Community Kids Empire Bay

Meeting
NSW preschool
4.9 /5
12 reviews

Childcare and preschool in Empire Bay, NSW

Welcome to Community Kids Empire Bay. Our daycare and early learning centre is a convenient choice for local families in Bensville, Killcare Heights, and Empire Bay in the Central Coast area. Community Kids Empire Bay offers long day care and a preschool program for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years, with extended hours to suit busy families.

Our purpose-built daycare and preschool centre in Empire Bay offers innovative early learning programs in a safe, nurturing environment. Our playground features a stage for performances, an undercover sandpit, and opportunities for risky play with bikes, a sensory bike path, balancing beams, and climbing equipment. Children enjoy imaginative play with books, drawing materials, balls, dinosaurs, sea creatures, water play, a mud kitchen, a worm farm, and garden beds. We provide a dedicated school transition program with an early literacy focus. Our experienced early childhood educators build strong relationships with families, ensuring a fun and enriching learning experience. Our Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teacher delivers a Government-approved Preschool program that prepares children for a smooth transition to school.

Why you’ll love Community Kids Empire Bay

Spacious outdoor environments

Surrounded by nature

Passionate, qualified educators

Chef-prepared meals

Nappies and wipes provided

Government-approved Preschool program

Family communication app

Extended/flexible hours

Sun protection aware

ELLA language program

Yoga sessions

Worm farm

Meet our Centre Manager

Ursula

  • Diploma of Children’s Services
“Every child, regardless of their background, has the right to a great education and start in life.”

My career in early learning began in 2005, and I joined the team at Community Kids Empire Bay in 2024.

I became an early childhood educator to make a difference. I believe every child, regardless of their background, has the right to a great education and start in life. My goal is for each child to reach their full potential, which I believe is achieved when children are regarded as capable and competent individuals. We aim to provide an environment where children can engage in sustained and uninterrupted play with our support.

Our team at Community Kids Empire Bay is knowledgeable, passionate, and ready to support you and your child through their early years. We are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Framework (NQF) to deliver a program and curriculum that enable children to succeed. We value and respect each team member’s contributions, knowing this enriches the program and curriculum for the children.

We understand that selecting an early childhood service for your child can be daunting. We support families from the moment they inquire at Community Kids Empire Bay, aiming to build honest and trusting relationships to best meet their needs. We offer a thorough orientation process where you can meet the team and allow your child to engage in the environment.

I look forward to welcoming you to our Empire Bay early learning centre.

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Our innovative early learning programs

At our early learning centre in Empire Bay, our experienced educators and teachers continually seek innovative ways to enrich your child’s education. Guided by the Early Years Learning Framework, we offer a variety of engaging and diverse learning experiences, including:

Sustainability

We focus on water and light conservation, recycling, and maintaining a worm farm. Children participate in planting seeds and using recycled materials in art, play, and construction. Through age-appropriate activities, we teach the importance of recycling, reusing, and reducing waste, fostering environmental responsibility from an early age.

Community engagement

We welcome visits from community services, including firefighters and police, and coordinate centre-based events and excursions that align with the children’s interests. These activities enrich their learning experiences and help them connect with the wider community.

STEM

We encourage your child to ask questions, experiment, and problem-solve, all while engaging their natural curiosity. By fostering this inquisitive mindset, we help them develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Music and movement

Our evidence-based Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) program is designed to develop fundamental skills that help support children’s self-regulation, memory, and concentration. It is an innovative approach to holistic learning, development and well-being in early childhood.

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Age-appropriate Early Learning

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(0-2 years)

Lorikeets

Our nurseries are purposely designed to make every baby feel safe exploring and discovering new things. The primary goals for this room include fostering relationships with educators to ease drop-off, encouraging self-settling at sleep time, and supporting developmental milestones such as gazing, crawling, walking, and self-feeding. We also focus on helping children engage in group experiences.

Our nursery has two cot rooms, a dedicated meals room, a bottle warmer, a fridge for storing teething rings and breast milk, and a parent chair for breastfeeding.

  Next: Magpies
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(2-3 years)

Magpies

Our toddler rooms are set up with intentional play-based learning in mind. Within the curriculum framework, our main learning goals for this room focus on developing self-help skills, including dressing, putting on shoes, applying sunscreen, toilet training, emotional self-regulation, turn-taking, and sharing. It also creates the perfect environment to socialise and form friendships. Our activities enhance language skills and promote collaborative group play, laying a strong foundation for their future learning experiences.

Previous: Lorikeets Next: Kookaburras and Emus
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(3-5 years)

Kookaburras and Emus

In our Preschool rooms, our curriculum is tailored to accommodate your child’s individual learning and development needs, boosting their enthusiasm, motivation, and willingness to learn. The main goals include fostering socialisation, encouraging cooperative and collaborative play, teaching children to look after their belongings, developing emotional regulation, following two-step instructions, promoting school readiness, and nurturing the qualities of being a good friend.

Through structured learning experiences, our Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teachers are committed to supporting your child in gaining the necessary skills for a successful transition into school and beyond.

