Nido Early School Craigie

Today was a very special day at Nido Craigie as we celebrated Bridget’s final day with us while also welcoming Dorji and Iqra to our team 💛

We would like to thank Bridget for the care, kindness, and dedication she has brought to our children, families, and team. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her all the very best for her next chapter ✨

At the same time, we are so excited to welcome Dorji and Iqra to our Nido Craigie family.

Both bring with them a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for early childhood education.

Dorji holds both a Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education and a Masters of Education specialising in Early Childhood Education. With over 12 years of experience in Education, she brings a calm, nurturing approach and is passionate about supporting children’s learning, wellbeing and development through positive relationships and meaningful connections.

Iqra has a background in Psychology alongside her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. Her understanding of children’s emotional, social, and developmental needs allows her to create thoughtful and supportive learning environments where children feel safe, valued and understood.

Together, they will bring warmth, knowledge, care and fresh perspectives to our learning community, and we cannot wait for our children and families to get to know them!

Today we celebrate all mother figures — the women who nurture, guide, protect and show up in ways that shape lives every single day.

To those who are mums, step-mums, grandmothers, carers, foster mums and anyone who has stepped into a mothering role; your care and strength make a lasting difference, often in ways that aren’t always seen but are always felt.

You are the calm in chaos, the steady support, the encouragement behind the scenes and the heart of so many families and communities.

Wishing you a day filled with appreciation, rest, and the recognition you truly deserve.

Today we say goodbye (for now!) to our beautiful Classroom 1 Lead Educator, Adela, as she begins an exciting new chapter...maternity leave! 🤍

Adela has been such a valued part of our Nido Craigie family, bringing a calm, caring and positive energy into the service each day. Her kindness and gentle nature have meant so much to both our team and families, and she will be greatly missed while she is away.

As Adela returns home to the Czech Republic to welcome her beautiful baby boy, we wanted to send her off with a little piece of her Australian home away from home. We've added three Australian baby books to her baby basket to share with her little one, along with a fox comforter and rattle to acknowledge the Czech Republic, where foxes are a loved and popular animal! 🦊🤍

We wish Adela all the love and happiness as she begins this special journey into motherhood. Thank you for everything you’ve brought to our service - we cannot wait to welcome you back 💛

What a beautiful afternoon we had yesterday, celebrating together at our Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea! 💐

At Nido Craigie, events like these are so important to us. We truly value the strong sense of community and connection we build with our families, and we love creating opportunities for everyone to come together, share special moments and make lasting memories.

Yesterday was about celebrating not only mums, but all of the wonderful female figures who play such an important role in our children’s lives...mothers, grandmothers, aunties, carers, family friends and mentors. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make the afternoon so special❤️

We are thrilled to share that Amrita, our Classroom 1 Educator will be attending the Semann & Slattery Infants and Toddlers Conference this May!

This valuable professional learning opportunity will deepen knowledge of infant and toddler pedagogy, challenge thinking, ground practice and offer informed strategies that can be implemented in our babies and toddler environments.

Amrita will bring back the knowledge and insights gained to share with our team and we can’t wait to see this learning inspire new ideas, thoughtful practice and meaningful experiences for our babies and toddlers.

Meet Jasmine — whose calm, grounded presence brings a beautiful sense of warmth and connection to our days. Having grown up in the countryside of Thailand, Jasmine has always felt deeply connected to nature and this gentle appreciation for the world around her shines through in the peaceful way she nurtures and cares for children each day.

When asked how she ensures every child feels safe, seen and loved, Jasmine shared: “Every day I arrive at the service I aim to greet and interact with every child individually, in a compassionate and respectful way.”

Something you may not know about Jasmine is that she also has a passion for the creative arts, bringing imagination, beauty and inspiration into the experiences she shares with children.

It is in these small, meaningful moments that Jasmine creates a true sense of belonging for our children and families. We are so grateful for the kindness, care and heart she brings to our community each day 🌸

Today at Nido Craigie, we recognised ANZAC Day by setting up a special provocation in our Piazza as part of our recently created Atelier Bambini project 🌿

Through our ongoing reflection, we’ve reimagined our Piazza as more than just a space for shared meals...it’s now a community hub where children can come together for shared experiences, explore meaningful provocations and be part of centre events. Today was a beautiful example of this in action.

We invited the children to explore a range of items including military uniforms, medals and other pieces. There was so much excitement as they tried on the uniforms and took a closer look at each medal, sparking curiosity and conversation.

We also shared a story with our ANZAC Ted, gently introducing the meaning of ANZAC Day in a way that was engaging and appropriate for our children.

We look forward to continuing these conversations and hearing the children’s reflections throughout the day ❤️

Nido Day is a special opportunity to recognise and celebrate the incredible passion, care and dedication our Educators bring each and every day.

Their commitment helps create a warm, inspiring and nurturing environment where children can grow, learn and thrive.

We have asked our families and children to join us in acknowledging our amazing team by writing a kind message or note; or drawing a picture to their Educators on the cards provided.

These cards of appreciation will be added to a special gift we are preparing for our team as a heartfelt thank you for all they do.

As we approach Anzac Day, our children will have the opportunity to engage in age-appropriate learning experiences that help build understanding, gratitude and respect for those who have served our country.

We will be sharing two carefully selected picture books that gently introduce themes of remembrance, courage and community.

We recognise that every family holds their own values, beliefs, cultural perspectives and ways of discussing topics such as war, service and remembrance. We deeply respect the diversity within our community and value each family’s right to make decisions that align with their beliefs and preferences.

Have you met our beautiful Educator, Silvana (or as the children call her, Vana)?

You will find Silvana in Classroom 2 where she is absolutely adored by the children, families and team alike.

Silvana is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina and grew up in an Italian and Spanish family. As a result, Silvana speaks Spanish, Italian and English!

Silvana loves animals (she is a cat lover through and through!), pasta and getting out into nature.

We love Silvana because she is the most passionate and dedicated Educator who goes above and beyond to support our children and families every day ❤️