Dear early childhood education professionals
Next Thursday 11 June marks UN International Day of Play(opens in a new window). This year’s theme is ‘Protect play, protect childhood’. It is a reminder that play is integral to happy and healthy childhoods.
To mark the occasion, the department will host a free event, A Day of Play: Shaping Their Start in Victoria, at the State Library next Wednesday 10 June. Children and families are invited to join in interactive play experiences and discover how play helps shape the start of a child’s life.
Through play, children engage with the people, places and objects around them. It builds creativity, resilience and social skills. It also helps develop positive attitudes to learning. It fosters persistence, curiosity and imagination. As outlined in the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework(opens in a new window), play-based learning is central to developing children's cognitive skills and wellbeing.
In Victoria, our reforms are having an impact. Thanks to the commitment and dedication of the sector, we are helping more children get the best start to their learning. Children are accessing more hours of kindergarten in the 2 years before school. This is reflected in our participation rates. In 2025, Three-Year-Old Kinder enrolments grew to 73,300 children, with participation rising to 92.2 per cent. This is up from 90.1 per cent the year before. Services also delivered an average 14.4 hours per week (up from an average 13.8 hours per week in 2024).
More than 79,000 children were enrolled in Four-Year-Old Kinder, and significantly, we had 4,240 First Nations children enrolled in kindergarten in 2025. This is the highest number ever, and a 14 per cent increase on 2024. Last month’s state budget reaffirms the Victorian Government’s commitment to this important work.
This success is a credit to all the professionals in the sector. Children are gaining significant learning and developmental benefits from this increased participation.
In this edition, we share the latest updates on 2026 kindergarten attendance data collection. Collecting this data provides valuable insights into how we can best support attendance. This helps Victorian children get the full benefits of an early childhood education.
Also in this edition, you can learn how to strengthen culturally safe and inclusive practice for First Nations families at your service through a series of professional development opportunities. First Nations community and departmental stakeholders designed the online learning modules which provide practical guidance and activities.
Children’s Week 2026 runs from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November. Applications are open for grants towards the cost of an event or activity. Up to $700 is available for councils and up to $1,000 for eligible not-for-profit organisations across Victoria. For more information and details on how to apply, visit Children’s Week 2026 Grants program(opens in a new window).
With the long weekend approaching, I hope you’re able to take some time to rest and rejuvenate. I wish you all the best for the month ahead.
Bronwen FitzGerald
Deputy Secretary
Early Childhood Education
Updated