Kindergarten and preschool
In the year or two before school, children can join a kindergarten or preschool program led by a qualified early childhood teacher. It may run in a standalone kindergarten, a school-based preschool or inside a long day care centre.
The year before school
Every state and territory funds a preschool program in the year before school, usually around 15 hours a week.
Three-year-olds
Some states also fund programs for three-year-olds, and several are expanding them.
Names and hours differ
It may be called kindergarten, kinder, preschool or pre-prep, and hours and costs vary by state.
Check your state or territory education department's website for the program, hours and fee support where you live.
Music and movement
Singing, rhythm games and dancing are some of the best early literacy activities there are. Rhyme helps children hear the sounds inside words, which is a key step towards reading. Moving to music builds coordination, and singing together builds memory, listening and a sense of belonging.
Look for: singing every day, real instruments to explore, and songs from many cultures.
Languages
Young children hear and copy new sounds easily. Learning a second language, or keeping up a home language, supports attention, flexible thinking and pride in culture. For children who speak another language at home, a centre that values that language helps them feel they belong.
Look for: language woven into songs, stories and routines, not only a short weekly lesson.
STEM and discovery
Science, technology, engineering and maths in the early years means building towers, pouring water, sorting shells, growing seeds and asking "what happens if…?". Children learn to predict, test and explain, and to keep going when the tower falls down.
Look for: hands-on materials and educators who ask questions rather than give answers.
Art and making
Painting, drawing, clay, collage and construction build the hand strength and control children need for writing. They also give children another way to share ideas they cannot yet put into words. The process matters more than the finished product.
Look for: open-ended materials, children's own work on display, and few identical crafts.
Outdoor and physical play
Climbing, balancing, running and digging build strength, coordination and confidence. Australian guidelines recommend at least three hours of physical activity spread across the day for children aged 1 to 5, including an hour of energetic play from age 3.
Look for: a varied outdoor space and plenty of time to use it, in most weather. See also nature and bush kinder.
School readiness
Being ready for school is less about knowing letters and more about independence, managing feelings, following routines, joining in with a group and asking for help. Early literacy and numeracy grow naturally from stories, songs, games and conversation.
School starting ages and cut-off dates differ between states and territories. Ask your kindergarten teacher if you are unsure whether your child is ready.