Mother Duck Childcare Bellbowrie

01/09/2026

Every generation shapes the future.

Few professions influence that future as early, or as profoundly, as early childhood education.

The first five years of life are a period of extraordinary growth.

In celebration of Early Childhood Educators' Day tomorrow, 2 Sept, Karen Prestedge shares why Early Childhood Educators matter more than ever.

https://loom.ly/8psCBXo

Every generation shapes the future. Few professions influence that future as early, or as profoundly, as early childhood education. The first five years of life are a period of extraordinary growth. Children develop language. Curiosity. Confidence. Empathy. Problem-solving skills. Self-regulation. R...

30/08/2026

🌸 Spring Menu – We’d Love Your Input! 🌸
As the weather warms up, it’s time to start reflecting on our Spring Menu! 🌿☀️

We’d love to hear from our families about the foods that are special to your family and those much-loved family favourites that bring everyone together around the table. ❤️

Do you have a favourite family recipe, a special cultural dish, or a meal that your children absolutely love? We’d love for you to share it with us!

Your ideas and family traditions will help inspire our Spring Menu and create opportunities for the children to experience a wonderful variety of flavours and foods. 🍓🥕🥗

Share your family favourites with us – we’d love to hear from you! 💕

25/08/2026

Long after children leave early childhood education, many people remember one thing more than anything else.

How someone made them feel.

Feeling safe.

Feeling noticed.

Feeling capable.

Feeling that someone genuinely believed in them.

These moments often begin with relationships.

Every day, early childhood educators build hundreds of small moments of connection.

Katy Bloodworth shares how strong relationships provide the foundation from which children explore, take risks, develop confidence, and build resilience.

https://loom.ly/E7xFHCA 🦆♥️

Long after children leave early childhood education, many people remember one thing more than anything else. How someone made them feel. Feeling safe. Feeling noticed. Feeling capable. Feeling that someone genuinely believed in them. These moments often begin with relationships. Every day, early chi...

23/08/2026

Can you see the current curiosity emerging through the children's play in the Kindergarten studio?

Using our open-ended intelligent materials (also known as loose parts), the children have developed a keen interest in exploring the concept of the inclined plane. As they design ramps, test different angles, and observe how objects move, they are discovering scientific concepts through hands-on investigation.

What has been most rewarding to see is the collaborative learning taking place. The children are sharing ideas, watching each other's discoveries, asking questions, and building on one another's thinking as they explore and experiment together.

These child-led experiences are a wonderful reminder that meaningful learning begins with curiosity. When children are given the freedom to investigate, test their theories, and learn alongside their peers, they develop confidence, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

21/08/2026

Through exploration, inquiry, and joyful learning, these children spent the morning completely immersed in play, unaware that they were developing a firsthand understanding of cause and effect and sequential motion. As they lined up the blocks and watched each one topple the next, they explored how one action can create a chain reaction. These meaningful play experiences encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning.

18/08/2026

When people think about early childhood education, they often picture play.

Building towers.
Painting.
Reading stories.
Singing songs.
Exploring outdoors.

Play is certainly at the heart of what we do.

But behind every meaningful learning experience sits something that is far less visible.

Karen Prestedge highlights the importance of recognising the invisible work that early childhood educators do to help our children thrive whilst in their care.

https://loom.ly/FclGGeU

When people think about early childhood education, they often picture play. Building towers. Painting. Reading stories. Singing songs. Exploring outdoors. Play is certainly at the heart of what we do. But behind every meaningful learning experience sits something that is far less visible. Thinking.....

14/08/2026

Our goal at the Moggill State School Fete was a simple one.

To create a Chill Zone – a calm, welcoming space where children could step away from the excitement of the rides, crowds and stalls and simply be.

We thoughtfully set up open-ended invitations to play, with loose parts, creative resources and cosy cushions where children could engage, explore, create or simply rest. There were no expectations, no right or wrong way to play, just the freedom for children to move at their own pace and follow their own interests.

It was wonderful to watch children slow down, immerse themselves in play and find a moment of calm in the middle of such a busy community event.

At Mother Duck, we believe children don't always need more excitement. Sometimes they need space, time and the opportunity to reconnect with themselves through meaningful play.

Yesterday, we stayed true to our philosophy, and it was a privilege to share that with our community.

11/08/2026

There is a quiet emotional load that exists within early childhood education.

Not the loud or dramatic kind people often imagine, but the kind that can become so familiar within the profession that educators simply learn to carry it as part of their everyday work.

It is the constant stimulation.
The ongoing movement, conversations, questions, routines, and responsibilities that fill each day.
The responsibility of remaining emotionally available, calm, patient, nurturing, observant, and responsive for children throughout the day.

Katy Bloodworth shares a deeper insight as we acknowledge the extraordinary emotional commitment that educators bring to their work each day.

https://loom.ly/0xmD3ic

There is a quiet emotional load that exists within early childhood education. Not the loud or dramatic kind people often imagine, but the kind that can become so familiar within the profession that educators simply learn to carry it as part of their everyday work. It is the constant stimulation. The...

09/08/2026

It was a privilege to be part of our local community at the Moggill State School Fete, where our team hosted the Chill Out Zone.

With so many of our children continuing their learning journey at Moggill State School, it is always a special opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces. One of the most heartwarming parts of the day was having past Mother Duck children recognise their educators, run over with big smiles and wrap them in hugs.

Moments like these are a beautiful reminder that the relationships built in the early years continue long after children leave our gates. We are so proud to remain part of their story and grateful to be part of such a connected and supportive community. 💛🦆

07/08/2026

Help Us Build Big!

We are looking to restock our collection of exciting oversized loose parts to inspire children's outdoor play, creativity and collaboration.

Loose parts encourage children to design, build, problem solve, negotiate and work together in meaningful ways. By adding larger materials to our outdoor environment, we can continue to create opportunities for big thinking, big movement and big imaginative play.

We are currently looking for safe, clean and sturdy items such as:
PVC pipes (various lengths and diameters)

Cable reels/spools
Timber planks
Milk crates and sturdy plastic crates
Mower or go-kart sized tyres (not car tyres)
Metal pots, pans, bowls and other cookware
Guttering or large plastic channels
Other safe oversized building materials

If you have any of these items at home, in your shed or at your workplace that you no longer need, we would love to give them a new purpose in our outdoor learning environment.

Please ensure any donated items are clean, safe and in good condition. If you're unsure whether something would be suitable, feel free to ask one of our educators before bringing it in.
Thank you for helping us create rich, open-ended play experiences for our children!