Open 7:00am to 6:30pm
Monday to Friday
Guardian Childcare & Education Watsonia
Formerly Watsonia Early Learning Centre
- From the most nurturing nursery room to our leading two year kindergarten program – we are the leading centre in the area for the first 5 years of your child’s development.
- Your child will be in the best hands with us, and our centre will soon become their second home. They will never want to leave!
- Together, let’s give your child the best start to life here at Guardian Watsonia
Book a tour today to see what makes our Centre special & have all your questions answered
HOURS
Mon to Fri 7:00am to 6:30pm
ADDRESS
10-12 High St Watsonia, VIC, 3087
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 Watsonia, formerly Watsonia Early Learning Centre, a modern, purpose-built childcare and day care centre for children aged six weeks to six years of age. Our child care centre is perfectly situated for families living in surrounding suburbs such as Macleod, Watsonia, Watsonia North, Bundoora and Greensborough.
Read More
Meet our Centre Manager Courtney and team
“We love building strong relationships with families and the community to support children’s growth and development in their early years. We want to create a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment where children can learn whilst having fun!”
Our Flying Start to School program provides a specialised 2-year curriculum for children aged 3 to 5. Our unique program has two stages - Becoming Me for 3 year olds and Being Me for 4 year olds. Using developmental milestones and continuous monitoring of your child’s progress, this program is designed to make sure your child gets a flying start to school. Read more HERE
Where children are supported to be brave, curious, and bold in their learning, for the best possible start to life.
Georgina B.
02:16 02 Apr 25
I couldn’t be more pleased with Watsonia Guardian. The staff has been incredibly welcoming and professional. I remember feeling anxious when my daughter started, as any new parent would, Shae particularly took a real interest in my baby and myself and she would always reassure me everything was okay. My daughter is always excited to go, her lead room Educators Grace, Vivian and Priyanka are always happy to see her walk through the doors and truly care about her. The facilities are clean, well organised, safe, and I feel confident that my child is in great hands. Communication with the management team (Courtney & Kahli) and Educators is always easy, fun and I appreciate their interest in my daughter and any updates on her progress. I highly recommend Watsonia Guardian to any parent looking for a nurturing and reliable daycare.
Kahli E.
00:11 20 Nov 24
My children have attended Guardian Watsonia for a while now and we have loved every moment of it. My children are thriving with their childcare experience and have learnt so much in their time. They both get so excited to attend & absolutely adore their educators.
Emily C.
01:22 14 May 24
We love Watsonia Early Learning, the centre is always so clean and inviting the staff are extremely friendly and approachable. My sons have created such beautiful bonds with their educators and learnt so much and grown so much confidence over the years
Tamsin Van de W.
02:23 06 Apr 23
Both my girls have been going for 4 years. The staff are amazing and go above and beyond to make sure the kids have a great time. They take care with everything and have managed my daughters allergy’s better than the previous centre.Can’t thank them enough.
Jessica M.
06:37 04 Apr 23
My daughter Maddy M just started and we already love it ! Sofia and Ely have been so lovely with her . We have just moved from another centre and im so glad we have . My newborn son is on the waitlist for December, I am looking forward to him learning and having fun at this centre, I feel safe. You can tell it’s run correctly and professional . Bonus points it’s always clean and smells amazing when you walk in. The director Loren was fast at emailing me back. The whole progress has been great so far, looking forward to the next few years. Jess
Tracey A.
00:56 04 Apr 23
Our daughter started at Watsonia Early Learning centre this year. My gosh I can't explain the comfort it brings each day I drop her off. The carers and team are friendly, thoughtful and caring. Communication is regular and there is always activities to keep our bub entertained.Special call out to Caitlin, Sonja, Courtney, Miss Katie and Rhiannon!Tracey Kurz
Ashley F.
08:43 03 Apr 23
Watsonia ELC and the entire team are fantastic. Over the past 4 years, they have cared for our two girls and taught them so many wonderful things. They make the kids feel so comfortable and always take the time to keep us updated on their progress. We especially love the daily communication and photos. Cannot recommend Watsonia ELC enough. 👍👍👍
Sheridan S.
00:31 01 Apr 23
Both my girls are loving daycare. They have come ahead leaps and bounds. The educators are so attentive and we cant thank them enough.
Santo S.
08:09 31 Mar 23
My granddaughters are thriving here! They can’t wait to tell me all about it. Thank You
Shae J.
05:14 31 Mar 23
Have loved watching my son blossom with the beautiful educators here
Stace W.
03:43 31 Mar 23
Highly recommend watsonia early learning my daughter has the best time there, the educators are incredible & so caring!
Fatimah
14:19 25 Jun 22
Center team is the most creative one among my all experiences. Center is literally a treat to watch. Center director and manager are very professional and helpful. The staff is so welcoming, nice and affectionate with kids. The structure and cleanliness is commendable. My kid is lucky to get a slot here.Love it.
S W.
