Longer sessions for kindy kids

By Erin Tasker February 6, 2012

All Ashburton kindergartens can now offer children up to six hours of fun and learning per day.

The district's five kindergartens have all now moved from traditional sessional days to all-day licences, meaning children can attend kindergarten for up to six hours per day, up from the traditional four-hour and two-hour sessions.
020212-KG_058Kindy Hampstead Kindergarten was the first to trial the all-day licence three years ago and it was prompted by the changing needs of parents and children.
It proved a success so the other four kindergartens decided to jump on board.
Allenton Kindergarten is the last of the five kindergartens to move to an all-day licence and their change kicked in on the first day of 2012.
All five kindergartens are offering 20 free hours with the bonus of an additional 10 free hours if parents choose to take the full 20 free hours with kindergarten.
Kindergarten was originally free, but with added costs a parent donation was needed, but now kindergartens can go full circle and again use the word free, the president of the Ashburton Kindergarten Association, Lynley Hands, said.
There was presently 233 children attending the five kindergartens and there was a long waiting list, meaning a significant number of families continue to choose kindergarten to provide early childhood education for their children, Ms Hands said.
"Amongst many benefits, the all-day licences and up to 30 free hours mean working parents have more flexibility and older children are able to establish skills for going to school," Ms Hands said.