
The Victorian Government is making it easier for families to find funded and approved kindergarten programs. For kinder you can count on, just look for the Kinder Tick.
About the Kinder Tick
The Kinder Tick helps Victorian families find a funded kindergarten program for their children.
When you see the Kinder Tick, you can be confident:
- the program will be led by a qualified teacher
- children will benefit from play-based learning
- the kindergarten program is funded and approved by the Victorian Government
- the program complies with government guidelines and the National Quality Framework.
This is the same in both long day care and sessional or “standalone” kindergarten services.
No matter where your child attends a kindergarten program, they’ll be learning through play with an early childhood teacher. Research shows that play-based learning is the best way to help young children learn, develop well and prepare to thrive at school.
Kinder Tick is not a rating system
All kindergarten programs in Victoria are independently assessed and rated under the National Quality Framework, which is a separate process. You can find descriptions of every service’s National Quality Framework rating on .
Learn more about how to choose a quality service.
Plain English
Download a plain English fact sheet about Kinder Tick:
Kinder Tick - plain English
Kinder Tick - plain English
Finding a Victorian Government approved kinder program for your child
Where to look for the Kinder Tick
You can look for the Kinder Tick logo at your local early childhood education and care service, on the service or centre’s building or grounds, on their website or in their information materials.
Find kindergarten services in your .
The Kinder Tick is not linked with Free Kinder. All services running an approved program are eligible to display the tick.
Kinder is a program, not a place
Kindergarten programs are delivered in both long day care and standalone services.
You can choose what works best for your family and child – the kindergarten programs are the same. All funded kindergarten programs in Victoria are led by a qualified early childhood teacher and offer a play-based learning program based on the same government guidelines.
Long day care centre
A long day care centre offers a full day of education and care to children from birth to school age, and many offer a funded kindergarten program as part of their service. The teacher-led kindergarten program may be integrated with additional hours of education and care.
Kindergarten programs delivered in a long day care setting provide flexibility for parents and carers by offering childcare before and after the kindergarten program.
Standalone kindergarten
A standalone kindergarten offers up to 15 hours of a funded kindergarten program to eligible three and four-year-old children.
Availability in both service types
In both service types, the funded kindergarten program may be available on certain days and session times. These days and session times are set by the service.
Deciding where to send your child will depend on which services are available in your community, and your family’s needs.
Enrolling your child at a funded kindergarten program
You can talk to your local kindergarten service about their enrolment process and timelines.
Your local area may also operate a central enrolment process for some or all services. To find out more, contact your local council.
Kinder programs
In 2022, two years of funded kindergarten programs will be available across Victoria. This means families can access government-subsidised play-based learning programs from when their child turns three years old. Victoria is the only state or territory in the nation to introduce this state-wide reform.
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, delivered in the year before a child goes to school, is 15 hours a week of play-based learning that is available to families.
Funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten is rolling out in stages and will be available for the first time state-wide from next year.
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Why kinder programs are important
Research shows that play-based learning is a powerful way to support children’s development. These benefits last into the school years and beyond.
The evidence also shows that two years are better than one when it comes to early learning.
A quality kindergarten program will have more of an impact for children who start at age three than those who start at four.
Learning programs led by teachers are even more important for children who are in vulnerable circumstances.
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Young children learn about the world through play. It gives children the opportunity to use their imagination and practise important skills. It also helps their social and emotional development, and wellbeing.
In a kindergarten program, children use play to build their language skills and learn about numbers and patterns. They also learn how to get along with others, share, listen, and manage their emotions. Teachers and educators help children become curious, creative and confident about learning.
Kindergarten programs are designed to meet the needs of their local families. All kindergarten programs work with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. This makes sure the programs are appropriate for children's ages, needs and interests.
Translated information about the Kinder Tick
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Albanian
Kinder Tick - Albanian - online version
Kinder Tick-AlbanianKinder Tick-AlbanianAmharic
Kinder Tick - Amharic - online version
Kinder Tick-AmharicKinder Tick-AmharicArabic
