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If you have an enquiry, please use this link to send a message to our preschool office.

The office is open 8.30am - 3.30pm (Mon-Fri) during NSW School terms.

Our team aims to respond to general enquiries within 3 business days. Thank you for your patience—we appreciate your interest in our preschool service.

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Enquiry Form | Baulkham Hills Preschool Kindergarten | 5 Torrs Street, Baulkham Hills

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Pre-booked tours are generally offered twice per term throughout the year, except in Term 4. Please note that we are unable to accommodate ‘drop-in’ or individual family tours.

All tours are scheduled on designated days at 4:00pm to ensure our educators remain fully available to support the children and families currently attending our service. Tours are approximately 45 minutes in length.

Bookings open each term for the following term.

Due to the extremely high demand for preschool placements, we strongly encourage families to book a tour well in advance. This will ensure you are well-informed and prepared to accept an enrolment offer within the required 5-day acceptance period, should a place be offered.

Book into our next tour!

https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/4tgvu

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Scheduled Tours 2026:

Thursday 12th February – 4pm

Wednesday 18th March -4pm

Tuesday 12th May - 4 pm

Wednesday 3rd June -4pm

Wednesday 12th August – 4pm

September – 4pm (TBA)

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NQS - Assessment and Ratings                                      We are proudly rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard in all seven quality areas! 

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NQS - Assessment and Ratings                                      We are proudly rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard in all seven quality areas! 

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What happens during the first 2000 days of your child’s life (pregnancy to age 5) has a huge impact on how they grow, develop and learn. Visit the Parent and Carer Hub to find out how to give your child the best start in life.

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High quality early childhood education gives children the best start in life. It provides important opportunities to learn and develop. Early childhood education can help your child make friends, develop independence and learn new routines. It also supports their transition to school. Use the ECE finder tool to find quality early childhood education and care services in NSW.

Helping brain development in young children

Children's brains are influenced by both their genes and their environment. Babies are born ready to learn, with around 90 percent of brain development occurring in the first five years of life. The early years are important, as how the brain grows is strongly influenced by what's happening in a child's environment and their interactions with the people around them.

Vision and hearing pathways develop first, followed by early language skills and higher cognitive functions. A child's vocabulary often quadruples between ages two and four. These connections become more complex over time as children grow, and influence brain development to create positive learning behaviours from an early age.

Research shows that children who participate in quality preschool programs are more likely to arrive at school equipped with the social, cognitive and emotional skills they need to help them to continue learning. These benefits extend well beyond primary school. Higher levels of educational success, employment and social skills have all been linked to moderate levels of participation in quality early childhood education.

- [Child] Early childhood education is a place where children grow to learn and learn to grow.

- Play is the basis for a child's future development, representational play, the imaginary play. These foundations set up that child for adult life.

- [Educator] and purple.

- [Child 2] Purple.

- Early education is crucial for these areas of development because it gives the children opportunity and builds the foundations that are needed for future success and health and learning outcomes. Now we have the research to show that a child's brain is 90% developed by the age of five. And in that time, the first 2000 days framework, there is so much development that has to go on. Early education has to be the key. These centres are gold for development because they do offer these opportunities for all areas of a child's development, fine motor skills, with drawing, colouring in and painting, for gross motor skills, for jumping and playing and dancing around, as well as their social and emotional skills.

- [Woman] How can we help Owen to get that to stand up all by itself?

- [Melissa] So they are learning to be with others, they are learning to work with others and in groups, they are learning to share, take turns, listen to directions, people giving them boundaries and these are really foundational for the future. So confidence and independence is a big skill for a child to transition to school with. And if they've had that exposure to these experiences in early childhood education, that will certainly help that transition into the school environment We work in partnership, so if a parent does have a concern about their child, that concern is taken seriously and the child and family health nurse will escalate. We've got questionnaires where we check their development in more detail and make referrals.

Brighter Beginnings: the first 2000 days

Brighter Beginnings is a NSW Government initiative to improve the lives and experience of parents and families in the first 2000 days of their child's life and better support all children to achieve the best start in life.

Check out the Brighter Beginnings step by step guides for parents and carers of young children in NSW who have not yet started primary school.

As part of Brighter Beginnings, the NSW Department of Education has launched a public awareness campaign 'Grow to Learn, Learn to Grow'. The campaign showcases the benefits of early childhood education and provide families with the information they need to enrol their children in quality early childhood education services..

Making friends

From the ages of three to five, most children want to play with others their age, and can think about the feelings of others at an initial level. At this age, children learn how to play with others, and might have a 'best friend'.

In early childhood education, children are encouraged to share and play with their peers. Through these interactions they learn to develop important interpersonal qualities such as empathy and cooperation which will help them get along with others in preschool and beyond.

By spending time with their peers, children learn to include ideas from others in their play and start to understand each other's feelings. Young children are naturally egocentric, so learning skills such as empathy can be challenging, but the good news is they can learn a lot from watching and interacting with their peers. These early years social skills can help your child develop friendships through their whole life.

- I like painting and doing all of the creating stuff.

- I like stories because they have different pictures in them.

- I like playing with the pillow.

- Going to the sand pit.

- Playing with lego.

- We have an opportunity at this age to be able to ignite their passion for learning so that when they go to school, the foundation is laid and they already want to know things, they already want to be engaged in education.

- Look how big this is Hiro.

- Yeah.

- My favourite friends are Isaac and Imogen.

- Rosalyn and Ayushi.

- I play with Niro and Remy.

- I would definitely say the educators are a bit like extended family. I feel like we have really open dialogue with them. We have really nice conversations.

- I would tell them you should go to preschool instead of staying home. 'Cause you're gonna make new friends!

Developing independence

For many children, participating in early childhood education is the first significant amount of time they spend away from their family. Being in a new environment, away from home, can help children to build their confidence and discover their identity.

As part of a child's growing independence, they develop key self-regulation skills between the ages of three and five years old. These skills may include concentrating, sharing and taking turns. For example, toddlers may show self-regulation by waiting to play with a toy, or by paying attention to someone who is talking to them.

Self-regulation skills are important to help children develop confidence and independence, allowing them to grow and understand who they are, and to form friendships. Parents, carers and early childhood educators are all important role models for demonstrating healthy methods of self-regulation.

- The children have had a huge amount of independence where we don't actually get to put the school bags away anymore and the children do.

- He's just grown in so many ways... confidence, socially.

- And she has started self-feeding and she now knows how to share because what this centre had provided her is confidence

- We feel that it's important to start at this ground level to prepare her for the future.

- It's really important. It does provide students with a lot of foundational skills that they'll need to learn in their literacy, numeracy, socialisation, and collaborative skills when they move into primary school.

- Lots of other learning stuff that we wouldn't do at home that they would do here.

- Gave her more opportunity to explore things and she's more creative and more curious about the world.

- She's showing that she's very musical as well, which is something that we never taught her.

- [Wolski] The importance of students having the ability to interact with students from other cultures can't be understated. It's very important for them to build those relationships with those students.

- [Christina] I think it's really important when looking for a preschool there is a quality rating system.

