Header Image

Welcome to Croydon

Loading video...

Guardian Childcare Croydon

Google Reviews

(43)
View
  • Keeping children safe always comes first. All of our team are committed to uphold the highest standards of child safety. Read more about our approach to child safety.
  • Every day is unique in our centre, with modern resources from the nursery to our leading two year Kindergarten program. You don't want to miss out!
  • Our team of skilled Educators create a nurturing space where children can flourish and feel supported every day
  • Come and see why our families are our raving fans where belonging to our community and strong communication is a key part of a child's development. You will feel part of their day, every day.

20/22 Croydon Rd Croydon, VIC, 3136

Mon to Fri 6:30am to 6:30pm

Limited Spaces Available

Premium Croydon Childcare Centre

Croydon Centre Manager Image

Meet our Centre Manager Kayla and Team

“We believe an embedded curriculum is based around relationships with the community, families and children. By creating safe, respectful relationships with children and educators, there is an environment that has the opportunity to flourish through play-based learning."

Daily Fees

Value for quality care. See our daily fees and your CCS-reduced cost

View Daily Fees

Discover our newly refurbished Guardian Croydon, where your child’s learning journey begins.
Each part of our early learning centre is designed to inspire curiosity:

• An expansive outdoor area with a sandpit, bike track and veggie garden
• Indoor learning spaces filled with quality, age-appropriate resources
• Our personalised To BE Me learning program celebrates every milestone your child reaches.

From our Nursery to our Victorian government-funded Flying Start to School kindergarten program, we tailor learning to your child’s needs.
Our experienced team have children’s wellbeing and safety at their core, and partner closely with families from the very first day.

We Care More. The Guardian Difference.

A new era in early learning.

Learn More

Premium Learning Spaces

Inspiring environments for curious minds.

Learn More

Where care meets peace of mind.

Learn More

Building lifelong healthy habits with every bite.

Learn More

2 year Preschool / Kinder program for school readiness.

Learn More

Partnership with families & community

Stay connected, every step of the way.

Learn More

What Learning Looks Like at Different Ages

To Be Me

A new era in early learning. To BE Me is our exclusive learning program designed for each age & stage of a child’s first years, tailored to their age, interests & strengths. Their pathway is personalised, with every milestone captured to makes the link between play & learning clear & memorable.

