Updated: June 2025.
For many families, choosing whether to enrol a child in care is one of the biggest early parenting decisions. Is childcare the right choice for your baby or toddler? Will it help your kindergartener/preschooler get ready for school, or is it better to wait until they’re older?
At Affinity Education, we know this decision is deeply personal. And we also know how transformative high-quality early education can be for children’s development, wellbeing and confidence.
Here’s what the research says about the benefits of early childhood education, broken down by age group, and why thousands of families across Australia trust Affinity Education’s Lifelong Learning Curriculum to give their child the very best start in life.
The Benefits of Childcare for Babies (0-1 Years)
It’s natural to wonder whether a baby is “too young” for childcare. But with the right environment and nurturing educators, even the youngest children can thrive in care.
At Affinity Education centres, our approach to caring for babies is grounded in attachment-based, relationship-focused practice. Our Healthy Beginnings program creates a home-away-from-home where each baby’s routines, cues and needs are honoured.
Here’s how babies benefit from a high-quality childcare environment:
- Emotional security and responsive care: Babies need to feel safe and seen. Through consistent, loving interactions with educators, babies in child care develop strong bonds that help build trust, resilience and emotional wellbeing.
- Sensory-rich exploration: Babies are born ready to learn. In a purposefully designed environment, they engage with gentle sights, sounds, textures and people that stimulate their curiosity and support cognitive development.
- Movement and motor skill development: From tummy time to crawling tracks, our nursery rooms support physical growth in safe, age-appropriate ways, helping babies build the strength and coordination they need to reach key milestones.
👉 Learn more about our approach to safe and supportive baby care.
Why Childcare Is So Beneficial for Toddlers (1-3 Years)
Toddlers are on the move, full of energy, questions and big feelings. Childcare at this age can be a game-changer, providing both structure and freedom to explore.
Our Early Experiences program supports toddlers through carefully designed learning zones that encourage movement, creativity, social interaction and early language.
Here’s how toddlers grow and thrive in childcare:
- Language development through conversation and play: Every story read, every song sung, every chat during play builds toddlers’ vocabulary and confidence. Research shows that rich, everyday language exposure helps lay the foundation for literacy.
- Social skills and emotional learning: In care, toddlers learn to share, take turns and express their emotions in a safe, supportive space. These early social interactions nurture empathy, cooperation and emotional regulation.
- Active play and gross motor development: Whether they’re climbing, balancing or dancing, toddlers need space to move. Our Move and Groove Zones support coordination and strength through joyful movement and music.
👉 See how we support toddler growth in our Early Experiences program.
Kindergarteners/Preschoolers (3-5 Years): Building Confidence, Curiosity and School Readiness
By age three, children are ready for more structured learning, but play is still at the heart of how they grow. Our preschool and kindergarten programs blend intentional teaching with hands-on experiences that prepare children for the transition to school.
Through our School Readiness program, we support every child’s journey with kindness, curiosity and challenge.
Key benefits include:
- Early literacy and numeracy skills: Children build confidence through age-appropriate learning in phonics, writing, counting and problem-solving, all delivered through play-based, inquiry-driven projects.
- Independence, teamwork and resilience: Learning how to be part of a group, manage friendships, and work through challenges prepares children not only for school, but for life.
- Inquiry-based learning that builds curiosity: From STEM experiments to sustainability projects, preschoolers at Affinity centres are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas and follow their interests.
👉 Explore our school readiness approach in our Preschool and Kindergarten programs.
Childcare vs. Staying at Home: What’s Best?
Every family is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But here’s how quality childcare compares to staying home across a few key areas:
| Social Interaction | Daily interaction with peers and trained educators. | Usually limited to family. |
| Learning Activities | Structured, age-appropriate curriculum and play-based learning. | Depends on time and resources. |
| School Readiness | Support in early literacy, numeracy, emotional and social skills. | May require extra planning or external programs. |
| Physical Development | Purpose-built environments that encourage movement and exploration. | Depends on space and supervision. |
Ultimately, quality childcare provides consistency, community, and a strong developmental foundation, especially when led by qualified educators and guided by a proven early education curriculum.
What Sets Affinity Education Apart?
At the heart of every Affinity Education centre is our exclusive Lifelong Learning Curriculum. Drawing on proven educational theories and modern child development research, it’s designed to meet the needs of today’s children, and support educators to deliver exceptional care.
What makes it different:
- Grounded in evidence-based practices and aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework
- Focused on holistic growth - emotional, social, physical and cognitive
- Designed for every age and stage, from infancy to school readiness
- Delivered by passionate, qualified educators supported by a national team of experts
👉 Learn more about how our curriculum supports children at every stage of development. Explore the Lifelong Learning Curriculum.
For Educators: A Curriculum You’ll Be Proud to Deliver
Whether you’re an experienced early childhood educator or just starting your career, Affinity Education offers more than a job - it’s a place where your skills and passion are valued, and where you’re supported to keep growing.
You’ll be part of a national team of educators who believe deeply in the power of early education to shape lives. With access to our exclusive Lifelong Learning Curriculum, ongoing professional development, and strong support from our Quality and Education teams, you’ll have everything you need to deliver meaningful learning experiences and feel proud of the work you do each day.
A Commitment to Safety and Quality You Can Trust
With over 250 centres, we’re proud to serve families in both urban and rural communities across Australia, providing high-quality care that families can rely on.
Every Affinity Education centre follows robust safety protocols and is supported by our dedicated Quality and Compliance teams, who ensure our standards remain consistently high.
Our educators are passionate, professional, and always learning. Through the Affinity Learning Academy, our team members have access to ongoing training and development opportunities that support them to grow in their careers and provide the very best care and education for every child.
Whether you’re exploring care for the first time, returning to work, or considering a new centre, we invite you to book a tour and experience the Affinity difference for yourself.