FREQUENTLY
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You can join our waitlist online at any time using the enquiry form on our website, or by calling us on 07 3063 3718. We contact families as places become available in each room. We also recommend you book a tour so you can see the centre, meet our educators and ask any questions before you enrol.
Yes, and we would love to show you around. Tours give you a feel for our nature-based play spaces, our rooms and our team. You can book a tour online or call us on 07 3063 3718 to find a time that suits you.
Our daily fee depends on your child’s room and the days you need. Most families are eligible for the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which is paid directly to us and reduces the amount you pay. Use our Child Care Subsidy calculator to estimate your out-of-pocket cost, or call us on 07 3063 3718 for a copy of our current fees.
Yes. We are an approved service, so eligible families receive the Child Care Subsidy as a reduction in their fees. To apply, lodge a claim through your Centrelink account in myGov, then give us your Centrelink Reference Number (CRN) and your child’s CRN when you enrol. Our Child Care Subsidy calculator explains how CCS works and helps you estimate your fees.
The 3 Day Guarantee is an Australian Government change that gives eligible families at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight (around three days a week), without needing to meet the previous work, study or volunteering requirements. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families with higher activity hours can access up to 100 hours per fortnight. Read more in our blog post The Three-Day Guarantee or see our Child Care Subsidy calculator.
Our Queensland Government Approved Kindergarten program is included in our regular daily fee, so there is no extra charge for kindy. Under Queensland’s Free Kindy initiative, eligible children in an approved kindergarten program can receive 15 hours of free kindy a week for 40 weeks of the year, which is applied as a reduction to your fees.
To view our Statement of Fees, click here. For more information about Free Kindy and your eligibility, please click here.
We welcome babies from 6 weeks old. Our Nursery Program caters for babies from 6 weeks to 2 years, our Toddlers program is for children aged 2 to 3, and our Nature Nurture Life Skills Program and Kindy Program support children aged 3 to 5 as they get ready for school.
Mount Coolum Early Learning is open from 6:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday. We are located at 30 Suncoast Beach Drive, Mount Coolum QLD 4573.
In Queensland, children can start kindy in the year before Prep if they turn 4 by 30 June that year. For example, children born between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 are eligible to start kindy in 2027. If you are unsure which year your child should start, give us a call and we can talk it through with you.
Our Kindy Program is led by university-qualified Early Childhood Teachers who hold a four-year Bachelor degree. The program is play-based and follows the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines (QKLG).
School readiness is woven through every day at our centre. Children build independence and self-help skills (like packing their bag, managing lunch and toileting), early literacy and numeracy through play, and the social and emotional skills they need to settle confidently into Prep. Our Nature Nurture Life Skills Program and Kindy Program work together to prepare children for school and beyond.
The Nature Nurture Life Skills Program is our hands-on program for children aged 3 to 5. It combines nature play, gardening, beekeeping, art with natural materials, yoga, movement and eco-friendly habits like recycling, with play-based kindergarten-style learning that builds confidence for school.
Please pack a hat, a fitted cot sheet and a flat sheet for rest time, one or two sets of spare clothes, and a named water bottle. On water play days, add swimwear, a rash vest and a towel, and closed shoes are needed for visiting our chickens. Clothes that are easy to pull up and down help with toileting. A soft toy is welcome for rest time, but please leave other toys at home. Remember to name everything.
Yes. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are freshly prepared on site every day by our qualified in-house chef. Our menu runs on a four-week rotating cycle using seasonal produce, wholegrains, lean proteins and plenty of vegetables. See our Nutrition and Menus page for more.
Yes. Our kitchen is allergen aware, and vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free alternatives are available for every child. Please let us know about any allergies or dietary needs when you enrol so we can plan with you.
Rest is as important for growth, development and health as nutrition and physical activity. Children are busy and on the go all day, so they need time to rest. Rest does not always mean sleeping, and that is ok. All children rest on their beds so those who need a sleep can have one, and after 30 minutes children who do not need a sleep can move on to quiet activities.
Yes. We have a team of core educators rostered in each room for consistency, so children build strong, trusting relationships. When a core educator is away, we use a pool of regular relief educators who the children already know.
Every family has access to Storypark, our parent communication app, where we share photos, videos and updates about your child’s learning and day. We also keep in touch through face-to-face chats at drop-off and pick-up, newsletters, emails, phone calls and our Facebook page.
In our Nursery Program for babies aged 6 weeks to 2 years, we have one educator for every four children. All of our educators are trained in infant first aid and CPR.
Yes. We follow your child’s routines and cues from home and take a relaxed, no-pressure approach, with plenty of gentle reminders and encouragement. Easy-to-manage clothing really helps, and we celebrate every success along the way.
Absolutely. We have a private space for breastfeeding mums, and we can safely store and prepare expressed breast milk. Babies in our nursery are fed on demand, following their routine from home.
We follow a sun protection policy that includes regular sunscreen application, shaded play areas, and sun-safe clothing and hats for outdoor play. Please pack a hat every day.
What makes Mount Coolum Early Learning different from other childcare centres on the Sunshine Coast?
Our centre has been part of the Mount Coolum community for almost 30 years. We are family owned, with a team of warm, caring, long-term educators. Our program reflects the relaxed coastal lifestyle, with a focus on natural health and wellbeing, including yoga and meditation. Children connect with nature through gardening, our bush tucker garden, mud kitchen and water park, and help care for our native stingless bees, chickens and fish. Children of all ages are viewed as capable learners, and freedom of play and healthy risk taking are encouraged.
Yes. Nature play is at the heart of everything we do. Our outdoor spaces include a water park, sandpits, a mud kitchen, sensory and bush tucker gardens and a worm farm, and children enjoy bush kindy experiences, gardening and caring for animals. Learn more on our Our Programs page.
We are at 30 Suncoast Beach Drive, Mount Coolum QLD 4573, on the Sunshine Coast. Families come to us from Mount Coolum and nearby suburbs including Coolum Beach, Yaroomba, Marcoola, Mudjimba, Pacific Paradise, Twin Waters and Peregian Springs.