- [Darna] It will give you the ability to make a really good decision about where to send your child.

- [Christina] It's more of a holistic rating system where it's looking at the environment of the school, the leadership of the teachers.

- The educators here are highly trained. They're professionals. They're also passionate educators.

- [Christopher] And they have what they do at heart and we feel very much at home with them.

- [Rachel] And I've seen so many kids grow here. They have wonderful, wonderful teachers here.

Learning new routines

By attending early education, your child can learn to adapt to a new routine outside the home. Routines can positively influence a child's emotional and cognitive development and knowing what to expect encourages them to feel secure and comfortable.

Routines can help children manage their expectations of their environment, and reduce problematic behaviours such as temper tantrums. When developing daily routines, early childhood teachers and educators will consider a mix of activities that are active/passive, indoor/outdoor, and child-directed/adult-directed.

Routines are also planned according to children's ages to make time for naps, incorporate any individual requirements or medical needs, and to accommodate their attention spans and other aged-based needs.

Supporting transition to school

Early childhood education supports your child's transition to primary school. It prepares children in both informal and formal ways, such as engaging in a range of Transition to School activities. Children who experience a positive transition to school are more likely to feel comfortable, relaxed and motivated to learn. This helps them form positive relationships with others, both children and educators, and develop a sense of belonging within the school.

- [Child] Early childhood education, is the place where children grow to learn and learn to grow.

- I've been a teacher for seven or eight years. What I love most particularly in early education is the growth that you can see in the children from the start of the year to the end of the year.

- Even a koala?

- I think the benefits of early childhood education from the point of view of the kindergarten teachers is they are socially and emotionally in a better frame of mind to undertake all the learning activities that we put out for them. The first 2000 days of life is really important for young children because 90% of their brain development occurs. The attendance in early childhood education settings gives them that exposure when they come to primary school to really have that good foundational skills when they move into formal education in kindergarten and beyond. Okay, so have a look. This is where you're going to come to kindergarten next year. When they first attend in term one students are so excited to be at big school. It can be quite overwhelming for them, but I think if they've had a quality transition to school program the year before, it really pays dividends for term one for kindergarten teachers and the classroom in general.

- Really helped with independence for all of the kids here.

- Where we don't actually get to put the school bags away anymore and the children do.

- Going to the bathroom was another issue for him, he was not confident and shy but he had a good time when the teachers have taught him how to do few things.

- [Matt] I think the students that had been through early childhood education definitely come to school with a lot more confidence. It shows in the way that they undertake those learning activities and they can collaborate with their peers.

- But also to be in an environment where he has a lot of different friends that share similar interests but they can also enjoy the differences as well.

- Which one is dark green?

- This is dark green and this is dark green.

- So if any of my friends had a four year old son or daughter my advice would be to attend a formal early childhood setting and look at the quality rating of the centre, to go in and take a look and see what kind of activities are being run in there.

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High quality early childhood education gives children the best start in life. It provides important opportunities to learn and develop. Early childhood education can help your child make friends, develop independence and learn new routines. It also supports their transition to school. Use the ECE finder tool to find quality early childhood education and care services in NSW.

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Factsheets and other information about vaccination.

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​​​​Vaccination is the best way to protect your children against serious preventable diseases such as polio, measles and whooping cough.

All vaccines given to Australian children are carefully tested to ensure they are safe and effective. You can learn more about how vaccines are developed.

For information about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit COVID-19 vaccines.

Pregnancy vaccinations

If you're pregnant, planning on having a child or just had a child, there are certain vaccinations you should be staying up-to-date with.

Our pregnancy brochure helps parents understand what vaccinations they should get before and after birth.

Check when your child's vaccination is due

Vaccinating your child on-time is the best way to help protect them against preventable and serious diseases.

The NSW Immunisation Schedule helps parents understand when they should vaccinate their children and is developed to protect children as soon as possible.

Children should be vaccinated as close as possible to the scheduled milestones on the NSW Immunisation Schedule. It's important you don't delay vaccination.

Delaying immunisation places children at risk of catching disease and becoming very sick.

On-time vaccination is also important to receive Australian Government family assistance payments and to enrol children in childcare, preschool and school in NSW.

You can:

You can also read about the benefits of the schedule and why it was developed the way it is.

Where to vaccinate

Vaccinations are provided by:

More information

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On time childhood vaccination, Save the Date to Vaccinate, stay up to date with your child's vaccinations, NSW Immunisation Schedule, vaccines for babies, vaccines for infants, vaccines for kids, Stopping the spread of childhood infections

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Preschool Brochure

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Video - How can I tell whether an early learning centre celebrates Aboriginal culture?

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Video - How can I tell whether an early learning centre celebrates Aboriginal culture?

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How can I tell whether an early learning centre celebrates Aboriginal culture?

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Translations of  Parent Immunisation Brochure

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Translations of  Parent Immunisation Brochure

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Childcare and pre-school entry and immunisation (brochure)

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The Childcare and Pre-School Entry and Immunisation brochure has been developed to help parents understand immunisation enrolment requirements in childcare.

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Childcare and pre-school entry and immunisation information brochure

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What is a Child Safe Organisation? Why is this important?

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What is a Child Safe Organisation? Why is this important?

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Parents and carers play an important role in making sure their children are spending time in places that are safe.

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6 Tips to Prepare your Child for Preschool

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6 Tips to Prepare your Child for Preschool

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Supporting  Positive transition to Preschool for families

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Affordable Preschool offers low cost preschool for eligible families

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Affordable Preschool offers low cost preschool for eligible families

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https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/operating-an-early-childhood-education-service/grants-and-funded-programs/start-strong-funding/start-strong-for-families

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What this means for families

3-5 year old children in community, mobile and public preschools

Fee relief for all children in a community, mobile or department preschool will now continue into 2023.

Families will save up to $4,220 a year for 3-5 year old children in community and mobile preschools from 2023.

Families will be provided the equivalent of 5 days per fortnight of affordable preschool for all children in department preschools.

4 and 5 year old preschoolers in long day care

In 2023, preschool fee relief is being introduced for 4 and 5 year old children in long day care for the first time.

This funding is part of an increase in investment to long day care services that will directly support quality preschool delivery across NSW.

If your child turns 4 years old on or before 31 July 2023, you will save up to $2,110 a year in eligible preschool programs in long day care.

This will be in addition to Australian Government Child Care Subsidy payments, which most families in long day care services are eligible to receive. (The CCS does not apply to community and mobile preschools or department preschools).

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In 2023, the NSW Government is providing fee relief to families with children in preschool.

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DoE Website - Starting Preschool Resources

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DoE Website - Starting Preschool Resources

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Early childhood education and care for families

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A child’s participation in an organised early childhood education program assists in the development of their skills and abilities.

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All Waiting List Applications can be made through the online link below:

Waitlist Form:

https://www.owna.com.au/waitlist.aspx?c=baulkhillsprekinder

Waiting List Application Fee:

Payment Details to pay the Waiting List Application fee ($20 per family) are as follows:

Account Name: Baulkham Hills Preschool

BSB: 032 170

Account number: 150 219

Reference: Your child's full name

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Baulkham Hills Preschool Kindergarten Waitlist

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BHPS Website Link

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Under construction - coming soon!

