Four year old kindergarten / Pre-Prep

Integrated kindergarten

Delivered by qualified teachers, integrated kindergarten takes place within long day care and is available at all of our centres. The program prepares children for success at school and beyond through a play-based curriculum. Children attend for the full day, with the daily child care fee covering everything they need including the kinder program, nutritious meals and snacks.

Sessional kindergarten

This program runs on set days and times during the school term. It offers the same educational benefits as our integrated kindergarten program, just without the long day care element. Children must supply their own lunch and meet the minimum number of contact hours per week with their kindergarten teacher. It is currently available at our Derrimut and Mernda early learning centres.

Pre-Prep

As part of the Victorian Government's 'Best Start, Best Life' reform, four-year-old kindergarten is gradually transitioning to Pre-Prep, which offers the same benefits as kindergarten but with increased hours.

From 2026, we're offering 22-22.5 hours of Pre-Prep to eligible four to five year old children who:

• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• Are from a refugee or asylum seeker background
• Have had contact with Child Protection Services
• Were supported by Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning in their three-year-old kindergarten year

This gives children greater opportunities to socialise and learn through play.

Use our Pre-Prep calculator to check your child's eligibility and apply.

Our four and five-year-old preschool and kindergarten rooms are designed to prepare your child for the exciting transition to school.

These rooms are led by bachelor-qualified early childhood teachers, who focus on giving children the tools and skills they need to succeed in life.

Children can explore and discover a variety of age-appropriate toys, resources and programs, helping them to step into their future feeling capable and inspired.

Our rooms open out to beautiful outdoor spaces that children can enjoy all year round. Some centres offer dedicated outdoor areas for kindergarten or other age groups, along with family rooms where children of all ages can gather at the start and end of each day.

When you arrive, an educator will welcome your child. We start the day with a yarning circle, which is a traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practice used to teach and learn in a respectful, collaborative and inclusive environment. Children sit together to speak and listen from the heart and give an Acknowledgement to Country.

We provide all food, including morning tea at 9:30am, lunch at 12:00pm and an afternoon snack around 3:00pm.

Throughout the day, children take part in a mix of small group sessions and sometimes a large group activity like music time or storytelling.

With guidance from our educators, they can explore indoor and outdoor learning areas, expanding their maths skills, creativity or language development. We encourage children to be independent and SunSmart by collecting their own hat or sunscreen for outdoor play.

At pick-up, an educator will share feedback on your child’s day, including key learnings and achievements.

Starting kindergarten can feel like a big step. This is why we offer an orientation period, to reduce any feelings of stress and ensure a better transition. Through short visits, your child can explore our rooms, meet our educators and other children, and try our programs.

Parents and guardians are required to stay on-site during these visits. Our educators will chat with you about your child's interests, learning styles and goals, and any additional support they need so that we can tailor our program to suit them. Think of us as your parenting partner!

When your child first starts kindergarten, they may feel tired at the end of the day or week. However, in our experience, children adapt quickly. With the right support and as they get used to a consistent routine, children end up thriving in our environment!

Once your child in enrolled, we'll also provide you with regular feedback on your child's progress so you can be sure that they're growing, learning and thriving at the Y.