FREE Range Kids Childcare was set up in 2005 with their first centre in Laidley in the Lockyer Valley.
The Wallangarra centre was established in 2007 and is part of a group of four long daycare centres and one outside school hours centre – Stanthorpe Cool Kids.
The business was set up by the owners because they weren’t satisfied with the quality of care that was on offer for their own children at the time.
Free Range Kids Childcare, Wallangarra, now employs 13 staff members and offers long daycare and a kindergarten program for children from six weeks to school age as well as before and after school care.
Their slogan is “Old Fashioned Values for Modern Day Kids”.
They are great believers in providing children with those “old-fashioned values” that seem to be lost in today’s society.
All children are required to address staff as Mr or Mrs and their surname as a sign of respect.
The centre has staff sit with children at meal times to role model good table manners. They have three home-cooked meals made on the premises daily, ensuring that there is plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as meat and dairy to provide a balanced, nutritious menu.
Their centres are also set up to encourage lots of outdoor play, with real grass for children to run around on. They believe that a healthy body promotes a healthy mind.
A lot of children these days do not get enough physical activity and spend too much time in front of a screen. Free Range Kids have large wet play areas, vegetable gardens and chook pens at their centres, as well as bike tracks and wonderful play structures.
The centres focus on encouraging positive social skills as well as literacy and numeracy skills so that children are ready to cope with school once they leave.
Free Range Kids Childcare Wallangarra, 63 Barrawell Street, Wallangarra, phone: 07 4684 3685.
