Open 7:00am to 6:30pm
Monday to Friday
HOURS
Mon to Fri 7:00am to 6:30pm
ADDRESS
31 East Boundary Road Bentleigh East, VIC, 3165
SPACES AVAILABLE NOW ACROSS ROOMS
Check out our fantastic indoor and outdoor learning spaces your child will enjoy
Welcome to our Centre
Welcome to Guardian Childcare & Education Bentleigh, a warm, spacious and vibrant early learning centre in south-east Melbourne. Our early childhood education programs are focused on play-based learning, and our team of qualified Teachers and Educators provide a stimulating environment for children aged six weeks to six years of age to discover the world in a safe and secure way.
Read More
Meet our Centre Manager Simi
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing” – Ranulph Fiennes
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
Supported by a team of passionate Educators, your child will love the custom designed internal and external spaces and abundance of resources to explore and play with. Our centre also boasts:
- Spacious and light-filled rooms
- Three outdoor play areas
- Fresh and nutritious meals made on site
- Cooking classes
- Yoga
- Dance and music classes
Our meaningful play-based programs are designed to foster children’s development in a positive and nurturing way. We invite you to book a tour to meet our friendly staff and to see the centre for yourself!
Centre Highlights
- A warm, spacious and vibrant early learning centre in south-east Melbourne.
- This light-filled, multi-level Centre has a mix of indoor and outdoor learning environments where exciting learning programs and practices come to life. There are three outdoor play areas
- Our Bentleigh day care centre highlights our natural environment, and we have designed resource-rich environments where children are encouraged to explore and learn. Our outdoor learning environments include herb gardens, a water play area, bike paths, natural play structures, and age-specific play areas.
- Our on-site cook prepares nutritionally balanced meals using fresh seasonal ingredients every day. To further explore food at the Centre, our Educators host cooking classes for the children to enhance their understanding of good nutrition and to encourage them to try new foods and flavours.
- Our early childhood education programs are focused on play-based learning, and our team of qualified Teachers and Educators provide a stimulating environment for children aged six weeks to six years of age to discover the world in a safe and secure way.
- Our Bentleigh child care centre is located on Boundary Road between South Road and Centre Road, which means drop-off before work has never been more accessible or convenient
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 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.
SteveDTNguyen
06:41 09 May 24
A great childcare centre. Our son has been attending the centre since he was nearly 2 years old and now he 3.5 years old.The toddler room has great caring educators like Sara (who recently left) and Asano.The pre kindergarten room has teachers Tina and Nicole who are caring and always keen provide different and exciting learning activities for the kids everyday. The other teachers from other kindergarten room are also very nice and caring.They also have extra curricular like sports, Singing, and Yoga on some days of the week.The food is healthy and changing daily to provide kids with different cuisines.My son loves to go to the childcare everyday.
Katherine S.
10:37 29 Oct 23
We love Guardian and all the amazing educators and team here. Highly recommend!
Navada J.
08:02 01 Sep 23
zahra S.
13:59 17 Jul 23
MM
05:15 04 Jan 23
Our baby has been in the nursery for 8 months and is truly thriving there. I’ve never seen anything I don’t like at the numerous surprise visits. I would happily take my baby there any day.
Paul N.
02:58 03 Jan 23
My wife and I first enrolled our 1½ year baby girl old Celestina ( Tina) with Kids’ Time ( now Guardian Childcare ) way back in 2018.Tina graduated last month and will start school as St. Peter's Primary School later this month, an important milestone for which she was well prepared.We are both very pleased to publish this commendatory Google Review by way of a heartfelt “Thank You” for all the care and professionalism which all Staff, past and present, extended to our daughter over the years.These include: Ashima, Aashna, Mariette, Bernice, Joon, Parminder, Ren, Jasbir, Rania, Nicole, Melissa, Isabella, Zaimab, Camillia, Kirandeep, Pinki, Georgia, Karen, Hema, Fiona, Niti, and others, whose names our aging memories fail us.Continually, consistently and continuously, over the weeks, months and years, all Staff demonstrated to us by word and deed their commitment to not only caring, but educating and nurturing children.Both of us heartily recommend this educational and child care centre establishment as eminently suitable for a baby, toddler, or child.
