All Ballykin Early Learning Centres are designed to be intimate and family focussed. As such our Rose Bay centre is licensed for 45 children per day and our Mosman centre for 49. As we operate smaller centres, our team members know every child and their family regardless of which class they are in. This creates a great community feel and ensures transitions from one class to another are smooth. This also assists the children feel safe and secure as they get to know each and every educator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have listed some of our more frequently asked questions. If you can't find the answers you are looking for then please feel free to contact us.
Our Centres
Our opening time are as follows
Ballykin Mosman
Monday to Friday: 7.45am – 6pm
Ballykin Rose Bay
Monday to Friday: 8am – 5.30pm
Yes, all of our meals are made fresh and prepared on site by our wonderful Cooks! Our Menu provides a variety of foods in line with the “Munch and Move” NSW Health Program recommendations. We serve Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea which we encourage the children to serve themselves, giving them choice about what they eat and encouraging them to try new foods. The Educators eat with the children to create a social atmosphere around, mealtimes and support healthy eating habits.
Yes, all of our classes participate in regular excursions. With our centres located in such a great areas, we take the children out to local places and engage with our local communities. For example at our Mosman centre we regularly visit Allan Border Oval for our Sports program. At Rose Bay we go to the local harbour beach to explore natural play spaces and carry out our ‘Out & About’ project. We also visit local libraries and galleries to support our literacy and creative arts programs, and visit local public schoosl for Kindergarten Orientation and special events.
Our School readiness program starts in our Penguins/Koala class and runs right through to our top Preschool class the Meerkats/Wombats.Our curriculum covers a broad scope of learning including language and literacy, maths and STEM, the Creative Arts and Health and Physical develop to support the children’s overall development and learning. Our educational program is play based with a strong focus on engaging with each child and intentional teaching enabling us to teach and develop children’s pre-reading and writing skills, early maths and science concepts and the children’s independence in ways that are meaningful and relevant to each child.
We work closely with a range of local Schools to stay in touch with preparing children for School. Resilience, the ability to work independently and in small groups, the confidence to ask for assistance when needed, a sense of curiosity and the ability to problem solve and try new ways of doing things is often the feedback we hear from School teachers about what is needed to succeed in a School learning environment – these concepts and ways of learning are all embedded in our daily program.
The majority of our team have worked at Ballykin for over 3 years with many being here for 8-10 years or more. Our team all work permanently 5 days per week ensuring consistency across the week. One of our Educators works in a full time multi age Educator role enabling us to provide consistency across the longer day whilst providing time off the floor for Educators to effectively plan for children’s learning. Our team are also supported by a consistent team of casual Educators who work at Ballykin on a regular basis, allowing them to get to know the children and families well and be knowledgeable in our Ballykin philosophy and educational program as they support the team.
For children new to Ballykin, we will supply you with a starter kit which outlines everything you need to bring with you, as well as everything we supply.
Enrolments, Costs & Government Info
Below are our current daily fees (February 2024):
Ballykin Mosman
- Penguin Room (20 months-3 years) – $194/ day
- Echidna Room (3-4 years) – $178/ day
- Meerkats Room (4-5 years) – $178/ day
Ballykin Rose Bay
- Koala Room (20 months-3 years) – $195/ day
- Wallaby Room (3-4 years) – $180/ day
- Wombat Room (4-5 years) – $180/ day
Ballykin ELC Cromer
- Nursery Room (6 months-2 years) – $168/ day
- Toddler Room (2-3 years) – $158/ day
- Pre School Room (3-5 years) – $148/ day
Ballykin accepts applications for future enrolments and offer placements as they become available. Our enrolments team will add your child’s name to our waitlist if our centres are currently full in your child’s age group. We will then contact you as soon as places become available.
We also do check-ins to review availability, and you will contact your periodically to confirm if you’re still happy to remain on the waitlist. When spots do become vacant, we will give you a call to tell you the good news!
The follow link if for Services Australia with specific info on Child Care Subsidy.
To calculate what your child Care Subsidy entitlements would be please click on the following link:
General Faqs
Toilet training is a process that is initiated by families when they feel that their child is ready. Ballykin’s role is to support the consistent approach that a family considers will best support their child in this process. We also offer careful guidance in relation to our understanding of the child and their abilities plus helpful tips that may support the adjustment for children and their families. There is a wealth of information written online about toilet training but we find most children are able to toilet train between 18months and 3 years old. Each child’s journey is unique.
Lots of things support a child’s ability to toilet train successfully;
- enhancing understanding about the process using stories or discussions.
- using play with dolls to use imaginative play in caring
- ensuring that a child has competent communication strategies to indicate their toileting needs
- ensuring that a child has developing self-care skills in managing clothing
- celebrating successes with praise, high-fives, stickers
- communicating frequently about progress with home and developing a consistent and collaborative approach.
Families are consulted about how their child likes to sleep and how we might best support them to feel comfortable at Ballykin to rest and sleep. Bringing a child’s own sheets and comforters helps children to adjust to relaxing in a new space and have a sense of familiarity and ownership over their bed. Some children take time to learn to sleep in a new environment. Children can be gently assisted to sleep by pats from an educator or company and comfort if required. Children’s sleep times and any observations from the sleep/rest session are communicated with families daily. We find that even young children adjust to sleeping well at Ballykin as they observe their older peers who are already settled into the routines here.
Yes our program allows for family grouping times where siblings can spend time together. Our 3 classes work closely together and support each other if a siblings wish to ‘visit’ each other. Special occasions such as Birthdays and sharing work and interests are encouraged and is supported by the whole team.