Clever Little Kids is run by Katherine Anderson, a highly experienced early intervention teacher who has over 23 years of experience in Education. She is passionate about preparing 3-6 year olds to walk confidently into the Prep classroom. Her programs are centred around developing the child’s love of learning by providing fun and engaging activities that focus on skills they will need at school.

Katherine builds her program around the needs of the child and if relevant, incorporates recommendations from speech and occupational therapists. She is passionate about children feeling prepared and ready for their transition to school.

Clever Little Kids understand the Prep classroom is much more demanding than it used to be and she wants children to feel confident and capable right from their very first day in Prep.

Pre Kindergarten Classes

Pre Kindy classes are generally for younger children who are attending Kindergarten in 2025.

Pre Kindy classes are brimming with games and play-based fun! Your little one will absolutely adore attending the classes and partaking in all the exciting activities they have to offer. Katherine’s program is designed to nurture the “whole child” and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the group.

At Clever Little Kids, children eagerly anticipate the opportunity to have a blast with their friends! They understand that some children may feel overwhelmed in larger class settings and/or separating from loved ones, which is why their classes provide the perfect environment for them to feel comfortable and enhance their social skills. You will notice your child’s self-esteem and confidence grow after attending classes at Clever Little Kids!

Clever Little Kids’ Pre Kindy program is dedicated to fostering the development of your child’s fine motor skills. It offers a wide range of activities, including painting, drawing, beading,
writing, sculpting, building blocks, solving puzzles, threading, cutting, pasting, colouring, and even using tweezers! With so many enjoyable activities to choose from, your child will have a blast while enhancing their fine motor skills.

Kindergarten Classes

School readiness sessions run once a week during term time for 60 or 90 mins. They are perfect for children who are going to school in 2025. The sessions are designed to complement your child’s kindergarten program.

The groups are small and child led, which ensures the children have individualised attention that they may not be receiving in their kindergarten setting. Lessons aim to develop the child’s fine motor skills, confidence, speech and language, social emotional readiness, independence, literacy and numeracy knowledge. The children will engage in practical learning activities that introduce them to letters and phonological awareness, as well as number and letter formation. They will also be introduced to simple mathematical concepts and language, such as counting, addition, problem solving and patterns. During the class, children will have the opportunity to engage with stories and participate in literacy activities, including prediction, retelling and story mapping.

Often, children are interested and ready to learn about functional academics before they start school. These sessions are the perfect way to gently encourage their curiosity and offer them the opportunity to learn.

A child who is a confident learner, will enjoy their start to school. Sessions are designed to be fun and engaging. Katherine prioritises a safe, nurturing environment where children continue to develop their love of learning.

Art Classes

Does your child love art?

Introducing Clever Little Kids Art Class, specially designed for 3 – 6 year olds, where creativity knows no bounds! As a parent herself, Katherine understands the importance of fostering
imagination and self-expression in our little ones, which is why she has crafted a program that combines fun and learning in the most captivating way possible.

Clever Little Kids’ professional Art Class offers a nurturing environment where your child’s artistic abilities will flourish. With a curriculum tailored to suit the unique needs of kindergarten children, these classes aim to unleash their creativity while enhancing their fine motor skills, cognitive development, and emotional expression.

Through a variety of engaging activities, your child will explore various art techniques, including drawing, painting, collage, and sculpture. They will learn to experiment with different mediums, colours, and textures, allowing their imagination to soar and their artistic voice to be heard. Katherine will encourage them to think outside the box, fostering a sense of originality and innovation in their artwork.

In addition to honing their artistic skills, Art Class also nurtures important social and emotional growth. Your child will have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers, fostering teamwork and communication skills. They will learn to appreciate and respect different artistic styles and perspectives, creating a supportive and inclusive environment. All the necessary art supplies will be provided, ensuring that your child has everything they need to unleash their creativity.

Art fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and enhances self-esteem, all of which are essential skills for your child’s overall development.

Classes run for 45 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the classes held? The learning centre is warm and welcoming. It is based at Katherine’s home in beautiful, leafy Bardon.

Why should my child attend CLK? Clever Little Kids acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to Early Years Education. Different families have different preferences when it comes to their child’s Education. Some choose to send their child to a long day care centre, while others opt for a community-based kindergarten program. There are also families who prefer to keep their children at home until they start school, and some even choose to home school indefinitely. Clever Little Kids values and respects all of these options and strives to meet the unique needs of each child.

Throughout her time at Clever Little Kids, Katherine has noticed that parents bring their children to CLK for a variety of legitimate reasons. She acknowledges and values all of these reasons, and she ensures that her program is adaptable to cater for the needs of her students.

Do parents stay for the session? Parents usually stay with their child on the first lesson until the child is comfortable. After that, parents often take the opportunity to have a break at the coffee shop at the end of our street, catch up on some work or do some exercise in the park! There is also a playground opposite for younger siblings. For some children, Clever Little
Kids is the first time they have separated from Mum or Dad. Katherine understands the need to wait until your child is ready before asking them to stay by themselves.

Do you cater for children with special needs? Katherine possesses extensive experience in working with children who have special needs. Throughout her career, she has collaborated closely with therapists to create and execute personalised learning objectives with a particular emphasis on preparing children for their educational journey. Clever Little Kids provides class schedules that are specifically designed to cater to children with additional needs. We encourage you to get in touch with Katherine to discuss your child’s requirements.