Kinder Tick - Arabic - online version
Kinder Tick-ArabicKinder Tick-ArabicAssyrian
Kinder Tick - Assyrian - online version
Kinder Tick-AssyrianKinder Tick-AssyrianBengali
Kinder Tick - Bengali - online version
Kinder Tick-BengaliKinder Tick-BengaliBulgarian
Kinder Tick - Bulgarian - online version
Kinder Tick-BulgarianKinder Tick-BulgarianBurmese
Kinder Tick - Burmese - online version
Kinder Tick-BurmeseKinder Tick-BurmeseChinese simplified
Kinder Tick - Chinese simplified - online version
Kinder Tick-Chinese simplifiedKinder Tick-Chinese simplifiedChinese traditional
Kinder Tick - Chinese traditional - online version
Kinder Tick-Chinese traditionalKinder Tick-Chinese traditionalCroatian
Kinder Tick - Croatian - online version
Kinder Tick-CroatianKinder Tick-CroatianDari
Kinder Tick - Dari - online version
Kinder Tick-DariKinder Tick-DariDinka
Kinder Tick - Dinka - online version
Kinder Tick-DinkaKinder Tick-DinkaDzongkha
Kinder Tick - Dzongkha - online version
Kinder Tick-DzongkhaKinder Tick-DzongkhaFarsi
Kinder Tick - Farsi - online version
Kinder Tick-FarsiKinder Tick-FarsiFijian
Kinder Tick - Fijian - online version
Kinder Tick-FijianKinder Tick-FijianFrench
Kinder Tick - French - online version
Kinder Tick-FrenchKinder Tick-FrenchGujarati
Kinder Tick - Gujarati - online version
Kinder Tick-GujaratiKinder Tick-GujaratiHakha Chin
Kinder Tick - Hakha Chin - online version
Kinder Tick-Hakha ChinKinder Tick-Hakha ChinHazaragi
Kinder Tick - Hazaragi - online version
Kinder Tick-HazaragiKinder Tick-HazaragiHebrew
Kinder Tick - Hebrew - online version
Kinder Tick-HebrewKinder Tick-HebrewHindi
Kinder Tick - Hindi - online version
Kinder Tick-HindiKinder Tick-HindiHmong
Kinder Tick - Hmong - online version
Kinder Tick-HmongKinder Tick-HmongIndonesian
Kinder Tick - Indonesian - online version
Kinder Tick-IndonesianKinder Tick-IndonesianItalian
Kinder Tick - Italian - online version
Kinder Tick-ItalianKinder Tick-ItalianJapanese
Kinder Tick - Japanese - online version
Kinder Tick-JapaneseKinder Tick-JapaneseKaren
Kinder Tick - Karen - online version
Kinder Tick-KarenKinder Tick-KarenKorean
Kinder Tick - Korean - online version
Kinder Tick-KoreanKinder Tick-KoreanKurdish
Kinder Tick - Kurdish - online version
Kinder Tick-KurdishKinder Tick-Kurdish -
Lao
Kinder Tick - Lao - online version
Kinder Tick-LaoKinder Tick-LaoMacedonian
Kinder Tick - Macedonian - online version
Kinder Tick-MacedonianKinder Tick-MacedonianMalay
Kinder Tick - Malay - online version
Kinder Tick-MalayKinder Tick-MalayNepali
Kinder Tick - Nepali - online version
Kinder Tick-NepaliKinder Tick-NepaliOromo
Kinder Tick - Oromo - online version
Kinder Tick-OromoKinder Tick-OromoPashto
Kinder Tick - Pashto - online version
Kinder Tick-PashtoKinder Tick-PashtoPunjabi
Kinder Tick - Punjabi - online version
Kinder Tick-PunjabiKinder Tick-PunjabiRomanian
Kinder Tick - Romanian - online version
Kinder Tick-RomanianKinder Tick-RomanianRussian
Kinder Tick - Russian - online version
Kinder Tick-RussianKinder Tick-RussianSamoan
Kinder Tick - Samoan - online version
Kinder Tick-SamoanKinder Tick-SamoanSinhalese
Kinder Tick - Sinhalese - online version
Kinder Tick-SinhaleseKinder Tick - SinhaleseSomali
Kinder Tick - Somali - online version
Kinder Tick-SomaliKinder Tick-SomaliSpanish
Kinder Tick - Spanish - online version
Kinder Tick-SpanishKinder Tick-SpanishSwahili
Kinder Tick - Swahili - online version
Kinder Tick-SwahiliKinder Tick-SwahiliTagalog
Kinder Tick - Tagalog - online version
Kinder Tick-TagalogKinder Tick-TagalogTamil
Kinder Tick - Tamil - online version
Kinder Tick-TamilKinder Tick-TamilTelugu
Kinder Tick - Telugu - online version
Kinder Tick-TeluguKinder Tick-TeluguThai
Kinder Tick - Thai - online version
Kinder Tick-ThaiKinder Tick-ThaiTibetan
Kinder Tick - Tibetan - online version
Kinder Tick-TibetanKinder Tick-TibetanTigrinya
Kinder Tick - Tigrinya - online version
Kinder Tick-TigrinyaKinder Tick-TigrinyaTongan
Kinder Tick - Tongan - online version
Kinder Tick-TonganKinder Tick-TonganTurkish
Kinder Tick - Turkish - online version
Kinder Tick-TurkishKinder Tick-TurkishUkrainian
Kinder Tick - Ukrainian - online version
Kinder Tick-UkrainianKinder Tick-UkrainianUrdu
Kinder Tick - Urdu - online version
Kinder Tick-UrduKinder Tick-UrduVietnamese
Kinder Tick - Vietnamese - online version
Kinder Tick-VietnameseKinder Tick-Vietnamese
About government funding
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To be able to show the Kinder Tick, services must be receiving Victorian Government funding.
This means service providers must:
- provide a kindergarten program that is planned and delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher
- offer at least 15 hours per week for 40 weeks of the year for four-year-old kindergarten; and from 2022 offer up to 15 hours per week for 40 weeks of the year for three-year-old kindergarten
- deliver a program in line with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework as an approved learning framework under the National Quality Framework
- comply with the Victorian Department of Education's standards and guidelines
The amount in kindergarten fees that each family pays can vary based on your location, the type of early childhood education service and existing government subsidies.
It’s best to speak to your service directly about your fees, including any subsidies your family may be eligible for.
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The amount in kindergarten fees that each family pays can vary based on your location, the type of early childhood education service and existing government subsidies. It’s best to speak to your service directly about your fees, including any subsidies your family may be eligible for.
Reviewed 24 May 2023