Previous: Magpies  
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NSW Government-approved Preschool program

At our early learning centre, your child will benefit from the NSW “Start Strong” program as part of our enhanced learning program. We tailor our preschool program across numeracy, literacy, emotional and social development, and self-regulation. Led by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher, our preschool program will support your child’s learning, development, and well-being for now, at school and beyond.

The added benefits of our preschool program include:

  • Extended long day care opening hours
  • Open all year round (excl. public holidays)
  • Programs developed and delivered by our Early Childhood Teachers
  • Exclusive music and movement program for self-regulation
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We’re all about healthy, nutritious eating

At our Empire Bay child care centre, we provide healthy, freshly made meals prepared daily by our in-house cooks. Our meals cater to all dietary requirements and feature a rotating weekly menu reviewed regularly by nutritionists. As an egg and nut-free centre, we ensure the safety of all children. Additionally, all our educators hold ‘Food Handling’ qualifications to maintain the highest standards of health and safety.

What a typical day looks like for your child

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Arrival at the centre

Your child will be welcomed by our team of educators, who will ensure the morning transition from home to centre goes as smoothly as possible. On arrival, share information about your child’s specific needs for the day.

  Next: Mealtimes
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Mealtimes

Our centre chefs prepare a nutritious menu for your child to sit down and eat. This is a great time for everyone to share stories from the day. Educators model healthy eating practices, social behaviours and support children’s growing independence with mealtime routines.

Previous: Arrival at the centre Next: Infant care
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Infant care

If you have an infant, we spend one-on-one time with them to establish a connection. Educators talk gently and respond to babies’ cues. We use songs, games, and conversations to strengthen relationships and build language skills.

Previous: Mealtimes Next: Play-based learning
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Play-based learning

Your child is naturally curious. They want to learn and explore, which is why we teach through play-based learning. It supports language, motor skills, memory, emotions and social relationships. Educators plan play-based learning experiences based on children’s interests and goals.

Previous: Infant care Next: Sleep, rest and relaxation
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Sleep, rest and relaxation

We match routines to your child’s individual needs. Opportunities for rest and relaxation help make them feel safe. Play-based learning experiences are provided for older children who no longer don’t sleep in centre.

Previous: Play-based learning Next: Heading home
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Heading home

As your child prepares to head home, this is your opportunity to speak with our friendly educators about your child’s day and everything they learnt. We look forward to welcoming you back tomorrow.

Previous: Sleep, rest and relaxation  

Communicating with families

We prioritise clear and consistent communication with families to foster a strong partnership in supporting each child’s development. We ensure families feel informed, involved, and confident in their child’s early learning journey.

Our families love hearing about their child’s progress and the experiences they’re having day to day. We share these moments through centre newsletters, our Xplor App, one-on-one meetings, and at various centre events.

Fees

The Child Care Subsidy can reduce your daily out-of-pocket fee by up to 95% depending on your family’s entitlements.

  • Nursery0 – 2 years

    $149.00
  • Toddler2 – 3 years

    $145.00
  • Preschool3 – 5 years

    $143.50

Child Care Subsidy Estimator

Discover how much child care subsidy you may be entitled to by entering the fields below.*

1-4 days = full day session; 5 days = 10 hour per day sessions

CCS Estimator results

  • Estimated subsidy

    $0.00
  • Total fees

    $0.00
  • Out-of-pocket cost

    $0.00

*This estimator provides an estimate only and is based on the following assumptions:

  • Accuracy and currency of family income information entered.
  • Family CCS entitlements include 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight. Please note your family may be entitled to less than 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight – if you are unsure we recommend you use the comprehensive CCS estimator in the link below.
  • Where 1-4 days of care is selected, full day sessions apply (being full operational hours of the centre, which can vary between centres).
  • Where 5 days of care is selected, 10-hour per day sessions apply (ie, 50 hours p/w to optimise 100 hours of CCS subsidised care across the fortnight).
  • Where a family’s CCS entitlements include less than 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, please use the comprehensive CCS calculator as a guide via the link below.

For a more complete subsidy estimation, check out our comprehensive CCS calculator here.

Calculate my subsidy

Explore nearby G8 Education centres

Looking for other great childcare, kindergarten or preschool options? Discover more G8 Education centres near you!

Frequently asked questions

A centre tour is a convenient way to experience the childcare centre of your choice and meet with our qualified educators at a time that is suitable for your family’s schedule. Click here to book a tour online.

On the day of the tour, you can 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.

Our Family Support Team will add your child’s name to our waitlist if one of our childcare centres is currently full in your child’s age group. We will then contact you as soon as a place becomes available.

We also do monthly check-ins to review availability, and you will receive a text message confirming whether you’re still happy to remain on the waitlist each month. If you would like 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 Community Kids 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.

Read more tips about how to make the transition easier for your child.

Most of our child care and early education centres offer nappies and wipes, sunscreen and hats, as well as 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 toys or blankets, three spare outfits and spare socks.

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 and spare socks.

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

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

Community Kids 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, Community Kids 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 requiring families to provide documentation.

Contact us

We look forward to welcoming your family.