Sonas has expanded its services, opening a new centre in Brabham, in Perth’s Swan Valley.
Sonas Brabham Centre Manager Ciara Molinari said the new centre, which opened on January 9 to cater for up to 102 children, had been warmly welcomed by the community.
All in all, the centre has been designed with lots of spaces for children to play in, to learn and share with others, play high energy games, but also have places they can retreat to for quiet time.
Ciara Molinari, Sonas Brabham Centre Manager
Brabham is one of the fastest growing suburbs of Perth, with latest Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data showing its population more than doubled between 2016 and 2021, surging from 3307 to 8865.
In addition, the Census showed the number of families that call Brabham home rose from 948 to 2397 in the five-year period.
Ciara said local families had been attracted to the homely feel of the centre, its experienced and caring staff and Sonas’ ‘free-flow’ play approach.
“All in all, the centre has been designed with lots of spaces for children to play in, to learn and share with others, play high energy games, but also have places they can retreat to for quiet time,” she said.
“What makes Sonas Brabham different and unique to other Sonas centres is the design of the building as we have tried to integrate the philosophy of the centre into it. For example, the kitchen was designed to overlook the family room – just like a home where people all gather and interact.”
The nearby nature strip has already served as a beneficial teaching and learning tool, with children and educators exploring the creek, where tadpoles were discovered, prompting a discussion about the lifecycle of tadpoles.
The centre also has a natural play space where children have real grass to run and play on, and garden beds where children can plant vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers.
The playground is also nature-based and includes stepping stones, a pump waterfall that runs down into a mud kitchen, balancing beams, a wooden climbing fort and timber tee pee.
Ciara, who has worked at Sonas for six years, said she loved the environment Sonas offered children and her supportive managers and colleagues.
“I started working for Sonas as they had a great platform for young educators to come through and learn new skills,” she said.
“I knew that working at Sonas would be a great start to a long career in childcare, working for a company that values educating their staff and investing in their development.
“Through Sonas’ care and guidance, I can proudly say I’m a manager now at the age of 23 – and I’m really happy to bring all that knowledge and experience to Brabham.”