Working with Amanda at Simply Sunshine Childcare is always a pleasure. This time we are re vamping the pre-school space to provide a cool, fresh, green space with 3 water play elements to help keep cool. Check out the before and after images.
Suns New Kindergarten Carrara Jan 2023
The wish list on this project was awesome. A fort that has a windmill on the top, connecting to 2 more timber fort structures. Also add 1 Avery ready to house all sorts of bird life. A log balance walk, a net climb challenge. We are so proud of the final result and are looking forward to the final images from the grand opening later in the month.
Billabong Big 4, Tweed Heads, July 2022
We listened to Andrews wish list he was definite, it had to be different, fit into the natural landscape, not plastic, a challenge, high but with a zone for the little ones. We visited the site then did a back and fro with hand drawn sketches till we were on the same page with design and budget and then a leap of faith from Andrew. We are pleased to report that it was a huge success !!!! We still get updates on all the fun the children and a few adults are having, no issues, no problems. We look forward to working with him again in the future.
Mountain Creek Early Learning Dec/Jan 2020 21
Modern Country Farm was the brief. All we had to do was make all the wonderful ideas Erin had come to life.
Lots of fresh whites and bold violet teamed up with the green of the grass showed this play space off beautifully. Each play space carefully thought through to provide lots of play elements for every age group of children. A custom built tractor with trailer that doubles up as a soft hammock for reading books. Bike tracks with all kinds of water play. You can ride through under the colourful windmill where rain shower heads provide a fun way to cool off. Further around the bike track over the curved timber bridge you pass through the 3 timber arbors each having misters, hours of fun ! If thats not enough then a big white cubby with rainbow bunting invites play upstairs or underneath where a sand-pit begs to be played in. Over in the mud-pit a two way recycled timber water race is waiting for mud pies. Then when you think you have seen it all right there in its own pen is a life size cow.
This is just one of 3 play zones. Everyone has been considered equally. The abundant trees and beautiful gardens add a tropical touch as well as providing the much appreciated shade. Everyone will have happy days here.
Wynnum Manly C&K Kindergarten May 2020
Stage 1: Working the the front yard of a beautiful Queenslander, that has been a Kindergarten for over 20 years was going to be a interesting build. We wanted a natural playspace without detracting from the existing heritage street.
We started with the garden, to help create a buffer between the neighbours and the kindy we put in a vertical garden, water feature and soft planting along one side and a timber fence was erected on the other side with a garden and market cart . In addition we created a story telling space with a story telling chair and recycled timber seats, sandstone slabs and pebble will allow the space to be used as a fire pit as well.
Kool Kids, The Hive, Byron Bay 2020
Modern, Industrial, Coastal.
The Brief was clear, timing was of the essence as we were approaching the holiday season in December 2019 and it was to be completed and handed over in January 2020. The Kool Kids Kindergarten in the prestigious new complex, “The Hive “ in the Arts and Industrial estate in Byron bay needed a little something special to finish it off. Kym and I were called in to create something that fitted the cool chic vibe of Bryon Bay.
A series of Pods were designed and constructed using a steel frames , laser cut panels and timber slats to pick up on the sophisticated design of The Hive Complex .
Connections between the pods included a timber plank style bridge and a more challenging pommel walk.
Lining the pods with synthetic grass in two pods and a net floor in one pod gave opportunities to sit and have quiet play or the challenge to balance your way across the bridge, net, and pommels.
We have really enjoyed being able to produce what our client wanted, when they wanted it on time and on budget.
Somerset College 2019
So there was no playground for the years 5 6 7. A huge oval but nothing to climb. However we saw a Tree and it was unused space. Why not a tree-house. Lets begin.
Eastside Early Learning, Gumdale 2019
We had the pleasure of designing and constructing the new play space for Eastside Early Learning. It was a delight to see the design take shape. There was room for all the fun elements with-out it being overcrowded. From the forts to the water play, sand and mud, swings and sensory bike track. Check it out.
Meadowbrook Childcare
Sometimes just sometimes you meet someone willing to go outside the box.
