Notes

Pakenham Childcare, Daycare & Kindergarten
After trying two other daycares, we finally found our place. Grainne and Claire put so much thought into their lesson planning. One day, my child came home explaining how the sun and moon work together. Watching group time has been a core memory for me, her confidence is blooming. When she brought a book from home, they built an activity around it that same day.
With this in mind, I aim to provide an environment that supports this sense of wonder and provide them with the opportunity to explore and discover their world in a safe and secure way. We offer nurturing care and quality early education for children from 6 weeks to 6 years, with flexible hours (9, 10, 11, and 12-hour sessions) to suit busy families. Moving my daughter from another local centre to Little Stars was the best thing I ever did! The amount of care the staff have for the children is amazing and I know she is well looked after by all educators. The aim of the Kinder Program is to encourage children to further pursue childcare centres near pakenham their independence and develop valuable self-help skills, for now and the future. The program helps children further develop their social, pre-literacy, and numeracy skills.

I began working in early childhood education in 1999 and joined Great Beginnings Pakenham in 2014. I bring many years of experience across a range of leadership roles within early learning. Since joining Great Beginnings Pakenham, I have worked as a Lead Educator, Educational Leader, Assistant Centre Manager, and now Centre Manager. Each role has given me the opportunity to develop new skills, explore different areas of the sector, and deepen my passion for ensuring children receive the best possible start to their education journey.
We deduct this credit from your fees, so you'll only need to pay for the cost of day care. Our high quality resources and play spaces support the best outcomes for learning. All our children enjoy a balance of play-based learning and intentional teaching, with indoor and outdoor programs.
I’m passionate about giving kids the best start in life, and I find it incredibly rewarding to watch them grow and learn during such vital years. Building trust with families and creating a safe, nurturing environment is at the heart of everything I do. My name is Katherine, and I’m proud to be the Centre Manager at Eden Academy Pakenham. With 12 years of experience in Early Education and as a parent myself, I understand the importance of creating a home away from home where families feel supported and children thrive. It’s common for a child to experience separation anxiety when they first start child care.

Your child will be encouraged to explore their creativity and communication through a variety of art activities. Both three-year-old kinder and four-year-old kinder is offered and led by a bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher. I look forward to welcoming your family to our early education centre in Pakenham.
Our daycare and early learning centre is ideally located for families in Pakenham, Pakenham East, Pakenham South and nearby suburbs Officer and Beaconsfield. The Learning Sanctuary Pakenham offers long day care and kindergarten for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years, with extended hours to suit busy families. The Inspire Pakenham Science Program encourages curiosity, inquiry, and critical thinking through hands-on, discovery-based learning. Guided by Montessori principles, children explore the natural and physical world through observation, experimentation, and problem-solving experiences. The program supports early scientific understanding while fostering confidence, independence, and a love of learning through exploration. The Bush Kinder Program at Inspire Pakenham connects children with nature through outdoor exploration and play-based learning in natural environments.
In addition, in lieu of visiting aged care homes, the service has started a pen pal system which enables children to scan and send artwork and messages to their elderly friends. Centres are engaged in a wider range of different activities, for example, Community Kids Golden Square, in the Victorian city of Bendigo, had developed a close bond with residents at a nearby aged care home. While visits are on hold, the children have created colourful and inspiring artworks which have been emailed to the home to help raise the spirits of residents.

There’s excellent teamwork among the staff, they collaborate well to ensure each child’s needs are met. The facilities are top-notch as well, with plenty of outdoor and indoor activities that keep kids engaged and excited to learn. As a leader, I focus on empathy, transparency, and continuous improvement to ensure families feel heard, children feel safe, and educators are supported to grow. As a proud mum of six and “Nanny” to ten grandchildren, I understand the trust families place in us and the importance of positive early learning experiences. Aspire’s Kickstart to Kinder program is specially designed for three-year-olds, offering a warm and engaging introduction to their kindergarten journey.
Our highly skilled early learning educators are dedicated to your child’s safety and development. We demonstrate professionalism and care in all that we do, from planning to delivery. Play is vital to children’s learning, development, confidence, and wellbeing. A variety of structured and unstructured play activities builds on all areas of children’s development. We offer long day care and kindergarten – book in your child today.

My daughter absolutely loves the food they supply I think there’s maybe been one or two things over the years that she hasn’t liked. To a child now that is a chatterbox with lots of confidence. Thank you for being a wonderful safe environment for my daughter to growin. She is definitely ready for school next year.Going to miss the lovely team of GB. And seeing Centre Manager team every morning/evening Nina and Mel. We drive past many centres to get to this one however I would never change.
Our yard has space for climbing equipment for children of all ages, two sandpits, water play, mud play and vast spaces for learning. Our centre is located on the grounds of John Henry Primary School in Pakenham which gives us unique opportunities to develop school-readiness. It also offers parents a convenient one drop-off and pick-up location for children of all ages. My family had a wonderful experience with Creative Garden pakenham. My daughters had been going there since they were 2.5 years and 6 months old.
We support and celebrate diversity of race, culture, ability, gender, sexuality, and gender identity. Absolutely, all our kindergarten teachers have a Bachelor of Education. The Victorian Government provides Free Kinder funding to our ELC, not directly to families. This means that Free Kinder will be credited on your invoice and you won't be out of pocket. Special events are planned throughout the year, which take place both inside and outside the centre. These include seasonal parties, special guests, field trips, and events that celebrate cultures from around the world.

Our friendly crew will meet with your child on the day, welcome them to the group and brief them on what the day will look like. If you or your child have any questions on the morning, our friendly staff will be more than happy to answer those for you. It’s great when our families and staff build strong and lasting relationships, but our Coordinators are incredibly busy people, and they don’t have the ability to take bookings or cancellations. Enrolling is your gateway to flexible care, enriching programs and fun beyond the school bell. Here, you’ll find all you need to make your child’s experience safe, enriching, and inspiring.
Website: https://cardinialakeselc.com.au/