Specialists in environments that support play
We are more than a resource catalogue.
We partner with early learning environments to create thoughtfully designed spaces that invite and support play.
Top Up
Keep the play going. When materials are worn through, or you want the next layer in a room that already works. Shop online or email us and we'll send you a quote.
Room Refresh
Give a tired space its life back. This could be the whole room, or just a corner. Tell us what is not working, or what you wish the children had. We will send you some options.
New Centre
Tell us about your centre, the rooms you have, the ages of the children, any specific goals, and your budget. We'll send you a shortlist to review.
Why choose Growing Kind
Eight years supplying to early childhood rooms
Our aim is simple: to help you create environments where children can explore, construct, connect and learn through play. We believe early childhood environments should be places where play is enabled, protected and prioritised.
Open-ended, ethically sourced, sustainable resources
Our focus is on open-ended, high-quality materials that give children the chance to explore, make meaning and learn in ways that feel real, not forced. We consider schemas, developmental needs, inclusion, and the practical demands of centre life when selecting and recommending resources.
Give us a budget. We do the rest
Tell us about your centre, the rooms you want to focus on, the ages of the children, any specific goals, and your budget. We will plan, curate and supply.
Your centre. Your children. Your philosophy.
Our approach is individualised, recognising the uniqueness of
every centre, its local community, philosophy, and, most importantly, the children.
FAQs
How does this work?
It depends on what you need.
Top up
Order online or email us what you are after and we will order it for you. If something shows as out of stock on the website, we can still get it, we just need your deadline. Most orders are with you in 2-4 weeks, depending on order size and delivery method.
New centre
Call us on 0491 020 936, email, or fill in the form. Tell us the rooms and how many children. We send a shortlist to choose from. You mark up your changes. We send a quote. You approve it. Then we order. We do not order anything until you say yes.
A room refresh works the same way as a new centre, at whatever scale you need. The whole room, or just one area.
If it is out of stock on the website, can you still get it?
Yes. The website shows what is on our shelf today. We can order it in. Email us and tell us what you need and your deadline. Most orders are with you in 2-4 weeks, depending on order size and delivery method.
Do educators get a discount? Can we go on account?
Yes. 15% lifetime discount for educators. Email us to get your discount code.
Approved services can open a 21-day account.
Can we just do one area?
Yes. Email us and tell us what is not working, or what you wish the children had. We will send you a shortlist of options.
“I cannot believe how engaged the children are. I walk into the rooms and they are all playing, constructing and working together. Even the educators have commented that this is the calmest centre they’ve ever worked at. I think it’s because of the resources and all of the set ups that Growing Kind strategically planned. This is the third centre I have opened, previously I had just selected items from a catalogue and set them up on shelves. Growing Kind made this whole process so easy, I gave them a budget and they did the rest, which gave me time to focus on other things. The evidence is in the children”.
Not sure where to start:
Complete the short form below and our team will contact you to discuss your project, budget and timeline.
The push down effect
Growing Kind was born over 8 years ago by our founder, an Early Childhood Teacher who saw the intense and disheartening push-down of academics into early learning environments. Early Childhood Centres should be a place of curiosity, wonder, exploration and magic; all of which can be achieved through play. Sadly she noticed an increase in forced group times, alphabet charts pasted on walls at ridiculous heights, overstimulating and busy routines that replicate a classroom, and consequently groups of anxious and unfulfilled children. Growing Kind is on a mission to ‘Change the World through Play’. Join us in reclaiming childhood for what it should be!
“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them."
Why Play?
Our Three Pillars; Advocacy, Community Connections, Accessibility
Accessibility
Resources & Environments
Accessibility to child-informed early learning environments is at the core of Growing Kind. We specialise in selecting resources and setting up New Early Childhood Centres. We take an individualised approach to all services, which recognises the uniqueness of every centre/FDC local community, philosophy and most importantly the children. For existing services we ensure that children are involved in recreating environments; giving children the voice they deserve. When we say ‘we are more than a catalogue’ we truly mean it. The support and relationship you will gain from Growing Kind is like no other, just ask our past clients.
Advocacy
Play can change the world
If our team isn’t busy creating child-led environments, we are at home parenting our little ones #mumcrew. We care about protecting children’s right to high-quality child-led play. We believe early childhood environments should be places where play is enabled, protected and prioritised. Through the environments we help create, and the conversations we have in the community, we’re working to make sure play remains at the heart of childhood. Supplementary to this, you will find us hanging out on the socials (Facebook and Instagram) getting the message out that PLAY is the only way!
Amie is absolutely amazing to deal with and provides endlessly for her customers and her community. We also love following along all the adventures on their Instagram & Facebook accounts too.
Thankyou for always being a breath of fresh air on social media and when sourcing amazing play resources!
And the toys, gifts, art and craft pieces we ordered we're such amazing quality and all environmentally and child safe. I really love what you are doing at Growing Kind.
Thankyou for providing us with such a wonderful space to buy gifts and pieces for our children to learn, play and grow with.
Community
Making Connections
We understand that not all children have access to quality resources, and it would be ludicrous to assume they will. We are committed to ensuring ALL children can access PLAY regardless of their socio-economic status. As well as advocating for free play we are super proud to be giving back wherever possible. Each year we supply the foster children of Anglicare Logan City with Christmas Presents for the local foster children. Logan City has one of the highest rates of children in vulnerable and outside of home settings. In 2022 we were able to donate 120x school bags full of stationary, toys and lunchboxes to flood affected children.
On the weekends you will find us out and about at parks, play centres and our local community centre.
As Featured In
Our Core Values
- Enhance the social and emotional wellbeing of our next generation
We share open-ended resources to help stimulate children’s creative play. We foster play-based learning practices in all our activities and encourage positive values and dispositions rather than traditional letter and number learning.
We aim to empower this generation of learners to be self-aware, kind and competent.
- Empower Parents and Educators
We acknowledge and respect that families are their child’s first teacher. We help guide, support and educate families on latest early childhood research. We share inspiring quotes and spread kindness across our social media platforms.
We aim to support other mothers and educators to create like-minded villages that empower one another. After all, we are all on this sleep-deprived, caffeine-restricted, supervised-toileting-trips journey together right? It takes a village to raise a child. Come join ours and let Growing Kind support you!
- Care for the Environment
We use recycled or reusable packaging wherever possible.
We take time to learn about prospective new brands and makers including where they source their materials, and how their products are made and by whom.
- Give Back to the Community
We make monthly donations to Babe Give Back. We have also donated prizes to charities and events including PANDA, The Big Latch On, Fire Victims Australia and Warrior Mail.