Kindalin Early Childhood Learning Centre - Castle Hill

At Kindalin, children are cared for in an environment that is both stimulating and challenging. The seven core beliefs of the centre’s philosophy are: 

Sustainability as part of the culture and curriculum, to teach children to learn and respect the environment.

•  The Music Man – Greg the Music Man has been visiting Kindalin for over 10 years and shares his beautiful melodies, singing all-time classic songs and nursery rhymes with the children.
• Soccer Pat  - Pat visits Kindalin on a monthly basis to continue his soccer skills activities with the children, providing them with the opportunity to engage in gross motor skill activities
• Art with Miss Maree - Maree Sproats from Dural Art Studio runs her art classes with the Wonderful Wombats at Kindalin each Term. Children learn about interpretations, textures and visual arts in the most interesting ways!
• GrowFit - Muti-sensory experience that allows children to use thei imagination to hear sounds and perform functional movements and exercise, which improve hand-eye coordination and general core strength. 
• Jingle Jam - Jingle Jam is a specialist music program. Vanessa from Jingle Jam provides musical experiences which are educational and foster a love for music and movement.
• Mess It Up - An edcuational expereince which allows the children to get messy, while exploring a range of sensory activities.
• Reid the Music - Learning the dynamics of music with Miss Laura and her team, as the children explore pitch, rhythm, tempo, tone and colour through singing and dancing. 
• Community worker visits – During Community Worker focuses throughout the year, community members and parents of different professions chat with the children about their job in the community, including firefighters, nurses, policemen and more. 
• Educational programs – Throughout the year, children have educational experiences with Government programs and other companies, including Binwise recycling program, SmartDental dental hygiene presentation and more.

I believe every child has a right to grow and learn in a safe and stimulating environment.

Courtney Wharton, Centre Director, Kindalin Castle Hill

All meals and snacks are provided and prepared in-house at Kindalin Castle Hill. The menu was designed in collaboration with dietitian Fiona Kupresanin, and offers a nutritious selection of food.

The centre uses low fat and reduced salt ingredients, wholemeal and wholegrain foods, a range of vegetables and plenty of low-GI foods.

All dietary needs are catered for, including vegetarian options, and alternatives for children who are gluten-intolerant or have allergies.

The educators at Kindalin Castle Hill use meal and snack time as another educational opportunity for the children. Educators promote self-help skills as the children serve their own fruit and veggies from the platters, and make decisions for themselves as to what they would like to eat.

It is also a great time to discuss healthy eating and trying new foods. For the younger children, Educators promote sensory exploration as they taste and touch their food.

Throughout the year the children learn about healthy eating, such as what are 'always' and 'sometimes' foods. This occurs as part of the curriculum, including projects, food and cooking demonstrations, visitors to the centre and presentations from external organisations.