Many families are keen to enrol their children into a bush kindergarten before they start school but often don’t know where to start looking so we’ve done all the hard work for you!
Current research suggests that children need to spend much more time playing in our natural world. When considering kindergarten for your child, it’s important to consider whether they run a bush kindergarten program and whether it is the right fit for you and your child. Victoria now has over 100 bush and beach kinder programs tailored to local environments and children’s needs.
Bush kindergartens have drawn inspiration from European forest preschools, bush kindergarten programs have become available in early learning centres across Australia. We have put together a directory of the current bush kindergarten and beach kindergarten programs on offer in Melbourne and rural Victoria.
NORTH
- Wimble Street Childcare Co-op. Parkville
- Epping Views Kindergarten, Epping
- Westgarth Kindergarten, Northcote
- Batman Park Kindergarten, Northcote
- Yarralea Children’s Centre, Alphington
- Journey ELC Alphington
- Flemington Child Care Co-operative
- Coburg Children’s Centre, Coburg
- North Fitzroy Coop, Fitzroy North
- Lady Gowrie, Carlton North
- Thornbury Kindergarten, Thornbury
- Skye Children’s Collective, Macleod
- Watsonia Pre-school
- Jacaranda Kindergarten, Lalor
- J S Grey Kindergarten, Preston West
WEST
- Maribyrnong Kindergarten, Maribyrnong
- Home Road Kindergarten, Newport
- South Kingsville Kindergarten, South Kingsville
- Seahome Kindergarten, Altona
- Kids by the Bay Children’s Centre, Williamstown
EASTERN SUBURBS
- Florence St Preschool, Surrey Hills
- Wattle Park Kindergarten, Burwood
- Beaconsfield Kinder, Beaconsfield
- Farm Road Pre-school, Cheltenham
- Eltham College, Early Learning Centre, Eltham
- Eltham Pre-school, Eltham
- Winston Hills Preschool are committed to trialling a bush kinder session for one group of 4 years old from Term 3 2020. Winston Hills
- Yarra Warra Preschool, North Warrandyte
- Ness Reserve Preschool, Diamond Creek
- Kallista Nature Kindergarten, Kallista
- Gum Nut Gully Preschool, Doncaster East.
- Discovery Child Care and Education, Boronia. The Bush Kinder program runs weekly from June to August for the 4-year-old kinder.
Eco Explorers – Dandenong Ranges Bush playgroups and bush kinder programs
FRANKSTON
- Woodleigh School Minimbah Junior Campus. Frankston South. Woodleigh Discovering in Nature Programs for 4-year-old preschool and Foundation (Prep): children spend one full day outdoors in a bush-creek environment at the rear of the school.
- Bonbeach Preschool
- Paratea Preschool in Frankston South
OUTER EAST
- Balee Koolin Bubup Bush Playgroup run in the Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne
- Cranbourne Day Care & Kindergarten Centre, Cranbourne
- Yarra Valley Grammar ELC, Ringwood
- Waverley Meadows Preschool, Wheelers Hill. They run a nature kindergarten program using outdoor parkland and bushland adjacent to the kinder
BAYSIDE
- St Johns Kindergarten Sandringham include nature walks in their program
- Mentone Kindergarten, Mentone
- Lady Forster Kindergarten in Elwood
- Hampton Community Kinder, Hampton (beach kinder)
- Helen Paul Kindergarten in Hampton ( Bush Kinder for 4 year olds and 3 year olds added in 2025).
MORNINGTON PENINSULA
- Sorrento Preschool Bush/ Beach Kinder held at the Quarantine Station, Point Nepean National Park. Portsea
- Balnarring Preschool. Balnarring
- South Mornington Pre-School
- Walkersroadpreschool.com.au
GIPPSLAND
- Tooradin Kindergarten (part of the city of Casey) run a beach kinder every fortnight in term three and four
- Buchan ECDC Bush Kinder, Buchan
GEELONG AND SURF COAST
- Williams House Kindergarten Christian College. Belmont
- Butterfield House Kindergarten, Jan Jac
- Little Groms Early Learning Centre Torquay
- Highton Pre-school, Highton
Surf Kids Go Bush amalgamation: Every week an average of 400, 4-year-old children from across the Surf Coast Shire (6 kindergartens) spend 3 hours a week outdoors in the bush or at the beach as part of their regular 15-hour kindergarten program. These bush kinders include:
- Jan Juc Pre-School. Jan Juc
- Torquay Kindergarten, Torquay
- M. Kininmonth, Winchelsea
- Anglesea Kindergarten, Anglesea
- Lorne Kindergarten, Lorne
- Kurrambee Myaring Kindergarten,Torquay
- Woodlands Ocean Grove, Ocean Grove
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REGIONAL VICTORIA
- Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre, Kinglake
- Natimuk Preschool, Natimuk
- Falls Creek Kindergarten, Falls Creek
- Sea Lake Pre-school, Rural North West Victoria
- Fish Creek Kindergarten, Sandy Point
- Newstead Kindergarten, Newstead
- Euroa Kindergarten. Euroa. GRPSA
- Katamatite Preschool, Katamatite. GRPSA
- Nathalia Kindergarten, Nathalia. GRPSA
- Punt Road Kindergarten and Child Care Centre. Cobram
- Maldon Preschool, Maldon
- The Farmhouse, Mansfield
Eco Explorers Australia runs bush playgroup, bush kinder and forest school programs for families across Melbourne and Regional Victoria. We also create downloadable resources and nature-based programs for educators and teachers that you can access here.
