Samantha
Centre Manager
"Mentoring my team and assisting them to upskill and think outside the box keeps me inspired."
Open 7:00am to 6:30pm
Monday to Friday
Guardian Childcare & Education Mentone East
(Formerly Creative Beginnings)
Every day is an opportunity for discovery and growth at Guardian Childcare & Education Mentone East (formerly Creative Beginnings), which is rated exceeding in the National Quality Standard. With a range of exciting, resource-rich environments – including a recently renovated nursery room and toddler yard – children are encouraged to explore and learn.
The light-filled and homely centre is also home to lots of native trees, herb and vegetable gardens, creek beds, water play areas, and a range of age-specific ateliers where our programs come to life.
We are proud to have a culturally diverse team and celebrate a variety of cultures and holidays throughout the year. The community-minded team also has a great connection with Mentone Park Primary, who invites the kinder children over daily to use their prep playground.
Children get out and about on regular excursions, so we have a great connection with the surrounding community. We have Mentone Reserve, which the children fondly refer to as the Duck Park, within walking distance of the centre, so all age groups join in.
Our on-site chef, Kim, prepares five nutritionally balanced meals using seasonal ingredients every day. To further explore food at the centre our Educators host cooking classes for the children to get involved in to enhance their understanding of good nutrition.
Begin the adventure at Guardian today by booking a tour to explore the centre, chat with our team of Educators and learn more about our high-quality curriculum.
Read MoreRead more information about the centre
Rhythm of The Day
With endless possibilities, there’s never a dull moment at Guardian and no two days are the same. Here’s what a day at Guardian might look like. Please note, this will vary depending on centre opening hours.
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From 6:30am
Handover time with children, families and our friendly Educators. There's a chance for conversation to share what's important for the day/what's happened the night before at home.
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From 7:00am
Breakfast time where families are welcome to stay and enjoy breakfast with the children.
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Morning
As children are arriving and families are coming and going, there's an opportunity for play as well as family grouping, open-plan play and multi-age grouping.
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Morning
As the children come together, planned experiences begin. This is where the Guardian programs and practices come to life. Examples of learning include numeracy, literacy, language, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, social skills, technology, science, creative arts, curiosity and more.
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Morning
There's an opportunity for children to come together and enjoy morning tea.
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Mid-morning
Following morning tea, the planned experiences continue. This includes both indoor and outdoor programs.
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Afternoon
There's an opportunity for children to come together for lunch. With an open-door policy, families are able to join the centre for meals and excursion if they wish.
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Afternoon
For children who want to, or need to, there's an opportunity to sleep, rest or relax. For children who don't need to rest, there are planned experiences, which are more likely to be outdoors.
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Afternoon
Children come together for afternoon tea in small groups or with siblings (they can also rest and play together, too). This time also presents an opportunity to reflect on the day.
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End of the day
As families arrive to pick up children, there's an opportunity to speak to Educators and share information about the day.
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End of the day
Some centres offer early tea or light snack at the end of the day, which they can grab as they leave the centre. We’re mindful of how routines vary at home, so if throughout the day, we notice children look tired, food will be provided.
Helpful Information
Opening Hoursexpand_more
Fee Information expand_more
| Age Group | Daily Fee |
|---|---|
| Under 3 Years | $135.00* |
| Over 3 Years | $135.00* |
*Price before the government rebate. To calculate what Child Care Subsidy you might get back, click here.
Good to Know - What to Bring expand_more
What we Provide
- Sunscreen
- Five nutritionally balanced meals including: Breakfast, Lunch, Morning and Afternoon tea and a late Snack at the end of the day
- Nappies
- Bibs
- Bedding
What to Bring
- Hats
- Formula and bottles
- Soft toy or comfort blanket for nap time
- Spare change of clothing
Our Educators expand_more
Our team of Educators are committed and passionate about ensuring your child will be safe, nurtured and cared for every day. At Guardian, children are encouraged to engage in interest-led play that creates learning and meaningful experiences.
Our Educators seek to optimise diverse learning opportunities and implement the Curriculum as framed by the Early Years Learning Framework.
You and Your Child expand_more
All Guardian Centres provide a Centre-to-Family communication platform so families can maintain contact with their children’s experiences through photos, stories and learning outcomes.
Our Centres use Storypark and each family is provided with a secure login to access on their computers, mobiles or apps.
Learn More About Our Centre expand_more
Our well-equipped centre offers a rich variety of stimulating indoor and outdoor learning experiences so our children can explore many different environments and situations. In our spacious and naturally focused outdoor areas, children enjoy playing and relaxing in the shade or tending to our vegetable and herb gardens. We encourage learning about sustainability and nature through recycling and composting food scraps.
Many of our caring, friendly and experienced Educators live in the local area and enjoy building close relationships with our families and the local community.
Our nursery is designed to help children feel happy and secure in a caring and nurturing environment where they experience a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Our toddlers enjoy a range engaging and stimulating experiences to explore throughout the day, stimulating their self-help skills and develop a growing appreciation of the natural world around them.
The Pre-Kinder and Kinder programs focus on play-led learning, encouraging children to develop their interests and explore their identity through play, arts, literature, music and movement. We ensure our children are happy and settled when engaged in open-ended learning experiences and partner with our neighbouring primary school to help ensure a smoother transition to formal learning.
The Kinder children use the prep playground daily as well as utilising the library, open plan classrooms and science room. Our Kinder teacher works around the school’s schedule to ensure the children can use these rooms when they are vacant. This process assists the children to engage and become familiar in a school environment before entering primary school.
Begin the Adventure at Guardian
To explore the centre, chat with our team of Educators and learn more about our high-quality curriculum, book a tour now.
Guardian Childcare & Education Mentone East
37 Blackwood Avenue
Mentone, VIC, 3194
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