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Your child is now a preschooler, who is fascinated by the world around them. They can speak in longer sentences and will start asking lots of 'who', 'what', 'where' and 'why' questions as they try to understand more about the world. They enjoy playing with other kids, learning rules and taking turns. And you'll see them start to form real friendships as they begin to develop their social skills.

The following information has been sourced from the Early Years Learning Framework Developmental Milestones booklet, developed by Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd NSW (CCCC) for the Department of Education.

How can you encourage your child's learning?

Encourage them to play outdoors

Open them up to more experiences by taking them to different places e.g. wildlife park, museum, playgroup, aquarium, library

Be creative in setting up play activities e.g. painting, music, arts and craft

Build their self-esteem by involving them in your everyday activities and giving them simple helping tasks e.g. help setting the table for dinner

Be interested in their questions and take the time to reply

Show enjoyment in their success e.g. when they read a word correctly

What are some of the different developmental milestones you can observe?

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Your child is now a preschooler, who is fascinated by the world around them. They can speak in longer sentences and will start asking lots of 'who', 'what', 'where' and 'why' questions as they try to understand more about the world. They enjoy playing with other kids, learning rules and taking turns.

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The Spoke - Early Childhood Australia's Blog

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' ... for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it.'

Questioning practice

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is built on the understanding that the principles of early childhood pedagogy (DEEWR, 2009, pp. 12-13) guide the practice of early childhood educators. Research tells us that an educator's pedagogy is one of the most important aspects when assessing the quality of children's learning. So early childhood educators need to carefully consider and question their pedagogy and corresponding practices.

In implementing the EYLF, educators should discuss and describe their understandings of the practice principles. One of the practices most commonly used in the early childhood sector is 'learning through play'. Play-based learning is described in the EYLF as 'a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they actively engage with people, objects and representations' (EYLF, 2009, p. 46). But what is play? Play is hard to define as there are a number of theories and types of play. Can you describe play?

Defining 'play'

While there is no one definition of play, there are a number of agreed characteristics that describe play. Play can be described as:

pleasurable-play is an enjoyable and pleasurable activity. Play sometimes includes frustrations, challenges and fears; however enjoyment is a key feature

symbolic-play is often pretend, it has a 'what if?' quality. The play has meaning to the player that is often not evident to the educator

active-play requires action, either physical, verbal or mental engagement with materials, people, ideas or the environment

voluntary-play is freely chosen. However, players can also be invited or prompted to play

process oriented-play is a means unto itself and players may not have an end or goal in sight

self motivating-play is considered its own reward to the player (Shipley, 2008).

Once you have decided what play means to you, you should next ask yourself, why play-based learning? What is it about play that makes it so important? Play has a long and detailed research history that dates back to the work of Locke and Rosseau.

Research and evidence all point to the role of play in children's development and learning across cultures (Shipley, 2008). Many believe that it is impossible to disentangle children's play, learning and development.

Brain development

While research on brain development is in its infancy, it is believed that play shapes the structural design of the brain. We know that secure attachments and stimulation are significant aspects of brain development; play provides active exploration that assists in building and strengthening brain pathways. Play creates a brain that has increased 'flexibility and improved potential for learning later in life' (Lester & Russell, 2008, p. 9).

Young children's play allows them to explore, identify, negotiate, take risks and create meaning. The intellectual and cognitive benefits of playing have been well documented. Children who engage in quality play experiences are more likely to have well-developed memory skills, language development, and are able to regulate their behaviour, leading to enhanced school adjustment and academic learning (Bodrova & Leong, 2005).

Fostering play-based programs

Physically active play allows children to test and develop all types of motor skills. It promotes significant health and wellbeing benefits. Centres that were found to have a high-quality, play-based learning program incorporated:

a daily schedule that included active indoor and outdoor physical play

integration of music, movement and creative expression

adult-child interactions that modelled moderate to high levels of physical activity (meaning that educators were at times as physically engaged in active play as the children) (Steglin, 2005).

Play does not happen in a vacuum; it is usually undertaken within a physical and social space (Lester & Russell, 2008). One of the greatest benefits of playing is to assist with the development of social competence. Children can build relationships, learn to resolve conflicts, negotiate and regulate their behaviours. In play, children usually have increased feelings of success and optimism as they act as their own agents and make their own choices. Playing is a known stress release; it is often linked to child wellbeing.

The dispositions for learning, such as curiosity, openness, optimism, resilience, concentration, and creativity (SACSA, 2009), are developed in play. Playing is linked to the development of resilience and the beginnings of empathy as children begin to understand other points of view. However, not all play is kind or inclusive, so educators have to act accordingly to ensure that play is not harmful.

What educators can do

How can quality play-based learning take place effectively? Early childhood educators should know the children and families in their centre; they assess, document children's learning and know their interests. Then, together with families, they plan carefully how to use play-based activities as one tool to promote the learning that will achieve the EYLF outcomes.

Planning the environment to assist children to achieve outcomes is important in providing quality play experiences. The environment can be intentionally planned in four main ways:

the physical environment-the physical layout of space, furniture and resources. Consider how you will construct and present activities and materials so they are arranged in provoking and inviting ways to encourage exploration, learning and inquiry

the social and emotional environment-children need secure, warm and trusting relationships so they are confidently supported in their explorations and risk taking. Assist children to make connections with others, develop friendships and regulate their behaviours. Together, children and adults set the emotional and social tone of the environment

the intellectual environment-there are times to leave children to play freely and times for intentional conversation, a well-placed question or query that will extend children's learning. Shared sustained conversations (Siraj-Blatchford, 2008) are the hallmark of effective early childhood educators

the temporal environment-the way that educators decide to use the time available in the program. Children need large blocks of time to develop play themes and ideas.

Early childhood educators need to be articulate, to be able to justify clearly, provide evidence for and proclaim the benefits of play-based learning. The EYLF (2009) is based on sound, proven early childhood pedagogy and practice principles. However, for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it.

This article was originally published in Every Child magazine Vol. 16 No. 3.

References

Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. J. (2005). Uniquely preschool: What research tells us about the ways young children learn. Educational Leadership, 63(1), 44-47.

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: DEEWR.

Lester, S. & Russell, S. (2008). Play for a change. Play policy and practice: A review of contemporary perspectives. Play England.

South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework (2009) Learners and Learning in the Early Years.

Shipley, D. (2008). Empowering children. Play based curriculum for lifelong learning.(Fourth edn). USA: Nelson Education.

Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2008). Understanding the relationship between curriculum, pedagogy and progression in learning in early childhood. Hong Kong Journal of Early Childhood, 7 (2), 6-13.

Steglin, D. A. (2005). Making the case for play policy: Research-based reasons to support play-based environments. Young Children, 60(2), 76-86.

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Why play-based learning? - The Spoke - Early Childhood Australia's Blog

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' ... for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it.' Questioning practice The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is built on the understanding that the principles of early childhood [...]

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The importance of play

Play is central to your child's learning and development. When your child plays, it gives them many different ways and times to learn.

