Penguin Childcare Parkville

Welcome to Penguin Childcare Parkville

Situated in a heritage building, Penguin Childcare Parkville is an open and spacious child care centre filled with charm and character that will ensure your children play and learn in a relaxed and stimulating environment. The child care centre provides long day care for 60 children and a funded Kindergarten program for 30 children.

The centre is conveniently located in Parkville, five minutes from Melbourne CBD, The University of Melbourne and The Royal Children’s Hospital, making it easily accessible for families on their way to work as well as local residents.

All meals are prepared onsite with fresh market ingredients and nappies are provided for your convenience. Individual children’s cultural, religious and nutritional needs are catered for.

We know how important the decision is as to where you are going to leave your child or baby in day care, which is why we guarantee to make your experience a positive one.

Our Kindergarten program is supported by the Victorian Government

Our childcare centre proudly offers a kindergarten program delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers to ensure your child is supported for their transition to school every step of the way. With a focus on language, literacy, numeracy, social skills and more your child will become school ready.

Neeru Randhawa

I am the centre manager at Penguin Parkville. I hold a Diploma in Children’s Services and I am currently pursuing the Advanced Diploma.

The most enjoyable part of my job is to meet and interact with families and children from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds. The smiles on children’s faces when they achieve something make it all worthwile.

I’m a passionate advocate for the rights of children and I believe that a safe, secure and nurturing environment provides the basis for children’s ongoing development.

I believe that a child will learn most effectively when they are interested, inspired, curious and supported. We have a team of passionate educators here at Parkville centre. They are dedicated to their roles and strive to deliver the best to our families on a daily basis. Our educators encourage questions, scaffold learning and assist children to find the answers they seek.

I believe that learning takes place in a social setting where exploration, experimentation, construction and play are core learning methods, hence we provide the play based learning for all the different age groups. My multicultural team members have developed a strong relationship with families and work collaboratively to establish individualised care, routines and educational goals.

I look forward to welcoming you and your family into our centre.

Rooms

Our centre provides care for the following age groups:

Facilities

Our service provides the following facilities:

• Nappies included
• Breakfast
• Morning tea
• Lunch
• Afternoon tea
• Sustainability program
• Veggie garden
• On-site parking
• Music program
• SMART Interactive Whiteboard
• In-house cook
• Halal meal options
• Fully air-conditioned
• Large, natural play environments
• Early Childhood Teacher
• Government Approved Kindergarten Program

A centre tour is a convenient way to experience the centre of your choice and meet with our qualified educators at a time suitable to your family schedule. Penguin also offers the virtual tour option in all our centres in Victoria. Click here to book a tour online.

On the day of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to observe practices and interactions within the centre environment. You’ll be able to see all the rooms and playgrounds, ask the team members any questions you have in mind, and get all the information you need to make the best decision for your child.

Penguin Childcare’s Family Support team will add your child’s name on our waitlist if a Penguin centre is currently full in your child’s age group. We will then contact you as soon as a place become available.

We also do monthly check-ins to review the availability, and you will receive a text message confirming if you’re still happy to remain on the waitlist each month. If you would like to get an update at any point, you’re welcome to reach out on our Web Chat or give us a call.

Our Family Support team can also help you find more G8 early learning centres near you, with the same offerings at the Penguin centre you are interested in that have immediate availability.

It’s common for a child to experience separation anxiety when they first start child care. When you’re getting ready to start child care, you can help your child overcome anxieties by visiting the child care service together for a Stay and Play session, and easing into new routines at home.

Click here to read more tips about how to make the transition easier for your child.

Most of our Penguin child care and early education centres offers the following:

• Nappies and wipe
• Sunscreen and hats
• Nutritious meals prepared by our in-house cook

Some centres also provide sheets and formula, so you may not need to remember to pack them.

For nursery children, be sure to bring: nappy rash cream, dummies, bottles and teats, comfort toy or blanket, three spare outfits, spare socks and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

For toddlers and preschool or kindergarten aged children, it’s best to bring: spare underwear, water bottle or sippy cup, sun hat, closed-toe shoes, two spare outfits, spare socks and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

Plus anything else your individual child may need, such as breast milk, a sleeping bag, comforter or medication.

It’s best to speak to your centre of choice for a full list of everything included.

Penguin Childcare uses Xplor Home as our family communication app. It is the best and easiest way to keep track of your child’s day. After you enrol your child with the centre, you can utilise Xplor Home to book child care days, manage your account, receive the photographs that capture your child’s learning, learn about your child’s progress, as well as keep up-to-date with upcoming centre events and important information.

If your child shows signs of an infectious illness when they arrive at the centre or becomes sick during the day, you may be notified that you need to make alternative arrangements or pick up your child from the centre, and keep them home until they are no longer infectious. While we understand that this can be inconvenient, Penguin is committed to maintaining a healthy environment and reducing the risk of infection for all children.

Under the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), families are allowed 42 absence days per child, per financial year. These can be taken for any reason, including public holidays and when children are sick, without the need for families to provide documentation.