Notes from our centres.
Practical articles on choosing childcare, fees and Child Care Subsidy, school readiness, and the educational approaches we use across our 4 Sydney centres.
How to check a centre's compliance record on Starting Blocks
From late 2025, every Australian childcare centre's regulatory record is published online. What's now visible, how to read it, and why we think this is good for families.
Read articleThe role of inclusive practices in childcare (with examples)
Inclusive practice is the gold standard, but it's not always obvious what it looks like in a real childcare room. Here are concrete examples.
The cost of childcare in Sydney: a 2026 guide
What you'll actually pay for childcare in Sydney, what affects the cost, and how Child Care Subsidy reduces the headline fee.
Choosing care
22 questions worth asking on a childcare tour
A tour tells you more than any website, if you know what to ask. The list we would take, with the answers you should hear.
Childcare waitlists: how they work and when to join
Priority of access, why baby rooms fill first, when places open up, and why joining early costs you nothing.
What's the best age to start daycare in Australia?
Should you start at 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, or 2? The trade-offs at each starting age, and what we've seen work.
Preschool vs kindergarten vs daycare: what's the difference?
Three terms used interchangeably in Australia, but meaning slightly different things. A practical guide to choosing.
5 important benefits of childcare and early learning
Beyond the convenience for working parents: what childcare actually does for children developmentally.
Fees and CCS
Childcare fees per day: what you pay and what is included
The headline rate is not what most families pay. The 2026-27 numbers, worked through with our own fees.
The CCS 3 Day Guarantee, explained for 2026-27
Every eligible family now gets at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight. What that buys in real sessions.
Do you pay for absent days at daycare?
Yes, mostly. Here's how absent days work with CCS, the 42-day rule, and what families need to know.
How to claim the Child Care Subsidy: a simple guide
Step-by-step from creating a myGov account to seeing the subsidy on your invoice.
In the rooms
What do children eat at daycare? A real menu, explained
Five meals a day at our cooking centres, a packed lunchbox at our preschools, and a real Monday from the menu.
What is reflective practice in childcare?
Reflective practice sits at the heart of the Early Years Learning Framework. What it actually means in a busy room, and why it matters for the children.
Intentional teaching: what is it and why does it matter?
A core concept in the EYLF. The difference between intentional teaching and just letting children play, and why both matter.
Play-based learning: the value of learning by doing
Why play is the right vehicle for early childhood education, and what it actually looks like in our centres.
Inquiry-based learning in early childhood
When children lead their own questions, the learning goes deeper. How educators support this without taking over.
Types of play for early childhood development
Solitary, parallel, associative, cooperative. The progression of play and what it tells us about development.
The benefits of sensory play for children
Why sensory play (sand, water, dough, textures) is more than just a mess: how it builds the brain.
The benefits of water play for children
Pouring, splashing, scooping. The skills children build during water play, and how to set it up safely.
Settling in
Tips for preparing your child for their first day of daycare
How to set up the days before, the morning of, and the first weeks for the smoothest possible start.
School readiness: preparing the transition to school
The skills that actually matter (and the ones that don't) when getting your child ready for primary school.