Play also helps your child:

build confidence

feel loved, happy and safe

understand more about how the world works

develop social skills, language and communication

learn about caring for others and the environment

develop physical skills.

It's important for children to have plenty of different types of play experiences. This includes unstructured and structured play, indoor and outdoor play, solo and group play, craft and creative play, and so on. When children get variety, it's good for all aspects of their learning and development - physical, social, emotional and imaginative.

Different types of play: unstructured and structured

Unstructured, free play is unplanned play that just happens, depending on what takes your child's interest at the time.

Unstructured, free play is particularly important for younger children because it lets them use their imagination and move at their own pace.

Examples of unstructured play might be:

creative play alone or with others, including artistic or musical games

imaginative games - for example, making cubbyhouses with boxes or blankets, dressing up or playing make-believe

exploring new or favourite spaces like cupboards, backyards, parks, playgrounds and so on.

You can be part of your child's unstructured play. But sometimes all you'll need to do is point your child in the right direction - towards the jumble of dress-ups and toys on their floor, or to the table with crayons and paper. At other times, you might need to be a bit more active. For example, 'How about we play dress-ups? What do you want to be today?'

Structured play is organised and happens at a fixed time or in a set space. It's often led by a grown-up. Older children are more likely to enjoy and benefit from structured play.

Examples of structured play include:

outdoor ball games like kicking a soccer ball

water familiarisation classes for toddlers or swimming lessons for older children

storytelling groups for toddlers and preschoolers at the local library

dance, music or drama classes for children of all ages

family board or card games

modified sports for slightly older children, like Cricket Blast, Aussie Hoops basketball, NetSetGO netball, Come and Try Rugby and Auskick football.

Structured and unstructured play can happen indoors or outdoors. Outdoor play gives your child the chance to explore, be active, test physical limits - and get messy!

How play develops with children

As your child grows, their attention span and physical skills develop and the way they play will change. Your child will get more creative and experiment more with toys, games and ideas. This might mean they need more space and time to play.

Also, children move through different forms of play as they grow. This includes playing alone, playing alongside other children and playing interactively with other children.

Your child will love playing with you, but sometimes they might prefer to play alone. Your child might just want you to give them ideas and let them know how their play and games are going. And sometimes your child might want to play with other children - no grown-ups allowed!

Newborns and babies: play ideas to encourage development

Just looking at your face and hearing your voice is play for your baby, especially if you're smiling.

You might like to try the following play ideas and activities with your little one:

Music, songs or bells develop hearing and movement. You could try gentle tapping on your baby's tummy while you sing.

Peekaboo is great for your baby's social and emotional development.

Gentle tickles or objects with different textures develop the sense of touch. You and your baby could experiment with things like feathers, mud, metal or foam.

Objects of different sizes, colours and shapes can encourage your child to reach and grasp.

Sturdy furniture, balls, toys or boxes can get your child crawling, standing and walking.

Regular tummy time and floor play are very important for young babies. Tummy time encourages your baby to move and roll and helps them develop muscle strength and control. It also lets your baby see and experience the world from a different perspective. All you need is a playmat or blanket on the ground or floor.

Toddlers: play ideas to encourage development

Here are some ideas your toddler might enjoy:

Large and light things like cardboard boxes, buckets or blow-up balls can encourage your child to run, build, push or drag.

Chalk, rope, music or containers can encourage jumping, kicking, stomping, stepping and running.

Hoops, boxes, large rocks or pillows are good for climbing on, balancing, twisting, swaying or rolling.

Dress-up games with scarves, hats and so on are good for imagination and creativity.

Hills, tunnels or nooks can encourage physical activities like crawling, climbing and exploring.

If you put on some favourite music while your toddler plays, they can also try out different sounds and rhythms. You might also like to sing, dance and clap along to music with your child.

Preschoolers: play ideas to encourage development

Here are some ideas to get your preschooler's mind and body going:

Old milk containers, wooden spoons, empty pot plant containers, sticks, scrunched-up paper, plastic buckets, saucepans and old clothes are great for imaginative, unstructured play.

Simple jigsaw puzzles and matching games like animal dominoes can improve your child's memory and concentration.

Playdough and clay help your child develop fine motor skills.

Favourite music or pots and pans are great for dancing or making music.

Balls can encourage kicking, throwing or rolling.

When you're encouraging your child to kick or throw, see whether you can get them to use one side of their body and then the other.

School-age children: play ideas to encourage development

Your school-age child can have fun with the following objects and activities:

Furniture, linen, washing baskets, tents and boxes are great for building cubbyhouses.

Home-made obstacle courses can get your child moving in different ways, directions and speeds.

Games like 'I spy' are great for word play. They also develop literacy skills.

Simple cooking and food preparation activities are great for developing science, numeracy, literacy and everyday skills.

Your child's own imagination can turn your child into a favourite superhero or story character.

If your child is interested, you could think about getting them into some sports or team activities for school-age children. Other possibilities include after-school or holiday art and craft activities.

Homemade toys and free activities can help children learn and develop. They're often the most creative ways for you and your child to have fun together.

If your child doesn't want to play

There might be times when your child doesn't want to play. For example, they could be tired or bored by doing the same activity for too long. This is common and usually nothing to worry about.

But sometimes a lack of play - or a lack of interest in play - can be a sign of a developmental disorder.

Here's when to consider speaking with a health professional or your child's educator:

Your baby doesn't seem to get into interactive play like peekaboo.

Your toddler has an extremely narrow interest in toys or doesn't use toys in a functional way. For example, your child is interested only in spinning the wheels of a toy car instead of driving it around the room like other children the same age.

Your preschooler isn't interested in playing with other children or in playing pretend games.

Languages other than English

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Play is more than just fun for babies and children. It's how they learn and develop. Playing with your child is one of the most important things you can do. Article available in: Arabic, Dari, Dinka, Hakha Chin, Karen, Persian, Simplified Chinese, Swahili, Tamil, Vietnamese.

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Educators at your child's early childhood education and care service might have told you that they use a 'play based' approach for children's learning and development.

Play is an activity where children show their remarkable ability for exploration, imagination and decision making. While play is often described as 'children's work', it is intensely enjoyable for them. The type of play children engage in and its purposes change over the course of childhood from infancy to adolescence.

You may have realised that as a parent, you don't generally have to make children play or provide incentives to play. This is because children seem to have a natural urge to play and playing brings a level of pleasure and interest which means it can be maintained without external rewards.

How does play support your child's development and learning?

Physical development - active play using large and small muscles such as climbing, running, ball games, digging, jumping, and dancing. This supports children's overall health and sense of wellbeing, physical growth, appreciation for the benefits of active lifestyles and skills for independence in self-help such as dressing or feeding.

Social and emotional development - dramatic and imaginative play which includes dressing up and role play can develop positive social and emotional skills and values. This provides opportunities for children to:

practise how to work with other children, negotiate ideas, and make choices and decisions

develop self-confidence by experiencing success and challenges

learn to control their emotions, reduce impulsive behaviour, or reduce stress as they act out feelings and events that might be worrying them

develop empathy and fairness as they learn to play alongside and with other children.

