's development and transition towards school. Families should check their preferred centre for specific program and enrolment information.
Where are Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure centres located?
Sanctuary has centres in Ashmore, Buderim, Southport at the Health and Knowledge Precinct, Maudsland and Redlynch. Highfields Child Care Centre is located in Highfields.
How can I decide if Sanctuary is right for my child?
Visit your nearest centre. A tour gives you the opportunity to explore the environment, meet educators, ask questions and see how Sanctuary's approach feels for your family.