Free Childcare on the Gold Coast, the Year Before School
Robina First Early Learning is an approved Free Kindy provider, giving eligible 4-year-olds 15 hours a week of government-funded kindergarten — at no cost to your family.
600free kindy hours, every year
Three Things to Know Before You Enrol
Free Kindy is straightforward once you know how the funding actually applies. Here's the short version.
Check your child's age
Your child needs to be at least 4 years old by 30 June in the year before they start school. This is the year their Free Kindy hours apply.
Enrol at an approved service
Robina First is a Queensland Government-approved Free Kindy provider, with a qualified early childhood teacher delivering the kindergarten program in our Monash Room.
The funding applies automatically
Once enrolled, the 15 free hours per week are simply applied to your fees — no separate claim or paperwork needed on your end.
Who Can Access Free Kindy?
Free Kindy is open to almost every Gold Coast family in the year before school. A few specifics worth knowing:
Age requirement
Your child must be at least 4 years old by 30 June in the year before they attend school.
One service at a time
Free Kindy funding can only be received at one approved service. If your child attends more than one, you'll nominate which one receives it.
Visa status
Children on Refugee and Humanitarian visas, or certain temporary resident visas exempt from state school fees, are also eligible.
Vaccination status
Unvaccinated eligible children can still receive Free Kindy funding — enrolment decisions are at each provider's discretion.
Sessional Kindy vs. Kindy in Long Day Care
Runs during school terms and school hours, typically 40 weeks a year. No care outside the kindy session.
Our long day care kindy program runs alongside extended hours of care — drop off early, pick up late, every weekday.
In long day care, your 15 funded hours cover the kindergarten program. Hours of care outside that — drop-off, pick-up, holiday weeks — are charged as normal, though the Child Care Subsidy may reduce that cost depending on your family's circumstances.
Free Kindy Provider Gold Coast Qualify for 600 Free Kindy Hours
If your child turns 4 by 30 June this year, your family could save thousands on early education costs. Enrol in our Queensland Government-funded kindy program at Robina First and receive your full 15 funded hours a week — at no cost to you.
Four Things That Have to Line Up
For 4-Year-Olds
Children aged at least 4 by 30 June in the year before they attend school.
At an Approved Kindy
A government-approved educational program, delivered in a sessional or long day care setting.
With a Qualified Teacher
The kindergarten program is delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher.
15 Hrs / Week, 40 Wks / Year
That's the full Free Kindy allowance — and it's free.
Explore, Play and Learn
Free Kindy gives kids the chance to explore, play and learn while laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Here's how the Queensland Government describes what your child gains.
Explore
Kindy offers a rich learning environment for your child to explore new ideas, learn through play and routine, and interact with friends and educators. Stories, songs and conversation grow rich vocabulary and self-expression, while everyday moments build early numeracy and the confidence to use it.
Play
Play helps children make sense of themselves and the world. At kindy, play sparks imagination, builds skills, and nurtures friendships — growing communication, confidence, identity, and the ability to recognise and regulate big emotions.
Learn
Kindy builds independence and identity through fun, challenging experiences. By interacting with others and exercising agency, children learn to navigate everyday challenges — guided toward a growth mindset and the resilience that comes from supportive relationships.
Look for the Free Kindy Tick
The Free Kindy tick signals that a provider runs a Queensland Government-approved kindergarten program, aligned with the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline or another QCAA-accredited learning program. Robina First's Monash Room carries this approval.
Prefer to read about Free Kindy in your own language? The Queensland Government publishes translated materials covering a wide range of languages — see the Free Kindy translated resources page →
Why Families Love Robina First
More than just childcare — we're a community built on trust, warmth, and a genuine commitment to every child's wellbeing and growth.
Flexible Care Options
Full-time, part-time, and long day care designed to support busy modern families — 6:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Long Standing Team
100+ years of combined experience — a stable, dedicated team providing the security and bonds every child needs to thrive.
