If your child is turning four before 30 June this year, there's a good chance they're eligible for Queensland's Free Kindy program - and it's one of the best things the state government offers families with young children. Fifteen hours of funded kindergarten every week, for 40 weeks of the year. That's 600 hours of quality early learning at no cost to your family.
But for a lot of parents, the details can feel confusing. What does Free Kindy actually cover? How does it work alongside the Child Care Subsidy? And how do you make sure your child gets a spot?
Here's everything you need to know.
What is Free Kindy in Queensland?
Free Kindy is a Queensland Government initiative that funds 15 hours per week of an approved kindergarten program for eligible children in the year before they start Prep. It runs for 40 weeks per year, giving eligible children up to 600 hours of funded early learning.
The funding is paid directly to the approved kindergarten provider - so families don't need to claim anything or fill out forms to receive it. It's simply applied to your fees automatically, reducing what you pay.
Free Kindy is available at both sessional kindergartens and long day care services that are registered as approved kindergarten program providers with the Queensland Government.
Who is eligible for Free Kindy?
Age eligibility
To be eligible for Free Kindy in 2026, your child needs to be at least four years old by 30 June 2026. In practice, this means children born between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 are eligible for kindy in 2026.
Children who turn four after 30 June will generally be eligible the following year. Use the Queensland Government's Free Kindy eligibility checker at earlychildhood.qld.gov.au to confirm your child's eligibility and timing.
Enrolment requirements
To access the full Free Kindy funding your child needs to be enrolled for at least 15 hours per week across 40 weeks of the year at an approved provider. Your child can only access Free Kindy funding at one service at a time - if they attend more than one centre, you'll need to nominate which one receives the funding.
Who else can access Free Kindy
Children of families on Refugee and Humanitarian visas are eligible for Free Kindy. Children of families on certain temporary resident visas that are exempt from state school fees are also eligible. Unvaccinated children can participate in an approved kindy program and receive Free Kindy funding, though enrolment is at the discretion of each individual provider.
What does Free Kindy actually cover?
Free Kindy covers the cost of 15 hours of kindergarten per week for 40 weeks. The Queensland Government pays this amount directly to the provider as a gap fee subsidy, which is then applied to your fees.
What it doesn't cover is any care outside those 15 hours. If your child attends a long day care centre that offers kindy as part of a full day, you'll pay for the hours before and after the kindy program. The good news is that the Child Care Subsidy can cover some or all of those additional hours, depending on your family's income and circumstances.
In simple terms - Free Kindy and the Child Care Subsidy work together, not against each other. You can claim both at the same time.
Free Kindy at long day care vs sessional kindergarten
Sessional kindergarten
Sessional kindergartens run during school terms and school hours, typically for 40 weeks per year. They operate solely as a kindergarten service - there's no extended before or after care built in. This suits families who don't need full day care and want a purely kindy-focused environment.
Long day care with kindy
Long day care centres that are approved kindergarten program providers deliver the kindy program as part of a full day of care. This means your child gets the same quality kindergarten education delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher, but within the flexibility of a centre that's open from early morning to evening.
For working families, this is often the more practical option. Your child accesses their Free Kindy hours during the day, and you use the Child Care Subsidy to cover the remaining care hours around it. One drop-off, one pick-up, and everything is handled in one place.
At Kaleidoscope Kids, our kindergarten programs are delivered by qualified early childhood teachers across all our centres. Read more about our kindergarten learning program to understand how we approach the year before school.
How does Free Kindy work with the Child Care Subsidy?
This is the question most parents have, and the answer is straightforward - they work together.
Free Kindy covers the cost of the 15 funded kindy hours per week. The Child Care Subsidy then applies to any additional hours of care your child attends outside of those 15 hours. So if your child is in care for 8 hours a day, five days a week, the kindy program covers 3 hours per day (across two days, for example) and the CCS reduces your out-of-pocket cost for the rest.
To understand how much the CCS will cover for your family specifically, use our CCS calculator to get an estimate of your weekly out-of-pocket costs.
If you're not sure how the Child Care Subsidy works, our guide to understanding the Child Care Subsidy explains the basics clearly.
What does a kindy program actually look like?
Queensland's Free Kindy programs are guided by the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline, which shares the same vision as the Early Years Learning Framework - building success for life.
A quality kindy program focuses on learning through play, building independence, developing social and emotional skills, and preparing children for the transition to Prep. It's not about worksheets or formal lessons. It's about giving children a confident, curious foundation for everything that comes next.
Children in our kindy programs develop communication skills, problem-solving abilities, emotional resilience and the social skills they'll need in the classroom. Read more about how kindy helps your child get ready for school and why the year before Prep matters so much.
When should you enrol?
As early as possible. Kindy places - especially at popular centres - fill quickly. If your child is turning four before 30 June this year, it's worth getting in touch with your preferred centre now to secure a spot.
Most families enrol 6 to 12 months in advance. Don't assume there will be spaces available closer to the start of the year - by then, many centres are at capacity.
Free Kindy at Kaleidoscope Kids
All Kaleidoscope Kids centres are approved Free Kindy providers. Our kindergarten programs are delivered by qualified early childhood teachers and are fully integrated into your child's day - so there's no need to juggle multiple services or drop-offs.
We have five centres across South East Queensland in Goodna, Logan Central, Booval, Redbank and Rothwell. Each centre offers extended hours care alongside the kindy program, making it easy for working families to access Free Kindy without compromising on flexibility.
To find out more or to book a tour, visit our enrolment page and our team will be in touch to help you get your child's place secured.
Frequently asked questions about Free Kindy Queensland
Is Free Kindy available in 2026?
Yes. Free Kindy is confirmed for 2026 and beyond. The Queensland Government funds 15 hours per week for 40 weeks per year for all eligible children at approved providers - find out more at the Queensland Government website.
How do I know if my child's centre is an approved Free Kindy provider?
You can use the Free Kindy Finder on the Queensland Government's earlychildhood.qld.gov.au website to search for approved providers near you. All Kaleidoscope Kids centres are approved Free Kindy providers.
Can I claim Free Kindy and the Child Care Subsidy at the same time?
Yes. Free Kindy covers the 15 funded kindy hours per week and the Child Care Subsidy applies to any additional care hours outside of those. Use our CCS calculator to estimate your family's out-of-pocket costs.
What if my child attends two different centres?
Your child can only access Free Kindy funding at one service at a time. If they attend more than one centre, you'll need to nominate which one receives the Free Kindy funding.
Do I need to do anything to receive Free Kindy?
No. Once your child is enrolled at an approved provider, the Free Kindy funding is applied automatically to your fees by the centre. You don't need to make a separate claim.
What happens during school holidays?
Free Kindy weeks generally align with school terms - approximately 40 weeks per year. During school holiday periods the kindy program doesn't run, but if your child attends long day care during those weeks, the Child Care Subsidy still applies to those hours of care.
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