Lilyfield – Explore & Develop

Monday – Friday 7.30am – 6.00pm

Ground Floor, 370 Norton Street Lilyfield NSW 2040

(02) 9572 8442

susan.franco@exploreanddevelop.com.au lilyfieldwaitlist@exploreanddevelop.com.au

6 weeks to 6 years

We are a child-safe organisation

MEET THE OWNER

Susan Franco

Susan Franco is a local Inner West parent and an enthusiastic Early Childhood educator holding a Master in Learning and Development (with a specialization in Early Childhood).

She is dedicated to fostering an engaging and supportive early childhood education environment integrating best practices, educational theories, and the latest research to ensure that every child, every family, and every staff member can thrive.

Susan Franco is also Winner of Outstanding Business Person of the Year, 2017.

Features

Family owned and operated

Educational and developmental programs

Local excursions

Long-serving team

Local primary school connections

Parent communication app

Nature play program

School readiness curriculum

Our approach

At Explore & Develop Norton Street Lilyfield, we’re dedicated to making sure every child feels like they belong. We understand that how we introduce kids to learning is really important, and it lays the groundwork for everything we do. Our curriculum includes a variety of activities that help develop communication and language skills, early reading and math, social and emotional growth, as well as physical skills.

For the past 6 years we have had at least one of our boys attending Explore & Develop Lilyfield…

Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield continually provide a safe and happy environment for our children, whereby we take comfort in knowing they re being provided with the best care…

Our children look forward to investigating the engaging play and learning spaces that complement and reinforce the learning curriculum of which they have learnt so much…

The staff nurturing, welcoming and experienced and the pre-school transition to school program has assisted with a smooth integration into primary school…

Bryony Gliddon
As a parent, there is nothing better than knowing your child is safe and in good hands. All the staff ensure us that we have never had to worry about our boy’s happiness and safety…

Explore & Develop provide a good range of activities and stimulation at the centre from sensory activities, reading, and outside play which was a great start for my first son’s schooling years…

Belinda Fitzgerald
We have had both our boys enrolled at Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield from the age of 5 months. As our eldest prepares for Kindergarten next year (after 5 years at Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield) I look back at how lucky we were to have spent that time with Susan and her team. From the outside – a lot of childcare centres look the same. But it’s the people that count. Susan and her staff are a standout. They have been such an integral part of our children’s first years and we could not have left them in better hands.,,

Today our boys are being cared for by a lot of the staff that were there when they started – all of them high calibre individuals with a passion for childcare which translates to happy children in a caring and nurturing environment. In an industry where staff turnover rates are high, it’s a testament to Susan that she maintains such a great culture amongst her staff – and that consistency of the same smiling faces everyday, is a reason our boys have always been comfortable and settled at Explore & Develop.

I know that once our youngest moves on to Kindergarten, we will have made friendships that will last, not just with other great families at the centre, but also with Susan and her team…

Angela Petousis
Everyone at Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield are helpful, friendly, professional and caring above and beyond our expectation…

We have always felt very happy and comfortable to have our boys there and enjoy watching them grow and love their experiences there…

The centre itself is a fantastic modern space with lots of room inside and out with lots to engage little people in whatever age and interests they have and want to have…

We cannot recommend Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield highly enough.

Leah and Martin Allan
I have found Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield to be a nurturing environment for my child. The teachers are skilled and caring and have a focus on social, physical and intellectual development…

They foster curiosity and learning through play and encourage parental involvement at any level.
All challenges are swiftly acknowledged and resolved and a child’s individual needs are catered for…

My daughter has enjoyed her time and has formed close bonds with her teachers as well as other staff at the centre…

Fiona Sims
I think what I like best about Explore & Develop Norton Street, Lilyfield is the variety of experiences that are presented to the children, both community based and educational…

As a teacher myself, I really value the efforts and enthusiasm of the staff who engage with my daughter in such a caring and personable manner. They operate as a team and it feels like a family environment. But most importantly my daughter genuinely enjoys her days there…

Felicity Bowman

Waitlist

Learning Environments

Nursery Rooms 1 and 2

20 children across 2 rooms, 6 weeks – 2 years

Dedicated cot room for nursery children
Personalised and developmentally-appropriate curriculum designed by our qualified and experienced Early Childhood educators
Supportive partnerships to develop nurturing routines that are reflective of home
Qualified and experienced Early Childhood educators
Architecturally designed indoor and outdoor learning environments
Secure online learning portal for families to access daily learning experiences, developmental observations and individual learning assessments
Breastfeeding room available for nursing mothers

Dedicated cot room for nursery children Personalised and developmentally-appropriate curriculum designed by our qualified and experienced Early Childhood educators Supportive partnerships to develop nurturing routines that are reflective of home Qualified and experienced Early Childhood educators Architecturally designed indoor and outdoor learning environments Secure online learning portal for families to access daily learning experiences, developmental observations and individual learning assessments Breastfeeding room available for nursing mothers

Junior Preschool Room

15 children, 2 years – 3.5 years

Making independent choices is a key focus within our junior preschool curriculum. So are fine motor and gross motor development, social and emotional skills, language skills, cognitive development, toilet training and self-help skills.