At Meadowbrook childcare we have met that person. After observing children having a huge amount of fun on grassy mounds in a park. The decision was made. We want mounds, Lots of mounds in our upgraded playground. We will also add a Tree house and a water play a little bit later in stage 2. After pulling down the old metal play unit and sand-pit made from coppers log with old shade cloth, we got to work.
Truck loads of mound creating material have been sculpted to form the outline.
Before shot of the playground.
Kool kids Casuarina
It a new day, This new childcare centre gives it all. They wanted challenge Hight, so thats what they got.
C&K Kedron, New long daycare centre.
Loving the natural outdoor play-spaces. we have designed a place for water play, story telling, sand play, mud-play climbing, swinging and sensory paths that lead to somewhere.
Timber Stone and lots of green make an attractive and fun place to play.
Biloela June/July 2017
We are going back to natural playspaces and would like a wet/dry creek bed with a mud-pit for our preppies. What can you do? Lets see.
Its remote, Its fascinating, and we can't wait! Boulia here we come!
Boulia, Central Queensland, August 2017
This is exciting!!! we are going to build a amphitheatre and a stage, 3 forts, for a rural community in central Queensland. It's a first and we are loving the challenge. When we arrive we will show the before and the after shots. Our team is so looking forward to this challenge . Watch this space!!
Bulimba State School
It was having an up grade. New modern building with bright colours and we built a play-space to compliment the area.
Clermont Daycare Centre
We have been busy!!!! We have been working out in central Queensland at the Clermont daycare centre. They have a huge play-space that they wanted up-graded. So we have been working in stages.
Our first stage was the Nursery and it has been a delight to watch the babies enjoy their new space.
Now it was time to work on the Kindy play-yard and now they have a beautiful Sand-pit and Mud-pit with water play. We also constructed a fort with a net tunnel climb so that they had a challenge.
Here is the before Pics:
Clermont Daycare Stage 3
We have returned to Clermont to finish the up-grade to the Toddler play-space.
It was a pleasure to work with the girls at the Kindy. Hi Katie, Hi Kelly, who have always gone out of their way to help. Especially connecting us to local contractors and helping find accommodation for us all. They even found some extra help for us and introduced us to Brendan who turned out to be a real asset. Thank you!
The Project Manager Summer has been incredible! Always available to answer any questions and anything we asked she expedited quickly and efficiently, in her own time, working full time and caring for two little ones. Amazing....
So what did we do... We put a new insulated roof over the sand-pit and added new decking. Then we connectd the sand-pit to a digging patch and added a timber mud kitchen with a very cool sink and a tap for water-play.
Then we built a sensory pathway that led to a bike track with a big turning circle for burn outs. Added 3 natural totems and a new black-board.
We built a gorgeous Crooked playhouse and used natural timber rails wherever we could.
The swings also got replaced and a basket swing was added.
The large veranda was concreted and then crazy-paved with sand-stone to connect to the Nursery. This path will eventually go all around the outside of the centre.
Lots of hedging and soft planting and turf helped everything feel cool and green.
So what did it look like before:
Timber Tots
Timber Tots Daycare Centre is being built on the site of a Timber yard that has been part of the local scene for a very long time, so to keep the memory the owner of the newly build centre has asked us to build their playgrounds using some of the old timber from the mill. We are looking forward to the challenge ....
Timber Tots New Daycare Centre
Well work has been progressing on the Building of the new Timber Tots Daycare Centre and now its our turn to create the owners dream Play-spaces. Stay Tuned for sneak peaks!
Clermont Daycare Centre
From Sarina we have made our way up to Clermont in Central Queensland to renovate stage 1 of the Babies Play-space. It needed some love so we are building a new Sand-pit with a roof and adding some free standing play panels for out-door painting, pull-up bars and music. Then we have made a small bike track with a grassed mound in the centre and just for good measure we have added a Hippo, (Owen the third) on top of the mound. Here is the before Picture.
Sarina Kindergarten
Well we have arrived back at Sarina to custom build a Train! This kindy is built opposite a Train Line that has super long freight trains from the mines and the children love to watch them go past. So the Girls at Sarina Kindy thought. Lets give them a train of their own. Ok then lets see what we can do.
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