4 YEAR OLD KINDER IS FREE!! Families have access to 15 hours of free kinder!!
We are so excited that you are considering joining us for 4 year old Kindergarten! It’s going to be a really exciting & fun year for you and we look forward to being there with you on your journey through kindergarten, right up until your first day at primary school!
The following information will help you to prepare for what to expect during your 4 year old Kindergarten year. We look forward to working together with your family to reach the best outcomes for you on your journey through 4 year old Kindergarten.
Attending Kindergarten is an important step in your life. It will help you gain skills that you will build on throughout your life. At Kindergarten, you will grow socially and emotionally.
Your ability to think, use and recognise language and fine motor skills will be developed through play, art, dance, music, movement and interacting with others. Butterflies Kindergarten provides you with a range of learning experiences and activities that are both stimulating and fun. Your learning and curiosity will be encouraged through experiences and activities, such as exploring the natural world, being exposed to new ideas and solving problems.
You will be able to:
- Learn to work with others and make friends through group activities and cooperative play.
- Express your creativity, for example, through dance, movement and art.
- Build on your communication skills by listening to and having conversations with your educators and peers.
- Develop the skills that you need for reading, writing and mathematics.
The main benefits of long day care Kindergarten are: Children who take longer to settle in after drop off are still able to participate in the program due to having a longer day here. A longer day allows more relaxed transitions throughout the day. A long day prepares the children adequately for longer days at school. Kindergartens operating within childcare hours allow working families to continue working with no disruption to their working hours.
The Victorian Government provides TWO funding streams to Victorian Kindergartens who are opted in to the FREE KINDER initiative.
This supports children to access the kindergarten program in the year before they start school. The first funding stream (Kindergarten Funding) is paid to Butterflies, and is a contribution towards meeting the cost of the kindergarten program.
The second funding stream (Free Kinder Funding) is paid to Butterflies and passed on to families in the form of a $512.50 credit per term. Upon enrolment, you will be notified of the credit amount you will receive each term and the credit will be applied within the first two weeks of term. If children enroll part-way through a term the term credit owing is applied straight away.
FREE KINDER offsets do not affect your Child Care Subsidy (CCS) payments.
In 2025 your child will be attending our kindergarten program and will be counted as an eligible child when we submit our data as part of reporting requirements to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Your child can attend only one funded kindergarten program in a single year, and you can only receive the “Free Kinder” funding from one service. If your child will be attending another children’s service that offers a kindergarten program please draw this to the attention of the other service and inform them that we are claiming on your behalf.
Butterflies Kindergarten operates Monday to Friday between the hours of 6:30am to 6:30pm and your child can attend any hours between these times. We do recommend your child is here by 9.00am at the latest, to get the most out of the program.
KINDERGARTEN FAQ’s
Question: What is the daily fee for Kindergarten?
Answer: Please see the parent handbook for current fees.
Question: How many hours does my child have to attend Kindergarten?
Answer: The Government requires each child to complete a minimum of 15 hours of Kindergarten in the year prior to attending school.
Question: If I only want to do 15 hours, how many days can this be spread over?
Answer: If you are looking to complete the minimum 15 hours this can be done in 2 days, as long as your child attends for 7.5 hours each day. Alternatively, you may wish to enroll your child for 3 or more days to get more out of the program.
Question: Can my child attend for more than 15 hours?
Answer: Yes! Unlike council run sessional Kindergartens, children can attend up to 5 days, from 6.30am to 6.30pm (at Mulwala Drive) and 6.30am to 6.30pm (at Orchard Road).
Question: What time does the Kindergarten program start?
Answer: Children can attend from 6.30am, and the kindergarten teacher commences the program at 9.00am. We recommend your child arrives no later than 9.00am to ensure minimum disruption to the program and to ensure they get the most out of their time here.
Question: Are there any additional charges to attend on either side of the Kindergarten hours?
Answer: There are no additional charges to attend either side of the Kindergarten hours. The daily fee remains the same whether the child attends 5 hours or 12 hours of the day. There is a 10% discount offered for a 5 day enrolment.
Question: Are there any additional costs for incursions and or excursions, and what are they?
Answer: None! All incursions, excursions and extra activities are included! We have special visits from the Nillumbik dental health service for an educational session & checkup, the Responsible Pet Education program, an excursion to Plenty Valley Christian College & Laurimar Primary school, lunchbox week and much more! We also have frequent visits from “Little Sports Heroes” who run a sports based skills program with the children.
Question: Can my child attend Butterflies Kindergarten AND a council run Kindergarten?
Answer: Unfortunately your child cannot access government funding at 2 Kindergartens. If your child attends another kindergarten, you can still access care in our Dragonflies room (3 year old kinder room), otherwise if you wish to enrol in our funded 4 year old Kindergarten program, you must allow us to claim the government funding on behalf of your child.
Question: Is there a uniform for the Kindergarten children?
Answer: There is no compulsory uniform for the Kindergarten children; however, we do have T-shirts and jumpers available for purchase. T-shirts are $15 each and the Jumpers are $26 each. You can have a look at these at reception!
Question: Does 4 year old kindergarten still run in the school holidays?
Answer: The kindergarten teacher does not work during the holidays, however the assistants continue to run the room and deliver a “School Holiday Program.” We do have most children continue to attend, but families can always apply for holidays if they do not require their child to attend during the school holidays.
Question: Are there Parent Teacher Interviews for Kindergarten?
Answer: Yes! Parent Teacher Interviews are held mid-year. This is an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and set goals for the remainder of the year.
Question: How do I select the days I require?
Answer: You can list this on your enrolment form!
Question: What if my child does 4 year old kinder and then I decide they need another year? Can they do a second year?
Answer: Children applying for a second year of kindergarten must meet eligibility requirements. Please speak to your child’s teacher regarding this.
