By Damian Cowell
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Generations of learning came together on 10 May this year when Doncaster Park Kindergarten celebrated their 60th birthday. Nominated Supervisor Renae Giannaros and the team opened the doors to families past and present as the sun glistened on the kinder’s lovely indoor/outdoor learning areas. While the children played and had their faces painted, families enjoyed the photos dating back to the kinder’s 1962 inception, and a mosaic recently created by the children of 2025.
Renae is committed to fostering that sense of community, as she expressed in our blog Connecting with Community. The birthday celebration was a great opportunity to bring past and present together:
“It’s the first time our community has come together like that. I was rapt to see so many current, past and potential families! It was a real bucket filler moment.”
For Renae Doncaster Park is more than a kindergarten - it’s a place where childhood is truly celebrated:
“Every laugh, every question, every friendship becomes part of something bigger here and that’s what I wanted to celebrate. 60 years is a long time, and I wanted to recognise the lasting impact the kindergarten has had on generations of children, families, and educators.”
“Our community is what makes Doncaster Park so special. There’s a deep sense of belonging that wraps around every child who walks through our gate. The 60th anniversary reminds us that we are part of a living story and I cannot wait to continue the journey!”
That living story continues in local parent Tish, who had been at Doncaster Park as a child and is now watching her son play and learn in the same lovely place. While there was the joy of nostalgia in Tish’s choice, as well as the convenience of walking to kinder each day, it was what she described as “a nice feel” from her first interactions that made the decision easy:
“When we came for Open Day, everyone was just so warm and welcoming, and it's got a very relaxed atmosphere, which I think really suits my son, because he can be quite high energy. My husband and I really wanted somewhere that had a serene and calm vibe and we really liked how it's an indoor-outdoor space that just flows together.”
Tish’s son hadn’t experienced childcare before, or even had time away from family, so she was uncertain about how he would react. She visited other services in the area, but that ‘feel’ of Doncaster Park gave her confidence, and she couldn’t be happier with the choice:
“Whenever I drop my son off, he couldn't care less that I'm leaving, he’s as happy as anything. He just gets stuck into play straight away.”
The serenity of the environs and the warmth of the teaching team was a clear theme among families. Joanna, a Doncaster Park parent originally from Hong Kong, spoke about the reassurance she and her family felt as newcomers to Australia:
“We came to Melbourne last year, and everyone here at Doncaster Park helped us a lot. The teachers are so patient. It’s our son’s first time in Australia, so he barely knows anything in English. All the educators here know the situation, they are so patient and helpful, and it makes us feel comforted.”
“I really like the space too. I want him to enjoy the natural environment. This is totally different than Hong Kong, which is such a crowded city. And here he is really enjoying it. Every time when I pick him up after school, he’s happy, he doesn't want to go.”
And of course, learning occurs every day, in every moment of play, and every interaction. Tish spoke about the effect it’s had on her son:
“He's just developing in leaps and bounds. I've seen such a big change in him since February, since starting. He's matured, his vocabulary has increased, he’s building those social relationships, learning about structure and rules and following expectations, which I'm seeing carried across into the home environment too.”
The transition from family to wider interactions is so crucial.
“He has an opportunity to play and learn with different kids, different toys, different activities. It's just been awesome.”
Doncaster Park Kindergarten celebrated 60 years of making that transition a joyous experience, and with Renae and her team bringing the community together, will continue to do so.
It’s why Joanna is recommending Doncaster Park to other families without hesitation:
“We made the right choice.”