Shruti C.
04:02 04 Oct 22
Vanessa O.
09:19 13 Sep 22
accounts A.
03:17 13 Sep 22
Love the centre so much. Nina is achieving so much and loving it the educators are so so lovely and caringShe is learning so much
Jill J.
12:32 21 Jul 22
I never thought I could find a centre who can look after my son the way I would look after him. The staff are very accommodating, passionate, empathetic, and cheerful. We are treated as a family in this centre by all the staff which gives me a peace of mind when my son is under their care. Sadaf, Asano, and the rest of Naroo educators are lovely and very caring! Isabel and Mel are a wonderful pair in managing the centre. Thank you everyone!
Mez T
15:27 10 Jul 22
Fantastic centre, highly recommend. Educators are great to deal with, attentive and professional. Management team have a great work ethic, open communication and everyone is always a pleasure to deal with. My daughter loves it here, has established good relationships with her peers and educators and can see she is thriving.
Glen W.
22:51 07 Jul 22
Highly recommended! My son has been attending for about 2 years. About to start my daughter there too. Very open, transparent, honest, warm and friendly. My son runs in and is excited every time he goes to childcare. The staff are great and will not only make your child's experience excellent, but also listen and give feedback with any issues good or bad.
Vanessa O.
21:41 07 Jul 22
Cannot thank these ladies enough! They are all awesome. My son has been there for a few years and my daughter is about to start. They are attentive, empathetic and caring. The rooms look amazing and my son always runs in with excitement! If I am ever concerned about something they always listen and help. My children will be going there until they attend school. Highly recommend! Thank you Mel, Cam, Issy and all the lovely ladies in the rooms. We appreciate you!
Catherine S.
02:17 07 Jul 22
Consistency of carers and excellent communication. Lots of fun activities and learning experiences
Emma H.
09:19 06 Jul 22
Our son loves going here and we are very happy with the care he receives.The food is great and the educators go above and beyond.Communication is great and we are glad to have found this place.
Emily R.
01:09 06 Jul 22
Would gladly recommend this childcare to anyone. Their kinder program set my eldest up for the best start in school this year. The staff are all kind, friendly and thoughtful. My 1yo has been attending for 6 months and it is a testament to the team how happy he is as soon as we walk in the door, he has a big smile & leans straight out for cuddles. They take on board any feedback and are willing to work with the parents to find the best routine to suit the children. Isabel & Mel manage a great team and I love seeing the pictures and stories daily of all the things that the kids get up to!
Rebecca T.
22:38 05 Jul 22
I would highly recommend this centre! The staff are so caring, warm and knowledgeable and treat the children with care, understanding and respect. The programs are very educational and fun and the environment is safe and welcoming. They also serve delicious and nutritious meals!
Anita G.
11:22 27 Jun 22
The staff are lovely and caring and we are very happy with the care and support our kids get at the centre.
Anne C
01:05 24 Jun 22
We cannot fault the staff and the facilities at guardian Bentleigh. Covid baby so never left with anyone childcare was overwhelming for him to start, the staff were extremely patient and fantastic with him. He absolutely loves daycare now and this is due to the fabulous educators making his time there so enjoyable. They are always doing fun activities and we get daily updates/photos which is great to see!Highly recommend this daycare.
Izabella Frattezi R.
07:53 12 Apr 22
I would highly recommend this childcare. My 9 months old loved to go there and you could see they really love children in there. They have great daily activities and are happy to follow the baby's needs.
Kirandeep kaur B.
02:22 02 Nov 21
For me, as a mother of one daughter the most important thing is to feel that my child is safe when she not with me and that's the way I feel when she going to Guardian childcare CenterVery freandly and professional staffDelicious and healthy mealsClean and tidyLots of activities and toys etcI would highly recomend this centre.
RUOYING W.
09:53 10 Aug 21
Kate M.
03:52 20 May 21
I cannot recommend Guardian Bentleigh enough. We have been so happy sending both of our kids to this center over the years.We are moving away and the thing we will miss most about Bentleigh is this childcare center and community and the wonderful staff.Karen and the staff do such a wonderful job of creating an engaging, fun and supportive service for these children.Our kids have been treated with the upmost interest, kindness and respect and they absolutely love attending and telling us all of the fun and exciting things they learnt that day.Their communication is fantastic and the center and environment feels so warm and welcoming.Thank you for everything you have done for our kids.