Cognitive development - when your child plays individually and with others their cognitive skills, such as thinking, remembering, learning and paying attention are all being developed. Children develop the following cognitive skills through play:

problem solving

the power of imagination and creativity

concepts such as shapes, colours, measurement, counting and letter recognition

strengths such as concentration, persistence and resilience.

Literacy and numeracy development - play requires thinking, language, interactions, curiosity and exploration. Through play children develop skills and understandings including:

an increased understanding of words and their use

listening and speaking skills

writing skills through scribbling, painting and drawing

learning how stories work (plot, characters, structure, purpose and format of words on a page)

learning that objects can stand for something else (a block can be a symbol for a telephone) which is foundation learning for formal reading, spelling and numeracy because letters, words or numerals are part of symbol systems

learning that letters, words, symbols, numerals and signs have a purpose and are meaningful to others.

What does a play based approach to learning look like?

Educators at early childhood education and care services use a wide range of play based experiences for children's learning and development rather than using structured 'lessons' or formal teaching experiences. They set up games indoors and outdoors that are age appropriate, which can be played safely and enjoyably by every child.

Educators encourage children's learning through play by:

providing resources that reflect children's ages, interests, knowledge, strengths, abilities and culture to stimulate and support play. Resources which allow open ended use of items like blocks or cardboards boxes foster creativity and the ability to manipulate concepts mentally as children. For example, turn a box into a car.

planning play experiences based on the assessment of children's individual differences, interests, developmental needs and ability. For example, as a child learns to hold a pencil to draw and write, educators will give children different sized objects to grasp, and to build strength in the child's fingers.

observing children as they play so that they can understand how they play with other children, what skills and understanding they demonstrate in play and what activities can strengthen their skills in play.

joining in children's play to extend the child's learning and to model skills such as reasoning, appropriate language, and positive behaviours.

providing large blocks of unhurried and uninterrupted time for play for children's ideas and games to develop.

How can you contribute to your child's learning through play?

Children's success as learners depends on strong foundations developed from infancy. Play based learning fosters critical skills, understanding and dispositions which are essential for your child's lifelong learning and wellbeing. You can encourage your child's learning through by:

sharing information about your child's interests and abilities with their educators so that they can plan play experiences for your child based on their interests and abilities

playing with your child

discussing your child's program with the educators at your child's service, and the activities your child enjoys playing and taking part in

advocating for safe and interesting play spaces in your local community.

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The importance of play in children's learning and development

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Educators at your child's early childhood education and care service might have told you that they use a 'play based' approach for children's learning and development. Play is an activity where children show their remarkable ability for exploration, imagination and decision making. While play is often described as 'children's work', it is intensely enjoyable for them.

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Why are preschool programs good for your child?

Preschool helps children:

get new knowledge and skills - for example, they start learning more about numbers, letters and words

improve their communication and social skills through playing and interacting with other children and adults

make new friends and develop new relationships with adults

develop physical skills - for example, children learn to balance on play equipment and practise fine motor skills like drawing with a pencil and cutting with scissors

develop problem-solving and creative thinking skills

develop responsibility, independence, confidence and self-worth through doing things like looking after their own belongings and spending time away from home

get ready for the transition to school.

What happens in a preschool program?

Preschool is all about learning through open-ended play and structured play activities that allow children to develop at their own pace. Whether your child is finger painting, building a block castle, or singing with other kids, preschool helps your child increase her experiences, abilities and knowledge.

Preschool programs offer both indoor and outdoor learning experiences, as well as opportunities for solo and group play.

Indoor learning experiences often include:

painting, drawing and writing

clay or playdough play

puzzles and games

construction - for example, with blocks or Lego

books

sensory activities.

Outdoor learning experiences often include:

sand play

play in the natural environment

carpentry

water play

dramatic play

swings and climbing equipment.

Group learning experiences often include:

stories and poetry

dancing and singing

playing with musical instruments

drama and acting

show and tell.

When can children go to preschool?

In general, children can go to preschool when they're four years old, or in the year they turn four. Some preschools in some states and territories also offer programs for three-year-olds.

What kinds of preschools are there?

In Australia there are several different types of preschool programs and kindergartens. All preschool programs are run by qualified early childhood teachers:

Sessional preschools: these offer programs ranging from two-and-a-half hours to seven hours a day, a few days a week.

Long day preschools: these programs run for an entire day and include a lunch program.

Preschool programs in long day care or child care centres: some centres offer preschool programs.

Steiner, Montessori and Reggio Emilia preschools: these offer programs based on individual philosophies about children's learning. The program models and hours vary.

Three-year-old groups: these programs might include an activity group run by a trained coordinator or a qualified teacher at a kindergarten or preschool.

Most preschools operate in purpose-built facilities, although in more remote areas they can be mobile or online. Preschool programs might be managed by a volunteer parent committee, local government, state education department, independent school or private company.

The Australian Government provides funding to all states and territories to ensure all children have access to early childhood education, particularly in the year before they start school. There might still be a fee, and your local preschool can tell you about the fees it charges.

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Preschool: how it works and why it's good

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Why are preschool programs good for your child?

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Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

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Data updates

25/02/22 - In the Data section, updated data related to early childhood education and care are presented in Data tables: Australia's children 2022 - Education. The web report text was last updated in December 2019.

Key findings

In 2017, around 3 in 5 children aged 0-4 (925,900 children) usually attended some form of child care.

In 2017, nearly 296,000 (90%) of eligible children were enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full-time school.

Quality early childhood education and care assists with healthy early childhood development, while supporting workforce participation of parents/caregivers. Child care can be formal or informal. The formal early childhood education and care sector includes centre-based child care and preschool services (Productivity Commission 2016) (Box 1).

There is growing evidence that quality early childhood education and care gives children developmental opportunities and improves school readiness (Melhuish 2012; OECD 2017; Warren et al. 2018). Children who arrive at school 'ready' are more likely to do well in future years (see Transition to primary school).

Preschool programs can help children acquire school readiness by developing learning-related skills, such as the ability to:

express thoughts

adapt appropriate behaviours

control impulsivity

remain concentrated

show curiosity, persistence and develop social competence (Melhuish 2012).

Matched data from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) showed a positive association between preschool experiences and children's development at school entry, especially for developmental domains related to learning (Warren et al. 2018). In 2015, children who received some Early Child Education and Care (ECEC) were less likely to be developmentally vulnerable on 1 or more domains (19.9 %), compared to children who did not receive any ECEC (38.5%) (SCRGSP 2019).

Research using data from LSAC found that, after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, there was a significant positive association between attendance at preschool programs and Year 3 NAPLAN results (Warren & Haisken-DeNew 2013). The 2011 cycles of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that Year 4 students who had attended at least 1 year of pre-school had higher achievement than those who attended less than 1 year of pre-school (for reading achievement) or did not attend at all (for mathematics and science achievement) (Thomson et al. 2012).

Although beneficial for all children, preschool programs can help reduce the educational gap between children from vulnerable families and more affluent families (Melhuish 2012).