22:05 28 Mar 22
We recently moved our daughter over to Watsonia ELC from another centre is the area, and we couldn’t be happier!She has gone from crying every single day at the other place, to happily waving goodbye! The centre itself is very welcoming, with excellent facilities. Big enough to offer a variety of activities, but small enough to know each family and child.All the staff are really caring and great with the kids, and the ongoing updates and photos throughout the day are really reassuring for parents.
D W
15:04 10 Mar 21
Laura C.
08:24 04 Oct 20
Veronica H.
13:29 14 Aug 20
I love this centre; brand new infrastructure but experienced and stable staff. My daughter loves it there. They have also been very supportive during this COVID crisis.
Alicia N.
23:19 25 Jun 20
My son loves going to Watsonia Early Learning Centre. He happily gives us a wave and jumps into Ella's arms when I drop him off. He is engaged in different activities and is always learning and developing. The centre serves nutritious meals and the smell of freshly baked goods in morning is very inviting. The ready to take home meals once a week is also a great help for busy families. The director and staff are lovely and will follow up on any feedback or requests professionally and promptly. The centre has been very professional and kind during the COVID 19 pandemic. They never complained or gave the full extent of how it has effected them at their work place or personally. Their support during this time has always been about the kids and their families. I highly recommend Watsonia Early Learning Centre.
Elaine W.
03:52 23 Jun 20
My daughter has been going there for nearly a year. Staff are amazing, kind and caring. A real family friendly environment
Marlo M.
02:57 23 Jun 20
Exceptional care and love given to our kids, we couldn't recommend WELC highly enough. The staff are loving and caring, facilities are top notch, food delicious - our kids love going there. We love our kids going there. Thank you for everything you guys do.
Jamie S.
01:50 23 Jun 20
Watsonia early learning has been a god send to our family. Our son is a very shy boy, with the help of the highly professional and patient educators he has come right out of his shell. Not to mention the food they create for the children is amazing.. they have managed to get my son to eat vegetables 😂 can’t recommend enough ❤️
Nicole S.
10:43 22 Jun 20
I’m glad I listened to my husband because Watsonia ELC has been nothing short of superb. Amazing leadership from the director Emily shows amongst all the enthusiastic, professional and caring staff. Our daughter is happy when we pick her up every day.
Stacey W.
08:41 22 Jun 20
My two kids have been attending Watsonia Early Learning Centre since it opened. The staff are fabulous with my kids and they always make them feel special. My kids are always coming home with artwork and love doing things there that they don’t get to do at home. The continuity of staff has been good.
tegan H.
05:05 22 Jun 20
We are very lucky to have our children cared for by the wonderful staff at Watsonia Early Learning Centre. We transitioned from another ELC last year due to personal circumstances and although we thought it was going to be stressful, our two children transitioned beautifully. The staff engage with the children and nothing is ever a hassle. The educators are honest, caring and always have a smile on their face. Their facilities are excellent and exciting for young children.
Alex S.
04:22 22 Jun 20
Amazing carers and managers and so attentive to the little ones and families.
Natasha T.
04:16 22 Jun 20
All the staff are extremely lovely and very helpful when your in need of something. They are absolutely amazing with both of my girls. This centre has a very welcoming atmosphere and this is why we feel most comfortable. They also have a incredible coffee machine for all the parents to make in or on their way out of the centre. What i really love most is the generosity, they do family meals each week for parents who just need a break of cooking for the night. Couldn’t be more happier at this centre. Highly recommended! :)
Shelley B.
03:25 22 Jun 20
We couldn’t be happier with the care provided to our child at Watsonia ELC, highly recommended !
Caroline R.
03:18 22 Jun 20
The staff are very friendly and always greet us by name which reinforce a sense of belonging and childcare "family". The staff are also very responsive to questions and enquiries. The facilities are bright inspiring and clean. The outdoor areas are well thought out and set up. We love the weekly updates and photos emailed to us.
Jorja H.
22:10 17 Dec 19
Changing Daycare Centres can be really hard on both the parents and children, but WELC made our transition so smooth and made sure both of my children (Nursery and Pre-Kinder) were comfortable and happy before their first full day.Since they started, we have not had any tears at drop off, and are excited to head to Daycare each day. We receive an impressive amount of daily updates from the centre too!I cannot recommend Loren and her team enough. WELC has been a game changer for our family. Thank you!
Brett S.
03:27 17 Dec 19
Wonderful, caring staff and a great environment. We get daily updates with photos and the staff offer plenty of activities for the kids throughout the day. Highly recommend!
Tara W.
03:22 01 Oct 19
The staff and facilities are fantastic! We get daily updates on how our child's day is going and staff always take the time to tell us about his day and listen to any feedback we have. I would highly recommend this centre.
Rhythm of the Day
We know children (and families) like routine. Whilst no two days of learning are ever the same - here's what a day at Guardian might look like.
Whilst no two days of learning are ever the same - here's what a day at Guardian might look like.
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
Daily Rate 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) | $171.39 | $77.72 | $46.50 |
| Toddler (2–3) | $171.39 | $77.72 | $46.50 |
| Kinder (3–5) | $164.67 | $71.00 | $39.78 |
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 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.
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 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.
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.
What our families say about the centre
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