Your child can access a kindergarten program in:
- children’s centres
- long day care centres
- community kindergartens
- independent schools
- some government schools.
Starting kindergarten
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten is now available across Victoria. It is being introduced in stages, meaning children can access between 5 and 15 hours per week.
From 2023, Free Kinder is available across Victoria at participating services, saving families up to $2,500 per year, per child.
To check when your child will be eligible to start Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, you can use the starting age calculator.
Families with children born between January and April can choose which year to start Three-Year-Old Kindergarten. These children can start in the same year they turn three, or in the year they turn four years of age.
Finishing later
Sometimes your child might need a second year of kindergarten if they have a developmental delay.
You need to seek an exemption from school if your child turns 6 before, or while they're at, funded kindergarten.
Benefits of kindergarten
Kindergarten is an important step for young children. We strongly recommended all children go to kindergarten.
Research has shown that:
- early education helps set children up for a bright future
- attending 2 years of quality kindergarten has even greater benefits
- at kindergarten children learn skills that they'll take with them throughout their life.
Kindergarten improves children’s health and wellbeing, helps them to develop strong social skills and encourages a love of learning.
Children who go to kindergarten are more independent and confident and are more likely to make a smooth move to primary school.
What your child learns
Kindergarten programs are delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher. They're designed to improve your child’s development in:
- social skills, like how to play with other children in a calm, sharing and rewarding way
- self-awareness and respect for others
- emotional skills, for example understanding their feelings
- language, literacy and numeracy skills, such as reading stories and counting objects
- joy of learning and group activities, such as talking, drawing and making things together with other children their own age
- ability to make new friends
- exposure to new ideas and concepts.
Kindergarten also gives families:
- opportunities to meet other families and make community connections
- access to support for children with special needs
- access to other community services.
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