Monday to Friday: 7:00am - 6:00pm
STARFISH EARLY LEARNING

Play, Discover, Explore, & Wonder

Enriched childcare for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years

Google rating badge showing 4.5 stars from 80+ reviews for Starfish Early Learning Centre childcare.
4.5
80+ reviews
Starfish ELC approved kindergarten program recognised by the Victorian Government
Google rating badge showing 4.5 stars from 80+ reviews for Starfish Early Learning Centre childcare.
4.5
80+ reviews
Starfish ELC approved kindergarten program recognised by the Victorian Government
TRUSTED STANDARDS

Our Foundation

Starfish Early Learning Centre logo featuring an orange starfish and playful text, representing early childhood education and care services.
Since 2009
Child Safe Organisation logo featuring colourful hands forming a star shape, symbolizing support and protection for children in early childhood education.
Child Safe Organisation
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program logo
Kitchen Garden
Inspired Learning

Experience An Inviting Space Designed To Enhance Your Child’s Learning Experience

Natural wooden building blocks

The Six-Pillar Approach

Starfish ELC follows a six-pillar educational childcare philosophy based on the idea of helping your child develop and grow in relation to others.
Colourful stacking rings toy

Inspired Play & Learning Space

Your child will benefit from indoor and outdoor play and learning spaces carefully designed to support development.
Bright sun

Caring & Dedicated Team

The highly experienced team at Starfish Early Learning Centres, are committed to ensure your child receives every opportunity to engage in the program.

Why Choose Us

Natural wooden building blocks

Child Care

Safe, nurturing care for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years, led by qualified educators.
Broccoli

Healthy Meals

Fresh, nutritious meals prepared daily to support growing bodies and healthy habits.
Colourful paint palette

Learning & Fun

Play-based programs designed to spark curiosity, creativity and confidence at every stage.
Children's playground slide

Physical Activity

Spacious outdoor spaces and active play that support movement, coordination and wellbeing.

Programmes by Age

Baby exploring sensory toy in a play based childcare early learning environment.
6 weeks - 18 months
Babies
  • Safe & Well-designed Learning Spaces
  • Dedicated calm sleep spaces
  • Sensory play
  • Daily routine updates for feeds & sleeps
  • Extracurricular Experiences
Child using a magnifying glass during a hands-on learning activity at Starfish ELC
18 MONTHS - 3 YEARS
Toddlers
  • Play-based learning
  • Building independence & confidence
  • Toilet training support
  • Indoor and outdoor exploration
  • Kitchen garden program
Young child exploring the vegetable garden outdoors at Starfish ELC
3 - 5 YEARS
Kindergarten
  • Government-funded program
  • Bachelor-qualified Teachers
  • School readiness focus
  • Kitchen garden program

Architecturally-Designed & Purpose-Built For
Natural Play

  • Inviting, Age-Appropriate Spaces
  • Designed To Enhance Your Child’s Learning Experience
  • Natural And Recycled Materials
Childcare classroom learning tables with activity materials and view to outdoor early learning play area.

Take a Virtual Tour Of Our Centres

Subsidy Estimator

Use our convenient estimator to find out
how much subsidy you may be eligible for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Starfish centres are open Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm.

Our recruitment process focuses on finding educators who have similar values and attitudes to ensure the best possible care and culture at Starfish. We encourage educators to constantly work to further their learning through traineeships and professional learning opportunities.

We have not taken our educational programming online. We concentrate on building relationships with your children and providing documentation that makes visible your children’s learning through daily journals, weekly newsletters and individual children’s portfolios. All photos taken of your child throughout the year are saved onto a CD for you to take home at the end of the year.

Our primary method of communication is through verbal discussions – at drop-off and pick-up times, over the phone and especially during the orientation process. We have many multilingual educators, so families with English as a second language can get accurate information when needed. We email regular updates, as well as our weekly wrap-up newsletters, and have a closed, private Facebook group for each centre on which the Directors post special events and share the learning that is occurring at their service. Each room also has a Daily Routine board, which documents the meals the children have eaten that day, whether they’ve slept (and for how long) and for the younger children, how much milk they’ve drunk.

Find your nearest centre

Starfish ELC Blackburn South childcare centre exterior with fenced entrance and landscaped surrounds
Exceeding the NQS

Blackburn South

  • 168 Canterbury Rd, Blackburn South
  • Phone (03) 9877 3930
  • Monday to Friday: 7:00 am–6:00 pm
Nearby locations: Blackburn South, Box Hill, Forest Hill, and surrounding suburbs
Entrance and colourful exterior of Starfish ELC Essendon childcare centre
Meeting the NQS

Essendon

  • 1 Melfort Avenue, Essendon VIC 3040
  • Phone 1300 168 881
  • Monday to Friday: 7:00 am–6:00 pm
Nearby locations: Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Aberfeldie, Strathmore, Niddrie, Ascot Vale and Flemington
Front entrance and outdoor area of Starfish ELC Nunawading
Exceeding the NQS

Nunawading

  • 28 Mountain View Road, Nunawading
  • Phone (03) 9894 1688
  • Monday to Friday: 7:00 am–6:00 pm
Nearby locations: Nunawading, Mitcham, Vermont and Box Hill North
Founder of Starfish Early Learning Centre leading a team and creating nurturing environments for children
Exceeding the NQS

Reservoir

  • 17 Rosenthal Crescent, Reservoir
  • Phone (03) 9460 8200
  • Monday to Friday: 7:00 am–6:00 pm
Nearby locations: Reservoir, Thomastown, Fawkner, Bundoora, Macleod and surrounding northern suburbs.
Exterior of Starfish ELC Springvale childcare centre
Meeting the NQS

Springvale

  • 28 St Johns Avenue, Springvale VIC 3171
  • Phone (03) 9574 2888
  • Monday to Friday: 7:00 am–6:00 pm
Nearby locations: Springvale, Keysborough, Dandenong, Clayton South, Clarinda and surrounding areas
Starfish Early Learning Centre cultural acknowledgement section featuring Indigenous design symbol
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we play and learn and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and skies. We recognise and celebrate the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia, including their role in the education and care of children. We pay our respects to their elders past and present.

Latest Updates

Discover learning moments, educator insights, and family-focused inspiration from our centres.

Get Started With Starfish!

Contact our team to learn more or secure your child’s place at Starfish today!
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