Thomas
08:35 19 Apr 21
Karen and the crew have been amazing in the 4 years that we've been bringing our boys in.The carers consistently provided exceptional service and support. Karen has been fantastic about working out the best caring solution for our family.We're moving out of the area and even discussed keeping our youngest enrolled because they are just THAT GREAT.Thanks for all the great memories.
andrew B.
11:37 14 Apr 21
Amazing, nurturing and professional educators who go the extra mile. Wonderful work environment, great management and wonderful families. Also offer funded Kinder program with extended hours so no need to move till school. Excursions to local feeder schools make transition easy. Still get the change of environment from creche to Kinder as they move upstairs. Bonus if you have children of different ages as all groups are under one roof. Highly recommend this CentreNB
Georgia A.
03:46 06 Apr 21
Beautiful state of the art centre. From the moment we became part of this centre, we noticed the huge emphasis on community focus and that parents are listened and heard. Amazing centre where the children's needs are put first before anything else.
Atar S.
03:46 05 Apr 21
We had all 3 of our kids in this wonderful centre. We couldn’t have been happier with the care and attention each of children received. From the great educators, the beautiful, clean facilities, the awesome food and the professional management run by the gorgeous Karen. This centre understands that we all have different circumstances and individual family needs and with great sensitivity manages to find solutions to help us all. Particularly during COVID when a lot of other establishments failed us we felt like guardian Bentleigh really tried their absolute hardest to make sure the kids are looked after wether at home or in the centre. We couldn’t recommend this centre enough and we are very thankful our kids had such a great start the their education journey.
Lisa M.
03:26 05 Apr 21
If you want high quality care for your child. Then guardian Bentleigh is a great centre Clean facility’s, caring staff and great management. Could not recommend a better centre
hemambika09
05:05 22 Mar 21
Fantastic place for care and education. The educators are very caring and professional. They listen to the individual needs of the children. Centre manager Karen is the best! Always there for the families and goes that extra mile each time. I moved from Adelaide with a 3yo with a lot of uncertainty and this centre really helped settle my child in the new place. Highly recommended!
Lisa C.
05:25 10 Sep 20
This is more than just a childcare facility. There’s a real sense of family community and I only have positive things to report. Very pleased with the high level of care for my daughter from this fantastic centre. The educators genuinely care for the children and most mornings, my daughter doesn’t even turn around to say goodbye. She runs off to hug her teachers or play with the other children. They have great facilities and high-quality equipment. Food is nutritious & healthy and a great variety is offered. I love the children are fed little sandwiches at 5pm which allows me to push family dinner out and I’m not dealing with a hangry child. The educators have been amazing with toilet training too. I once forgot to pack a jacket and the weather turned, they dressed my daughter in a clean spare jacket to keep her warm. Quite often the centre manager generously leaves treats (like homemade muffins & goodies) out for the parents. It’s all these little things they do that make them a wonderful centre. It’s clean, safe and secure. I’m really happy and thankful for the team and grateful my daughter is so settled and content. Hope this helps parents looking for the right place. This is by far the greatest!
Laura E.
11:00 11 Dec 18
UPDATED REVIEW:My original review below is over 18mths old and so much has changed for the better since I penned it.At the time we had a very significant turnover of carers, and due to that high attrition rate, our child's needs weren't being met.Since then, the management changed, staffing stabilized, Guardian took over, and our experience has been absolutely wonderful this year.We now have two children in full time care, they're both thriving under loving, nurturing, education and care.I confidently and absolutely recommend this ELC, the center director Karen is wonderful, and her team are fantastic.--------------We enrolled our youngest at Kids Time ELC Bentleigh East as of January 2017, and so far our experience has been mixed.Our initial interactions with the centre were almost off putting and that was prior to enrolling. The centre was going through staffing changes and it seemed that customer service was a little lost in that transition.After touring the centre and speaking with some of the educators we decided to proceed with enrolling our child.The first 6-8 weeks weren't great; we had repeated unfortunate experiences that risked our child's well being and almost resulted in us removing our child from the centre.That said, we met with the room leader and the interim centre management and they assured us that they would put in the required steps to improve the aspects that weren't working.Since that meeting our experience has significantly improved.We are very fortunate to say that the majority of educators and support staff are lovely to interact with and genuinely adore the children that are under their care.Our child is looked after, well observed, stimulated and given affection from the staff that we have entrusted to look after him.The facilities are amazing, and compared to other centres we have had our older children at, we are really thrilled with the physical offerings that this centre has.Overall our experience is constantly improving. The day to day experiences are more and more consistent and in line with expectations, and with new changes to the management we feel positive that things will continue to improve overall.We're happy with the centre, we appreciate the care our child receives and we look forward to a more even overall experience as the changes they have implemented take root.
