PHOTOS| Priming

PRIMING! 23-24th August 2014

Work has started and may I say that it has been such a productive weekend! This weekends' major job was priming all the kindy walls ready to become the home some fun new characters. 

Saturday was super productive- Victoria and the team got all the walls cleaned and coated. A HUGE thanks to all the helpers who made this job possible. What a great group of workers. Thank you to Lib Ricciardone for your patience and steady hand around the windows. Windows are a pet peeve for Lib so we really appreciate that commitment! The Nathan family... its not a kindy without kids! So thank you to Joshua and Tori Nathan. Jason Nathan for such speedy work with a roller and the pebbles. Thank you Steve for the long handled paint brush and of course some supplies for the deck! An AMAZING job from Alice who stuck it out all day without playing the pregnancy card once. Finally thank you Alan for all your work, flexibility and support! What a truly wonderful team to work with!!

These little guys even popped down from the nest to check out the great job everyone did!

Sunday was more quiet with just Sinaed and Nathan doing some final touches (although there are a few little spots to go over) and putting some double coats on the walls.

What a weekend! Thanks everyone and we look forward to popping up some more of our progress! :)

Some Flying Natives

HISTORY| Alan &Anne Philips| 1980-Today

Alan describes his wife with such love and affection. He smiled and told us, “She was a mother, partner, cook, teacher, musician and so many other things all at the same time. She was a well trained women who understood how to teach and bring up children in a loving environment.”

Alan and Anne began their family in their beautiful home 34 years ago. Their house is warm, cosy and surrounded by Australian natives. From the whistles of the birds to the ever-growing community, Riverton Willetton was ‘the place to be’ and so the Philip family grew.

Alan and Anne wished for a kindergarten for their young children; being well qualified as a teacher Alan encouraged his wife to begin her own ‘kindy’! There were so many young children in the budding area yet no place for them to go during the day. Alan told his wife, “Start your own!” and so they did.

The block behind them was on the market and placing a $50 deposit down in the summer of 1981 Alan and Anne moved to the house behind and converted their old home into a kindergarten.

They put an ad in the paper and within days they had a waiting list made up of 200 families!

With the permission from their neighbours on the street they organised four days (Monday- Thursday) of care from 9-11 and Fridays as a dot time. There were 20 children per session with one teacher and one aid. Soon enough their waiting list grew to 400 families and so the kindergarten grew and lived.

Moving to the country in 1985 Anne kept working for the kindergarten kilometres away with the help of two ladies as the ‘managers’ back at home.

While away they converted the other home behind the centre into another kindergarten from 1986-90.

In 1991 Alan and Anne closed the centre behind the original and moved back. Their children longed to be ‘home’ and they wished for their life back in their house.

Home and happy they licensed the kindergarten for 25 children and increased staff.

Alan Says that their vision was to always; since they began, create a space for child development. Where children are really playing in a “kinder’garden’”!

Their wish was to honour the trees and surrounding nature and they have planted many of the large plants you now walk beneath! He said they have cared for the garden for many many years to provide a place for the children to play. The whole time they have always been independent from the government and absolutely love it.

Since Anne’s passing, her daughter Alice has been working with her father to keep the vision her parents shared and began so many years ago. 

Today the kindergarten is 33 years old.

One of our proposed plans

BEFORE Photos

14th August 2014

Today we visited again to confirm our designs with the owners of the Kindy.
With lots of discussion and excitement we have our vision in mind and we will begin next week. We have some characters drawn up and we are hopefully going to go shopping soon for colours and the lot.
We have driven around and collected some things already from 'pick up' week and from a local Facebook 'give away free' page. The centre will be sending out a letter next week and I'm sure the community will further donate and get involved. We are hoping for some parent support and with a combined effort from Alan and Alice (the owners), we will be getting started SOOOOOON! :)

12th August 2014

Visited Tuesday afternoon to measure up the place... the following is our proposed plans.

1. Repaint all the four murals putting on a coat of a beautiful simple cream colour to contrast our illustrated Australian animals/ characters. Being inspired by the beautiful books below we will endeavour to do a 'top notch' or should I say, 'top coat' job. ;)

2. Create an interactive play area that invites the children in to play, create and enjoy. This area will have a decked area around one of the trees with a black board attached to a wall we intend to render. and near by hanging pots and other objects to play on and hit for interesting sounds.

3. An art display and art drying area on two of the other walls.

Inspirations

Wombat Stew is a book often read to the children at kindy. We thoughts it would be a great idea to take some of these characters and scenes into their play area!

Inspirations

Possum Magic is on of our little inspirations for our Australian theme. The children at kindy often read this book together and we thought- what a great idea to use this!

5th August 2014|

Today we visited the Kindy and scoped out the areas we'll be working in. Tucked under large Gum trees and other Australian woods and nestled between other plants, this garden is such a beautiful place to play, create and learn. Birds are part of the grounds as they walk from branch to branch and fly from tree to tree. This is truly a lovely place to work and be.