Is my child ready for school? As a teacher and a mum, Katherine has had numerous discussions with parents regarding the dilemma of when to start school for their child. Nowadays, parents are well aware that the expectations in the Prep classroom have significantly increased compared to when they were in school. Consequently, it has become increasingly
common for parents to consider delaying their child’s entry into school, especially if they are younger than their peers. Often, children display proficiency in certain areas while lagging behind in others. Making the decision about when to start school is a monumental one, and naturally, parents want to make the right choice. Clever Little Kids’ classes provide an excellent opportunity to give your child an extra boost, ensuring they feel confident and well-prepared.

Can I use my NDIS funding? Yes. Some families use their NDIS funding to cover the cost of the program. Clever Little Kids can provide receipts for suitable NDIS plans. Please contact
your NDIS plan manager to see if your child is eligible.

Why isn’t Clever Little Kids on Facebook or Insta? Social media isn’t Katherine’s cup of tea. She’s all about sharing the awesome things her students do with you. Instead of posting online, she’d rather invite you for a free trial so she can personally connect and get to know you and your child. As a passionate teacher, she absolutely adores working with children (not computers!) Contact Katherine today for a face to face meet and greet during your free trial lesson!

Testimonials

“Cannot rate this service enough! In such a short period of time our little one has come on leaps and bounds and is so excited to visit Katherine for his ‘school lesson’ each week. He’s excited to learn and building his self-confidence.” – Sharmin

“A wholehearted thank you to Katherine for her kindness and understanding. Freddie thoroughly enjoyed coming to his class on Thursdays and I know he will miss it. We are so happy to have found Clever Little Kids! It has helped immensely in such a small amount of time. I feel Freddie is now fully prepared for Prep. He is confident and eager to learn, all thanks to the foundations you have helped to put in place.” – Louise

“My son Louis needed support with his fine motor skills during his kindy year. I was worried he would disengage in the Prep classroom because he tired so easily when drawing, cutting or writing. He loved going to Clever Little Kids and we really noticed a difference. Katherine was particularly skilled at incorporating activities into her program that interested Louis. We felt confident when sending him off to Prep the following year and he really thrived! We would highly recommend Clever Little Kids!” – Victoria

“Our daughter loved going to see Katherine every Tuesday. She loved to learn about letters and numbers and our daycare didn’t seem to offer this. We didn’t want to hold her back so Clever Little Kids seemed like the perfect solution! She thrived in the sessions and was so excited to start Prep the following year.” – Esther

“Katherine and her school readiness program are wonderful. Our 4 year old son attended Katherine’s program last term and we can see the difference it has made. Our son was excited to attend every week it was a real highlight for him.” – Carina

To find out more about the programs on offer, please visit the Clever Little Kids website. 

Currently Chess Mates teach through numerous schools and daycares throughout Brisbane and foster a love for learning through chess that helps children grow into well-rounded adults. Their games aren’t competitive and they’re all about learning, playing games, and making friends.

Chess Classes for School Kids

Chess Classes are currently available throughout Brisbane and on weekends in Bulimba, Sunnybank and Kenmore though all schools are welcome to register their interest. This is an ideal activity to incorporate into your school or after school care program. For schools, they teach chess classes with a focus on teamwork and co-operation. They provide individual reviews which are sent out to parents on a term basis with the aim of involving parents in their child’s journey and progress. If you are wanting to know more about how to make this happen just contact Chess Mates directly using the link at the bottom of this page.

Chess Classes for 3 to 5 Year Olds

Improving spatial awareness, promoting critical thinking and advancing problem solving skills are just some of the wonderful benefits achieved in learning to play chess. As children absorb information far more readily in their early years, teaching chess to toddlers can have the greatest lasting effect. It has also been documented that academic performance at school by children who have played chess from as young as 3 years of age can be improved by as much as 20% over non-chess playing children.

An intelligent game

Essential developmental skills are heightened through the playing of chess from a young age. Importantly, chess has been shown to improve memory, creativity, concentration and reading skills. The development of planning skills, high-order thinking skills and independent decision making are advanced. Chess has also been shown to assist in academic performance in maths and science at school.

Weekly educational programs with Chess Mates

Weekly classes with Chess Mates focus on teaching chess tactics and piece movement and are always a fun experience for the kids. Following a class, parents will receive an email reviewing the content and documenting their child’s progression. Parents are even invited to attend weekly sessions to see just how enjoyable classes with Chess Mates can be. Weekly educational sessions are held throughout south-east Queensland every week. All teachers hold a current blue card and child care classes run for 30 minutes. Just visit the Chess Mates to find one close to you and to register for a FREE trial class.

You can find out more about Chess Mates’ wonderful classes in this video –

Parent Testimonials

This is what Emma had to say about Chess Mates chess classes for her daughter Sofia –

“Hi Ash – I just wanted to let you know that I’m consistently receiving positive feedback from Sofia (and often joyous excitement) about what’s she’s learnt in her Monday chess class. My husband and I are very impressed with how much Sofia has learnt, retained and applied to playing chess at home – what pieces are called and how they can move on the board – as a result of her lessons with you.”