Entrust your young ones to the best daycare centers in Adelaide

Guardian Childcare and Education is a nationwide Australian organization offering accessible daycare services and childcare subsidies for eligible parents.

It has over 20 centers across Adelaide, making it convenient to visit. Their locations include Mt. Barker, Evanston Gardens, and Flinders Street.

Each facility is spacious and well-equipped with toys. Each is also adequately staffed to provide a healthy teacher-to-student ratio. 

They primarily use a play-based learning system that encourages creativity, problem-solving, and communication. 

When it comes to their downsides, however, one is that their centers are sometimes not maintained properly. Some also found their staff a bit rude.

My daughter absolutely loves it there

“We have been at this center for a year and half now. Leah has done an incredible job with the childcare center and her team since she has been there. My daughter absolutely loves it there and our other newborn daughter is about to start and Leah and the team are very excited for her to start. We love it here because we feel like family and not just a number and that is very important to us knowing the staff care for our babies really well. – D| Google Review

The children get a lot of one on one attention

“I love that it’s a small center and the children get a lot of one-on-one attention. Every time I go to pick up my daughter a child is being cuddled or the children are surrounding the educators while a book is being read to them or they are playing a game.” – Nicole| Google Review

1st Impressions Early Learning has a teaching staff that is trained in handling developmentally delayed children and children with disabilities.

Established in 2017, the center follows the Reggio Emilia approach, which emphasizes the importance of the environment in the learning process. 

To align with this philosophy, they have four dedicated rooms for different age groups each equipped with age-appropriate materials to support the specific developmental needs and competencies of every child.

Additionally, the organization employs educators who are fluent in Mandarin. It also has many Indian students, demonstrating its ability to cater to diverse multicultural needs.

They can improve, however, when it comes to classroom size, as theirs are small. They also have limited capacity for enrollees. 

Incredibly friendly, always going above and beyond

“I am so happy with the care my child is receiving at the 1st Impression Early Learning Centre. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and a welcoming atmosphere. The staff is incredibly friendly, always going above and beyond to ensure that both the children and parents feel comfortable and valued.” – Kuldeep, Google Review

The facilities are spotless and well-organized

“The facilities are spotless and well-organized, creating a safe and stimulating space where kids can learn and play. Every day, my child comes home happy and excited, full of stories about the wonderful activities and interactions he had.” – Joga, Google Review

Faith Montessori Centre’s directors bring over 35 years of combined experience and hold degrees in Children and Family Services and Early Childhood Education.

They follow the Montessori education framework, equipping their center materials for mathematics, reading, cooking, arts and crafts, and more. They also have a spacious playground. 

They emphasize outdoor and immersive activities, including visits to professionals of various vocations, trips to the zoo, and cooking sessions. They also coordinate the schedules for these effectively with parents.

Many commend the center’s teaching staff for fostering a “family connection” by providing constant updates, maintaining open communication with parents regarding specific child cases, and offering regular programs for parent participation.

In terms of downsides, however, a minor one is that some found the administration staff requesting too much personal information from parents. Also, they sometimes reply a couple of days late to inquiry emails.  

Amazing center with amazing staff

“Amazing center with amazing staff! So welcoming and always so attentive to the children that attend! My little boy loves it so much and speaks about his teacher Judy! I’m so happy at Faith Montessori and give credit to all the amazing workers there!” – Katerina, Google Review

My daughter has been here since she was two

“My daughter has been here since she was two, after a horrible experience at a childcare center. As soon as my husband and I walked in the door we knew it was where we wanted her to go. There is definitely a difference between watching your child, and supporting your child, and that is where Faith stands out. It provides your child with knowledge, manners and life skills, all within a caring environment. We are so thankful to have discovered Faith for our daughter and I can’t wait to send my son here when he is old enough. They truly do an amazing job, and the long-time educators are one of a kind.” – Catherine, Google Review

Goodstart Early Learning is notable for its affordable rates, made possible by its non-profit model.

It was founded in 2009 after multiple education centers around Australia merged. Its primary mission is to provide accessible high-quality education to all walks of life.

They achieve this successfully because of their continued investment in Early Childhood Education Curriculum Research, the good qualifications of their educators, and the fact that they have 50 centers in Adelaide alone. 

That said, their teacher-to-student ratio is a bit higher in some branches. Also, some parents complained that they don’t provide updates about their children consistently.

We couldn’t recommend it enough

“Our toddler started at Goodstart Underdale recently and we couldn’t recommend it enough! We were so nervous as it’s his first time in daycare but the amazing team at Goodstart Underdale made this journey easy for us. The center is clean, welcoming and all the staff are so professional yet so warm. All the educators have been really kind and patient in helping our little one settle and provide very transparent communication. Shout out to Director Raj, Jayda, Maria, Peyton, Francesca and the rest of the team(apologies if I missed some names), also thank you to Bianca for providing nutritious food for his dietary requirements!” – Shymala, Google Review

I could not fault this center in any way

“My daughter has been attending Goodstart Underdale for just under two years. I could not fault this center in any way. My daughter has autism and is non verbal and the teaching staff have gone above and beyond to learn as much as they can and also work super hard to include her in everything. The teaching staff are absolutely lovely, they know all the parents and children by name and are so easy to deal with. The facilities are also great and my daughter loves all the activities she gets to do. Highly recommend it!” – Lucy, Google Review

Gatehouse Montessori stands out because of its large staff of six educators, which allows it to take on many children while still following a healthy teacher-to-student ratio.

Opened in 2017, the daycare follows the Montessori education principle by designing the space to be suitable for exploration, independence, and hands-on learning. 

It has toys for arithmetic, creative, and linguistic skills, and other facilities like the library, outdoor playground, and cabby house are all well-maintained.

In addition, they’re good at handling children with developmental delays. They make sure to provide individualized attention and regularly communicate with parents about the child’s progress.

That said, their services are pricey. Some may also not be fond of their mixed-age classes.

Demonstrated Communication with the teachers is fantastic

“My friend recommended Gatehouse to us, and I really regret not enrolling my child sooner. He started there in March and has adapted incredibly well, loving every moment. My child is highly sensitive and developmentally delayed, but the warmth, patience, and gentleness of PREM and the other teachers have made a huge difference. They hold special meetings to better understand his needs and provide tailored learning content, leading to significant improvements in his language, independence, emotional control, and social skills. He no longer cries when going to kindergarten and is happy every day, which is such a relief for us. Communication with the teachers is fantastic, and the kindergarten is clean, tidy, and safe. Gatehouse is truly an amazing place for children.” – L, Google Review

Communication is great, the room is very well organized

“We love Gatehouse Montessori!! My son has been going here since the start of 2024 and he is loving it and thriving. Prem and her team are so amazing and attentive to the kids- they really helped my son settle in.

Communication is great, the room is very well organized, my son knows the routines and expectations and the activities they do are a good mix of education and exploring/play. I receive pics in the app daily which is great for when my son and I are talking about his day.” – Tori, Google Review