What age do kids start kindy in QLD?

If your child is approaching their fourth birthday, you're probably starting to think about kindy. In Queensland the rules around kindy age and eligibility are pretty straightforward once you know them, but the cut-off dates trip a lot of families up. Here's everything you need to know.

Kindy age in Queensland: the basics

In Queensland, children are eligible for kindergarten in the year they turn four, as long as they turn four on or before 30 June of that year. That's the key date. If your child turns four on or before 30 June 2026, they can start kindy in 2026. If they turn four on 1 July 2026 or later, they'll start kindy in 2027.

Kindy happens in the year before Prep, which is the first year of primary school in Queensland. So the sequence is kindy, then Prep, then Year 1.

The Free Kindy cut-off dates at a glance

To attend kindy in 2026, your child needs to have been born between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022. To attend kindy in 2027, they need to have been born between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. If you're not sure, the Queensland Government has a kindy age calculator on their website that takes the guesswork out of it.

What is Free Kindy?

Queensland Free Kindy is a government-funded program that gives eligible children 15 hours of approved kindergarten per week for 40 weeks of the year, at no cost to families. That's 600 hours of free early learning in the year before school.

Free Kindy is available at both sessional kindergartens and long day care centres that hold the Free Kindy tick. All five Kaleidoscope Kids centres are approved Free Kindy providers, so eligible children can access the funded program as part of their regular care days.

If your child attends a long day care centre like Kaleidoscope Kids, the Free Kindy hours sit within their normal day. You pay for wrap-around care (the hours before and after the funded 15 hours) but the Child Care Subsidy can help cover those costs. Use our CCS calculator to estimate what you'd pay.

Is my child ready for kindy?

Age is the eligibility requirement but readiness is a different question. Most children are ready for kindy in their eligible year and the kindy program itself is designed to meet children wherever they are developmentally. You don't need to wait until your child seems "ready" in a school sense. Kindy is play-based and child-led, so children who are shy, unsettled or still developing independence often thrive once they're in a consistent routine with the same educators and peers.

What if my child isn't ready for Prep after kindy?

Some families choose to delay their child's entry to Prep if they feel their child needs more time. In Queensland this is called delayed entry to Prep and it's supported by the government. Children can continue in an early childhood setting and are still eligible for Queensland Kindergarten Funding. Your child must be enrolled in Prep by the time they reach 6 years and 6 months.

If you're thinking about this for your child, talk to their kindy educators. They'll prepare a Transition Statement at the end of the kindy year which gives Prep teachers a strengths-based summary of your child's development, and this can help inform the conversation about timing.

How Kaleidoscope Kids supports the transition to kindy and Prep

At Kaleidoscope Kids, children who have been in our care through the toddler and early learning years often transition into our kindergarten program with familiar faces around them. That continuity makes a real difference. Our kindy program is delivered by qualified early childhood teachers and guided by both the EYLF and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline, with a strong focus on school readiness skills like literacy foundations, numeracy, social skills and emotional regulation.

We have centres in Logan Central, Booval, Goodna, Redbank and Rothwell. If your child is approaching kindy age, book a tour and we can walk you through the program, the Free Kindy eligibility and what to expect in their kindy year.

Frequently asked questions

What age do kids start kindy in Queensland?

Children start kindy in Queensland in the year they turn four, as long as they turn four on or before 30 June of that year. Kindy happens in the year before Prep.

When is the kindy cut-off date in Queensland?

The cut-off date is 30 June. Your child must turn four on or before 30 June in the year they start kindy. If they turn four after 30 June they start kindy the following year.

Is kindy free in Queensland?

Yes. Queensland Free Kindy provides eligible children with 15 hours of approved kindergarten per week for 40 weeks of the year at no cost. In a long day care setting, families pay for wrap-around care outside the 15 funded hours, but the Child Care Subsidy can help cover this.

Does my child have to do kindy before Prep in Queensland?

Kindy is not compulsory in Queensland but it is strongly encouraged. Research consistently shows children who attend a quality kindergarten program are better prepared for school socially, emotionally and academically.

What if my child misses the kindy cut-off date?

If your child turns four after 30 June they'll be eligible for kindy the following year. In the meantime they can continue in long day care and benefit from the early learning programs available there.