CENTRES

Aspire Pakenham Childcare Centre

Kindergarten Victorian Government Approved Kinder Funding
Rated Meeting by The National Quality Standard (NQS)
Aspire Pakenham Outdoor Area and Blue Slide

Give your child the best start at Aspire Pakenham. Our childcare offers a caring, supportive environment where children explore, learn, and grow every day. Conveniently located near Pakenham train station, Pakenham Central Marketplace, and local parks, our centre makes childcare easy for families.

Caring & Experienced Educators

Our Pakenham childcare is staffed by a team of experienced and fully qualified educators who are committed to providing the best possible care for every child. Following the Early Years Learning Framework and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, we work closely with families to support every child’s growth, learning, and happiness. At Aspire Pakenham, your child’s success is our priority.

The Pakenham Community

We believe early learning goes beyond the classroom. At Aspire Pakenham, children explore and connect with their local community through fun and meaningful experiences. From learning about safety and local services to welcoming visits from familiar community members, our programs help children feel confident, included, and engaged.

Special Benefits for Families

  • Complimentary coffee and morning tea for families
  • Free community play-group sessions
  • Annual FREE community event

Give your child the best start and join our Pakenham childcare community today. Enquire now to secure your child’s place!

Pakenham Details

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New Enquiries: 1800 978 429
Existing Families: (03) 5940 1257
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Mon – Fri 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM
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Ages: 6 weeks – 6 years
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Programs: School Readiness Programs, SketchRoo, Yoga
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In house chef

Childcare Centre Highlights

We offer exciting incursion programs at Aspire Pakenham that provide new experiences for the children and help them develop new interests and skills. These cover sport, music, art and drama, and are a highlight for the children at Aspire.

The centre also offers one-off incursion programs throughout the term. Some recent standouts include:

  • Mad Science session 
  • Dental visit 
  • Henny Penny Hatching 
  • Puppet show
  • Woodwork workshop 
  • Day with Clay for our kinders
  • Yoga incursion
  • Korean Ethnic Dance Incursion
  • Bee incursion

Aspire childcare centres frequently run engaging and exciting excursions throughout the year. Aspire Pakenham runs regular excursions to the local park, local primary school, Pakenham library, Myuna farm and more. These excursions further bolster the learning of students in every age group, as they align with Aspire's curriculum and the interests of the children.

At Aspire Pakenham, our in-centre chef prepares fresh and nutritious meals every day, guided by the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Our approach to food focuses on variety, balance, and mindful eating to support children’s healthy growth and development.

We focus on variety, balance and whole foods with each meal containing vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean proteins and dairy. Our chefs also make mealtimes special, whether it's baking a birthday cake or preparing a festive spread to celebrate an occasion. Food is a meaningful and joyful part of our community.

Childcare Centre Facilities

Our purpose-built Pakenham childcare facility sets the benchmark for early learning and childcare centres and caters to children aged 6 weeks to 6 years. The seven learning spaces have design features fit for each age group. These rooms foster a tailored curriculum throughout all stages of learning. Designed to help your child learn and grow, they will quickly develop a love of learning and a sense of community in their rooms.

Aspire Pakenham's long daycare contains seven spacious indoor rooms, specifically built for children at every stage of their early learning journey. The rooms are filled with different learning experiences including sensory play, letter and colour recognition activities, painting and craft fun, storytelling, cooking experiences and more. The centre also boasts a modern, catering-style kitchen with generous food storage space and plenty of room for our chefs to make their delicious meals!

Pakenham's childcare and kindergarten indoor rooms connect seamlessly with the outdoor yard area, which allows the children to explore and play, supporting their overall learning experience. Aspire Pakenham’s outdoor facilities include different playground areas, a cubby house, veggie gardens, bike paths, sand pits, and dry creek beds. Additionally, our programs actively promote the message of environmental consciousness and sustainability.

Explore the Pakenham Childcare Centre

Early Education Programs

Aspire Early Education and Kindergarten operates in a long daycare setting and has four main education programs, tailored to each stage of early development. At Aspire, our quality education programs are designed to guide children’s learning and development by encouraging them to explore, discover and connect with others.

Our Baby Steps Nursery Program provides a nurturing environment, with daily activities and intentional teaching opportunities to support your child in reaching developmental milestones. Our play-based learning approach allows children to learn through sensory play, as well as build a foundation for future learning.

The Little Learners Toddler Program is designed to create an engaging environment that supports your toddler’s social and cognitive development. We provide a fun, play-based learning approach that engages their young and active minds within a safe and stimulating environment.

Aspire’s Kickstart to Kinder program is specially designed for three-year-olds, offering a warm and engaging introduction to their kindergarten journey. Created in collaboration with kindergarten and local primary school teachers, the program supports each child’s social, emotional and early literacy development.

With a balance of structured and play-based learning, children are encouraged to explore their interests, build confidence and develop independence. This approach helps lay the foundation for a smooth transition into four-year-old kindergarten and a lifelong love of learning.

Aspire’s Step into Prep program is designed for four-year-olds to confidently prepare for primary school in a supportive and stimulating environment. Building on skills developed in earlier years, the program focuses on independence, communication, and critical thinking.