Sassy H.
14:21 21 Sep 18
Couldn't be more happier with the place. Every staffs in the room know our kids name and always inform us on what our kids have done on the day when we pick them up.
Jenny B.
02:27 17 Sep 18
Had the most wonderful experience at this centre!! The Centre Manager Karen is absolutely amazing. Her care factor is off the charts. We felt like we were part of a big happy family. The love the educators showed towards my child were so heart warming. The staff work so hard to plan engaging programs. The communication about what they do each day is great - you get to see online notifications with photos. I would recommend this centre to anyone living in the area!! We were so sad to leave as we moved house. You will not be disappointed!
Kelly A
11:31 24 May 18
As a first time parent, I was extremely anxious about sending off my baby to childcare. The team at Kids Time Bentleigh East put my mind at ease from the moment we started.Every morning, we are greeted by the ever cheery and friendly centre staff. Ilana and her nursery team are outstanding, extremely warm and caring. My baby bonded strongly with her carers. She struggled to take a bottle, but from day one the staff were persistent and successful in implementing this. All routines that we have are respected and implemented. My daughter delights in being there, and never hesitates when I pass her over to her educators.I’m extremely impressed with the variety of activities that my child undertakes each day. She participates in activities that I would never have considered doing with her at that age. Her development since being at the centre has come along in leaps and bounds. She is completely engaged with activities targeted to her interests. As a bonus, the daily activities are captured with pictures and the children’s story sent to you via an app.The centre is extremely new and facilities are impeccable. The food sounds amazing and I love that she is offered foods that I wouldn’t necessarily give at home. I am so happy with my decision to enrol at this centre. They do so much to ease the parental guilt!
Monique M.
08:10 14 Apr 18
We moved our 2.5 son after over a year at another centre and from the second we walked in there we hit the jackpot! The staff were fantastic and the centre director made sure we felt at ease with the centre. My son used to cry when I used to mention going to the old centre and since we started at Kids Time not one tear! The facilities are beautiful and the staff have been instrumental in caring for our son.
Margaret C.
20:33 24 Nov 17
As a grandparent I was so impressed by the graduation concert on Thursday. Impressed by the educators skill in organising 4 or 5 year olds to sing in French and also a beautiful aboriginal lullaby. A beautiful evening. Archies granny.
Leanne P.
03:53 18 May 17
My kids have been coming to this Centre for the last six years and we love it. We even followed them when they moved premises. Staff are great with the kids and have always made me feel like part of the family. It's a real little community and I have trouble getting the kids out the door at the end of the day. Staff have always been understanding to the struggles of a working parent, we would happily recommend this centre to family and friends.
jian L.
09:17 27 Jan 17
Ben K.
06:50 22 Dec 16
Kids Time bentleigh East has amazing facilities and a great educational program.It is clean tidy and my daughter has excelled in Kinder since coming across from another centre.
Rachel S.
06:45 22 Dec 16
This would have to be the best Kinder anyone could ever hope for or imagine. The staff are amazing, the other families are friendly and the quality of care and education is of the highest standard in Melbourne. The facilities are brand new, built 2015, and there is a low staff turnover which says a lot.
Katia Z.
05:33 22 Dec 16
For me, mother of two little boys, the most important thing is to feel that my kids are safe when they not with me and that's the way I feel when they going to Kids Time CentreVery freandly and professional staffDelicious and healthy mealsClean and tidyLots of activities and toys etcI would highly recomend this centre