Montessori-Inspired Education for Children
3–6 Years Old.

3–6 Years Old: Focused Work Cycles, Cognitive Growth & Social Collaboration.

During the Kindergarten years, children are ready for deeper intellectual exploration and more refined social development. Our Montessori Kindergarten environment offers extended work cycles where children choose tasks, follow sequenced materials, and engage in sustained learning. Through hands-on experiences in literacy, numeracy, culture, and sensorial learning, children build essential academic foundations. They also participate in collaborative learning, group discussions, and real-world responsibilities that strengthen communication, cooperation, and leadership skills. As they plan their work, concentrate for longer periods, and complete tasks independently, children develop strong executive function skills — including memory, attention, and self-regulation. This stage prepares each child not only for school readiness but for a confident, curious, and capable transition into the next stage of learning.

Inspire Early Learning Journey Kindergarten Program.

3–4 Years Old: Early Kindergarten — Foundations in Concentration, Language & Practical Life In the early Kindergarten stage, learning unfolds through purposeful exploration, hands-on materials, and growing independence. Children begin developing foundational concentration and emerging literacy and numeracy awareness while gaining greater control over movement. Practical Life experiences strengthen coordination and build a strong sense of capability. Language-rich interactions support vocabulary development, comprehension, and expressive communication, while sensorial materials help children classify shapes, textures, sounds, sizes, and patterns. Educators guide children to make thoughtful choices, repeat tasks to build mastery, and develop the persistence required for more complex work.

4–6 Years Old: Advancing Literacy, Numeracy, Leadership & School Readiness Between the ages of four and six, children experience rapid growth in reasoning, curiosity, and cognitive engagement. During this period, they explore early reading and writing through phonetic awareness, letter formation, storytelling, and meaningful sound–symbol relationships. Their mathematical understanding expands as they work with hands-on Montessori materials that introduce counting, quantity, sequencing, place value, operations, and more complex number relationships.

Free Kinder in Victoria: High-Quality Kindergarten Education for 3 and 4 Year Olds.

Free Kinder in Victoria provides families with access to high-quality, government-funded kindergarten for 3- and 4-year-old children, ensuring every child can benefit from a strong early learning foundation. At Inspire Early Learning Journey, our Montessori-aligned kindergarten programs deliver enriched learning experiences that promote independence, confidence, and school readiness. Guided by qualified Early Childhood Teachers and aligned with the VEYLDF and EYLF v2.0, our Free Kinder program supports children to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. Families can enrol knowing their child will receive exceptional education at no cost, in a warm and nurturing environment designed to prepare them for a successful transition into primary school.

Inspire Early Learning Journey Early Start Kinder.

Early Start Kindergarten at Inspire Early Learning Journey provides eligible three-year-old children with free, high-quality early learning that strengthens social, emotional, and cognitive development during the most important years of growth. Our Montessori-aligned environments, qualified teachers, and play-based learning experiences support each child to build confidence, communication, independence, and readiness for school. Aligned with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, our Early Start Kinder program ensures every child receives the strong foundation they need to thrive now and into their future.

3–6 Years Old: Artistic Thinking, Creativity & Meaningful Expression.

During the Kindergarten years, children become more deliberate, expressive, and reflective in their artistic work. They begin discussing ideas, planning their creations, and using art to represent stories, observations, and real experiences. Children explore more advanced materials such as watercolours, charcoal, clay sculpting, printmaking, mixed media, and nature-based art. They refine fine motor skills through drawing, intricate painting, cutting, and construction, while also developing aesthetic awareness and creative problem-solving. Art becomes a platform for storytelling, emotional expression, and cultural exploration. Children learn to observe detail, experiment with technique, and express ideas with confidence and originality.

3–6 Years Old: Healthy Habits, Food Education & Growing Responsibility.

During the Kindergarten years, children deepen their understanding of food, nutrition, and healthy choices. Meals are thoughtfully designed to support their higher energy needs and growing bodies, and children are encouraged to serve themselves, assist with table setting, and participate in age-appropriate conversations about food and wellbeing. They develop awareness of food groups, explore meals from different cultures, and begin to understand the connection between what they eat and how they feel. With guidance from educators, children learn to try new foods, identify ingredients, and approach mealtimes with confidence, independence, and respect for others.

3–6 Years Old: Cooking Skills, Nutrition Awareness & Culinary Confidence.

During the Kindergarten years, children deepen their cooking skills and begin to understand the relationship between food, health, culture, and community. They engage in more complex food preparation such as measuring ingredients, following simple recipes, kneading dough, chopping with child-safe tools, and assisting with group cooking projects. These experiences develop early maths skills through counting and measuring, science skills through observing changes in ingredients, and literacy skills through recipe discussions and sequencing. Children also explore where food comes from, participate in garden-to-plate experiences, and learn how meals connect to cultural traditions.

3–6 Years Old: Environmental Inquiry, Stewardship & Sustainable.

Thinking As children grow into the Kindergarten years, their understanding of sustainability becomes more intentional, thoughtful, and inquiry-driven. Children engage in collaborative gardening, composting systems, recycling routines, water-conservation practices, and discussions about reducing waste. They explore concepts such as biodiversity, conservation, natural cycles, and the needs of living things. They observe changes in weather, make predictions about plant growth, classify natural materials, and take responsibility for maintaining both indoor and outdoor learning environments.