The program combines hands-on activities with intentional learning experiences designed to nurture curiosity and resilience. Our educators work closely with each child, tailoring support to their strengths and interests. This thoughtful approach helps children feel confident and ready to embrace the challenges and excitement of primary school.

Peace of mind for parents

A Day at Aspire Pakenham

2026 CCS Benefits

  • Eligible families are guaranteed 3 days of subsidised care each week
  • Save up to $2,101 per year per eligible child
  • Use our CCS Calculator to estimate your subsidy and out-of-pocket costs.

Funded Kindergarten

  • Aspire Pakenham is a government-approved provider of Victoria’s funded kindergarten program.
  • Eligible three and four-year-old children can enjoy high-quality early learning at a reduced cost
  • Up to 15 hours of free kindergarten per week, in addition to CCS
  • Families only pay the remaining gap fee

Pakenham Childcare Fees

At Aspire Pakenham childcare, your daily fee covers everything your child needs: healthy meals, nappies and wipes, engaging learning programs, and care from our qualified, passionate educators.

  • All-inclusive
  • Fees are structured at a daily rate
  • Flexible, tailored payment options

To receive a personalised quote, we encourage you to get in touch with our friendly team directly.

What We Provide

Meet the Pakenham Team

Peace of mind for parents

Centre Manager

Carissa Van Buiten

Hi, I’m Carissa, the Centre Manager at Aspire Pakenham. I began my early childhood career in 1990 while completing my Diploma in Child Care and have worked in senior educator and leadership roles for over 20 years, becoming a Centre Manager in 2000.

At Aspire, I feel truly valued and supported working alongside passionate educators who are committed to providing high-quality education and care. The Aspire value that resonates most with me is Connecting Communities. I believe in building strong, trusting relationships with children, families, and educators to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong.

As a leader, I focus on empathy, transparency, and continuous improvement to ensure families feel heard, children feel safe, and educators are supported to grow. As a proud mum of six and “Nanny” to ten grandchildren, I understand the trust families place in us and the importance of positive early learning experiences.

Pakenham Childcare Open Day

What Our Families Have To Say

★★★★★

One of the best child care centres I have found after researching so many childcare centres and family day cares. This place is amazing with really good, kind, loving, caring educators. Well planned daily routine for kids everyday with lots of fun, education and entertainment. My little one is loving going in there and having fun with other friends.❤️

Sandamali, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

I am very happy and lucky that my daughter is at Aspire, Pakenham. She has grown so much in her education, learnings, and progress in all areas of her development. This could have not happened without all the educators who have given their full support, guidance and attention throughout her tenure. Thanks to all of you and a big shoutout ????

Binita, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

Educators are always welcoming and caring, they listen and work very well with goals you have for your little one/s and are very informative. My two little ones have made good connections with their educators and enjoy coming here. Thank you for being an amazing child care 🙂

Charleen, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

Best learning centre in Pakenham. Management have established a positive atmosphere and Aspire Pakenham has surpassed our expectations, providing an enriching experience that goes beyond the ordinary. ???????? It's more than a learning center; it's a haven where our child thrives. Highly recommend!

Sadeep, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

I highly recommend Aspire Pakenham to new families as the staff are incredibly dedicated, always creating a warm welcoming environment for the children. There’s excellent teamwork among the staff, they collaborate well to ensure each child’s needs are met. The facilities are top-notch as well, with plenty of outdoor and indoor activities that keep kids engaged and excited to learn.

Madhavi, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

If you are looking for the most loving, caring and fun childcare then look no further. I would highly recommend Aspire Early Education Pakenham to care for your most precious gift. All staff are highly experienced working with children and catering for all needs. I am continually updated as to my child's activities and well-being throughout the day which put me at ease. The centre is always clean and fresh healthy cooked meals are served to our growing kids. Tash is exceptionally professional, lovely and has a very caring approach towards all the families. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Isha, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

I cannot recommend this childcare enough! I was so nervous to put my son into childcare at 4 months old but I can tell he loves it there and has learnt so much already. The childcare workers are so lovely, caring and on the ball with everything. They put so much effort into making the children’s experience fun and unique, as well as organising activities and events beyond the centre hours where parents can link up and get involved. Thank you for easing my nerves and making my son’s experience so enjoyable!!

Chanel, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

We have been at Aspire since 2019 and couldn't fault a thing. Educators and directors are passionate, friendly and supportive. My daughter is offered a variety of activities, food and cultural experiences and has loved everyday she has spent here. The centre is clean, bright and very family orientated. Lots of updates and photos to show us what the kids are doing. Would 100% recommend to family and friends in the area

Jacki, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

★★★★★

This place is so much more than a childcare Centre! Every staff in here put every effort into creating a community that nurtures and uncovers each child’s personality. The team here is a village that support the family and works together to achieve goals and milestones!! My baby girl loves coming to her bluebells room. As a first-time parent, I can confidently say that my child is in safe hand! I would highly recommend this wonderful place.

Anjie, family at Aspire Pakenham, VIC

Latest Pakenham News

Kindergarten

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