Post updated September 2026.
If you've been going back and forth on whether your child should have one year of kindergarten or two, you're not alone. It's one of the more common questions families ask us, and there's rarely a single “right” answer, but there is good evidence to help you think it through.
What are you actually weighing up?
Most of the hesitation we hear from families comes down to a handful of practical questions:
- Will an extra year actually make a difference, or is it just extra cost?
- Is my child ready for more structure, or would they benefit from more time?
- What does “two years of kindy” even mean where we live?
The last one matters more than families often expect - preschool and kindergarten rules are set state by state in Australia, so what's available (and funded) can look quite different depending on where you are.
You can check the exact rules for your state via Raising Children Network's state-by-state preschool guide(opens in new tab).
What the evidence says
The strongest Australian evidence comes from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, run by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Its research found that children who hadn't attended preschool or long day care at ages three or four started school with roughly double the odds of developmental vulnerability in physical health, communication and general knowledge, compared with children who'd had two years of preschool, and close to triple the odds in language and cognition.
That's a meaningful gap, but it's population-level research, not a prediction about any individual child. Plenty of children thrive with one year of quality early learning. The evidence is best read as a reason to take the decision seriously, not a reason to feel anxious about it.
Questions worth asking yourself
Rather than a checklist of “is my child ready,” these are the questions families tell us actually helped them decide:
- Does my child enjoy group play and structured activities? Two years gives more time to build these skills gradually rather than all at once.
- How do they handle new routines and separation? A second year, with familiar educators, can make the eventual jump to school feel smaller.
- What does our family's schedule and budget actually allow? This is a legitimate part of the decision, not something to feel guilty about weighing up.
What the wider research adds
It's not just the AIFS data. The Mitchell Institute at Victoria University has separately found that two years of quality early learning has a bigger impact on children's outcomes than one year alone, particularly for literacy, numeracy and social-emotional development. Its 2025 research also found that gaps between children can already be visible by age two, which is part of why access to a second preschool year keeps coming up in national policy discussions, including the Preschool Reform Agreement between the Commonwealth and the states.
None of this is about pressure. It's simply useful context for a decision that's yours to make.
What to expect if you choose two years
If you do decide a second year makes sense for your family, here's roughly what it looks like in practice:
- The first few weeks - your child settles into a familiar routine with educators they may already know, which tends to make separation easier the second time around
- Through the year - programs build gradually on what your child already knows, rather than repeating the same content, with more focus on independence, group projects and pre-literacy and numeracy skills
- Towards the end of the year - educators typically work with families on transition planning, including visits to or conversations about the school your child will attend
A few common questions
- “We've already started one year - can we add a second?” In most cases, yes, though eligibility and funding depend on your state and your child's age. It's worth checking with your centre or state education department directly.
- “Won't a second year just repeat the first?” A well-designed program builds on the previous year rather than repeating it, extending skills your child has already started developing.
- “Does it cost more overall?” This depends on your circumstances, including any Child Care Subsidy entitlement, so it's best discussed directly with your centre rather than assumed either way.
What two years looks like at Papilio
At Papilio, our preschool and kindergarten program is part of our Lifelong Learning Curriculum and is designed for children aged three to five, combining the structure of a funded kindergarten program with the flexibility of long day care.
If you're still weighivng this up, the most useful next step isn't more research, it's a conversation with people who know your child. Our educators can talk through what they're seeing day to day and what a second year could look like for your family specifically.
For more on getting ready for the transition, see our guide to helping your child prepare for starting school.
Still deciding? Get in touch with your local Papilio centre - our educators are happy to talk through what would suit your child best.