Nutrition and Mealtimes
We provide children with a variety of healthy foods, and cater for children with allergies and intolerances.
At SDN Tigger’s Honeypot, the central playground is surrounded by vast grassy lawns and gardens to explore.
Children feed and care for our resident chickens as well as plant and harvest their own produce in our blossoming vegetable patches. All planned to develop understanding, appreciation and connections to our natural environment and local cultures.
Our qualified team facilitate innovative, child-centred and child-led learning programs in a safe, healthy, happy and stimulating context that help all children to develop a love of life-long learning through activities and activities and teaching approaches that nurture caring hearts, healthy bodies and curious minds.
Children visit their older friends at the aged care facility Milford House to paint, sculpt, sing, laugh and share stories. Our four rooms offer children time to interact in separate age groups for specifically targeted learning experiences. As well, educators plan opportunities with mixed age groups so the children can learn from each other.
Growing bodies need movement and exercise. Growing minds need stimulus and exploration. Growing hearts need opportunities to play and mix with others.
At SDN we know that the best thing we can do for your infant or toddler is to support them to grow and develop in safe, unhurried, nurturing and challenging environments.
Because infants and toddlers are naturally curious, our centres have well-equipped indoor and outdoor areas that will keep your child moving and give them daily opportunities to explore their limits and grow their abilities.
Your child is unique and so we will devise a learning and development program within our curriculum pillars, based on what we know about your child’s interests, learning and development. Because they will always be changing and growing, we consistently review the program to ensure we are keeping up with your child’s development, providing them with the best learning opportunities.
Read more about our practice with children here.
Getting school-ready is a journey. It begins with your child’s very first day at our welcoming early education and care centres and continues with our dedicated preschool program.
Developed by university-trained early childhood teachers, our preschool program focuses on the whole child. Children learn to make friends and work together, while gaining the skills and independence they need to thrive through the big transition to school.
Our preschool program follows an evidence-backed, play-based learning approach. Children have fun and follow their curiosity, while we weave in vital skills and learning outcomes.
SDN uses Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework to explore a diverse curriculum from science to social justice. Our days are predictable but flexible, blending structured and spontaneous learning, free play, movement and quiet time.
Our curriculum pillars are:
Relationship and social skills
Critical thinking and problem solving
Early literacy and numeracy
Health, wellbeing and movement
Science, technology, construction and design
Nature play and sustainability
Creative arts
Equity and social justice
Our centres have a transition to school program where our teachers and educators work together with local schools to prepare your child for a smooth transition, and support families through the process.
Read more about our preschool program here.
Families in our urban-based centres often call our outdoor areas their “green oasis”.
SDN's outdoor spaces provide opportunities for children to enjoy themselves and have adventures. They’re safe environments for children to run, jump and yell, make mud cakes, and use their energy.
Outdoor spaces provide more than physical benefits. Even though you may think that children only play outside to have fun, they're also improving their thinking, social, and emotional skills. When they’re playing outside, they’re inventing games, learning about the world at their own pace, and figuring out social customs like turn-taking.
These are just some of the reasons SDN invests in developing new, award-winning outdoor spaces with natural designs that inspire children’s curiosity, physical play, and social play.
NB: UNSW University staff fees will be $207 per day for children under three years old and $180 per day for children three years and over.
UNSW University student fees will $168 per day for children under three years old and $149 per day for children three years and over.
The majority of families in our centres do not pay the full daily fee because they receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from the government.
The subsidy you may receive through the CCS will depend on:
Your child will need to meet immunisation requirements and you will need to meet residency requirements to be eligible to receive the CCS.
You can also calculate what your out-of-pocket child care costs will be on the government’s Starting Blocks Child Care Subsidy Calculator.
NSW Start Strong funding - Additional Preschool Fee Relief
On top of any CCS you may receive, the NSW Government is providing additional fee relief:
Find more information about the Start Strong program here. If you’ve read this information and you’re still unsure about what you’ll pay, please call us on 1300 831 445 or book a centre tour. We’re happy to answer your questions.
0-2 Babies
2-3 Toddlers
3-5 Preschoolers
In May 2020, UNSW called for tenders to operate their three remaining three centre. SDN successfully tendered, and following an extensive transition process, began management of Tigger’s Honeypot, The House at Pooh Corner and Owl’s House on behalf of UNSW in January 2021.
Read more about SDN Tigger's Honeypot Randwick at UNSW's history here.