Meet Trevor Kee, creator of TG's Award-Winning Gardens
TG's Child Care is well-known for their high quality early childhood practices, community engagements and for their philosophy of Playing is Learning for Life. They are trusted by families as the stewardship of their children's future and are loved in all their communities across Australia.
Being famous for gardens may not be what most people associate with an early childhood centre but that is exactly what TG's is. In every single one of their six centres, there is a lush garden ripe with life where the children can live, learn and play. When people think of TG's, their amazing award-winning gardens immediately come to mind.
These gardens have been carefully designed to be exciting and dynamic places for children. They can explore and develop in a way that challenges and supports fine and gross motor skills. This is where the children build their curiosity, social and emotional intelligence and engage in active and passive play. The gardens cater to their varying moods and needs and there is something for each child who comes with their own unique experiences and interests.
So who created these amazing gardens that so clearly fosters the philosophy of Playing is Learning for Life?
The Creative Designer
The person behind these gardens is Trevor Kee. He is a qualified landscape designer and he is the creator who has made these gardens a reality. The gardens were born out of his wish for everyone on the planet to plant one seedling a day. That is all it takes for life to generate and grow.
TG's outdoor learning environment is like a Universe in Miniature and it is where they foster values, attitudes, skills and behaviour that support sustainable development. What TG's children learn in TG's gardens goes beyond just giving back to the gardens there. By nurturing care and respect in TG's gardens, the children extend that to their greater environment outside of TG's, and by building this awareness and cultivating love and joy in caring for life here today, the children are creating a better environment for tomorrow and the future. Here, TG's children are supported to become environmentally responsible.
Trevor goes right down to the details in his gardens. Designing gardens for children takes a special mind. Trevor understands what children need and enjoy, what is necessary to make them feel secure for them to engage in, and he is also very mindful about the material used and making sure it is in keeping with TG's sustainability values and commitment to supporting local economies in each community. Every single pathway, bridge and transition area is created with natural materials and local resources. Nothing is haphazard or random. Children know when a place has been created with so much thought and care.
“TG’s gardens are critical to creating a sense of belonging. A strong sense of belonging helps give children the confidence and security to explore their world, build relationships and a sense of identity, well-being and the ability to learn. Belonging, being and becoming (EYLF) learning outcomes are all embedded in TG’s gardens where children play - all supporting building relationships and creating a sense of belonging. This is where they thrive with confidence and joy every day.”
Giving Back
TG's gardens are infused with so much love, respect and joy. They are grown from the philosophy of Giving Back. Trevor is giving his expertise and skills to create magical playscapes for TG's children. That has given TG's children natural spaces to explore, get curious and learn about their environment. The children receive so much joy from being in the gardens and they in turn give back to the vegetable gardens by caring for the plants there which become delicious food for their lunch. This expands beyond TG's gardens as the children are also learning how to care for natural spaces in their communities. There are endless cycles of Giving Back that happen in TG's gardens! Thanks to Trevor, his creations have been self-generating endless cycles of giving and receiving.
This is what eco-intelligence looks like. The children learn to care for their environment in these very gardens. They learn what plants need to grow healthy and strong. They learn about the little insects that make their homes there and the part they play in this environment. The children observe the living things that inhabit these gardens and grow to love them and appreciate them. When these plants are well taken care of, they give back the love and care received from the children in the form of delicious and healthy fruits and vegetables on their plates. Appreciation for food is another beautiful consequence of Trevor's garden creations.
What makes TG's stand out is how children are heard and respected as individuals in their own right. They are capable and competent problem-solvers, conflict resolvers, inventors, artists, designers, construction workers, welfare workers and future architects, politicians and leaders of the world. They are encouraged and supported to form meaningful connections with their world through belonging, being and becoming. They are entrusted with the care and maintenance of the gardens and the harvesting of the fruits and vegetables.
They are proud of the work they do in the gardens and are eager to share the knowledge and expertise gleaned from TG's gardens with their families. Every single pair of hands counts in TG's gardens. They learn that they can make a difference, and that things grow well when treated with love, kindness and respect. TG's children give with joy, and the gardens give back with a bountiful harvest, which the children enjoy at lunch time!
Every Bit Counts
TG's business model is one of sustainability and it is a vital element at TG's. Nothing is random. They look at how they impact the environment, social aspects and economy of their locations. That is why TG's is so well-loved and recognised in each of their communities. There is a sense of nourishment when a new TG's grows in each community. TG's appreciates their communities as a valuable source of sustainable business and economic support.
At TG's, the children grow their own corn and it is a rewarding experience for the children to observe how a little seedling can grow tall and strong and give them delicious golden corn at the end. Understanding this process helps the children to appreciate the work so many people do before food ends up on our plates. From the farmers who grow the crops to the people who deliver the food to cities, every bit of effort adds up.
When TG's Urangan opened early this year, even the refurbishment process was done with respect for the environment. TG's had golden palms which they relocated with care to their new home and now they are thriving. Even the plants are part of the TG's Family. Nothing is ever laid to waste. Relocating the golden palms meant more work, but taking care of every single living element at TG's is so embedded in their culture that it was a natural process to ensure the golden palms did not get left behind. TG's got the help of local trades in Urangan to move the golden palms and it became a beautiful way to engage with the local Urangan community and also feel good about taking care of TG's greenery.
As all the children and educators know at TG's, every situation is a gift - it is an opportunity to grow and shine.
Growing it Forward
Trevor started with one TG's garden and now it has blossomed into six centres and set to keep growing. His wish for everyone to plant a seedling and help the environment grow lush and green is really happening right at TG's doorsteps.
Everyone benefits from giving back. The children benefit from these beautiful gardens as it is an area where they can safely play, engage with nature, explore imaginary adventures or just spend time belonging, being, becoming with their TG's Family.
Ultimately, TG's children are the future leaders of our planet. Sustainability is in their powerful little hands. They are entrusted with the care of creating a happy beautiful environment for themselves and future generations.
As for Trevor, he never stops and continues to be busy establishing new playgrounds, renovating new environments and upgrading both indoor and outdoor spaces at TG's. Nature does not stop and neither does Trevor!
Thank you Trevor, for planting the first seedling at TG's. Now every single child at TG's has been gifted with their own unique magic wand to make things grow, now and into the future!
Trevor, Trevor, landscape designer, How does your garden grow? With joy and respect, love and kindness And little hands helping plants grow!
TG's Child Care locations and contact details:
Urangan QLD
+61 (07) 4184 2282 | urangan@tgschildcare.com.au | tgschildcare.com.au/urangan
61 Miller St, Urangan, QLD 4655
Armidale NSW
+61 (02) 6772 7810 | armidale@tgschildcare.com.au | tgschildcare.com.au/armidale
11 Samuelson Crescent, Armidale NSW 2350
Uralla NSW
+61 (02) 6778 3369 | uralla@tgschildcare.com.au | tgschildcare.com.au/uralla
23B John St, Uralla NSW 2358
Wauchope - Hastings St NSW
+61 (02) 6585 1033 | HastingsStreet@tgschildcare.com.au | tgschildcare.com.au/wauchope-hastings-st
33B Hastings St, Wauchope NSW 2446
Wauchope - High St NSW
+61 (02) 6585 3331 | HighStreet@tgschildcare.com.au | tgschildcare.com.au/wauchope-high-st
223A High St, Wauchope NSW 2446
Wauchope - Riverbreeze NSW
+61 (02) 6585 2981 | riverbreeze@tgschildcare.com.au | tgschildcare.com.au/wauchope-riverbreeze
3 Riverbreeze Drive, Wauchope NSW 2446
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