Creating a nurturing and stimulating pre-kindergarten environment is crucial for supporting the unique learning journey.
Carefully curated Pre-Kindy Environment for
3 - 4 Years
Pre-Kindy children are increasingly focused on developing social skills, cooperative play, and early problem-solving abilities. Play becomes more structured, and children are encouraged to engage in group activities while also honing their creativity and early literacy and numeracy skills.
Pre-Kindy for 3-Year Olds
What's coming up for families
Each state has its own approach to supporting children before they start school. From 2025, families in several states will see expanded access to 3-year-old preschool programs. Here’s what that means for you:
South Australia — Flying Start for Kids
What SA offers / will offer:
-
South Australia is rolling out a 3-year-old preschool program (Flying Start) from 2026 to 2032, so every child will get access to high-quality, teacher-led preschool in the two years before starting school.
-
Eligible 3-year-olds may access up to 15 hours/week of preschool (depending on service capacity) in long day care programs, with government support and teacher-led, play-based learning.
-
There’s also Preschool Boost, extra funding & supports for services to address developmental vulnerabilities, staff training, and to offer additional programs for children who need them most.
How this benefits your child & family:
-
Earlier start: your child can access high quality preschool from age 3, giving more time to build foundational skills.
-
Supports for those who need it most—services will have extra resources, allied-health support, inclusive practice.
-
Quality improvements: better teacher qualifications, more professional learning for educators.
-
More equitable access over time, especially for regional, disadvantaged, or vulnerable communities.
Did You Know…
Nearly all of our Eden centres in South Australia are approved for 4-Year-Old Kindergarten funding. This funding comes directly to Eden Academy, allowing us to invest in excellent resources and employ passionate Early Childhood Teachers – all to give your child the very best start.
Victoria — Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
What VIC offers:
-
The Best Start, Best Life reforms represent a once-in-a-generation investment in early childhood.
-
Free Kinder is now available for 3- and 4-year-olds at participating services (both sessional kinders and long day care).
-
Victorian children will gradually get access to 30 hours/week of play-based learning in the year before school (“Pre-Prep”) when fully rolled out.
-
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten programs are being expanded; by 2029, all VIC children will have access to 15 hours/week for 3-year-old kinder.
How this benefits your child & family:
-
Greater value: less fees out of pocket, more hours of learning.
-
Two years of quality kinder (3- and 4-year-old) boosts outcomes in language, social skills, numeracy & confidence.
-
Parents/carers get more flexibility: kinder in more locations, more hours, possibly fitting better with your schedule.
-
Helps ease cost-of-living & opens up opportunities for work / study.
New South Wales — Start Strong Program
What NSW offers:
-
The Start Strong program provides fee relief to families with 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in approved preschool and long day care services.
-
For 4-year-olds in long day care, depending on hours, families may save up to approx $2,174/year; for 3-year-olds up to approx $515/year in many services.
-
In community or mobile preschools, attending 600 hours/year (≈15 hours/week) can mean relief up to $4,347/year for eligible families.
How this benefits your child & family:
-
Making preschool more affordable without sacrificing quality.
-
Access to early learning led by qualified teachers and educators.
-
Children benefit from at least 600 hours per year—those hours are associated with better school readiness.
-
Flexibility: eligible families can choose which service gets the funding relief, and it’s applied directly to your fees.
South Australia
South Australia — Flying Start for Kids
What SA offers / will offer:
-
South Australia is rolling out a 3-year-old preschool program (Flying Start) from 2026 to 2032, so every child will get access to high-quality, teacher-led preschool in the two years before starting school.
-
Eligible 3-year-olds may access up to 15 hours/week of preschool (depending on service capacity) in long day care programs, with government support and teacher-led, play-based learning.
-
There’s also Preschool Boost, extra funding & supports for services to address developmental vulnerabilities, staff training, and to offer additional programs for children who need them most.
How this benefits your child & family:
-
Earlier start: your child can access high quality preschool from age 3, giving more time to build foundational skills.
-
Supports for those who need it most—services will have extra resources, allied-health support, inclusive practice.
-
Quality improvements: better teacher qualifications, more professional learning for educators.
-
More equitable access over time, especially for regional, disadvantaged, or vulnerable communities.
Did You Know…
Nearly all of our Eden centres in South Australia are approved for 4-Year-Old Kindergarten funding. This funding comes directly to Eden Academy, allowing us to invest in excellent resources and employ passionate Early Childhood Teachers – all to give your child the very best start.
Victoria
Victoria — Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
What VIC offers:
-
The Best Start, Best Life reforms represent a once-in-a-generation investment in early childhood.
-
Free Kinder is now available for 3- and 4-year-olds at participating services (both sessional kinders and long day care).
-
Victorian children will gradually get access to 30 hours/week of play-based learning in the year before school (“Pre-Prep”) when fully rolled out.
-
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten programs are being expanded; by 2029, all VIC children will have access to 15 hours/week for 3-year-old kinder.
How this benefits your child & family:
-
Greater value: less fees out of pocket, more hours of learning.
-
Two years of quality kinder (3- and 4-year-old) boosts outcomes in language, social skills, numeracy & confidence.
-
Parents/carers get more flexibility: kinder in more locations, more hours, possibly fitting better with your schedule.
-
Helps ease cost-of-living & opens up opportunities for work / study.
New South Wales
New South Wales — Start Strong Program
What NSW offers:
-
The Start Strong program provides fee relief to families with 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in approved preschool and long day care services.
-
For 4-year-olds in long day care, depending on hours, families may save up to approx $2,174/year; for 3-year-olds up to approx $515/year in many services.
-
In community or mobile preschools, attending 600 hours/year (≈15 hours/week) can mean relief up to $4,347/year for eligible families.
How this benefits your child & family:
-
Making preschool more affordable without sacrificing quality.
-
Access to early learning led by qualified teachers and educators.
-
Children benefit from at least 600 hours per year—those hours are associated with better school readiness.
-
Flexibility: eligible families can choose which service gets the funding relief, and it’s applied directly to your fees.
What You Gain with Eden Kindy
- Quality you can trust: All our Eden services in these states are aligned with the National Quality Framework and employ qualified early childhood teachers or educators.
- Play-based learning that nurtures curiosity, resilience, social skills, early literacy & numeracy—because that’s how children learn best.
- Community & wellbeing: children grow socially & emotionally, make friendships, become confident learners; families are supported.