Box 1: Definitions of child care and preschool
Child care
Child care can be formal or informal:

Formal child care is regulated care away from the child's home. The main types included in the CEaCS survey are long day care, before and/or after school care, family day care and occasional care (ABS 2018a). Before 2005, preschool was also considered a type of formal care (AIHW 2019).

Informal paid or unpaid care is non-regulated care arranged by a child's parent or guardian, in the child's home or elsewhere. It includes care by grandparents, (step) brothers and sisters or other relatives (including a parent living elsewhere) and other people such as friends, neighbours, nannies or babysitters and other organisations (for example, crèche at gyms and health centres) (ABS 2018a).

Preschool
Preschool services deliver a preschool program. Preschool programs:

are structured, play-based learning program, delivered by a qualified teacher, aimed at children in the year or 2 before they start full-time schooling (SCRGSP 2019).

can be delivered within a long day care centre, or in a stand-alone facility.

The range of service types offered differs across states and territories and between service providers.

The age of entry to preschools varies slightly across jurisdictions but is generally around 4 years (Table 1).

Source: SCRGSP 2019.

In Australia, preschool attendance is not compulsory. However, in recognition of its benefits, the Australian Government and state and territory governments have, since 2008, committed to increase participation in high-quality education and care under a series of agreements on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education and Care in the year before full-time school (Department of Education 2019).

While the benefits of attending preschool in the year before full-time school are widely accepted, it has been suggested that attending high-quality preschool programs for longer may be even more beneficial (Warren et al. 2018). Australia does not currently have a national approach to this but some states and territories are introducing subsidised preschool programs for all 3 year olds.

Closing the gap in preschool enrolments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children was a key priority of the Closing the Gap framework established by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2008 (PM&C 2019). In 2017, the target to have 95% of Indigenous children aged 4 enrolled in early childhood education (by 2025) was on track (PM&C 2019) (See also 'Are preschool enrolment rates the same for everyone?').

Box 2: Data sources for early childhood education

Child care data are sourced from the ABS Childhood Education and Care Survey (CEaCS) which has been conducted every 3 years since 1969 (until 2005 it was known as the Child Care Survey). The latest data are for 2017. The survey also covers early childhood education, and learning activities for children aged under 13.

Preschool data are sourced from the SCRGSP's (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision) Report on government services. The SCRGSP's report uses ABS Preschool Education Australia, which is compiled from administrative data in the National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection. The collection includes data about services and children (enrolment and attendance). Data on child care workers were included in some previous cycles of the collection. They were sought for 2018 but were sometimes incomplete or not yet available.

Data on the quality of ECEC services are sourced from the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority's (ACECQA) National Quality Framework (NQF) snapshots.

How many children aged 0-4 usually attend child care?

In 2017, around 3 in 5 children aged 0-4 (59% or 925,900 children) usually attended some form of child care:

30% (less than 1 in 3) for infants under the age of 1

62% (2 in 3) for 1 year olds

72% (almost 3 in 4) for 2 year olds (ABS 2018a).

Of the informal care types, grandparents were the most frequently used source across all ages 0-4. While almost 1 in 5 (20%) infants under the age of 1 were usually in the informal care of grandparents, this increased to 1 in 3 (33%) children aged 1, and around 30% of 2 year olds (ABS 2018a). The increase in the proportion of 4 year olds who did not usually attend care is likely due to the use of preschool at this age. Preschool is not included as formal care (Box 1).

Figure 1: Use of child care by age, 2017

Chart: AIHW. Source: ABS 2018a.

Has the use of child care changed over time?

Between June 1999 and June 2017 there was little change in the proportion of children aged 0-4 attending some form of child care in the week before the survey:

55% in June 2011 and June 2014

60% in June 2005.

However, while informal care halved between 1999 and 2017 (32% to 15%), formal care increased by around 70% (16% in 1999 to 27% in 2017). Children who attended a mix of formal and informal care showed a small increase (11% in 1999 to 14% in 2017) (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Children aged 0-4 who attended formal and/or informal care in the previous week, 1999-2017

Chart: AIHW. Source: ABS 2018a.

How many children are enrolled in preschool?

In 2017, nearly 296,000 (90%) of eligible children were enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full-time school (YBFS) (SCGRSP 2019):

80% (236,000) were age 4

19% (56,000) were age 5

1.2% (3,500) were age 3

more were boys (over 155,000 boys compared to around140,000 girls) (ABS 2018b).

96% were enrolled for 15 hours per week or more (SCGRSP 2019).

Due to data availability, this section focuses on 2016 and 2017; however, some data on preschool enrolment in 2018 are included (Box 3).

Box 3: Preschool enrolment in 2018

In 2018, nearly 297,000 children were enrolled in a preschool program in the YBFS (ABS 2019), an increase from nearly 296,000 in 2017 and around 288,000 in 2016 (SCRGSP 2019).

As population estimates for the single year cohort for the population that will transition to full-time schooling in the following year was not available, the proportion of children enrolled in the state-specific YBFS cannot currently be calculated. For more information, see Technical notes below.

Have preschool enrolment rates changed over time?

While the number of children enrolled in a preschool program in the YBFS increased between 2016 and 2017 (from around 288,00 to around 296,000) the proportion decreased from 92% to 90% (SCGRSP 2019).

Are preschool enrolment rates the same for everyone?

In 2017, the proportions of children enrolled in a preschool program aged in the YFBS from priority group populations compared with the representation of these priority groups aged 4-5 in the community (that is the Australian child population) were as follows:

In Inner and outer regional areas, the proportion was a little higher (27%) than the representation in the community (26%) (Figure 3).

For children living in Remote and very remote areas, the proportion was almost the same (2.3%) as the representation in the community (2.4%).

For children in the lowest socioeconomic areas (the most disadvantaged), the proportion was a little lower (17%) than the representation in the community (19%).

Figure 3: Proportion of children enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full-time school by priority population groups, compared with children aged 4-5 in the community, 2017

Chart: AIHW. Source: SCRGSP 2019.

Closing the Gap target for preschool enrolment

The COAG Closing the Gap target to have 95% of Indigenous 4 year olds enrolled in early childhood education (by 2025) was on track for 2017 (PM&C 2019). Progress against this target is measured by the proportion of children enrolled in early childhood education in the year before they start full-time school (PM&C 2019).

In 2017, the proportion of Indigenous children enrolled in a preschool program in the YBFS was higher than non-Indigenous children (95% or 15,700 Indigenous children compared with 90%) or 280,000 non-Indigenous children) (SCRGSP 2018).

The proportion of Indigenous children enrolled in a preschool program in the YBFS increased between 2016 (91%) and 2017 (95%). In comparison, the proportion for non-Indigenous children declined slightly (92% to 90%) (PM&C 2019).

How many early childhood education services have a quality rating?

The NQF provides a national approach to regulation, assessment and quality improvement for ECEC and outside school hours care services. Services approved and regulated under the NQF, include child care services (long day care, family day care, and outside school hours' care) and preschool services.

The National Quality Standard comprises 7 quality areas:

educational program and practice

children's health and safety

physical environment

staffing arrangements

relationships with children

collaborative partnerships with families and communities

governance and leadership.

