Story House Early Learning Thornlands
Limited Places Available!
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Limited Places Available!
Story House Early Learning Thornlands (formerly Happy Tots on Waterloo) is a welcoming and well-established early learning service dedicated to providing high-quality education and care that meets all areas of the National Quality Standard. The centre delivers a play-based, child-focused curriculum that supports learning through outdoor experiences, creative play, early STEM discovery, and the development of strong social and emotional skills. Families value the warm community atmosphere, committed educators, and the personalised care that recognises each child’s unique strengths and interests. Now proudly rebranded as part of the Story House Early Learning family, Thornlands continues to build on its strong foundations — offering a nurturing environment where children feel confident, connected, and excited to learn.
Tiarnah brings over 10 years of experience to the early childhood education sector and holds a Certificate III and Diploma in Early Childhood Education, along with an Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management. Throughout her career, she has worked across all age groups from birth to 12 years, including roles as Assistant Educator, Lead Educator, OSHC Coordinator, 2IC, and Acting Service Manager. In 2025, Tiarnah proudly stepped into the role of Service Manager.
Tiarnah is passionate about creating safe, inclusive, and engaging environments where children feel valued and supported to grow. She believes in a child-centred, play-based approach that nurtures curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning. As a leader, Tiarnah takes a collaborative and supportive approach, empowering educators through mentorship, teamwork, and reflective practice.
She finds great fulfilment in building strong relationships with families and leading a service that feels connected and community-focused. Outside of work, Tiarnah enjoys spending time with her daughters, camping, and exploring the outdoors.
Our experienced and caring educators ensure every child feels seen, heard, and valued. With a personalised approach, we create a respectful, engaging environment where children build confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.
Our inquiry-based learning approach through our STRONG Beginnings curriculum, fosters essential life skills like confidence, resilience, and emotional well-being, setting the foundation for school and beyond.
Our STEM curriculum nurtures confident mathematical thinkers through hands-on, inquiry-based projects. Children explore topics like bees, coding BE-BOTS, and recycling with local council support. Tailored teaching inspires critical thinking, problem-solving, and strong social connections, encouraging cooperation and curiosity through engaging, real-world learning experiences.
Our Pathways to School curriculum fosters a love of reading and strong language skills through storytelling, vocabulary building, and phonological awareness. With personalised support, children develop critical thinking and communication skills. We nurture enthusiasm for language, believing strong foundations are essential for academic success and lifelong learning.
Our ARTS curriculum empowers children to be creative and persistent using real-world tools, open-ended materials, and imaginative play. Through music, movement, and drama, children retell stories, collaborate, and express themselves. These experiences build strong language, literacy, and creative skills both in the classroom and the wider community.
Our program develops health bodies and brains through healthy choices and physical activities that promote problem-solving, communication, independence, and teamwork. With a strong focus on mental and physical wellbeing, children engage in mindfulness, healthy eating, and active play. These experiences lay a STRONG foundation for lifelong health, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
Our program builds life skills through daily routines that promote problem-solving, communication, independence, and teamwork. With a strong focus on mental and physical wellbeing, children engage in mindfulness, healthy eating, and active play. These experiences lay the foundation for lifelong health, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
As active citizens, children engage with their community through intergenerational programs, online and community safety, and school connections. Our Story House curriculum fosters care for others and strong local ties, helping children feel confident, connected, and excited for their next step – transitioning to school with a sense of belonging and readiness.
Story House’s nature play program encourages children to explore the environment through sand, water, plants, and wildlife. This fosters sensory awareness, creativity, and problem-solving. Integrated into our Pathways to School curriculum, it builds curiosity and care for nature—supporting children to become strong, capable, independent, and thoughtful learners for life.
Chef Amy’s Cooking Program
Just like any quality restaurant kitchen, ours is fully equipped and run to the highest standards with our chef holding up-to-date food safety certifications to ensure every meal is prepared with care and compliance. All meals are thoughtfully planned to align with Australian nutrition guidelines, ensuring every bite supports healthy growth and development. Our skilled chef Amy leads interactive cooking classes tailored to each age group, encouraging children to discover new flavours and learn new skills. Children enjoy a variety of foods while gaining confidence in the kitchen. Popular dishes like spaghetti bolognese, mild chicken and vegetable stir-fry and mild butter chicken are among the children’s favourites, making each class a delicious adventure! As part of our commitment to fostering healthy habits and a love for fresh food, all Story House services have introduced the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program (SAKGP). This hands-on initiative connects children with growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing fresh, seasonal food. By getting involved in every step of the process, from garden to plate, children learn valuable life skills, develop respect for the environment, and build a deeper appreciation for nutritious food in a fun, practical way.
At Story House, we care about every person and their individual journey because it takes a committed, diverse and passionate team to nurture each child’s unique story.
