Case Study: Play-Based Learning Spaces by Castle & Cubby

Case Study: Keysborough Gardens Primary School, VIC

How Keysborough Gardens Primary School Built an Inclusive ‘Play Village’ That Transformed Student Wellbeing with Castle & Cubby

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Keysborough Gardens Primary School, guided by values of inclusion and imaginative learning, found its play spaces unable to support the emotional and social needs of its growing community. With limited outdoor infrastructure, opportunities for sensory regulation and connection were constrained—leaving students without the environments they needed to explore, express, and belong.

The Challenge

As a new and rapidly growing school, Keysborough Gardens Primary was searching for ways to bring joy, inclusion, and creativity into the heart of its grounds. Traditional playgrounds didn’t align with the school’s vision of purposeful, imaginative play that supported wellbeing and connection.

Many students benefited from sensory regulation and small-group play, while others needed a calm alternative to the high-energy areas of the school. The leadership team wanted a space that invited imagination and creativity, a place where every child could belong.

The Solution

Castle & Cubby partnered with Keysborough Gardens Primary to design and build the Keysie Village, a miniature play village that reflects the school’s values of inclusion, curiosity, and wellbeing.

The project was supported by an Inclusive Schools Grant and delivered in stages with the help of community fundraising. Students and teachers contributed ideas for each cubby, from the Keysie Café and Veterinary Clinic to the Fire Station and Post Office, creating a lively, student-centred space filled with imagination and purpose.

The Results

The Keysie Village quickly became a cornerstone of daily life at the school. Teachers noticed calmer playtimes, stronger friendships, and students who previously found social interactions difficult thriving in imaginative play.

The space now supports literacy, drama, STEM, and wellbeing programs, helping teachers extend learning beyond the classroom while giving students meaningful ways to collaborate, regulate, and connect.

Sherri Jenkins, principal

"We wanted to create an outdoor space that invited imagination, creativity, and connection, a calm, inclusive environment alive with play. The Keysie Village has become exactly that. Students who once struggled in the classroom now come to life here, leading games, making friends, and finding their place."

More from Keysborough Gardens Primary

Close up of a vet themed grey and green cubby house doorway and matching doggy door with a cute dog posing in the doorway

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