Monday to Friday: 7:00am - 6:00pm
Play, Discover, Explore, & Wonder

Give your child the best start in life

Smiling toddler wearing a blue sun hat outdoors at Starfish Early Learning Centre, highlighting sun safety and nappies policy
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
Indoor childcare play area with wooden climbing frame, sensory toys and learning materials supporting safe early learning.

Privately-Owned And Philosophy-Based Child Care For Children From 6 Weeks to 5 Years Old

Starfish is committed to providing the best possible environments for your child to learn and develop. Through a mix of indoor and outdoor play, incursions and other experiences, your child will receive the opportunities and nurturing required to reach their full potential.
Bright early learning classroom with natural materials, artwork displays and small tables in a Reggio Emilia inspired childcare space.

Buildings & Classrooms

Each Starfish Centre has between 5 and 7 learning spaces with easy access to outdoor areas. Each room has access to children’s bathrooms, nappy change benches, storeroom and outdoor areas.
Children preparing vegetables during a childcare cooking activity in an early learning classroom

Kitchen & Nutrition

Starfish children are provided with fresh and nutritious meals, prepared daily by our qualified chefs in our commercial kitchens. We accommodate children’s allergies and dietary restrictions and all Starfish centres are nut and egg aware.

Quality early learning does more than just prepare children to become life-long learners, it builds resilience, vital social skills and independence.

Our Philosophy

We believe children are strong, competent, creative and active learners. Each child is treated as a unique individual with a wide range of needs, learning styles, capabilities, ideas, interest and culture.
Educator guiding toddlers building wooden block towers in a play-based learning classroom at Starfish Early Learning Centre – Our Philosophy

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

Starfish is a Child Safe Organisation

We operate under the Victorian Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Anyone — a family member, an educator, a visitor — can raise a concern anonymously, and the reporting link sits on every page of this site rather than buried in a policy document.

Your first escalation path is always your Centre Director, then our General Manager. You do not have to go outside Starfish to be taken seriously.

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

Get Started With Starfish!

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