Open 7:00am to 6:00pm
Monday to Friday
Guardian Childcare & Education
Mentone East
- Every day is unique in our newly refurbished centre with modern resources from nursery to our leading 2-year Kindergarten program. You don’t want to miss out!
- Meet our dedicated team and discover how we lead the way in your child’s development, where keeping you connected with regular communication about their progress as a top priority.
- Belong to our nurturing community at Mentone East where our team get to know you and your child individually to help them be creative brave and curious in their learning
Book a tour today to see what makes our Centre special & have all your questions answered

HOURS
Mon to Fri 7:00am to 6:00pm
ADDRESS
37 Blackwood Avenue Mentone, VIC, 3194
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 and Education Mentone East! Our spacious, bright and modern early learning centre in Mentone East provides a welcoming environment and leading early childhood education programs for children aged six weeks to six years of age to discover the world in a safe and secure way.
- Quality learning programs such as Joy of Reading, Cooking and Sustainability
- Engaging indoor learning spaces full of quality educational resources
- Expansive outdoor play spaces with native trees, herb and vegetable gardens, sandpit creek beds and water play areas.
- 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
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 
Guardian Childcare & Education Mentone East is a beautiful, open-plan childcare centre situated on Blackwood Avenue, directly across from Mentone Park Primary School and near Mentone Reserve.
Our centre is perfectly located for families in Mentone East, Cheltenham, Parkdale, Mordialloc, and Beaumaris, and we also welcome families from further afield who value quality early learning with dedicated educators who genuinely care about nurturing children. This location is particularly convenient for those commuting along the Nepean Highway, making daily drop-off and pick-up routines seamless.
At our daycare in Cheltenham, we are passionate about preparing children to become the big thinkers of the future. Our play-based learning approach emphasises intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development in an environment that is safe, fun, and supportive of each child’s unique strengths.
Our Cheltenham childcare centre is equipped with bright, stimulating materials that encourage exploration and engagement with the exciting world around them – the best start to a child’s life!
Through our kindergarten program, we help prepare children for their exciting transition into school. We focus on developing children’s interests and many of the key skills that children use in the first few years of school, supporting them to feeling more ready and confident as they take the big step up.
Guardian Mentone East is open from 7.00 am to 6.30 pm every weekday, so families are provided with plenty of flexibility for the hours they work and the time they choose to drop off and pick up their child. During drop-off or pick-up times, we encourage you to stay for a little while and spend some time exploring the learning environment. Our
Educators and Teachers can help you explore the various play materials and educational spaces throughout the Cheltenham Centre, which are designed to nurture children’s interests and promote a stimulating environment for learning at home. Our family communication app, Storypark, keeps you updated with photos and information about your child’s development throughout the day, ensuring you stay informed about their early learning journey. We also establish different learning outcomes in Storypark that support your child in achieving developmental milestones and understanding new ideas, giving them the best start possible.
For children aged three and four, we offer a kindergarten program led by university-qualified teachers that supports your child’s school readiness while aligning with the Early Years Learning Framework. Our kindergarten curriculum holds the Victorian Government Kinder Tick, showcasing our commitment to giving your child the best possible start in life.
Our kindergarten programs are led by specialist Educational Leaders who guide teaching and learning in a flexible and research-supported way. Through the program, children have the opportunity to learn some of the skills that are often only introduced in school. We begin learning and exploring shapes, numbers and letters through fun, play-based activities.
At Guardian Mentone East, we’re dedicated to children’s health and nutrition, with our on-site cook preparing fresh meals filled with essential nutrients for growing bodies. We encourage children to get involved in food preparation and ask questions about their meals, exploring where their food comes from and its benefits. This approach not only promotes healthy eating but also fosters an appreciation for the cultural heritage behind different foods, nurturing diversity and inclusion from an early age.
Our kindergarten programs are designed to build each child’s literacy and numeracy skills, ensuring they feel confident as they transition to primary school. We tailor our support to meet the needs of each family, honouring and encouraging every child’s cultural background.
As part of our unique Visible Learning Program, families can gain insights into their child’s education. Our Learning Exchange Display offers updates on your child’s progress and provides opportunities for you to engage in their learning journey.
If you’re searching for nearby day care in Cheltenham, Beaumaris childcare, or Mentone Park childcare, we invite you to visit us. Explore our Mordialloc kindergarten and childcare options, and see how we support families in Mordialloc and Cheltenham. Come meet our Centre Manager and the team and tour our Centre today! Discover why Guardian Mentone East is the perfect learning and child care environment for your child. Together, we can foster life-long learners, and we look forward to welcoming you soon!
Centre Highlights 
Our Mentone East childcare centre offers:
- Quality learning programs such as Joy of Reading, Cooking and Sustainability
- Engaging indoor learning spaces full of quality educational resources
- Expansive outdoor play spaces with lushes native trees, herb and vegetable gardens, sandpit creek beds and water play areas.
- 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.

Our Flying Start to School kindergarten program is lead by degree qualified Teachers in a long day care setting. Our specialist two-year program is committed to supporting your child as they prepare for big school. We focus on nurturing their confidence, making friends and social emotional growth while also supporting their abilities in reading, writing, counting, and thinking skills. Whether it’s building with blocks, practicing their first letters, or learning to share with friends, every experience is carefully designed to support your child’s development.

Our Centre is a recipient of funding as part of the VIC Government’s Free Kinder Program. Eligible children aged three years and above will receive up to $2101 in additional subsidies to reduce your out-of-pocket fees. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.
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.
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 experiences teach numeracy by counting ingredients, and weighing and measuring quantities and volume, while managing these tasks supports independence and confidence.
Learning languages through Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) supports brain development and social skills and creates opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity.
Reading aloud to children each day inspires imagination and supports thinking. Books with rhythm, rhyme and word patterns make stories more playful and memorable.
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.