Open 7:00am to 6:00pm
Monday to Friday
HOURS
Mon to Fri 7:00 to 18:00
ADDRESS
1 Lomax Street Forde, ACT, 2914
SPACES AVAILABLE NOW ACROSS ROOMS
Welcome to our Centre
Guardian Childcare & Education Forde long day care centre offers leading programs where children aged six-weeks to six years learn and discover through play. Our child care centre boasts with a range of exciting, resource-rich environments; including a community library, community pantry, and upcycled furniture and loose parts which the children are encouraged to explore in their own unique way.
- Quality learning programs such as Joy of Reading, Cooking and Sustainability
- Extensive outdoor space for children to explore
- On-site Chef providing fresh snacks and meals daily
- Highly experienced Educators and degree-qualified Teachers
- Nappies, SPF 50+ sunscreen, high-quality formula and bed linen provided
- Extended hours of care each weekday from 7am to 6pm
Meet our Centre Manager
Sarah
"I believe Early Learning is the foundation and stepping stone to a strong and successful future and I love nothing more then being a part of that."
Where children are supported to be brave, curious, and bold in their learning, for the best possible start to life.
Rhythm of the Day
With endless possibilities, there’s never a dull moment at Guardian and no two days are the same. Here’s what a day at Guardian might look like.
With endless possibilities, there’s never a dull moment and no two days are the same.
Handover time with children, families and our friendly Educators. There's a chance for conversation to share what's important for the day/what's happened the night before at home.
Breakfast time where families are welcome to stay and enjoy breakfast with the children.
As children are arriving and families are coming and going, there's an opportunity for play as well as family grouping, open-plan play and multi-age grouping.
There's an opportunity for children to come together and enjoy morning tea.
Following morning tea, the planned experiences continue. This includes both indoor and outdoor programs.
There's an opportunity for children to come together for lunch. With an open-door policy, families are able to join the centre for meals and excursion if they wish.
For children who want to, or need to, there's an opportunity to sleep, rest or relax. For children who don't need to rest, there are planned experiences, which are more likely to be outdoors.
Children come together for afternoon tea in small groups or with siblings (they can also rest and play together, too). This time also presents an opportunity to reflect on the day.
As families arrive to pick up children, there's an opportunity to speak to Educators and share information about the day.
Some centres offer early tea or light snack at the end of the day, which they can grab as they leave the centre. We’re mindful of how routines vary at home, so if throughout the day, we notice children look tired, food will be provided.
What's included in the Guardian Experience
From nutritious meals and engaging learning programs —it’s all covered in your daily rate. No hidden extras, just peace of mind for you and a great day for your child.
Hat, wetbag and sunscreen
5 meals per day
All incursions and excursions
Nappies and wipes
Storypark parenting app
Long day care hours year around
Helpful Information
Opening Hours
What to Bring
What we Provide
- Nappies and wipes
- Bed linen
- Guardian hat
- SPF 50+ sunscreen
- All nutritious meals and snacks
What to Bring
- Water bottle
- Spare change of clothing, labelled
- Soft toy or comfort blanket for nap time
- Baby's bottles for formula or breastmilk
Our Educators
Our team of Educators are committed and passionate about ensuring your child will be safe, nurtured and cared for every day. At Guardian, children are encouraged to engage in interest-led play that creates learning and meaningful experiences.
Our Educators seek to optimise diverse learning opportunities and implement the Curriculum as framed by the Early Years Learning Framework.
You and Your Child
All Guardian Centres provide a Centre-to-Family communication platform so families can maintain contact with their children’s experiences through photos, stories and learning outcomes.
Our Centres use Storypark and each family is provided with a secure login to access on their computers, mobiles or apps.
Learn More About Our Centre
Our Educators and early childhood teachers, implement innovative educational programs with focus on: developing strong healthy relationships, learning about the natural world and developing agency and independence. The programs are specifically designed to cater for the individual needs of each child attending the centre.
We particularly value the role of the families as the most important carer in the child’s life. We work closely with our families and encourage their involvement in their child’s education and care
Our centre’s children, families and educators are from diverse and multi-cultural backgrounds and together we embrace each other’s unique differences and use this special mix of people to teach and learn with spirit, fun and laughter each and every day. The centre has a committed team of Educators and early childhood teachers who work together to plan a program which captures each child’s interests in a meaningful way.
