Mirambeena Children’s Centre

Mirambeena Children’s Centre is a community-based, not-for-profit child care centre located near the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba.  We are affiliated with C&K (Childcare and Kindergarten) Association which is the longest established provider of community based early childhood education and childcare services in Queensland.

At Mirambeena, we acknowledge the Giabal and Jarowair people – the traditional owners of the land on which we live and learn. We are committed to providing an environment of reconciliation and respect for our children, educators, families and the wider community.

The natural environment is an integral part of our program throughout the service. Children are encouraged to explore and discover, respect and care for the native wildlife and the land on which they play.  We provide opportunities for children to engage with nature and natural materials in both the indoor and outdoor environments on a daily basis.

We believe that play is the essential medium through which children learn and that risk is a vital component of children’s play. Risk allows children to be challenged, to face uncertainty, to problem solve and to work with others to find a solution. All these qualities serve to expand children’s cognitive, physical and social-emotional abilities.

We are advocates for loose parts play which can be defined as incorporating natural objects and tactile materials into the environment that children can move about during play and exploration. Loose parts are versatile and open-ended and allow children to be creative, curious and imaginative. We believe that using loose parts in the learning environment encourages growth in all areas of development.

At Mirambeena, we are a team of passionate educators from a range of cultural backgrounds and experiences who embrace and value all aspects of nature play for the children in our care.