When your path leads to Story House, you’ll find a place where the pieces just fit. Our people find meaning in their work, true support in their team, and opportunities to grow, thrive and shape lives……every day, in every moment. It’s like a puzzle coming together, step by step, with each Story House-er bringing something special.
We’re proud to be the only early learning provider certified three times as a Great Place to Work and named as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces. We’ve been recognised for our commitment to wellbeing, inclusion, and innovation because creating inspiring environments starts with creating an inspiring workplace.
We’re part of many different communities, supporting families from all walks of life. That’s why we believe our team should reflect that same rich diversity. Every Story House-er brings something unique and when all those different pieces connect, it creates something truly beautiful. And that’s the Story House difference.
Story House Early Learning does not require families to pay a bond or enrolment fee when enrolling your child, however there is a requirement for childcare fees to remain two weeks in advance at all times.
Our service offers a curriculum inspired by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), tailored to each age group. Programs include nature-based experiences, art activities, STEAM and a school readiness curriculum.
Families consistently praise our service for our nurturing environment, dedicated staff, and high quality care.
Story House Early Learning’s daily fee includes meals, nappies, wipes, sunscreen, learning programs, extracurricular activities, digital updates, and supportive care essentials. Everything is designed to create a safe, engaging, and nurturing environment for your child’s growth.
The closest bus stop to Cnr South & Waterloo St, Cleveland QLD 4163 is Waterloo St near Russell St, which is about 265 metres away and would take roughly 3–4 minutes to walk.
The closest school to Cnr South & Waterloo St, Cleveland QLD 4163 is Thornlands State School, which is right across the road.
The closest hospital to Cnr South & Waterloo St, Cleveland QLD 4163 is Redland Hospital, which is about 1.5 km away and takes roughly 3–5 minutes to drive there under normal traffic conditions.
The closest medical centre to Cnr South & Waterloo St, Cleveland QLD 4163 is Cleveland Medical at 2/120 Bloomfield Street, Cleveland QLD 4163, which is approximately 230 m away (about a 3–4 minute drive or a short local trip depending on traffic).
Getting started is easy. Simply complete our online enquiry for (link here) or contact your preferred service directly. Our team will guide you through the next steps, which may include joining the waitlist, booking a tour, and completing enrolment paperwork. We’ll stay in touch and support you every step of the way.
Your fees cover high-quality early education and care, nutritious meals and snacks prepared fresh each day, nappies and wipes (if applicable), and access to our learning programs, incursions, and enrichment activities. There are no hidden costs—everything your child needs for a fun, safe, and nurturing day is included.
We offer long day care, funded kindergarten and preschool, and specialty programs like nature play and school readiness – tailored to meet the needs of each child and family.
Bush Kindy, vacation care incursions, happy feet, soccer
The service is easily accessible to families, with convenient entry points, safe drop-off and pick-up areas, and clear signage. The centre is designed to be inclusive, with accessible pathways and facilities to support children, families, and visitors of all abilities. The location is well connected to local roads and public transport, making it easy for families to access the service.
Visit us for a tour between 10:30am – 12pm Monday – Friday
*From $40.79/day : Estimated out-of-pocket costs are based on an average Child Care Subsidy (CCS) entitlement of 70% and 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnighT.
6 months - 3 yrs: $141.40/DAY
3 YRS -5 YRS: $135.95/DAY
As part of the Story House Early Learning STRONG Beginnings curriculum, we believe learning continues beyond the classroom. That’s why we offer thoughtfully designed take-home resources for families, supporting each child’s development through fun, engaging activities.
These resources help reinforce learning themes, encourage parent involvement, and create meaningful opportunities for connection at home. From storybooks and activity ideas to creative crafts and conversation prompts, each item is tailored to extend the early learning experience, making education a shared and enjoyable journey for both children and their families.
At Story House Early Learning, we believe strong communication with families is key to creating a nurturing and connected learning environment. We use the Storypark app as our primary communication tool, providing families with real-time updates on their child’s day, learning journey, and development. Through the app, families can receive photos, videos, and observations from educators, stay informed about upcoming events, and engage in two-way communication at any time. Storypark also allows us to collaborate closely with families, supporting each child’s growth through shared insights and goals. This seamless, secure, and interactive platform helps build meaningful partnerships between our educators and families every step of the way.
Rest Easy, Sleep Safe — The Story House Way
Story House Early Learning prioritises children’s well-being ensuring each child’s comfort and safety during rest times. Educators are trained to implement safe sleep practices, adhering to guidelines from Red Nose Australia and the National Quality Standards.
Our policy emphasises individual sleep needs, providing appropriate opportunities for rest and relaxation in a secure environment. By maintaining consistent routines and environments, Story House supports healthy sleep habits, fostering a nurturing atmosphere conducive to each child’s development.
Additionally, through the Sleep Smart program, educators receive expert guidance to enhance sleep practices, further ensuring the safety and well-being of all children.
Would you like to know more about our child care service? Complete the below form and one of our staff members will get in touch to discuss your requirements with you.
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