Google Reviews

(43)
arrow_back
Olivia W.
We recently moved our children here from another Guardian centre and are so happy with the centre. The educators are amazing and the managers of the centre are great too. It feels like family here already, love it! 5 stars for us
Response from the owner:Thank you, Olivia. It is wonderful to hear how comfortable your family feels after moving to the centre. Your kind words about the educators and the leadership team mean a great deal, and it is lovely to know it already feels like family for you. We truly appreciate your feedback and your five star support.
Dave S.
We've had such a wonderful experience at Guardian Croydon! The educators are warm, attentive, and genuinely care about our children.
Response from the owner:We’re delighted to hear that you’ve had such a positive experience at our centre Dave! Our educators are passionate about creating a caring and supportive environment for every child, and it means a lot to know their efforts have made a difference for your family. If there’s ever anything more we can do to support you, please let us know. We’re grateful to have you as part of our community!
J C
I feel incredibly lucky to have such beautiful educators caring for my 18 month old. We’ve been at the centre for years and have seen the work and changes that make it what it is today - my little one adores the educators, the chef makes amazing food, they have a great educational program and take feedback on board. Highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you J C for your kind words and continued support! We're grateful to have your family as part of our community. It means the world to us that you've noticed the care, dedication, and growth within our centre over the years. Our educators are passionate about creating a nurturing and engaging environment, and it's wonderful to hear that your little one adores them! We’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to our chef and team. Thank you again for your recommendation — it’s families like yours that make our work so rewarding.
Ashleigh W.
As an early childhood educator myself, I have high expectations when it comes to care and education for young children—and I can confidently say this centre exceeds them all. We couldn't be happier with the care our child receives here!The staff are incredibly nurturing and patient. My daughter looks forward to going every week and has blossomed socially, emotionally, and academically since starting. The environment is always clean, safe, and welcoming, and communication with parents is excellent. We’re so grateful to have found such a wonderful place—it gives me a complete peace of mind knowing our child is in such good hands!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your heartfelt review Ashleigh. Being an early childhood educator yourself, your kind words mean the world to us. We're absolutely thrilled that your daughter is thriving socially, emotionally, and academically. That’s exactly what we strive for every day. Our team is passionate about creating a nurturing, safe, and engaging environment where every child feels valued and supported. Knowing that we’ve earned your trust and peace of mind is the greatest compliment we could receive. Thank you again for being part of our community!
Scott & Abby M.
Amazing educators and community! My son loves attending each week. His independence and confidence have grown so much since he has been enrolled.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that your son is enjoying his time with us and that you’ve seen such wonderful growth in his independence and confidence. Our educators are passionate about creating a supportive and engaging environment, and it’s so rewarding to know it’s making a difference. We’re grateful to be part of his learning journey!
Rachel M.
Such a wonderful team. They show so much genuine care for the children and take the time each day to chat to you about how your child is going. It's a really nice environment, with great outdoor spaces for play. Communication is consistent and easy. We take a lot of comfort in our son going here.
Response from the owner:We really appreciate your lovely review Rachel! We’re so glad to hear that you feel supported and reassured by the care our team provides. It’s incredibly important to us that families feel confident and connected, and we’re thrilled that our daily chats and consistent communication have made a difference for you. We’re also happy to hear your son is enjoying the environment and outdoor spaces — we love seeing the children explore, play, and grow in those areas! Your kind words mean a lot to our team, and we truly appreciate you being part of our community.
Leah N.
Love our experience at Guardian Croydon. The educators in both our kids rooms have formed the loveliest attachments and our boys are so happy to go to daycare.
The girls on the front desk Abby, Rachael and Zoe are always ready for a friendly word at drop off and pick up and can often tell you a story about your kids from that day or during the week which shows how much they know and care about the kids.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that your boys are happy and thriving at our centre. Our educators, Abby, Rachael, and Zoe, truly care about creating a nurturing and engaging environment for all the children. It's great to know that their efforts are making a positive impact on your family's experience. We look forward to continuing to support your children's growth and happiness!
Jennifer S.
Excellent, caring team with a positive atmosphere for the kids
Response from the owner:Thank you Jennifer for your 5-star rating for our centre in Croydon. We really appreciate your positive review and look forward to creating a great experience at Guardian over many more days to come!
Chloe V.
Best kinder ever! Great educaters, great workers that alk work there, my daughter loves platypus junction and so do I, thankyou all for being so wonderful and caring. The centre us clean and got great educational learning different things for the children each day. The educators are beautiful with the children and my daughter loves it there!! They have great nutritrtion kids meals there, great outdoors equipment, awsome sandpits, and love all the music they have each tuesday morning!!
Thankyou platypus junction
Xxxxxxxoooo
Response from the owner:Thank you Chloe for your 5-star rating for our centre in Croydon. We really appreciate your positive review and look forward to creating a great experience at Guardian over many more days to come!
