Best long day care centres in Gold Coast
Picks are ranked by score and relevance to long day care, so a lower overall score can rank higher here.
At a glance
| # | Business | Score | Rating | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Scholars Burleigh Waters | 88 | 4.9 (64) | — | Long-tenured educators & tight-knit bonds |
| 2 | Little Scholars Parkwood | 88 | 5 (43) | — | Allergy management & smooth first-day transitions |
| 3 | Lollipop Lane Child Care Centre | 85 | 5 (26) | — | Family-owned feel with spacious grounds |
| 4 | Gumera Early Learning & Kindergarten Upper Coomera | 84 | 4.9 (27) | — | Nature play & early (6am) drop-off |
| 5 | Imagine Childcare & Kindergarten Southport | 86 | 4.9 (36) | — | Individualised observation & STEM-style learning |
| 6 | Currumbin Village Early Learning | 83 | 4.6 (44) | — | Nature-based programs with meals included |
| 7 | Bright Kids Centre | 85 | 5 (31) | — | Long-term family trust & resilience programs |
| 8 | Edge Early Learning Pimpama | 78 | 4.3 (15) | — | Inclusive support for additional medical needs |
| 9 | Kandies Kids Childcare Nerang | 80 | 4.8 (16) | — | Government-approved kindy program with sensory play |
| 10 | Imagine Childcare and Kindergarten Nerang | 79 | 4.9 (33) | — | Autism early intervention & enrichment variety |
| 11 | Edge Early Learning Elanora | 77 | 4.7 (23) | — | Nature and outdoor play integration |
| 12 | Jungle Gems Early Learning Centre | 76 | 5 (27) | — | School-readiness in a family-run setting |
| 13 | MyFirstGym Robina | 80 | 4.6 (91) | — | Confidence-building movement programs |
| 14 | Whispering Gully Childcare Coomera | 75 | 4.4 (31) | — | Steiner-inspired, nature-based play |
| 15 | Kool Beanz SUNS Carrara | 74 | 4.6 (55) | — | Spacious facilities with enrichment extras |
1. Little Scholars Burleigh Waters
4.9 (64 reviews)score 88/100
Parents describe a smaller centre where staff stay for years and genuinely know each child, which shows up in the top composite score on this list and a 4.9 rating across 64 reviews. Families report visible progress from infancy through kindergarten alongside daily communication that keeps them in the loop.
- Long-tenured staff build real relationships, not just supervision
- Daily updates and regular developmental reports
- Smaller, more intimate setting than big-box centres
- Children reported to form lasting friendships
Services: long day care, family day care, kindergarten preschool, before after school care
2. Little Scholars Parkwood
5 (43 reviews)score 88/100
Every one of 43 reviews rates this centre five stars, with named staff like Sonia, Christine and Kathryn singled out repeatedly for warmth and attentiveness to allergies and additional needs. Daily photo updates and on-site cooking round out a centre families trust from 6 weeks through school-age care.
- Consistently named staff praised for care and experience
- Daily photo and message updates to families
- Fresh meals cooked on site
- Covers 6 weeks through school-age care
Services: kindergarten preschool, family day care, long day care, before after school care
3. Lollipop Lane Child Care Centre
5 (26 reviews)score 85/100
Reviewers highlight individual attention and detailed personalised updates over a more institutional childcare experience, backed by a perfect 5.0 rating across 26 reviews. The spacious outdoor areas and long-term staff relationships come up again and again in family accounts.
- Long-term staff who know each child individually
- Detailed, personalised daily updates
- Spacious grounds for outdoor learning
- Warm, family-like community atmosphere
Services: long day care, kindergarten preschool, before after school care, family day care
4. Gumera Early Learning & Kindergarten Upper Coomera
4.9 (27 reviews)score 84/100
Families describe children settling in within weeks and staff learning names quickly, with the Nature Adventure Play area and veggie gardens central to daily life. A 4.9 rating from 27 reviews reflects consistent praise for hands-on, family-owned management.
- Family-owned with hands-on owners
- Nature Adventure Play area and outdoor learning pods
- Early 6am opening suits shift-working parents
- Daily app updates on activities and progress
Services: kindergarten preschool, long day care
5. Imagine Childcare & Kindergarten Southport
4.9 (36 reviews)score 86/100
Parents credit director Sharon and the senior team with treating each child as an individual and communicating openly about developmental progress. Recent investments like a STEM room and science room, plus a 4.9 rating across 36 reviews, point to a centre reinvesting in its facilities.
- Director and senior staff known for approachability
- Individualised observation and documentation
- Recently added STEM room, science room and playground
- Strong daily communication and photo updates
Services: kindergarten preschool, family day care, long day care, before after school care
6. Currumbin Village Early Learning
4.6 (44 reviews)score 83/100
Staff are reported to know children and families by name and offer real emotional support in tough moments, backed by a large outdoor yard and an upcoming bush kindy program. The 4.6 rating across 44 reviews sits a little lower than top picks but sentiment remains firmly positive.
- Staff recognise each child and parent by name
- Large outdoor yard with bushland surroundings
- Daily meals included from Kids Gourmet Food
- Personalised learning stories via online platform
Services: family day care, long day care, kindergarten preschool
7. Bright Kids Centre
5 (31 reviews)score 85/100
Some families here report staying 15 to 18 years, a strong signal of trust, with named educators Caitlin, Jess, Tash, Sabrinna and John repeatedly credited for genuine care. The Mindful Kids Resilience Program and Bush Kindy add a developmental focus beyond standard care, backed by a perfect 5.0 across 31 reviews.
