If your child is turning three, you have probably heard friends talk about kinder and wondered whether it is really for children this young. In Victoria it is: funded 3 year old kinder is now part of the early years for families right across the state. Here is a plain-English guide to how it works, what Free Kinder means and where to find the official details.
What is funded 3 year old kinder?
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten is a play-based learning program for children in the year before four year old kinder. It is part of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms, which are giving children two years of funded kinder before they start school.
A kinder program is planned and led by a qualified early childhood teacher. At three, that looks a lot like play, and that is the point. Children build friendships, practise taking turns, stretch their language, explore ideas and grow in confidence, all through experiences designed with their age in mind.
Weekly hours for three year old kinder are being increased in stages, with the government aiming for 15 hours a week across Victoria by 2029. The hours on offer can vary between services, so it is worth asking any service you are considering what its program looks like.
Free Kinder and how it works in long day care
Free Kinder is a Victorian Government initiative for three and four year olds at participating services. It is open to all families, and you don’t need to be a permanent resident or Australian citizen to access it.
Kinder can be offered in two main settings: a standalone (sessional) kinder, or within a long day care centre. In participating long day care centres, Free Kinder is paid to the service and passed on to families as a reduction in fees, so you don’t need to claim anything yourself. Because long day care covers the whole day, most families still pay some fees, depending on the days your child attends and your Child Care Subsidy entitlement.
One rule to know: a child can only receive funded kinder and Free Kinder at one service at a time. Your service will ask you to complete a short form confirming this.
What about Pre-Prep?
You may also have heard about Pre-Prep. This is the new name for four year old kinder as it gradually grows to up to 30 hours a week. Pre-Prep is rolling out in stages, starting with regional areas and some priority groups of children, with metropolitan Melbourne joining later on. It applies to the year before school rather than to three year old kinder, so for now your focus can simply be on this first year.
Tips for getting started
- Check the official details. Rules, hours and eligibility can change, so the Victorian Government’s kinder pages on vic.gov.au are the best place for up-to-date information.
- Ask about age. Generally, children start three year old kinder in the year they turn three by 30 April, but check with your service if your child’s birthday is close to that date.
- Ask how kinder fits into the day. In long day care, find out when the kinder program runs and who teaches it.
- Ask about Early Start Kindergarten if it applies to you. Some children are eligible for extra support, and enrolling through that program gives priority access.
- Visit before you decide. Seeing the room and meeting the educators tells you more than any brochure.
Funded kinder at Nest
At Nest, we deliver government-funded three and four year old kinder within long day care, all 52 weeks of the year. For three year olds, that happens in our Pre-Kindergarten room, with the program led by a bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher. It is Reggio Emilia-inspired and follows the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, so your child’s interests shape much of what they explore.
Because we are open from 6:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday, kinder sits inside a full day of care, with meals from our on-site chef included. You can read more about our kindergarten program and how fees and the Child Care Subsidy work.
If your child is turning three and you live in or around Keysborough, we would love to show you our Pre-Kindergarten room. Book a tour or call our team on 03 9969 7057 and we will happily talk you through how funded kinder works at Nest.
