Guardian Childcare & Education St Kilda South

(Formerly Tree House)

Every day is an opportunity for discovery and growth at Guardian Childcare & Education St Kilda South (formerly Tree House). With a range of exciting, resource-rich environments including a wrap-around playground, a water play area, natural play structures, and a range of age-specific ateliers, children are encouraged to explore and learn.

The light-filled centre is built around a 200 year old Moreton Bay Fig Tree, which is the backdrop to our free flowing indoor/outdoor program.

We are proud to have a culturally diverse team and celebrate a variety of cultures and holidays throughout the year. In addition to events, our community-minded team organises regular visits to our neighbouring Guardian centres, creating strong bonds between the children.

Children get out and about on regular excursions, so we have a great connection with the surrounding community. We visit locations such as Prahran Markets, Booran Park, St Kilda and Elwood primary schools, and St Kilda Adventure Playground as a private booking.

Our on-site cook, Chelsea, prepares five nutritionally balanced meals using seasonal ingredients every day. Having over 10 years of commercial experience, Chelsea is passionate about sharing new plant-based with the children and fellow Guardian cooks. To further explore food at the centre our Educators host cooking classes for the children to get involved in.

Begin the adventure at Guardian today by booking a tour to explore the centre, chat with our team of Educators and learn more about our high-quality curriculum.

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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. Please note, this will vary depending on centre opening hours.

  • From 6:30am

    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.

  • From 7:00am

    Breakfast time where families are welcome to stay and enjoy breakfast with the children.

  • Morning

    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.

  • Morning

    As the children come together, planned experiences begin. This is where the Guardian programs and practices come to life. Examples of learning include numeracy, literacy, language, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, social skills, technology, science, creative arts, curiosity and more.

  • Morning

    There's an opportunity for children to come together and enjoy morning tea.

  • Mid-morning

    Following morning tea, the planned experiences continue. This includes both indoor and outdoor programs.

  • Afternoon

    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.

  • Afternoon

    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.

  • Afternoon

    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.

  • End of the day

    As families arrive to pick up children, there's an opportunity to speak to Educators and share information about the day.

  • End of 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.

Helpful Information

Opening Hours

Open 7:30am to 6:30pm
Monday to Friday

Fee Information

Age Group Daily Fee
Under 3 Years $160.50*
Over 3 Years $159.50*

*Price before the government rebate. To calculate what Child Care Subsidy you might get back, click here.

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 St Kilda South is built around a historically significant tree. This Morton Bay Fig tree is around 200 years old and has been a place of gathering for children and families for generations. At Guardian, we acknowledge the history and traditions of those who have come to this site before us, including the Boonwurung People. We also acknowledge that the presence of this tree is the reason this site was available for the centre to be built around.

This leads us to feelings of respect, appreciation and responsibility towards nature, which guides our practices and is ever present in our educational program. Our centre runs a wonderful excursion program with regular visits to the supermarket, library, local primary schools, cafes, beach, the list goes on.

Our centre has a full time chef who prepares fresh, locally sourced food with a large emphasis on a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, legumes and seeds.

We also provide necessities such as nappies, sunscreen, Sudocream and bedding for nap times.

Begin the Adventure at Guardian

To explore the centre, chat with our team of Educators and learn more about our high-quality curriculum, book a tour now.

Book a Tour

What Our Families Say