Guardian Childcare & Education Forde is spacious both inside and out offering an abundance of learning tools in six large learning spaces and a sizeable well shaded yard. We have two nursery spaces which cater for children aged six weeks to two years. Our team of Educators, including an early childhood teacher, ensure that our youngest children have access to safe, nurturing spaces and can develop strong bonds with Educators in a calm and relaxed environment. These strong bonds are essential to children’s learning and development.
Our two toddler rooms cater for children aged two to three years. We offer children, safe spaces for them to develop confidence in their learning and build strong relationships with both peers and educators. Through the development of these skills, it will help children throughout their life in developing and maintaining healthy relationships.
Our two large preschool rooms offer children the opportunity to advance their learning, explore and experiment with the world around them. Our dedicated team of an early childhood teacher and Educators strive to provide dynamic learning environments that constantly challenge the children to rethink and re-imagine the possibilities that are open to them. We incorporate Academic, self-help and social preparation into our Preschool program to help children prepare for their next learning journey at Primary school.
Centre Highlights
Our Forde childcare centre offers:
- Quality learning programs such as Joy of Reading, Cooking and Sustainability
- The children love the exciting outdoor areas! Including a vegetable garden, bike track, a worm farm, water play area, stay and play pods and an Indigenous mural
- On-site Chef providing fresh snacks and meals daily
- Highly experienced Educators and degree-qualified Teachers
- Nappies, SPF 50+ sunscreen, high-quality formula and bed linen provided
- Extended hours of care each weekday from 7am to 6pm
Our Learning Programs
Learning should be fun! Learning through play encourages children to explore and understand their world at their own pace. It helps build their knowledge, develop confidence, and embrace curiosity.
Learning should be fun! Learning through play allows children to build their knowledge, develop confidence, and embrace curiosity.
Kindergarten/Preschool Program
Our specialist two-year kindergarten/preschool program is led by degree qualified Teachers in a long day care setting. Children explore and understand their world in an environment of safety and security. It’s where they develop the foundational literacy and numeracy skills to thrive.
Out and about
Through excursions, children are supported to expand their world, to get to know their community, and have a sense of belonging. Their learning thrives when they feel safe, welcome, and that they belong.
STEM
Children discover the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through age-appropriate activities that are designed to foster curiosity and develop foundational skills like problem-solving and creativity.
Cooking
Cooking experiences teach numeracy by counting ingredients, and weighing and measuring quantities and volume, while managing these tasks supports independence and confidence.
Ella Language
Learning languages through Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) supports brain development and social skills and creates opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity.
Joy of Reading
Reading aloud to children each day inspires imagination and supports thinking. Books with rhythm, rhyme and word patterns make stories more playful and memorable.
Sustainability
From growing veggies and foraging in the garden for that day’s meal ingredients to learning about recycling, children learn about being part of a community, connecting to their environment and understanding their impact on the world.
Rachael H.
02:40 27 Jun 24
Very happy with the quality of care and education my child receives at Guardian in Forde! We have been through Nursery 1 & 2 now, and are getting ready for the next phase which has been supported and guided by the centre. A lovely and helpful team all round!
Melam R D.
04:22 21 May 24
matthew B.
10:36 01 Feb 24
My wife and I are have been extremely happy with Guardian Forde for our daughter who is now 4. She has been attending for almost a year now and we have been consistently impressed. It is evident how well Sarah (manager) runs the centre. She’s done a great job at finding wonderful educators that connect well with the children and vice versa. We would happily recommend Guardian Forde to anyone looking for a childcare centre that’s welcoming, clean, educational and fun. Thank you Sarah and the team for taking such wonderful care of all the kids!
Taylor M.
05:54 10 Nov 23
My daughter Elena has gone to Forde since she was 6 months old, Elena is now 17 months old! Every morning Elena has a big smile as we walk into her room, she loves attending everyday! I love the structure of the centre, they always provide regular updates and this helps give me a piece of mind knowing my daughter being looked after.Elena loves her educators as they are family and loves her daily check in with Sarah in the afternoon, Elena is just about to transition into Nursey 2 and is having attachment issues to the carers but the support Sarah and her team are giving her and helping her through transition is amazing and comforting. Highly recommend Forde Guardian, keep up the good work team!