As at 31 March 2019, there were 15,902 ECEC services were NQF approved, of which 94% (14,897) had received a quality rating. Around:

47% (7,049) met the NQS

31% (4,670) exceeded it

0.3% (47 services) received a rating of excellent (ACECQA 2019).

Data limitations and development opportunities

Under the National Partnership on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education, the Australian Government has provided funding to support further data and analytical work to build the domestic evidence base, especially to:

identify the children not enrolled or have low attendance

better understand the factors contributing to low participation (Department of Education 2019).

Where do I find more information?

For more information on:

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Australia's children, Early childhood education and care - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

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25/02/22 - In the Data section, updated data related to early childhood education and care are presented in Data tables: Australia's children 2022 - Education. The web report text was last updated in December 2019. In 2017, around 3 in 5 children aged 0-4 (925,900 children) usually attended some form of child care.

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Choosing and getting ready for a children's education and care service can be an exciting time for you and your child. So, the earlier you start preparing, the better and our Find Child Care tool is here to help..

Choosing the right service for your child and family

It's a good idea to start thinking about your options early, including the days and hours you might need.

There are various types of early childhood education and care services and most are regulated under the National Quality Framework (NQF) including:

Family day care

Long day care

Kindergarten/preschool

Outside school hours care

Other services like occasional care, In Hojme Care, crèches, mobile services and some school holiday care programs are not regulated under the NQF. They may be regulated under other state legislation.Our factsheet on service types provides more information.

Many services have waiting lists so it could be a good idea to join a few.

Understanding service quality under the National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard (NQS)

Approved services across Australia are required to meet high national standards to ensure your child is safe and is given opportunities for learning and development on a regular basis. These services are given National Quality Standard (NQS) quality ratings to help families choose the best service for their child and family.

Services are rated against seven NQS quality areas:

1. Educational program and practice

2. Children's health and safety

3. Physical environment

4. Staffing arrangements

5. Relationships with children

6. Collaborative Partnerships with families and communities

7. Governance and Leadership

Services are given a rating for each of the seven NQS quality areas and an overall rating based on these results.

Services may be rated

Significant Improvement Required

Working Towards NQS

Meeting NQS

Exceeding NQS

Excellent

Services rated Exceeding NQS in all seven quality areas may choose to apply to ACECQA for the Excellent rating. The Excellent rating is the highest rating achievable under the NQF.

Finding a quality children's education and care service

You can use Find Child Care to search for children's education and care services and their NQS quality ratings.

Research shows quality early education and care leads to better health, education and employment outcomes later in life. So, it's really important to support your child with quality experiences for their growth and development.

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Choosing a children's education and care service

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Choosing and getting ready for a children's education and care service can be an exciting time for you and your child. So, the earlier you start preparing, the better and our Find Child Care tool is here to help.. It's a good idea to start thinking about your options early, including the days and hours you might need.

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This relates to the educational programs a service delivers. Educational programs should align with the Early Years Learning Framework or the Framework for School Aged Care and should be play-based and age appropriate. An example of how a service might show it is meeting the standard in this quality area is by demonstrating that children are encouraged to express ideas and participate in decisions about the program.
2. Children's health and safety
Services must ensure that children are safe at all times and must prioritise the health and wellbeing of children attending the service. This includes through healthy eating, proper management of medication, infectious disease control, safe environments, proper supervision and up-to-date policies and procedures. An example of what an officer might look for when assessing this quality area is ensuring sleep and rest policies are regularly reviewed, followed and updated to ensure practices are in line with best practice principles and guidelines.
3. Physical environment
The physical environment at a service should be both safe and designed to stimulate learning. Indoor and outdoor environments should encourage children to learn through enquiry and play. When assessing this quality area officers will check that rooms and play spaces are safe and in good condition.
4. Staffing arrangements
Services must comply with the National Law and Regulations and ensure that there are suitably qualified and experienced educators, coordinators and staff members. They also must meet educator to child ratios at all times.
5. Relationships with children
Staff at a service should have positive relationships with children that are supportive and encouraging. Staff should also support positive interactions between children. A service that is doing well in this area will be able to demonstrate that children are encouraged to collaborate, learn and help each other through intentionally designed group experiences and games.
6. Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
Education and care services should involve families and communities in their planning and day to day operations. In a service that is meeting the standard in this quality area educators regularly inform parents and carers about their child's learning and development and use their feedback to improve the service's operations.
7. Governance and leadership
Good leadership and sound governance contribute to the overall quality of the service. Accurate record keeping and ongoing review of policies and procedures ensure that children are healthy and safe. To demonstrate how they are meeting this quality area a service might show a Quality Improvement Plan or Self-Assessment process that is used to set goals and strategies for quality improvement within the service.

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This relates to the educational programs a service delivers. Educational programs should align with the Early Years Learning Framework or the Framework for School Aged Care and should be play-based and age appropriate. An example of how a service might show it is meeting the standard in this quality area is by demonstrating that children are encouraged to express ideas and participate in decisions about the program.

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Australian Capital Territory: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as preschools or early learning centres

are for children who turn 4 years old by 1 May in the year before starting school

are mostly government owned and run

operate close to or on school sites, or next to child care centres

have no fees, but usually have a voluntary contribution levy.

For more information, visit ACT Department of Education - Enrolling in preschool.

New South Wales: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as preschools

are for children who turn 4 years old before 1 August in the year before starting school

mostly operate as stand-alone services like community preschools, or as preschool programs in long day care or early learning centres

might be offered as school-based programs attached to government-run primary schools

usually charge fees, which are set by providers

sometimes offer flexible hours for working parents.

For more information, visit NSW Department of Education - Starting preschool.

Northern Territory: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as preschools

are normally for children who turn 4 years old in the year before starting school, although there are exceptions for children who live in very remote areas

are mostly attached to schools

are mostly government owned and run

have no fees

sometimes offer flexible hours for working parents

might offer bus services in some areas.

For more information, visit NT Government - About child care services.

Queensland: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as kindergartens

are for children who turn 4 years old by 30 June in the year before starting school

operate as either stand-alone services, or in long day care centres run by community organisations or non-government schools

mostly operate close to, or on, school sites

have fees, which are set by providers

offer some remote and distance education services.

For more information, visit Queensland Government - About approved kindergarten programs.

South Australia: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as preschools, kindergartens, early learning centres or centres for early childhood development and parenting

are for children who turn 4 before 1 May in the year before starting school

are mostly government owned and run but can be run by community or private organisations

can be stand-alone services or located in schools or alongside other early learning services

have no fees when they are government owned, but some ask for a voluntary contribution levy

offer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children access from 3 years of age.

For more information, visit SA Government - Preschool and kindergarten services.

Tasmania: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as kindergartens

are for children who turn 4 years old before or on 1 January in the year before starting school

are mostly government owned and run

have no fees

are located in schools and linked to the school system.

For more information, visit Tasmanian Department of Education - Kindergarten.