- Stable, named educators retained long-term
- Mindful Kids Resilience Program and Bush Kindy
- Flexible scheduling around family circumstances
- Visible school-readiness outcomes reported by parents
Services: kindergarten preschool, family day care, long day care, before after school care
8. Edge Early Learning Pimpama
4.3 (15 reviews)score 78/100
Families highlight patient, confidence-building educators and dedicated support for children with additional medical or developmental needs. With 15 reviews the sample is on the smaller side, and a 4.3 rating reflects some real but occasional concerns raised by families.
- Educators trained for individual developmental needs
- Daily photo updates and responsive communication
- Dedicated support for additional medical needs
- Well-maintained, engaging facilities
Services: long day care, kindergarten preschool
9. Kandies Kids Childcare Nerang
4.8 (16 reviews)score 80/100
Parents describe staff adapting learning to each child's interests within a clean, family-like setting, and the centre runs a government-approved kindy program across age-based rooms from 1 to 5 years. The 4.8 rating comes from a modest 16 reviews, so treat it as an emerging track record rather than a long one.
- Government-approved kindy program
- Age-based rooms from 1 to 5 years
- Sensory play and dedicated workshop spaces
- Inclusive approach to additional learning support
Services: kindergarten preschool, family day care, long day care, before after school care
10. Imagine Childcare and Kindergarten Nerang
4.9 (33 reviews)score 79/100
Low staff turnover means families report bonds with directors Sophie and Mrs T, plus educators like Amy, Maria and Kim, that last for years. The centre stands out for its ACE autism early intervention program, on-site chef, and enrichment classes spanning Japanese, sports and music, with a 4.9 rating from 33 reviews.
- Low staff turnover builds lasting educator-child bonds
- On-site chef with allergy management
- ACE autism early intervention program
- Enrichment in Japanese, sports, music, gardening and cooking
Services: occasional care, kindergarten preschool, family day care, long day care
11. Edge Early Learning Elanora
4.7 (23 reviews)score 77/100
Parents describe children settling easily into a well-organised environment where all meals and nappies are included and leadership is known personally to families. The 4.7 rating across 23 reviews reflects solid, consistent satisfaction rather than standout extremes.
- Leadership known and accessible to families
- Nature and outdoor play woven through the day
- All meals and nappies included
- Easy parking and pickup logistics
Services: kindergarten preschool, long day care
12. Jungle Gems Early Learning Centre
5 (27 reviews)score 76/100
Families describe feeling welcomed as extended family, with daily updates and a structured approach to preparing children for school entry. The perfect 5.0 rating across 27 reviews is encouraging, though the lower confidence rating here means it's worth reading a few reviews yourself before deciding.
- Family ownership brings consistent, stable staff
- Daily photo and activity updates
- Structured school-readiness preparation
- Mixed-age environments support peer learning
Services: kindergarten preschool, long day care, before after school care, special needs inclusion
13. MyFirstGym Robina
4.6 (91 reviews)score 80/100
With 91 reviews this is the most-reviewed entry on the list, and parents consistently praise instructors for building confidence in shy or unfit children alongside strong birthday party experiences. It's a different model from a traditional long day care centre, more class and event-based, so factor that into how it fits your routine.
- Experienced coaching across multiple disciplines
- Full facility access with venue hire options
- Inclusive approach to special needs
- Measurable confidence and skill-building outcomes
Services: long day care, kindergarten preschool
14. Whispering Gully Childcare Coomera
4.4 (31 reviews)score 75/100
Most families report warm educators and genuine low turnover, with a Steiner and play-based philosophy plus tailored nutrition options like gluten-free and dairy-free. A smaller group of reviewers raise real concerns about supervision and cleanliness in older-age rooms that are worth asking about directly.
- Steiner and play-based learning philosophy
- Low staff turnover and caregiver continuity
- Nature-focused outdoor playgrounds
- Tailored nutrition options including vegan and dairy-free
Services: long day care, kindergarten preschool
15. Kool Beanz SUNS Carrara
4.6 (55 reviews)score 74/100
The centre offers genuinely spacious learning spaces including a Lego room, art room and library, plus extras like sports, yoga and Gold Coast Suns visits that many families enjoy. Sentiment here is more mixed than the rest of this list, with some parents reporting understaffing for specialist needs and slow responses to distress or bullying.
- Spacious facilities with Lego room, art room and library
- Extensive outdoor play including a bird aviary
- Enrichment beyond standard care: sports, yoga, Japanese classes
- Inclusive approach to children with additional needs
Services: occasional care, kindergarten preschool, family day care, before after school care
How we scored this list
| Signal | Weight |
|---|---|
| Review sentiment | 28% |
| Google rating | 26% |
| Review volume | 20% |
| Review recency | 13% |
| Profile completeness | 13% |
Ranking data checked 2026-09-08 · Full methodology ›
Check if there's availability with suitable child care agency in Gold Coast for your child's needs.
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Guides before you choose
- What to expect during long day care orientation on the Gold Coast
A practical walkthrough of long day care orientation on the Gold Coast: what the visits involve, what to bring, and how long settling in usually takes.