Deciding between daycare vs preschool for your child in Australia can be complex, filled with over 12,000 pieces of research and insight. This guide explores the subtle and significant differences between these two educational settings.
Understanding these variations will empower you to make a well-informed decision tailored specifically to your child’s needs and your family’s lifestyle, but keep in mind at Kiddie Garden, we are both a long day care centre and preschool offering quality education and care. When you enrol with us, you don’t have to choose.
Either way, whether you’re a parent trying to decide between daycare vs preschool for the first time or considering a switch due to changing circumstances, this article is designed to be your comprehensive resource. Let’s get started:
Table of Contents
What is Preschool?
In Australia, preschool is a specialised form of early childhood education that focuses on preparing children for formal schooling. It primarily serves children aged 3 to 5 and sometimes includes children up to 6 years old. Preschools follow a structured curriculum aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), emphasizing play-based learning, literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development. At Kiddie Garden, we are a registered preschool in Parramatta.
Preschool programs focus on preparing children for their first-year primary school (also referred to as kindergarten) by emphasizing foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and social interactions. Some preschools run only during school hours and terms, and others offer full-day programs that run 50 weeks a year, providing consistent educational routines essential for early development.
The preschool curriculum in Australia is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework, which underscores the importance of play as the foundational method of learning within a structured yet flexible learning environment. The curriculum nurtures creativity, communication, and concentration skills through storytelling, music, art, and play-based activities.
Opting for preschool allows children to gain early exposure to structured learning, preparing them for a smoother transition into formal school settings.
What is Long Day Care?
Daycare, also known as long day care or child care, is designed to provide a care environment for children of various ages, from infants to school-aged. Daycare centres offer flexible hours and can care for children part-time or full-time, accommodating parents who need assistance with child care throughout the week.
This service focuses on childcare, early education, and developmental support.
Daycare blends care and early education through structured daily routines that include play, meals, nap times, and learning activities. The focus is on ensuring the safety and nurturing of children in a homelike environment while providing opportunities for early learning.
The philosophy includes fostering creativity, social skills, and emotional security among children.
Enrolling children in daycare offers numerous benefits, such as socialisation with peers, assistance with language development, and the acquisition of basic routines and behaviours. It also exposes children to qualified educators who facilitate holistic development through a variety of activities.
At Kiddie Garden, You Don't Have to Choose Between Daycare and Preschool
In Australia, a flexible childcare approach caters to families with diverse needs by combining long daycare and preschool services in a single facility, like at Kiddie Garden Parramatta. We provide a comprehensive solution, allowing children to enjoy extended care and early education without the need to switch between separate institutions.
This integration is designed to offer continuous learning experiences, tailored environments, and harmonised schedules for families and children alike.
We understand that parents seek versatility to accommodate fluctuating schedules, including the demands of multiple employment types and unconventional hours. As a result, we operate extended hours (7:30am to 6pm) across 50 weeks of the year, providing care solutions during school holidays and special events, something traditional preschools might not offer.
All childcare services in Australia must adhere to strict quality and safety standards. At Kiddie Garden, we meet all seven of the National Quality Standards under the Australian National Quality Framework providing early education and care services for children that are holistic, nurturing, and beneficial for learning and growth.
Staffing and Qualifications
Staffing includes a mix of degree-qualified early childhood teachers and other suitably trained carers. This diversity in staff qualifications ensures that knowledgeable and skilled professionals support all aspects of a child’s day.
Qualified early childhood teachers formulate curriculums and teach and assess older children to ensure their readiness for school. Other supporting staff might not hold a degree but possess certifications or qualifications specific to early childhood education.
Our carers bring a breadth of practical experience and expertise in addressing the day-to-day care needs, fostering a nurturing environment that complements the structured learning led by qualified teachers.
A Blended Approach to Early Childhood Education
The blend of long preschool and daycare in a single centre allows for a seamless educational transition from care-focused activities to more structured learning experiences. The curriculum delivered is designed to cater to a wide age range, from toddlers to preschoolers, ensuring a smooth developmental trajectory.
Daytime activities include play-based learning and foundational academic skills in the morning and throughout the day, shifting towards more care-oriented routines in the late afternoon as children wind down their day.
Although we take a blended educational approach to our learning program, this doesn’t mean children are all grouped together.
There are four rooms, each with a separate play area, and children are grouped together by age and developmental needs. Our individual room pages describe a typical day for each room. Our younger rooms offer more daycare services with play-based learning, and our preschool and school readiness rooms provide more structure as children transition to kindergarten.
This approach aligns with Australia’s philosophies of early education where learning through play is emphasized alongside structured academic preparation for formal schooling.
For many families, the access to both care and educational programs in one location markedly enhances parental convenience and child welfare. Parents can capitalise on the facility’s ability to provide longer hours of supervised, meaningful activities, which encourages stronger family routines and reduces disruption during transitions between care settings.
Families enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing their children are in a secure environment where their developmental and emotional needs are being met simultaneously. Additionally, we serve as a stable social canvas for children, allowing friendships to grow without interruption across different programs and care arrangements.
Government Funding for Preschool Education and Transition to Kindergarten
The Australian government recommends 15 hours of preschool per week for children in the year before they start school. This recommendation is part of the Preschool Reform Funding Agreement (PRFA), which provides funding to support 15 hours of preschool per week, or 600 hours per year, for all children in the year before they begin school.
You may be eligible for assistance with the cost of care at our preschool and long daycare centre. Learn more on our Start Strong Fee Relief page, or via the Education NSW website.
What Are the Key Differences Between Preschool vs Daycare?
Staffing and Educator Qualifications
In preschools, educators are usually highly qualified with specific degrees in early childhood education, focusing on a pedagogical approach grounded in play. Daycare centres may have a mix of staff including qualified early childhood educators and care workers, with staff qualifications varying. This is the case at Kiddie Garden.
Curriculum and Learning Focus
Preschools emphasize a curriculum aligned with early childhood education goals, focusing heavily on educational readiness skills like literacy and numeracy through structured learning activities. On the other hand, a day care service provide a balance of care and education with a curriculum that supports developmental milestones and personal care routines. At Kiddie Garden, we combine both.
Schedule and Commitment
Preschool programs generally operate from 9 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday, covering approximately 50 weeks per year. This program provides a consistent routine that mirrors the schedule of a full school day. Daycare offers more flexibility in terms of operation hours, including extended hours to accommodate the varying schedules of parents.
Choosing the Right Option for Your Family
The main difference between preschool vs daycare is the structure, adherence to the Early Years Learning Framework, and preparation for school readiness. The beauty of choosing a combined centre, such as Kiddie Garden, is we accept children from 6 weeks of age, and as they get older, they progress through to our preschool program within the centre.
It has long been established that children learn best through play. We provide a mix of early childhood education and care services, all underpinned by the Department of Education’s frameworks.
Your decision between daycare or preschool should ultimately support your child’s growth, development, and transition into formal education.
