About Little Jungle
With love we learn, with care we grow, with safety we shine. It's the cycle of growth we champion every day within our early learning centre.
Our philosophy
Little Jungle Early Learning Centre is an independently owned and operated long day care and preschool at 1 Bennetts Rd W, Dundas NSW 2117. We provide Australian Government CCS-approved care and education for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years, across three purpose-built rooms: Cuddle Cubs (0–2), Tiny Tigers (2–3), and Jungle Explorers (3–6).
Because we are privately owned and not part of any corporate group, every decision we make is guided by one thing: what is genuinely best for the children and families in our care. This means reinvesting in our educators, our nurturing environments, and our programs, year after year.
We are part of this community, and we draw families from across Dundas, Dundas Valley, Telopea, Oatlands, Carlingford, Rydalmere, Ermington, Northmead and Melrose Park.
Our Steps to Shine Curriculum blends Montessori and Reggio Emilia inspired practices within Australia's Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) V2.0 and the National Quality Standard (NQS), developing each child intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically through intentional, child-led experiences every day.
Our vision
Our vision is every child in Dundas and the surrounding communities, regardless of background, ability, or learning style, has access to exceptional early childhood education from the very first years of life.
We measure that vision not in words, but in outcomes: children who arrive curious and leave confident, ready for school and ready for life.
Our mission
Our mission is to deliver individualised, evidence-informed early childhood education to every child in our care, from infants in Cuddle Cubs to preschoolers preparing for kindergarten in Jungle Explorers.
Our educators are trained observers. They document each child's learning journey, identify developmental milestones, and adapt programming in real time to match each child's emerging strengths and interests. The result is not a generic childcare experience. It is a personalised early education built around who your child actually is.
Our values
Inquire and Imagine
Curiosity is not managed at Little Jungle. It is resourced. We design our environments and daily experiences to provoke genuine questions, sustain deep investigation, and celebrate the process of figuring things out.
Effort Over Perfection
We raise children who try, fail, adjust, and try again. Resilience and a growth mindset are not subjects we teach. They are values we live in every interaction, every day.
Respect Every Choice
From choosing their activity to negotiating with a friend, children at Little Jungle practise real decision-making from the earliest age. Agency builds confidence, and confidence builds learners.
Relationships Are Gold
The research is clear: secure relationships in early childhood are the single greatest predictor of long-term social and academic success. At Little Jungle, relationships are not a byproduct of good care. They are the point of it.
Why families love Little Jungle
In our jungle, learning is not simply delivered, it's discovered. Every interaction, from a shared story to a moment of quiet reassurance, helps children feel secure enough to explore and grow in our safe and nurturing day care environment.
Locally owned, community focused
We focus on the small details that matter. Join a community-focused centre where every child is known by name and celebrated for who they are.
Relationships first. Learning that lasts.
Because strong partnerships with families are the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. We have a stable team of educators so your child settles in with familiar faces and develops a sense of safety and belonging at the centre.
Montessori-inspired. Reggio-guided. Child-led.
So your child benefits from an integrated early learning model that recognises them as a capable, competent learner, preparing them for a smooth transition to school and beyond.
Little Jungle operates on a fully inclusive fee structure. Our daily fees cover all meals prepared to Munch & Move guidelines, nappies, wipes, sunscreen, and complete access to our Steps to Shine curriculum, with no hidden extras, no separate charges.
All-Inclusive, Family-Friendly Care
Our Steps to Shine Curriculum translates Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophy into practical, daily learning experiences across all three rooms. Children build measurable skills in literacy, numeracy, STEM, creative arts, and social-emotional development, planned and documented by qualified educators against each child's individual developmental progress.
Learning Through Curiosity and Connection
Little Jungle is embedded in the Dundas community. Children regularly visit local parks, grocery stores, and community spaces as part of their learning program. Incursions bring artists, scientists, and community helpers directly into the centre. Families from Dundas, Dundas Valley, Telopea, Oatlands, Carlingford, Rydalmere, Ermington, Northmead and Melrose Park are active participants in our community-based approach.
Locally Owned, Community Proud
Every educator at Little Jungle holds an approved qualification under the Education and Care Services National Law, from Certificate III through to Bachelor-level early childhood teaching. Our team brings hands-on experience across infant care, toddler programs, and preschool education in NSW regulated long day care environments, with each child assigned a consistent key educator.
Experienced Team of Educators
Little Jungle's outdoor learning program is an integrated part of our daily curriculum, not an add-on. Children engage in gardening, nature play, community walks through Dundas, and sensory investigation in our purpose-built outdoor spaces, directly supporting gross motor development, environmental awareness, scientific thinking, and social collaboration skills across all age groups.
Exploring the Outdoors and Community
Little Jungle maintains a structured professional development program for all educators, covering early childhood pedagogy, child protection, first aid, behaviour guidance, and curriculum planning. Reflective practice is embedded into our weekly routines, ensuring our team continuously evaluates and improves the quality of care and education your child receives every day.
Growing Together as Professionals
Meet our team
We have never used agency staff since opening. Familiar faces greet your child each morning.
Our Centre Manager
Over 20 years of early childhood education experience, leading the program and known personally by every family at the centre.
Our Educators
Permanent, qualified and WWCC verified. Consistency matters more than almost anything else in the early years, so we protect it.
Our Owner
Involved every day, and has worked in the industry for 10+ years. No head office, no layers. Decisions are made here.
Frequently asked questions
Is Little Jungle a corporate chain or independently owned?
Little Jungle is a family-owned centre. We are not part of any big corporate group or franchise. Every decision is made locally, by people who are directly accountable to the families in our care.
What makes Little Jungle different from larger childcare centres?
Because we are independently owned with an experienced and stable team, every child is genuinely known by their educators. We have never needed to use agency staff, so your child builds real relationships with a consistent, familiar team.
Do you support children with additional needs?
Yes. We are committed to inclusive care and work closely with speech pathologists and the NSW Inclusion Agency to support children with a range of additional needs. We encourage families to discuss their child's individual needs with us during the tour so we can plan together from day one.
Take the first step today
Book a tour, meet our educators and see the rooms on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