Victoria: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as preschools, kindergartens or preschool programs in long day care centres

are for children who turn 4 years old before or on 30 April in the year before starting school

are available in some areas to 3-year-olds - to see whether this is available in your area, visit Victorian Department of Education and Training - Three-year-old kindergarten

are mostly run as stand-alone centres

have fees

are often managed by parent committees

are offered as mobile services in remote areas.

For more information on preschools in Victoria, visit Victorian Department of Education and Training - Child care and kindergarten.

Western Australia: preschool services

Preschools:

are known as kindergartens

are for children who turn 4 years old before or on 30 June in the year before starting school

are mostly government owned and run

operate within schools and in the community

offer bus services

have no fees.

You'll need to provide evidence of your child's immunisation status for preschool enrolment. You can read more about this in our article on immunisation in childhood.

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Preschools: are known as preschools or early learning centres are for children who turn 4 years old by 1 May in the year before starting school are mostly government owned and run operate close to or on school sites, or next to child care centres have no fees, but usually have a voluntary contribution levy.

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Before children start preschool

Your child is probably feeling excited as well as a bit nervous about starting preschool. If you start getting your child ready in the weeks and months before the first day, it can help with any mixed feelings. Here are some tips.

Visit the preschool
Many preschools offer orientation visits. During these visits, children can see and experience what they'll do at preschool, who they'll meet, and what happens during the preschool day.

With permission, you could take some photos of the preschool to show your child before they start. Some preschools have a preparation or orientation book that you can take home with you.

Talk about preschool
You can talk about the things your child will do at preschool. For example, 'Stella, do you remember we saw blocks at preschool? You can build with them like you do at home'. You could look at photos of the preschool together and talk about some of the things that are different from home, like the toilets and playground.

If your child doesn't seem interested when you talk about preschool, don't push the conversation.

Keeping things low key can be a good idea too. If you say things like 'Isn't it exciting that you're starting preschool?', your child might start to feel more anxious because it sounds like a big deal.

Read books about preschool
Here are some good books for children about starting preschool:

First day by Margaret Wild

I love you all day long by Francesca Rusackas

Maisy goes to preschool by Lucy Cousins

Tom goes to kindergarten by Margaret Wild

What to expect at preschool by Heidi Murkoff

Victoria Bubbles and the great preschool adventure by Lizzie Dingle.

Visit the local library
Visiting the local library for story times can help your child get used to listening to books as part of a group.

When children start preschool

Here are some tips and strategies to help you and your child in the early days and weeks of starting preschool.

Start gradually
Many preschools invite parents to stay for a while during the day in the early days. Speak with the preschool teacher and work out a plan that works for you, your child and the preschool.

It's a good idea to tell your child how long you're staying, so they don't get a surprise when you leave.

Have a routine for preschool mornings
Routines can help your child feel safe and secure, particularly when new things are happening. You could set up a routine for preschool mornings - for example, get up, have breakfast, clean teeth, get dressed, put on sunscreen, pack lunchbox and go. You could even make a chart with pictures showing the different steps in your routine.

Have a goodbye routine
Say goodbye to your child so that they know you're going, and tell them that you'll pick them up at the end of the day. You could choose a special place to say goodbye, or an activity to do before you go. For example, 'If you wave to me from that window, I'll be able to see you', or 'Which book will we read before I go?'

Make sure your child is paying attention when you say goodbye, then say goodbye once and leave. A lot of goodbyes can be stressful for both you and your child.

Communicate with the preschool teachers
Children get confidence from seeing warm, positive and friendly interactions between important people in their lives, like their parents and teachers.

Good communication with your child's teacher also helps you share relevant information so the teacher knows how best to respond to your child. For example, you might let the teacher know about things like grandparents visiting from overseas, your child's favourite songs or books, or simple words in the language your family speaks at home.

Celebrate your child's achievements
Joining a new group, meeting new people, being in a new environment and learning new ways of doing things are big achievements for your child. You can build your child's confidence by celebrating them.

For example, praise your child when they meet new people or try something new. Or you could encourage your child to call a family member to share what they've achieved at preschool.

Have back-up collection plans
Many preschool sessions finish at a specific time. If you tell your child you'll be there at a specific time, it's important that you're there. It's a good idea to have a back-up plan, so that if you're delayed or there's a problem, someone you and your child know and trust can be there to pick them up.

If the person who normally picks up your child from preschool can't make it, make sure the preschool teachers know who's coming instead. The teachers will let your child know and ensure your child's safety.

When children are worried about preschool

Starting preschool can be exciting for your child. But anxiety and tiredness are common too - there's so much for your child to get used to. You might notice that your child isn't eating as much, or wants to sleep more. Your child might even seem less happy than usual.

Your child might be worried about finding friends, knowing what to do or being separated from family. Your child might get upset when you leave.

Your child might also worry about what you'll be doing while they're at preschool. Will you be doing something special, and will your child be missing out?
Tips to handle worries about starting preschool

Let your child know what you'll be doing while they're at preschool. This can help reassure your child that they're not missing out, especially if you can save their favourite activities for when they're with you.

Talk with your child about preschool routines. Toby Forward's book The first day of school is a good discussion starter.

Ask the preschool teacher whether your child can bring something they love from home, like a teddy bear, pillow or blanket. If the preschool allows this, these objects can help your child feel safer. You can gradually phase them out as your child feels more settled.

Talk to the teacher if your child gets upset when you leave. Preschool teachers are experienced at helping children through separation and will have ideas to help you and your child.

Ask the teacher about what might be worrying your child. The teacher can tell you what happens during the preschool day. For example, your child might be worried about using the toilets, eating the food the preschool provides, or finding their things.

Talk with the teacher about strategies to handle specific worries. For example, if your child is worried about food, you might be able to pack some familiar food. If using the toilets seems to be the problem, the teacher can help your child get used to them. Labelling your child's things can help your child keep track of them.

It can take time for your child to get used to the routine of going to preschool. If you feel your child isn't settling in, and advice from the teacher isn't working, you could also try talking to your GP or your child and family health nurse.

When children don't want to go to preschool anymore

Sometimes children's excitement carries them through the first few days of preschool. But after a few days or weeks, you might notice that your child seems less keen to go.

In this situation you can keep reacting positively to what your child does at preschool. This can help to spark your child's enthusiasm again. For example, you might say 'I love that finger painting you did at preschool. It makes our fridge look so colourful!'

Getting to know other children and families can help your child build friendships that will help them settle into preschool over the longer term.

A predictable routine can also help your child realise that preschool is a regular part of their life now. But if your child still doesn't want to go to preschool, talk to the preschool teacher, your GP or your child and family health nurse.

The stepladder approach is a step-by-step way of helping with anxiety in children. It's based on the principle of 'graded exposure'. This means starting off small, tackling the little things before you face the really scary things.

Your feelings about your child starting preschool

Your child takes cues from you, so if you're worried about preschool, they'll pick up on this. But if you show your child that you think they can manage at preschool, they'll start to believe it too.

If you do have worries, it can help to talk with the preschool teachers. They can tell you how your child is going. It often helps to talk with other parents too.

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When children are starting preschool, excitement and worries are common. Orientation, a gradual start, routines and communication can ease the transition.