Ally M.
I have nothing but nice things to say about Platypus Junction Croydon! They go above and beyond for the care of the children. Everyday we are greeted with smiling, welcoming faces and my son always leaves extremely happy. I can't imagine sending my son to any other Childcare Centre and I honestly can't recommend them enough.
Hannah L.
Megan A.
Millie R.
Emily H.
My son is three years old and has been in this centre for two and a half years. The educators in this centre are care about the kids. My boy especially like Malissa who is take care of him from nursery room to toddler room. She is always very positive and professional. The management team especially Katrina provides good atmosphere for the centre.
Nicolette B.
Melissa S.
Simone J.
My son has been attending Platypus Junction Croydon for 4 years now. I am extremely impressed with the staff and the education he has received throughout the years. Nothing is ever too much of an effort and all staff and management have been extremely accommodating. I would definitely recommend this centre to any parent. Thanks for looking after my boy guys!
Alex P.
Aimee J.
What can I say! Words cannot describe how appreciative I am of the team at Croydon! As a an early childhood professional I have been nothing but impressed with the educational experiences provided for my daughter! We have only been here for a short while but the amount of learning she is coming home with is amazing! Well done team, keep up the awesome work!
Ruby R.
The staff and facilities are wonderful, my little girl is very happy
Jason V.
If I could give more than 5 stars I would, staff are friendly and caring, not once have I never felt welcomed, facilities are second to none. Highly recommend.
Kristen C.
When doing a tour of Platypus Junction, I actually burst into tears. It was everything I wanted for my one year old son. The centre is clean, modern, inviting and calm. There is a strong emphasis on the children being both nurtured and educated, even from a young age. The staff are friendly and the front desk is always manned. We could not be happier.
Kelly W.
The staff here are amazing and care my girls very well. They welcome my girls everytime. The staff also came out the room to help them to settle in when they refused to go into the room in the first several days, because my girls had a bad experience at previous childcare.
and now they go into the room with smile.
They organize the activities quite well, also have underground car parking which is very convenient for parents.
Courtney S.
We have had a great start down at Platypus Junction with our 15 month old son, the new purpose built centre is very light and bright and the staff are very friendly and communicative regarding our sons care.
Hayley B.
My 1 year old and 3 year old settled in quickly with no fuss at all. My 3yo was anxious and unsettled at our previous daycare provider, but now looks forward to daycare! The centre is clean, bright and open and the staff are wonderful - providing engaging activities incursions. My kids are happy which means I'm happy!
Pippa J.
The staff that work at this centre have been so welcoming and warm towards myself and my daughter. My daughter is so incredibly happy to be dropped off into her room in the morning and we are always welcomed with big smile! We love it here!
Andrea H.
I have nothing but positive things to say about this centre and the staff that run it. Our 14 month old daughter loves it, she gets excited when we drop her off in the morning and comes home happy and exhausted from playing and socialising all day. I would not hesitate to recommend Platypus Junction to anybody who needs to place their child in care, our experience there has been excellent.
Aleisha D.
The staff are very friendly, helpful and caring. My son has been really happy and comfortable in the nursery room.
Hayley E.
We have had a wonderful start at Platypus Junction. Our girls have been cared and nurtured by all staff from the moment we commenced- thank you Platypus Junction!
bec R.
So wonderful to be part of such a wonderful early learning centre!
Sara W.
I can not recommend Platypus Junction in Croydon highly enough! As a first time mum going back to work and leaving my son was a scary prospect but every single staff member I have come into contact with at Platypus Junction has gone above in beyond in making the whole transition as smooth and positive as possible! They have a big emphasis on creating a nurturing and calm environment for the kids and the brand new center is just beautiful!
Chloe R.
We moved our daughter here after she struggled with a previous centre. She still has seperation anxiety but she settles very quickly with the wonderful staff she has bonded to and she is always busy having fun when we come to pick her up!
tahnee W.
The staff at Platypus Junction Croydon are absolutely amazing. They always welcome myself and my son by name when we arrive and are always happy and friendly. Everyone is very approachable and informative of my son's development and daily activities.
They provide excellent service, educational activities, nutritional food and daily updates on their app for parents to access for their child.
The facility is brand new, very well presented, clean, well organised, has secure security access, underground car parking and outdoor access for babies and children to play outside in a safe environment. The centre is very well staffed with highly trained and qualified educators.
I highly recommend this childcare facility to anyone that is looking for a friendly and clean facility for their precious babies 😊 they will be very well looked after.
Chloe P.
I brought my daughter here after a terrible experience at another centre and now she looks forward to daycare 3 times a week. The teachers are genuinely caring and friendly, and take a real interest in my daughter and seem happy to be at their job! Best decision I made.
Colette H.
We love this centre! The educators are really wonderful and the food for the kids is really healthy and interesting! Would highly recommend.
Renee W.
Love the vibe of this his gorgeous new centre!
Emma J.
My daughter has been attending here for a couple of months now and she loves it. The staff have been fantastic and I love that a lot of the play/ learning is nature based. We get regular updates on her development and daily activities as well.
arrow_forward

