by on 01/09/2020 199
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Sunshine Kidzland Childcare Centre is a childcare centre and nursery located in Taman Daya, Johor Bahru. It opened in early 2019, founded by two sisters, Ms Kate and Ms Zoey.
Ms Kate was a qualified early childhood educator teaching in Singapore, before starting Sunshine Kidzland. When she moved to Johor Bahru after having two kids, she realized that there was a lack of legitimate childcare centres that would accept babies below 18 months.
Thus, she and her sister decided to set up their own centre, one that would take in newborn babies and kids up to 4 years—meeting the needs of working parents in the area.
Sunshine Kidzland, having just opened in 2019, has new facilities that are safe and hygienic. The overall design of the interior is kept minimalist, to avoid distractions and to create a sense of calmness. White walls, kept intentionally bare, create a cosy and relaxing atmosphere.
Child-size furniture, a playground, an inflatable kiddie pool (for water play) and a gym set are all available for kids, to safely enjoy under supervision.
Every teacher, including the two centre managers, have either completed the Permata childcare course (KAP) or are currently pursuing it. The centre even sponsors the course for some of their teachers—if they don’t already have a diploma in early childhood education.
Teachers here are patient, diligent and have a genuine love for young children.
One of the highlights of Sunshine Kidzland Childcare Centre is that they offer flexible options for parents.
Their flexi-care option allows parents to drop off their kids at the centre two or three days a week, rather than for the full five days.
They also offer an emergency care option, for parents who are not registered with the centre. This means that parents may drop kids off at the centre for a day, if there’s a need. Parents will still have to let the centre know at least one or two days in advance.
Sunshine Kidzland doesn’t just provide basic care, they also educate children and warmly support their well-rounded development. The teachers here teach kids practical life and academic skills—which include basic early math and the learning of three languages: English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.
The smaller number of children here allows for more individualised attention.
Furthermore, the centre uses an integrated Montessori curriculum: a mix of the Montessori and thematic learning approach. Arts and crafts, music and movement, and gardening are all part of the learning experience for kids here.
For younger children aged 18 months and below, learning is more play-based.
Other than that, the centre arranges a special event for their little ones: a 'Zhua Zhou' (抓周) ceremony on the child's first birthday. During this activity, objects are placed on a tray and the child is asked to pick one. The object the child chooses can indicate his or her future career and personality traits!
Another great thing about Sunshine Kidzland is that they pay a lot of attention to the food that children have. Balanced, nutritious and age-appropriate meals are planned by the team, all lovingly prepared at their in-house kitchen.
Processed foods are avoided, and healthier options like brown rice and oat rice are incorporated into their diets.
Moreover, the meals here are a fusion of different cuisines, such as Malay, Western, and Chinese. This is so kids can explore diverse foods. Nonetheless, the ingredients are always ensured to be suitable for children.
If children stay for the full-day program (from 7am to 7pm) then they will be given 4 meals a day: breakfast, lunch, tea break and snack time (fruits).
For lunch, meals will come with either chicken or fish, as the main protein source. One day a week, kids will have a ‘vegetarian’ day, where their protein will be replaced with vegetarian-friendly options, such as tofu. This day is meant to introduce kids to a variety of healthy greens.
Sunshine Kidzland Childcare Centre tries their best to fulfil the needs of parents.
Communications are kept open, transparent and timely—with parents having the chance to speak face-to-face with the team on a daily basis. This is possible due to their smaller number of children.
Children below 18 months here have a log book filled with their daily health observations, including information on things like food, sleep, and bowel movements. For older children, observations on behaviour are typically the main focus.
To strengthen family-centre relationships, Sunshine Kidzland also organises events that parents can partake in with their kids.
