Kindergarten

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Find out more about the Department of Education’s Best Start Best Life reforms
https://www.vic.gov.au/best-start-best-life-reforms

Apply now for 2024 Kindergarten

Apply for your child's kindergarten place in 2025

Take a virtual tour around Council-run kindergartens

Click through the below to watch video tours, view facility photos and find out more about each of our kindergarten and pre-schools within the Surf Coast Shire:

Find the nearest funded kindergarten program

There are a number of kindergartens throughout the municipality, both Council-run and private, which offer your child the chance to learn and grow in a safe, happy environment. 

All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who turn 3 or 4 years old by 30 April can attend kindergarten for up to 15 hours per week for free. Find out more on the Victorian Government's Education website. 

To find the nearest funded kindergarten program you can use:

Find a kinder program

Find privately run services in the area on the Child Care Finder Website

Bush and beach kinder information

What Is Bush/Beach Kinder?

Childhood is precious, and an important part of childhood is being outside in nature. We know that children need more time outside in nature and this knowledge is supported by research.

Children are natural learners. Bush/Beach Kinder provides each child with the time and an ideal environment to learn in: 3 hours of uninterrupted play in the bush, using what nature has provided as learning materials.

Bush/Beach Kinder will be a special part of each child’s total pre-school experience. They will have the opportunity to play in the rain, roll down grassy mounds, balance along fallen logs, explore the beach and rock pools, get involved in dramatic play, find insects, draw with sticks in the ground, climb trees….

Each child’s developmental progression, advancing skill levels and particular interests will be noted by their teachers. The teachers will use this knowledge to support the children’s learning (just as they do at kinder). Teachers will support children as they take the risks and face challenges essential to well-rounded learning. Stories will be told, knowledge will be shared, songs will be sung.

At times a specialist may assist the children’s learning. This could be done through the access of Rangers, GORCAPA, Angair, First Nation educators and Researchers… who know and understand the natural environment. Educators may also engage the expertise of a musician or a crafts person if this will support the children's learning.

Through play the children will connect with and respect their Bush Kinder space. They will connect with their land in a way that cannot be done under a roof or within walls.

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Why We Have a Bush/Beach Kinder Program

Research has shown the benefits of outdoor play in nature are:

  • Children who play regularly in natural settings are sick less often. Mud, sand, water, leaves, sticks, pinecones, and gum nuts can help to stimulate children's immune system, as well as their imagination.
  • Children who spend more time outside tend to be more physically active and less likely to be overweight.
  • Children who play in natural settings are more resistant to stress; have lower incidence of behavioural disorders, anxiety, and depression; and have a higher measure of self-worth.
  • Children who play in natural settings play in more diverse, imaginative, and creative ways and show improved language and collaboration skills.
  • Children who play in nature have more positive feelings about each other.
  • Bullying behaviour is greatly reduced where children have access to diverse nature-based play environments.
  • Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder are reduced after contact with nature.
  • Childhood participation in “wild” nature such as hiking, playing in the bush, or camping, has a positive relationship to adult environmental attitudes.
  • Encouraging children to become engaged with the natural world, preserving habitats where they can do so, and creating programs and opportunities for this to occur may be critical to the future of healthy children, healthy adults, and a healthy planet.

 

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Junk trunk information

Junk Trunk Information(PDF, 1MB) including 'Our Recycle Station', 'The benefits for our kinder programs' and 'Sustainability Leadership'

Kindergarten Incursions and Excursions

As children grow, it’s essential to expose them to various experiences and environments to develop their social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Excursions / Incursions are an excellent way to achieve this, especially during their Early Learning Years.

They offer hands-on learning opportunities that help children develop a sense of curiosity and appreciation for the world around them.

At our Kindergartens, your child will take part in a range of excursions and incursions centred on the learning outcomes of the Australian Early Years Learning Framework. This framework focuses on supporting your child and helping them:

  1. build a strong sense of identity,
  2. feel connected and contribute to the world,
  3. develop a strong sense of wellbeing,
  4. be a confident and involved learner, and
  5. become an effective communicator.

Here are some benefits of excursions for your child:

New information and skills

Your child can explore, experiment and try new things in a safe and supervised setting. Whether it involves an educational trip to a museum or a fun outing at the park, an excursion offers new experiences that are crucial for your child’s development. Your child will learn about the world around them and develop new interests, preferences and skills.

Relationships and social skills

Your child will have plenty of opportunities to socialise with their peers and the wider community in various settings. These interactions can help your child develop vital social skills and self-confidence, build positive relationships and learn how to share and cooperate.

Physical activity

During an excursion, your child may have the chance to walk, run around or play and, in general, be physically active. This can help them develop their gross motor skills and get the exercise they need to stay healthy and fit.

Imagination and creativity

Excursions/Incursions can spark your child’s imagination and creativity by opening their mind to new experiences, possibilities and ideas. This can lead to improved cognitive development and a greater appreciation for the world around them. 

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Contact us

For all kindergarten enquiries please email centralapplication@surfcoast.vic.gov.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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