It’s impossible to truly sum up what Piccolos has meant to us – but here’s my best attempt. Last year and this has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Christmas concert is just the cherry on top – a spectacular showcase of the hard work, creativity, and dedication poured into every single day. The children practise for months, learning songs, dances, lines, and teamwork. The costumes, the energy, the performance… it's all a celebration of what they’ve achieved – and the incredible teachers who guide them there with patience, passion, and endless love. But what truly blows me away is what happens in the everyday moments, the ones that build who they are becoming. At Piccolos, they don’t just learn letters and numbers – they learn how to be kind, how to listen, how to take turns and speak up. They learn how to care for others, how to handle big feelings, how to solve problems, and how to be resilient when things don’t go their way. They grow independence – putting on their shoes, packing their bags, remembering routines. They explore nature, ask questions, test ideas, and learn about the world around them. They bake, paint, garden, build. They dance, sing, climb, and create. They learn to be proud of who they are, to try again, and to celebrate others’ wins. These are real life skills – and watching Olivia grow in confidence, curiosity, and courage through it all has been the greatest gift. And let’s talk about the food…The healthy meals you prepare not only nourish their bodies – they smell amazing! It’s like walking into a warm kitchen full of love every single day. I often wish I could stay for lunch too! I genuinely believe every child should have the kind of experience Olivia has had here. She’s surrounded by people who truly care, who nurture her individuality, who believe in her. You’ve created a space that feels safe, exciting, loving, and joyful. It’s no wonder the Christmas concert is so magical – it’s a reflection of the magic that happens all year round. And when December comes, it’s time for graduation… and I’m not ready! I never want Olivia to leave Piccolos. So, here’s a suggestion: could you please open a school? You’ve got until January to organise it. Totally reasonable, right? Thank you for everything you’ve done for Olivia – and for every little one lucky enough to walk through your doors. I’m so, so grateful we found you.

Our 3yo son has been attending for approximately a year. In our experience, all the benefits stated on the Piccolos website are true. In particular its helped develop his concentration, love of challenges and he's made friends too. The environment is impeccable, the food is healthy and the staff are great. With extended hours, it's more flexible than family day care and has proven to be better value for money too.

Piccolos provides the most incredible environment for our children. From the fantastic facilities to the beautiful educators, we feel as though they are a part of our family.

The most amazing place for your children to grow, learn and develop in a caring and supportive environment. I can’t speak more highly of this place . It has the most amazing teachers , support staff, facilities and all the children are so kind to each other. We were very very lucky to get into the overport campus , this school is the best investment we could have ever given our children! The kids love it there too -so much so, that they want to go to piccolos on the weekend , says a lot!!

I am so grateful to the staff at Piccolos for the excellent service they provide. I was apprehensive about returning to work after three glorious years off with my baby boy. I was worried about how he would respond to strangers and being left in their care while I disappeared for a very long working day. My apprehensions evaporated quickly as Piccolos proved to be the perfect fit for us. The staff are friendly, enthusiastic and love what they are doing. Piccolos provide a family –like environment and care about the well-being of your child. The program is play based and child centred (Montessori) so it is structured in a way for your child to excel in things they enjoy. It is not a baby sitting club. The environment and facilities are clean, bright and engaging. The Montessori program is well resourced and maintained. The extra effort put in by staff is second to none. We have enjoyed brilliant homemade Mother and Father’s day gifts, cookies with the recipe included, craft and stories from the playground. The 2015 end of year concert was brilliant and I can only imagine the amount of work that went into its preparation! Any concerns that I have had were swiftly dealt with in a professional yet caring manner. We have also attended Piccolos weekend events such as riding on the Mornington Steam Trains and going to Werribee Zoo. Keep in mind, staff give up their weekends to attend these events! I have full confidence in the staff at Piccolos. I strongly believe this is the best place for my child to be both academically and socially. Because of their brilliant skills and dedication, my child is developing a passion for learning. But most importantly he is safe and he is happy.

My son started at Piccolos Accelerated Learning in April 2015. At the time I was working full time and I wasn't thrilled with his care arrangements. I scheduled and apt with Barbara, the owner of Piccolos and I was delighted with her knowledge and enthusiasm. We discussed the Montessori Philosophy and a bit of an overview on how they structure their time with the children. Honestly, I was vaguely familiar with Montessori Child Care Centres. It does not seem to be as well known in Australia, so to find a centre that was/is a stonesthrow away from home was wonderful. I felt like I had hit the jackpot! I love the fact that the Business was/is family owned and operated. The team that work at Piccolos are engaged with the children and possess that same passion for learning. This may sound a bit corny, but I like their uniforms. The staff always look neat and tidy and my son's clothes are always very clean. It is very civilised unlike some of the other places we have been to. There is quite a bit of structure to the learning so you can be rest assured that your child is not going to be playing for endless hours without direction. Next year my son will go to Prep. He is already reading simple readers, learning sight words and writing his name. He is becoming independent, well adjusted, developing bonds with other children and he begs me to go to Piccolos on the days when he is home with me. Growth and development is personalised and the staff are incredibly committed to their craft. I feel that we have a partnership and awesome dialogue. I know what is happening in the classroom and throughout the day. The communication is Key and Dushi has been instrumental in keeping me informed with my son's development. We work together to make each day at Piccolo's positive and to help my son with his development. I have no doubt that Piccolos is the right choice. I can see the growth and development in my son and I am confident that his success can largely be attributed to Piccolos and my partnership with the team at Piccolos. Kind Regards, Stephanie De Graaf

Wow.. absolutely Gobsmacked by the previous review. POSITIVE COMMENTS NEED TO BE POSTED MORE OFTEN! I had my last 2 children attend Piccolos for 3 years each. My eldest son went to 2 other montessori's while we were settling into the local area. This is a unique school. It has EVERY montessori resource available which is unusual as it is expensive to set up these schools. It is government funded which made it affordable. My first child went there after we applied and had a meeting with the owners. It was me interviewing them and they were awesome. My daughter then went there as it was her time to and she was accommodated without hesitation or question as she was the sibling. This is an family owned business. It is filled with mature, experienced and qualified staff. There are processes and procedures and they are strictly kept to for the safety of the children and the peace of mind of the families. I never had an issue with this centre over the last four years. I love Montessori for all the obvious reasons, and Piccolos is the best i have seen operated and my kids absolutely LOVED IT!. No child is the same and it is not one school for all. Go and meet with Piccolos for yourself and do not be put off by previous comments please. I read this while referring the info onto a friend.