L
02:23 03 Nov 23
I’m highly impressed with this daycare, might be a first time mum but so far the carers are very caring, they are constantly doing different activities even in nursery one. My son is always happy and seems to really enjoy attending.
Abby C
09:41 26 Oct 23
Sarah (centre manager) in particular has been one of the best directors I have met. The staff at Guardian have been fantastic for my kids. I appreciate the thoughtful activities they plan and the patience they give to my kids. I would recommend this centre to anyone looking in the area!
Wera M.
20:57 26 Apr 23
Elysha P.
00:39 31 Aug 22
Great daycare, my daughter was immediately comfortable here and always happy when I picked her up! Great range of learning environments and outdoor play. The educators here are fantastic and management team is very professional. Can't recommend Guardian Forde enough! Fantastic experience, wish I could give more stars!!!
aarju S.
03:52 22 Feb 22
Nick S.
02:59 23 Nov 21
Kahri
21:55 22 Feb 21
My daughter has been going to this centre for almost 5 months now and she loves it. The educators are professional and kind and were really good with settling her in, finding her particular interests and welcoming her every morning. They provide healthy and diverse meals which my daughter always loves. The outdoor space is what drew me to the centre originally - lots of opportunity for messy muddy play when it’s wet which I absolutely love, but on dry days there is so much for them to do outside with a tunnel to climb in, logs to walk/sit on, a sandpit to dig in and plenty of space to wander around and explore. The inside spaces are always tidy and clean and my daughter adores the centre’s pet guinea pigs. I am really happy with the centre overall.
Angela T.
11:59 25 Jan 21
My son attended Guardian Childcare & Education Forde for a number of years ending in Dec 2020. I absolutely adore the staff here. They were always professional and so, so friendly. Tayla is an absolute angel and a huge asset to this centre.
Damien G.
09:02 05 Dec 19
Both our children have attended Guardian Early Learning at Forde and have loved the friends they have made and the wonderful educators who make the place feel a little like family. From when you walk through the front door to settling your child in everyone is cheerful and engaging. Eager to keep you updated with the day to day adventures and willing to incorporate different experiences and backgrounds into the early development of the kids. We are so glad that we found this centre!
Jac K
08:34 28 Nov 19
My child has been attending this centre for 12 months now. The management team are really responsive in working with families to make sure they are meeting the needs of each and every child. They listen to any concerns you have may have and act on them as necessary. Whilst the playground is a little bit of a dust bowl, my child loves the versatility of features such as the hill for imaginative play. I’m so glad we moved here from another centre not too far away.
Melita C.
08:55 09 Aug 19
We loved our time at Guardian Forde. Every single educator is passionate about early learning, dedicated, professional and genuinely caring. The management team were responsive, knowledgeable and went the extra mile to ensure we felt comfortable. The learning and play opportunities are dynamic, engaging and well-considered. I couldn't recommend them more highly.
Iris L.
03:24 12 Mar 19
Both my children have been so happy at the Forde Guardian Early Learning Centre. It makes a massive difference when the staff are dedicated and are of high-quality. They strive to provide the best level of care and have high standards when it comes to their staffing, facilities and programs.
Sam V.
07:43 18 Feb 19
We've had a great experience at this centre. The educators provided excellent support during orientation and our first few weeks and went out of their way to settle my little one into daycare.
Mónica M.
21:00 15 Feb 19
Danielle W.
10:12 14 Feb 19
The care my son receives at Guardian Early Learning Forde is excellent. His transition to childcare was a challenge for him as he had never been in care before, but the staff at the centre did everything possible to make his transition easier - he now loves his time there! The educators are gentle, caring and professional, and have worked closely with our family to give my son the most positive start to his early learning journey at the centre. The centre is warm and inviting and my son adores playing and learning in the outdoor space, which is designed to cater to all ages of children at the centre. Our family couldn’t be happier with the learning experiences our child is having during his time at Guardian Early Learning Forde.
Jasmeet N.
22:49 19 Feb 19
My daughter has been visiting the Guardian Forde Centre since she was 8 months old and is in now in the pre-school room. The carers of all the rooms are really loving caring. The management seems to be on top of their game and are always happy to assist when required. My child is super happy when I drop her off and pick her up and that makes me quite satisfied with the way the centre is.