This learning environment encourages small and large group activities and is vibrant, flexible and responsive to the interests of each child incorporating puzzles, literacy and numeracy activities, construction activities, creative arts, music and dramatic play.

Making independent choices is a key focus within our junior preschool curriculum. So are fine motor and gross motor development, social and emotional skills,…

Senior Preschool Room

20 children, 3.5 years – 6 years

We understand that being ready for school encompasses so much more than just a child’s age and our transition to school curriculum nurtures eager, capable and motivated learners through: independent life skills, nurturing and growing self-confidence, gross and fine motor co-ordination, literacy and numeracy confidence and developing an emerging understanding of math and science concepts.

We work in partnership with local schools to assist families to feel ready and informed for their child’s individual transition to school journey.

We understand that being ready for school encompasses so much more than just a child’s age and our transition to school curriculum nurtures eager,…

Rated 4.9 stars on Google

Christina Elisha Vetta

5 months ago

We’ve been so happy with Explore & Develop Lilyfield. The team has been incredible with our daughter, and we’ve noticed such a big shift in her confidence since she started there, especially after a difficult experience at a previous daycare that had been causing her anxiety. She is happy, making friends and connections, and speaks so fondly of the educators and the preschool in general, which says everything. It’s clear the team genuinely cares, and that has made a huge difference to both her and us as parents. We’re really grateful for the support, patience, and care they’ve shown her, and would highly recommend Explore & Develop Lilyfield to other families. Thank you to all the educators in the Wombat pre school room.
Alex Edwards

6 months ago

We had such a great experience at Explore & Develop Lilyfield. Susan, Ashleigh and all of the educators were so caring, warm and kind. Our son started at 1.5 years old, and through every transition they were thoughtful and supportive, making each change feel seamless for both him and us. We always felt completely confident leaving him in their care and are so grateful for the role they’ve played in his early years. Highly recommend!
Lucie G

8 months ago

Susan and the team at Explore & Develop Lilyfield deliver an exceptional quality of care and education. Our girls were incredibly well cared for in their time at the centre and, as parents, we were also helped with age appropriate resources which was an added bonus.
Celia Jiao

8 months ago

Explore & Develop Lilyfield has been a wonderful childcare centre for our family. Our child attended from the age of 1 through to 4, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience. The educators are incredibly caring, patient, and inspiring, and they genuinely take the time to understand and support each child. Our child always felt safe, supported, and happy there, and had such a positive and enjoyable time every day. We’re very grateful for the love, learning, and beautiful memories gained at Explore & Develop Lilyfield. Highly recommend to other families!
Kelly Turner

10 months ago

We’ve had such a positive experience at Explore & Develop Lilyfield. Our son started there at nine months and is now 18 months, and he has absolutely thrived. The educators are consistently warm, attentive, and genuinely attuned to his needs. We can see how well they understand his personality and support his development. He is excited to go each day, which says everything. Communication is excellent, the routines are well-structured, and the environment feels calm, safe, and nurturing. We feel completely confident leaving him in their care and are very grateful to the entire team for their ongoing support. Highly recommend!

Fees & Inclusions

The daily fees for 2026

We are an approved Child Care Subsidy (CCS) service, which means eligible families will receive three days per week of subsidised care.

Use our CCS calculator for an estimate of your individual fees, or contact us and we’ll help you with it.

Our 2026 fees are outlined below. Note these fees are before CCS, which will significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Our service is also eligible for Start Strong Fee Relief, providing a further saving for families of 3- and 4-year-old children, in addition to CCS.

AGE GROUP	DAILY FEE (BEFORE CCS and Start Strong)
Nursery (0-2 years)	$197/day
Early learning (2-3 years)	$190/day
Preschool (3-5 years)	$177/day

Our daily fee is all-inclusive, covering nutritious meals, snacks and drinks, nappies, wipes, sunscreen, bedding, educational programs and learning materials.

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Parent Information

A positive start to early education and care
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Parent Information

The lifelong benefits of Early Childhood Education and Care
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Parent Information

Download our ‘Learning Through Play’ Ebook
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