Daily Essentials Sorted
Healthy meals, sunscreen, nappies and more — we take care of the little things so your morning routine stays simple.
Govt Kindy Approved
We're an approved provider for Queensland's government-funded kindergarten program, helping families access quality early education.
More Than Just Daycare
Where Character, Beliefs, and Connections Grow. We focus on the whole child — drawing on Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia approaches with long-standing educators who genuinely care.
Weekly Enrichment Programs
Find Out About Our Programs
Creative Arts
Learning Play
Discovery
Nature Play
Meet Our Staff
We employ highly qualified, passionate early childhood professionals who have a deep understanding of how young children learn. Our long-standing team brings warmth, consistency, and genuine care to every child, every day.
Miss Jan
The Heart of Our Centre
Miss Adriana
Guiding Our Learning Journey
Miss Pridhi
A Decade of Warmth & Nurturing Care
Miss Kerry
Nurturing Generations of Children & Families
Trusted by Gold Coast Families
Don't just take our word for it — here's what local families say about their experience at Robina First Early Learning.
What is Free Kindy?
Free Kindy provides eligible children with 15 hours per week, for up to 40 weeks a year, in a Queensland Government-approved kindy program — at no cost — in the year before they start school.
Is kindy free in 2026?
Yes. Free Kindy is confirmed for all eligible Queensland families in 2026 and beyond.
How can I find my nearest Free Kindy service on the Gold Coast?
There are over 2,200 approved services across Queensland, including sessional kindergartens and long day care services. Robina First Early Learning, on the Gold Coast in Mudgeeraba, is one of them — book a tour with us or use the Queensland Government's Free Kindy Finder to compare other approved providers nearby.
When does my child start kindy?
Start dates depend on the service you enrol with. At Robina First, our Monash Room kindergarten program follows the same intake as our standard enrolment — speak with our team directly to plan your child's start date.
What's the difference between sessional kindy and kindy in long day care?
Sessional kindy runs during school terms and school hours, typically 40 weeks a year. Kindy in long day care — like at Robina First — runs alongside extended hours of care, usually at least 10 hours a day, Monday to Friday, for at least 48 weeks a year. Families pay for any care outside the 15 funded kindy hours.
Will I pay anything if my child does kindy at a long day care?
Yes — families pay for the hours of care before and after the Free Kindy program. These costs may be partly covered by the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy. The Queensland Government funds the 15 hours per week, 40 weeks per year (600 hours) of the kindy program itself.
Can a child access Free Kindy if they're unvaccinated?
Yes — unvaccinated eligible children can participate in an approved kindy program and still receive Free Kindy funding. The decision to enrol an unvaccinated child rests with each provider's own enrolment policies.
Can a child on a visa access Free Kindy?
Yes — children of families on Refugee and Humanitarian visas can access Free Kindy. Children with a temporary resident visa exempt from state school fees, as listed on the department's international schedule of visa subclasses and enrolment conditions (PDF), are also eligible. If the visa isn't fee-exempt, families will need to pay program fees.
How can I read about Free Kindy in my own language?
Information about Free Kindy is available in a range of languages. Visit the Queensland Government's kindy resources page to download materials in your language.
How can I support my child before their first day of kindy?
Starting kindy is a big milestone, and a smooth transition sets the foundation for learning, wellbeing and development. We're happy to talk through settling-in activities when you book a tour — get in touch with our team anytime.
Give Your Child a Free Start at Kindy
Robina First Early Learning is a Queensland Government-approved Free Kindy provider, serving families across the Gold Coast from our Mudgeeraba centre. Book a tour and we'll walk you through eligibility, enrolment, and what a typical day in our Monash Room looks like.
Free Kindy eligibility, hours and funding are set by the Queensland Government and may be subject to change. This page summarises information published by the Department of Education and is current as of 2026 — for the official, up-to-date guidelines, visit earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/freekindy.