Kindergarten in Victoria
Table of Contents
What Is Kindergarten?
Kindergarten is an educational program for children delivered by a qualified teacher. Children can attend kindergarten in the two years prior to school. Young children learn best through play, it’s how they communicate with – and learn about – the wider world around them. Kindergarten programs aim to develop:
- Social and emotional skills
- Intellectual and physical growth
- Language and communication abilities
It encourages exploration, discovery and learning through play-based learning. Children will engage with age-appropriate foundation skills (in reading, numeracy, socialising, and emotional development skills) that’ll will give them the confidence they need when they transition into their schooling journey.
Introducing the Kinder Tick
When choosing a kindergarten program, it’s important to know that you are selecting a high-quality, government-approved program that meets established standards. The ‘Kinder Tick’ is a symbol that helps parents identify services offering a Victorian Government-funded kindergarten program, led by a qualified teacher.
By choosing a Kinder Tick-approved kindergarten, you can be confident that:
- The program is delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher for children aged three and four.
- Play-based learning that aligns with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.
- The kindergarten service is funded and approved by the Victorian Government.
Little Learners Daycare Centre is proud to offer Kinder Tick-approved programs, ensuring children receive the best start to their learning journey in a nurturing and structured environment.
Free Kinder Hours Make a Difference
Government-approved Kindergarten services in Victoria offer up to 15 hours free kinder per week in a variety of settings. In a long-day care setting, the Free Kinder offset is applied to your fees regularly across the year (ie weekly or fortnightly) By choosing to place your child in a Kinder program based in a childcare facility, you have more choices when it comes to the specific hours available.
Little Learners Daycare Centre is open from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday-Friday (closed on public holidays). Extended opening hours (compared, for example, with sessional council kinder) give you the freedom to choose the day and hours that suit your working schedule more closely. You can also opt for your child to stay for for up to ten or twelve-hour each day, so you can take advantage of the longer hours and complete the 15hrs of Kinder in 2 days, if required, rather than spreading the kinder hours over the course of the week.
When Can You Apply for Your Child’s Place?
Kinder places in high-quality settings can fill up very quickly – so it pays to plan ahead and start the enrolment process a little early, with many parents beginning commencing the process several months before their child commences either 3 year-old or 4 year-old Kinder.
Some settings, such as Little Learners Daycare Centre, offer education & care services for children from babies through to Kindergarten. This allows parents to keep their child in the same familiar setting from infancy all the way through to commencing school.
Before you make your application, it’s worthwhile making sure that the daycare meets all your requirements by:
- Touring the facilities,
- Speaking with staff members, and
- Reading reviews left by other parents
These steps are great way to gauge how happy your child will be in this setting.
Government-Approved Programs for Early Years Advantage
Early Years focus has improved significantly in recent years, with many professionals and specialists arguing that these formative years make a big impact on children throughout their lives. That’s why Little Learners Daycare Centre ensures their Kindergarten programs are comprehensive across multiple areas.
Children will be supported with an introduction to literacy and numeracy, with time dedicated to the formation of social skills and emotional regulation. We emphasise the importance of creativity and self-expression, while enhancing their fine and gross motor skills. We help the children stay active and healthy, while encouraging self-care skills (such as independent dressing, tying shoelaces, and applying sunscreen). Additionally, we pride ourselves in supporting our 4-year-olds via our School Readiness Program which introduces children to the expectations of school (lining up, lunch routine, visiting a school and playground to familiarise themselves with the environment prior to commencing school).
Government-approved Kindergarten programs meet the Victorian Government Safety and Quality Guidelines, ensuring that your child is safe and cared for, while helping them achieve their potential at school and beyond.
Childcare That Works Around Your Schedule
When you must work certain hours, it can be difficult to find the professional childcare that you need. By enrolling your child in a daycare centre, you can customise your child’s schedule to better suit your own.
At Little Learners Daycare Centre, we offer customised schedules to better suit your needs. Children can attend:
- Up to 5 days per week
- A minimum of 15 hours of kinder per week
- At least two days per week for a stronger learning foundation
This ensures they have enough time to develop the social and cognitive skills needed for a smooth school transition.
Helping Children Transition to School
Children are continually learning about the world around them. Giving them access to high-quality care and education is an investment in their future. Preschool is very different to the expectations of school, and without a proper transition period, the sudden change can be intimidating for some children.
To help prepare your child for school, Little Learners Daycare Centre offers the School Readiness Program, designed to give your child preschool experience with the comfort and safety of educators familiar to them. In school, the ratio of children to adults is very different to that of a daycare facility. Our highly trained staff are on hand to teach your child adaptive skills, while paying closer attention and being available to offer support and encouragement immediately.
For well-rounded experiences, children are offered the opportunity to engage in real-life skills with our regular incursion and excursion activities. This includes such things as: The Healthy Teeth Program; Dog Safety; Road Safety; Cooking and Science; as well as visiting a broccoli farm to see first hand where our food comes from.
These types of experiences, as well as high-quality literacy, numeracy, and social skills activities, help develop your child’s confidence as they transition into becoming more independent in readiness for their schooling journey.
Tour Our Facilities
Little Learners Daycare Centre offers two facilities in Victoria: Truganina and Tarneit. You’ll have the opportunity to meet our team and explore the wonderful resources available in your chosen setting. You’ll have the chance to see our health and nutrition policies in practice, while also discovering how our children make use of the play-based learning facilities.
During your tour, we’ll be available to answer any questions you may have and to help you navigate the requirements for the Government Childcare Subsidy, if necessary. Through your visit, we hope you’ll be impressed with the quality and variety of support that we offer our young learners as they begin to navigate the world with confidence, independence, and self-belief.
Book Your Tour in Advance
To ensure you get a place for your child in your chosen facility, it’s recommended that you start your research early. Book your tour of Little Learners Daycare Centre today to discover a world rich with opportunity for your child. Contact us:
Frequently Asked Questions
The ‘Kinder Tick’ is a Victorian Government initiative that ensures kindergarten programs meet high-quality education standards. It means the program is:
- Led by qualified teachers
- Government-approved and funded
- Designed to support children’s development
Children can start three-year-old kindergarten the year they turn three and four-year-old kindergarten the year they turn four.
Victorian government-funded kindergartens offer up to 15 hours of free kinder per week at participating centres.
Yes! Three-year-old and four-year-old kinder programs are in high demand, and waitlists for 2025 are already filling up. We recommend enrolling as early as possible.
A quality kindergarten program helps children:
- Develop social and emotional skills
- Build early literacy and numeracy foundations
- Gain confidence for a smooth transition to school
- Learn through play-based activities
It’s best to apply early, as high-quality kindergarten spots fill up quickly. Many parents start the enrolment process several months in advance, particularly for three-year-old and four-year-old kinder programs.
Yes! Little Learners Daycare Centre offers education and care from infancy through to kindergarten, allowing children to stay in a familiar environment before starting school.
Our government-approved kindergarten programs are designed to support:
- Early literacy and numeracy skills
- Social skills and emotional regulation
- Creativity, fine & gross motor skills
- Self-care skills, such as dressing independently and applying sunscreen
We also offer real-life learning experiences through incursions and excursions, such as:
- Healthy Teeth Program
- Dog Safety Awareness
- Road Safety Education
- Farm visits to learn about food sources
General Enquiries
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One of our friendly staff will contact you promptly to assist you further.