Funded Kindergarten Program & 'Free' Kindergarten
Three and Four Year Old kinder across both Meraki centres
Save thousands per year
With Free Kinder funding plus the Child Care Subsidy, eligible families often pay only a fraction of the standard long day care fee for their kinder year.
Funded and 'Free' Kindergarten at Meraki
At Meraki Early Learning Centres, we are proud to offer funded kindergarten programs within our long day care setting, giving families the best of both worlds: access to the Victorian Government's Free Kinder funding, along with the flexibility and convenience of extended care hours.
What Is Free Kinder?
The Victorian Government provides funding to support eligible children to attend a kindergarten program in the year before school (Four-Year-Old Kindergarten) and, in some cases, in the two years before school (Three-Year-Old Kindergarten). This funding is provided directly to approved services, including long day care centres like ours.
How Free Kinder Works at Meraki
If your child is eligible and enrolled in our funded kindergarten program, the Free Kinder funding is applied as a credit to your account. This reduces your monthly childcare fees and lowers your out-of-pocket costs.
The funding does not usually cover the full cost of attending long day care, as families continue to receive:
- Extended care hours beyond the funded kindergarten program
- Meals and snacks
- Nappies and wipes (where applicable)
- Extracurricular programs and incursions
- Greater flexibility for working families
This means you benefit from reduced fees while still enjoying all the advantages of a full long day care program.
Why Families Choose Long Day Care Kindergarten
By accessing Free Kinder within a long day care setting, families can enjoy:
- A government-funded kindergarten program delivered by qualified teachers
- Longer opening hours to suit work and family commitments
- Consistent care in one familiar environment
- Access to meals, resources and enrichment programs
- Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which may further reduce your out-of-pocket costs
Eligibility
Children are generally eligible for Free Kinder if they are enrolled in a funded kindergarten program and meet the Victorian Government's eligibility requirements.
How Meraki Can Help
Our team can help you understand:
- Whether your child is eligible for Free Kinder funding
- How the funding is applied to your account
- How Free Kinder works alongside the Child Care Subsidy
We are happy to explain how these government supports can help make quality early learning more affordable for your family.
For more information, visit: Victorian Government — Free Kinder
Why families love kinder at Meraki
A nurturing, play-based program led by qualified Early Childhood Teachers — designed to spark curiosity, confidence and a lifelong love of learning.
Qualified ECT-led program
Victorian Government-accredited Early Childhood Teachers delivering a play-based curriculum every day.
9am – 4:30pm kinder day
A full kinder day with extended long day care hours wrapped around it — perfect for working families.
Meals, nappies & extras
Nutritious meals, snacks and everyday essentials included, so you can focus on family time.
School readiness
Confidence, independence, social skills and emotional regulation — ready for the big step to school.
Two beautiful centres
Choose Bayswater or Mooroolbark — both purpose-built, light-filled and full of natural play spaces.
Genuinely warm educators
Long-tenured, qualified educators who know every child by name and celebrate every milestone.
A peek inside our kinder rooms
Bright, inviting spaces designed to inspire wonder, exploration and connection.
Find out more at your centre
Each centre runs its own Three and Four Year Old Kindergarten programs. Choose your location to explore the rooms, meet the team and book a tour.
Ready to see it for yourself?
Book a tour at Bayswater or Mooroolbark and meet the educators who will help your child flourish in their kinder year.