Fees & current vacancies

What a day costs

Gizmo's charges a flat daily rate of $115.60 for a full day, 8am to 4pm. There's no separate charge for the school-readiness program: it's simply what we do here.

That's the figure before the Child Care Subsidy. For most working families the amount that actually leaves your account is considerably lower, as set out below.

What's included

• A full day of care and early education, 8am–4pm
• The individualised school-readiness program
• All craft, art and program materials
• Excursions and incursions

What to pack

Meals aren't provided, so your child brings morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Katie is happy to talk through what works well for the day's routine, and to accommodate allergies and dietary needs.

How the subsidy changes the number

Gizmo's is registered with Kids at Home, an approved family day care provider, so the Child Care Subsidy is paid straight to the provider, so your invoice arrives already reduced. You never pay $115.60 up front and claim it back.

Here's how the arithmetic works, using round numbers rather than your real ones:

The full guide to claiming the Child Care Subsidy with us →

Days & current vacancies

Gizmo's is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am to 4pm. Katie can start earlier by arrangement, but can't finish later, as she has her own child to collect.

There are only ever four places, so availability is genuinely limited rather than a sales line. Right now:

Places also open up mid-year as children head off to prep, so it's worth asking even if your day shows as full, and we'll add you to the waitlist. Call Katie on 0402 115 644.

Booking and payment

• Fees are paid weekly by direct debit, handled by Kids at Home as the approved provider.
• Kids at Home charges a one-off enrolment fee when you join. Katie will tell you the current amount when you enquire.
• Booked days are charged whether or not your child attends, because the place is held for them. The subsidy still applies to a set number of absence days each year.
• Two weeks' notice to end care, so the place can be offered on.
• Gizmo's closes over the Christmas period, and no fees are charged for our closures. In sixteen years there has been no period of unplanned closure.

Comparing us to a centre

If you're weighing Gizmo's against a long day care centre, compare gap fees rather than headline rates: the two have different hourly rate caps under CCS, and centres often bill an eleven- or twelve-hour day whether you use it or not. Here's an honest comparison of the two →