Rhythm of the Day

We know children and families like routine, so you will always receive a warm welcome each morning and an invitation to stay for breakfast. At the end of the day, a smooth transition is assured with your child’s belongings ready for you after a day that fulfils your child's interests and curiosity. In between, the day is filled with new and exciting experiences to engage young minds as part of their early childhood education. Here’s a glimpse of what a day of play-based learning at our childcare centre often looks like.

Morning

Breakfast time provides a great chance for you to share what is important and how your baby’s night at home was.

Mid-Morning

Your baby will enjoy engaging in both our indoor and outdoor nursery environments with planned experiences like songs and story time, followed by morning tea.

Middle of the Day

Your baby’s lunch times will suit their needs, and with our open-door policy, families are welcome to enjoy lunch/bottle time with your baby. When your baby is ready, they are gently settled for sleep and rest.

Mid-Afternoon

Our planned indoor and outdoor nursery experiences continue with the chance for movement, games and more books and songs, with an afternoon snack provided.

End of Day

The Nursery team are eager to share information about your baby’s day and their learning, preparing you and your baby for a smooth transition to your evening.

Frequently asked questions

What we do to keep children safe

Create Safe Spaces & Practices

  • Nappy change areas are designed to have visibility windows and are set up for maximum supervision
  • Our policies also cater for team members being in sight or sound of another team member at all times.
  • Safety embedded in daily programs – by conducting daily checklists, comprehensive risk assessments, and more
  • personal phones or devices are not allowed in learning spaces.

Safe People Who Follow Safe Policies

  • Working With Children Checks for all team members. Automatic alerts if a WWCC is revoked and team member not eligible for shifts
  • Rigorous reference checks – must provide previous line managers for their past roles
  • Annual compulsory Suitability Declarations to confirm ongoing fitness to work with children
  • Mandatory reporting and speaking up – report concerns immediately and all concerns will be investigated fully
  • Ongoing mandatory training in child safety, including annual refreshers and leadership-specific modules

Controlling Access to our Centres

  • Multiple levels of security in all centres
  • All visitors must sign in and present photo ID before entry
  • All tradespeople must provide a WWCC & complete Guardian-specific induction.

Read more here

Daily Fee Information

Daily Rates

Our daily rates are all inclusive and have no additional charges for incursions / excursions or any of our learning programs. The rates shown are an estimate based on using Childcare Subsidy (CCS) subsidised hours. The CCS helps lower your out-of-pocket costs, with subsidy rates dependant on your individual family eligibility levels.

What You Might Pay After CCS
Age of Room Daily Rate 60% Subsidy 80% Subsidy
Nursery (0–2) $157.84 $67.87 $37.88
Toddler (2–3) $157.84 $67.87 $37.88
Kinder (3–5) $157.84 $67.87 $37.88

The Victorian Government offers funding to provide families up to 15 hours of Free Kindergarten a week, in addition to the Childcare Subsidy. The funding offsets the fees for three and four-year-old children that are part of the centre’s long day care Kindergarten program. Families will save up to $2,101 a year for children aged three-years-old and above in eligible long day cares in 2025. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.

What do you provide?

Hat, wetbag and sunscreen

Hat, wetbag and sunscreen

5 meals per day

5 meals per day

All incursions and excursions

All incursions and excursions

Nappies, wipes and formula

Nappies and wipes

Storypark parenting app

Storypark parenting app

Long day care hours year around

Long day care hours year around

How will you share updates about my child’s day?

Great communication is vital in our collaborative partnerships with families at the Centre. We have a variety of different ways we communicate with you about your child’s learning and progress:


  1. Storypark app - Stay connected to your child's day with regular updates, including photos and learning insights

  2. Pick-up and drop-off updates – Our Educators will share highlights from their day, including experiences they enjoyed, mealtimes, and naps to support your evening routine.

  3. In-room learning exchange displays make our weekly learning plans easy to see so you know what your child will be learning.

  4. Centre Newsletters – Great for community connection and wider Centre and team updates.

  5. Development documentation and meetings for your individual child’s progress.


But remember our door is always open.

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
Flying start to school

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.

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.

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.

Guardian Centres Nearby