Long Day Care in Canberra

Quality early education and care for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. We offer full-day, year-round care in a warm, family-owned centre where every child is known by name.

What Is Long Day Care

Long day care is a form of approved childcare that provides structured early education and supervision for children from 6 weeks to school age, typically operating Monday to Friday year-round. It is the most common form of childcare in Australia and is eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).

At Coombs Early Learning, our long day care program is built around relationships, routines, and the creation of a genuine love of learning. We follow Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and integrate inquiry-based learning across every age group, so your child isn’t just looked after – they’re learning every day.

Our Rooms

We offer long day care from 6 weeks to through to school age across seven rooms. Each room is staffed by dedicated educators and designed around the specific needs, routines, and development of that age group.

6 weeks – 12 months
2 Rooms

Nursery

A calm, secure environment for your youngest child, built around bonding, gentle routines, and sensory exploration. Our two nursery rooms keep group sizes small so every baby receives attentive, consistent care.

6 weeks – 12 months
2 Rooms

Tiny Toddlers

Designed for children taking their first steps toward independence. Our two Tiny Toddlers rooms support emerging language, movement, and social skills through play-based exploration and warm educator relationships.

2 – 3 years
1 Room

Toddlers

An active, play-rich room where toddlers build confidence, curiosity, and connection. Children are supported in making choices, navigating friendships, and expressing themselves through creative and imaginative play.

3 – 4 years
1 Room

Junior Preschool

A bridge between the toddler years and a full preschool program. Children begin developing literacy foundations, group learning skills, and a deeper sense of self through inquiry-based experiences.

4 – 5 years
2 Rooms

Preschool

Our preschool program prepares children for school through structured inquiry, early literacy and numeracy, collaboration, and growing independence. Includes our Bush Kinder outdoor program.

What Makes Coombs Different

We’re a privately owned centre – not a national chain. That means the people who care about your child the most are the ones running the centre.

Inquiry-Based Learning

Our educators follow your child’s curiosity and shape learning around their questions and interests, guided by the EYLF.

Qualified Educators

Every room is staffed by experienced, qualified educators with low turnover, so your child builds lasting relationships.

Fresh Meals Included

We provide nutritious, freshly prepared meals and snacks each day, no lunchboxes needed.

Family-Owned

As a locally owned centre, we’re accountable to our families and community, not a corporate head office.

Hours, Fees & Subsidy

Our centre is open year-round, five days a week. Long day care fees are eligible for the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket costs depending on your family’s income and hours of care.

Centre Hours

7:30am – 6:00pm

Monday to Friday, year-round

Ages Accepted

6 weeks – 5 years

Across Nursery, Toddler & Preschool rooms

Daily Fee

$150.00 /full day

CCS reduction available for eligible families

Inclusions

Meals & Sunscreen

All meals, snacks and sunscreen provided daily

Federal Government

Child Care Subsidy – 3 Day Guarantee

From January 2026, all CCS-eligible families are guaranteed at least 3 days (72 hours per fortnight) of subsidised care per week – regardless of work or study activity. Families who work or study more may be eligible for up to 5 days of subsidised care.

Subsidy rate is based on combined family income. Families earning under ~$535,000 per year are eligible. No activity test required for the first 3 days.

ACT Government

Free 3-year-old preschool program

ACT families with a 3-year-old can access up to 300 hours of free preschool per year through the ACT Government’s preschool program. Coombs Early Learning is a registered partner provider. The saving is passed on directly as a reduction to your fees.

Child must turn 3 on or before 30 April. Available in addition to CCS. Limited to one provider per child per calendar year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Long day care provides full-day education and care for children from 6 weeks to school age, operating year-round during standard working hours. Preschool typically refers to a program specifically for 3–5 year olds, often running school terms only and for shorter daily hours. At Coombs, our Preschool room delivers a structured, teacher-led program within our long day care setting, so your child gets the educational foundations of preschool alongside the flexibility and wraparound care of long day care.

Long day care is centre-based care delivered by a team of qualified educators in a purpose-built facility, with children grouped by age. Family day care is provided in an educator’s home, usually in smaller, mixed-age groups. Long day care centres like Coombs offer greater stability – if an educator is unwell, another qualified team member steps in – along with dedicated learning environments, on-site meals, and a broader range of social experiences for your child.

The best first step is to join our waitlist or book a tour. Places do become available regularly across all age groups, and we contact waitlisted families as soon as a spot opens that suits your child’s age and your preferred days. We recommend joining the waitlist as early as possible, even before your child is born, as demand in Coombs and the surrounding area is high.

Yes, we are open 51 weeks of the year, Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 6:00pm. We close on ACT public holidays only. This means families don’t need to arrange alternative care during school holiday periods, which is one of the key advantages of long day care over sessional preschool programs.

We ask that children who are unwell stay home to support the health of all children and educators at the centre. If your child becomes unwell during the day, we will contact you and ask that they be collected as soon as possible. We follow the exclusion guidelines set by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), which outline minimum exclusion periods for common illnesses. Our team will always communicate openly with you about any health concerns at the centre.

Yes. Coombs Early Learning is a registered partner provider for the ACT Government’s free 3-year-old preschool program. Eligible children can access up to 300 hours of free preschool per year, passed on to families as a direct reduction in fees. To be eligible, your child must turn 3 on or before 30 April and be an ACT resident. This is available in addition to the Child Care Subsidy and can result in significant savings for eligible families.

Ready to Find the Right Fit for Your Family?

Come and see the centre for yourself. We’d love to show you around, introduce you to our educators, and answer any questions you have.