Two days a week sounds like the perfect balance. Your child gets social interaction and learning, you get some work time, and everyone's home together most of the week. It feels gentle, affordable, and manageable.
But Educators see something parents often miss: patterns in how children settle, connect, and build confidence that depend heavily on frequency, not just time spent at the centre.
At Eden Academy, Educators like Lauren see this pattern constantly. "With two days, many children are happy, but they're often still re-settling each visit," Lauren explains. "With three days, they arrive with familiarity and ease, knowing exactly where they belong."
Here’s what Educators notice behind the scenes, and why that third day can make a real difference:
1. More consistent routines help children settle sooner
Children thrive on predictability. In a two-day routine, long gaps between childcare days make it harder for children to remember the environment, Educators, and routine.
With only two days, children may miss:
- The continuation of group projects or shared play
- Deeper peer connections that form through regular interaction
- Social learning moments like collaboration and problem-solving
- Familiar routines that help children feel confident and capable
2. Social confidence grows faster with regular connection
Children learn social cues through repetition: who comforts them, where their bag goes, how group play works, which activities they enjoy, how mealtimes run.
Two days a week means fewer opportunities to practise these skills. Three or more days offers consistent friendships, stronger relationships with Educators, less anxiety during transitions, and more confidence in group routines.
3. Gaps between days can prolong separation anxiety
When children experience long stretches away from the centre, the "relearning" cycle repeats: rebuilding familiarity, reconnecting with Educators, re-establishing routine, re-settling emotionally.
Children who attend more frequently often move through separation anxiety quicker. Lauren and her peers see this every day. The biggest difference centres observe is confidence and connection. "Children attending three days tend to settle more deeply," Lauren notes. "They recognise routines, feel a stronger sense of belonging, and build more secure relationships with both Educators and peers. That consistency plays a huge role in emotional regulation. Children know what to expect, who will be there, and where they fit."
4. Learning experiences build more naturally week to week
Quality centres design programs across the week: art on Mondays, sensory on Tuesdays, outdoor focus on Wednesdays, cooking or music later in the week.
With only two days, children may unintentionally miss certain experiences or rhythms. More days means more exposure to the full curriculum and familiar routines that help children feel confident and capable.
5. Stronger, more trusting bonds form with Educators
The Educator-child relationship is central to feeling safe. Three days a week accelerates trust, attachment, managing emotions, and willingness to join activities.
Educators often see children grow in confidence after adding a third day. Some children who were once hesitant to join group play begin initiating friendships. Others become more comfortable expressing their emotions or communicating their needs. Parents frequently notice these changes at home too: stronger language, greater independence and calmer emotional responses.
So, should every family choose three days?
Absolutely not. Every family is different.
This isn't about "good vs bad parenting". It's about knowing what Educators observe so you can make informed decisions.
Lauren shares, “Most parents choose two days because it feels like a gentle starting point. It's often about balance: wanting their child to socialise and learn while still spending plenty of time together at home. For some families, it's also influenced by cost, work schedules, or the belief that a little childcare is enough”. These are all completely valid reasons.
At Eden Academy, every family begins on a minimum of two days intentionally. "We see this as the foundation for children to feel comfortable in a new environment, begin forming relationships, and start developing social and emotional regulation," Lauren explains. "One day can feel too fragmented for young children. Two days creates just enough consistency for them to feel safe, recognised and supported."
But if drop-offs feel hard, settling is taking longer than expected, your child seems overwhelmed, you're constantly re-adjusting, or evenings feel chaotic, then adding a day just for the first term can make a world of difference.
Common concerns about adding days
One misconception parents often have is that more days might feel overwhelming for their child.
In practice, centres often see the opposite. “Children who attend more consistently tend to feel more secure because they know their Educators, peers and routines well,” Lauren tells us. “This sense of familiarity supports emotional regulation and reduces anxiety rather than increasing it.”
Another misconception is that learning only happens during planned activities. In early childhood, learning actually happens in everyday moments through play, friendships and conversations. Those moments need time and continuity to develop.
About the 3 Day Guarantee
With all that said, it’s little wonder why Eden Academy fully supports the Government's 3 Day Guarantee. This initiative recognises that three days of early learning provides meaningful developmental benefits, something Eden Academy has championed from the start.
With an additional day, children have more time to:
- Build secure relationships with their Educators
- Deepen friendships with peers
- Engage more confidently in play and learning
- Feel calmer and more settled
- Express their needs more easily
“The 3 day guarantee also supports families by reducing financial barriers, giving parents the flexibility to choose what's developmentally best for their child without feeling pressure to compromise.” Lauren adds.
And for many children, that extra day can be the difference between simply attending childcare and truly thriving in it, feeling connected, confident and ready to grow.
It’s important to remember to choose what works for your family
Educators like Eden Academy aren't saying two days doesn't work. It does. Thousands of families do it successfully.
They're simply sharing what they know from experience: more frequent attendance builds self-reliance, momentum makes settling easier, routines become smoother, emotional regulation improves, and social learning accelerates.
At the end of the day, you know your child best. Think of this as an extra lens to help you choose the rhythm that supports both your little one's wellbeing and your family's lifestyle.
Looking for a centre that prioritises connection and consistency?
Eden Academy supports families in finding the right rhythm for their child, starting with a minimum of two days to build familiarity and security. "When children feel a true sense of belonging, confidence grows naturally,” shares Lauren. “That's what we aim to nurture at Eden: not just care, but connection."
With over 53 Eden Academy centres across Australia, book a tour at your nearest location to discover what might work best for your family.
