Putting the child at the centre of learning
For too long play- and preschools have operated to suit the childcare needs of decades ago. At Play Sense, we’ve taken away the expensive infrastructure, the poorly paid teachers and the large number of children in the care of too few adults found in traditional play schools to reimagine a place that’s best for your child’s learning and development.
Co-founder: Meg Faure
Meg is an OT & the author of the Sense Series, including the best selling Baby Sense and Weaning Sense books. She specialises in Sensory Integration and is passionate about supporting parents to raise confident, well-adjusted little beings.
Co-founder: Lara Schoenfeld
Lara is an OT and the founder of Nanny’ n Me. Lara has lectured extensively about play-based learning and developed Play Sense’s world-class curriculum. Lara continues to enhance learning and teaching tools for the business.
We’re on a mission to change ECD
We believe (and the research agrees) that learning should be done in small groups, led by a nurturing teacher and it should be done through play – when little minds are open to exploring and mastering new skills and concepts.
Play Sense combines all of these factors to provide leading early education that truly prepares little ones for the world we live in.
Our Values
Looking ahead to your child's future, there are certain specific skills they need to lead a happy and fulfilling life. Skills like creativity, collaboration, problem solving, decision making, and self-regulation are the foundation for all other academic skills, such as mathematics & language. Play Sense currciulum is designed to teach children these skills by staying close to our values:
Playfulness
Our curriculum prioritises play as a method of teaching and learning. We use 6 different types of play - including our all important imaginary play - to teach toddlers to preschoolers core 'super' skills.
Connection
Our model is designed to allow for connection between incredible teachers and your child, between neighbourhoods and like-minded families, and within our franchise community.
Developing soft skills
Creativity and self-regulation are the key skills to lifelong success, along with collaboration, problem solving and decision making. Our curriculum teaches these super skills in age- and developmentally appropriate way.
Based on science
Our play-based curriculum is based on the best research into Early Childhood Development and Education. Developed by Lara Schoenfeld, an OT having worked in neurology, the curriculum encourages each child's potential to develop with the guidance of a nurturing, skilled teacher.
Empowering women-owned businesses
We believe in empowering women and mothers to own and operate their own businesses. Play Sense offers fulfilling work, with better work-life balance and a better income than what is possible in a traditional school. Teachers should be rewarded for their incredible work.
What makes us different?
We want as many children as possible to experience an early learning experience that is meaningful, fun and doing what they do best - play!
We've created a unique model whereby children are given the best start to their learning journey and teachers are rewarded for their passion for making every child feel capable, cared for and confident.
Small groups for individual attention
The key learning foundations of self-regulation and collaboration are best developed in the toddler years. The only way these core-capacities are nurtured is through personal attention. That’s why children learn best and have the best outcomes in small groups.
Our exceptional teachers love being able to do what they love - really connect with little minds and emotions - in small groups of up to 6 children. With small teacher to child ratios, each teacher is able to get to know the children in her group and support their unique development.
A home away from home
Expensive infrastructure adds no value to your child's learning outcomes. In fact, the very best place for learning at this age, is in the home!
Our Play Sense groups are hosted in homes. Our teachers either host their groups in a dedicated space in their own homes or they use a space volunteered by one of the families in the group. Either way, these small settings are a home away from home for little ones - leaving their minds open to play and learning.
Learning lifelong skills through play
Science tells us that play, and especially imaginary play, is the best way for young children to learn. Children between 2 and 5 aren't meant to sit at a desk, learning to read and write. They're meant to be pretending to go on an airplane ride, or camping in the bush, or discovering the bugs in the garden.
We combine six different types of play into a unique play-based curriculum. The exciting themes and lessons are carefully designed with practical and age-appropriate activities to teach children the life & school readiness skills they need to master - and all through play!
Our Impact