Bush Kinder Program: Outdoor Learning, Nature Play and Environmental Exploration for Early Learners.

In Bush Kinder, the natural environment becomes the classroom. Children investigate plants, insects, wildlife, weather patterns, and natural materials while strengthening their problem-solving skills, physical coordination, environmental awareness, and sense of curiosity. They climb, balance, run, explore textures, observe changes in the environment, and engage in imaginative play inspired by the landscape. Each experience supports children to test ideas, take appropriate risks, and develop a strong sense of agency.

Through structured outdoor routines and moments of child-led exploration, children develop independence, communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with their peers. Educators guide children to notice details in their surroundings, initiate their own inquiries, and develop increasing respect for the environment. These experiences also support emotional wellbeing, helping children regulate their bodies, feel grounded, and build a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

By participating in the Bush Kinder Program, children develop courage, resilience, curiosity, and a deep sense of connection to the land. Each session nurtures their confidence, sense of belonging, and understanding of the world around them — forming powerful foundations for learning, wellbeing, and environmental stewardship.

3–6 Years Old: Musical Thinking, Expression & Ensemble Participation.

During the Kindergarten years, children develop a more sophisticated understanding of musical elements such as rhythm, pitch, beat, volume, and sequence. They explore a wider range of instruments, learn short songs, practise keeping a steady beat, experiment with creative sound-making, and participate in group music sessions that build cooperation and confidence. Music becomes a tool for storytelling, emotional expression, and cognitive growth. Children learn to listen with intention, follow patterns, respond expressively, and contribute to ensemble activities that strengthen communication, memory, and teamwork.

3–6 Years Old: Community Exploration, Inquiry-Based Learning & School Readiness.

From 3 to 6 years old, children participate in more intentional and inquiry-based incursions and excursions that deepen their understanding of the community and support school readiness. Kindergarten children explore broader environments such as libraries, museums, art spaces, and natural outdoor locations. They also engage in rich in-centre experiences like science, cultural, sustainability, and creative arts programs presented by qualified visitors and community groups. These excursions and incursions build confidence, independence, resilience, and problem-solving abilities as children navigate new environments, collaborate with peers, and engage with a wide range of experiences that reinforce their learning.

3–6 Years: Pre-Literacy, Communication Confidence & Structured Language Development.

In the kindergarten years, children develop a deeper understanding of how language works. They begin recognising letters and sounds, experimenting with rhyme and rhythm, sequencing stories, and engaging in more complex conversations. Through Montessori-inspired language materials, intentional phonics experiences, shared reading, and expressive storytelling, children learn to listen actively, communicate clearly, and express their ideas with growing confidence. Dramatic play, early writing attempts, and collaborative discussions strengthen vocabulary, sentence structure, and comprehension skills. These experiences prepare children for the expectations of school by fostering strong expressive and receptive language abilities.

3–6 Years: Cultural Knowledge, Community Connection & Global Awareness.

In the kindergarten years, children develop a deeper understanding of cultural diversity, community connection, and global citizenship. Preschool-aged children engage with rich, meaningful cultural experiences such as storytelling from First Nations communities, celebrations of cultural traditions, exploration of world geography, and opportunities to learn simple words and phrases from different languages. Educators support children to explore their own identity, share their family heritage, and learn about the histories and traditions of others. Children also engage with cultural artefacts, music, cuisine, art, and community stories that broaden their understanding of the world. These experiences strengthen communication, empathy, cultural pride, and social understanding, preparing children to enter school with an appreciation for diversity and a sense of global belonging.

3–6 Years: Strength, Agility, Motor Planning & School-Readiness Skills.

In the kindergarten years, children refine their physical abilities through structured and intentional physical education experiences that focus on strength, agility, coordination, and teamwork. Children participate in planned movement sessions, sports-inspired games, yoga, dance, group challenges, and skill-building activities such as throwing, catching, balancing, hopping, and skipping. These experiences support motor planning, body control, and spatial awareness, while also teaching children how to take turns, collaborate, follow rules, and persevere through challenges. Fine-motor development continues through purposeful activities such as threading, cutting, drawing, and early pre-writing exercises that prepare children for school expectations.

3–6 Years: Scientific Inquiry, Experimentation, Observation & Early STEM Foundations.

In the kindergarten years, children refine their understanding of scientific ideas through more structured investigations across biology, earth science, physics, chemistry, and environmental learning. They begin exploring life cycles through caring for plants and observing small creatures, noticing the changing weather and seasons, and recognising their role in caring for the environment. Children engage in simple experiments that introduce mixing, dissolving, reactions, and early concepts of matter. They explore motion, gravity, and forces through ramps and natural materials, and investigate light, sound, and magnetism using real scientific tools. Educators guide children to predict what might happen, observe closely, record their thinking, and reflect on their discoveries. These experiences strengthen motor planning, communication, logical reasoning, memory, and collaborative learning, while also building a strong foundation for future STEM education. By engaging deeply with the world around them, children develop confidence as investigators, problem-solvers, and creative thinkers who find joy in understanding how things work.