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Kindergarten Volunteer Program in Bali
Volunteer in a kindergarten project in the small fishing village of Tianyar in North Bali and play a key role in interacting with children, keeping them entertained and uplifting their confidence. This fulfilling experience will immerse you in Balinese culture, offering the chance to engage with locals and learn about their traditions and culture.
You volunteer at a community kindergarten in Tianyar, a small fishing village on Bali's north-east coast, working with children roughly 3 to 6 years old. Day to day you join the local staff in the classroom: playing games, leading arts and crafts, singing and dancing, running simple sports activities, and helping serve the mid-day meal. No teaching qualification or childcare experience is required, which makes this a fit for students, gap year travelers, and first-time volunteers aged 17 and up.
Placements run 1–12 weeks, with starts every week (sundays) (next start 20 Sep 2026), so you can join for as little as one week or stay longer. You live in a volunteer house in Tianyar, a cluster of bamboo cottages near the beach, sharing a room with other volunteers, with meals cooked on-site Monday to Friday. Programs start from $719 (deposit included). Weekends are free, and past volunteers use them to travel to Kuta, Tanah Lot, or Ubud before returning to the village.
- Volunteer at Kindergarten in Bali and take care of toddlers
- Help out in a local childcare center that is often understaffed
- Work entails taking care of children, assisting the local staff, and managing the center
- Focus on creating a lively, enjoyable environment for the children
- Help teachers in distributing and feeding mid-day meals to children
- A great way to experience the everyday life at Bali, away from the chaos of city life
- Enjoy weekend trips to some fabulous destinations like Kuta, Tanah Lot, Ubud and much more
Your role on this program
- Play, sing, dance, and do arts and crafts with children alongside local kindergarten staff
- Assist local staff with daily classroom tasks and running the center
- Help distribute and feed the mid-day meal to the children
- Teach simple English words and phrases through games and conversation
- Plan and prepare short activities or lessons to bring to the center each day
- Help create a lively, engaging environment for children ages 3 to 6
- Support local staff with general care and supervision of the children
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You work alongside local kindergarten staff and are never left in sole charge of the children; a member of the local team supervises the center at all times. This is a community kindergarten, not an orphanage placement, and duties may vary with the placement's needs depending on the day and the children present.
A typical day and week
As a volunteer for the Teaching Program in Bali, your general schedule would be:
Day 1 (Sunday) – Arrival
Please ensure you arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali (DPS). A member of our local team will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall holding a name sign. From there, you will be driven directly to the volunteer accommodation, about a 3-hour drive.
DAY 2 (Monday) – Orientation & Volunteering
After a good night’s rest and a delicious breakfast, you will have an orientation. During this session, we will cover all the do’s and don’ts while in Bali, including dress code and personal conduct. This is a great opportunity to meet other volunteers starting at the same time. The rest of the afternoon will be your first day of volunteering.
DAYS 3-5 (Tuesday – Thursday) – Volunteering
The local team will inform you of the activities planned for each day, whether you will be joining the Childcare program or participating in the Teaching program.
DAYS 6-8 (Friday – Sunday) – Weekend
You can choose to relax at the village or explore Bali and its surroundings. The long weekends are perfect for traveling around Bali and hopping to nearby islands.
The following weeks –
Your next week(s) will follow a similar pattern. Our local team is there to support you throughout your stay.
Last day (Saturday)
In your last week, Saturday is your official last day in the program. You will check out from the accommodation and continue your travels in Bali or take flight back home. The coordinators can help you in arranging a taxi back to the airport at extra charges. You can share the car with other volunteers traveling south.
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 17 (a parental consent form is required for participants under 18)
- No previous childcare or teaching experience or qualifications required
- Patience and willingness to spend the day with young children
- Clean criminal background check, issued within 12 months of the start date
- Travel and medical insurance, either your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges
- Comfortable with simple, shared accommodation in a volunteer house
The placement, its limits and your part in it
The kindergarten in Tianyar was set up by the local team to give village children access to free early education and childcare, since most kindergartens and daycare centers in Bali charge fees that local families cannot always afford. The center is run day to day by local Balinese staff, and volunteers are brought in to add extra hands during a period when the center is often understaffed.
You work under the direction of the local kindergarten staff at all times and are not left responsible for the children on your own. A local contact person and 24-hour assistance are available throughout your stay for any welfare or safety issue. Your contribution is best understood as extra attention, play, and simple English exposure for the children during your time there, alongside the regular local staff, rather than any guaranteed change in outcomes for the children.
Our standards
- Responsible volunteer travel policyHow we choose, run and review every project
- Safeguarding policyBackground checks, supervision and our code of conduct with children
- Child & vulnerable adult protectionThe rules every volunteer follows on placement
- Certified B CorporationSocial and environmental performance verified by B Lab
- How we volunteer responsibly in BaliCountry-level partner context and standards
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | $719 | |
| 2 weeks | $824 | |
| 3 weeks | $999 | |
| 4 weeks | $1,144 | |
| 5 weeks | $1,349 | |
| 6 weeks | $1,499 | |
| 7 weeks | $1,649 | |
| 8 weeks | $1,824 | |
| Each additional week | +$175 / week |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Meals from Mon – Fri
- Accommodation in Tianyar
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from Local Staff
- Transfer from Airport to Tianyar
- Certificate of Participation (On Request)
Not included
- Airfare
- Return Trip to Airport (Can be arranged at extra cost)
- Flights
- Visa Fees
- Vaccinations
Accommodation & meals
Airport Transfer
All volunteers will have to reach Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar (DPS), on Sunday. The local team will arrange your transfer from the airport and a designated driver shall be there to pick you up. We provide pick-up each Sunday for volunteers until 5pm. It is strongly advised that you arrange a flight which allows you to arrive at the airport before 5pm on Sunday.
If you wish to arrive in Bali a few days earlier, we can pick you up from your hotel on Sunday instead. If you do this, we recommend that you book your hotel in ‘Kuta’ or ‘Sanur’, both comfortable touristic areas for you to spend your first few days in Bali which are not too far from the airport.
Accommodation
In Tianyar, accommodation is in a volunteer house, which is a cluster of beautiful cottages. The traditional bamboo-built shelters are located right next to the beach and offer some great views.To make it environment-friendly, each cluster has a separate bathroom and toilet, also made of bamboo and canes. Each cottage has a sit out area and fans are installed. There is Wifi within the accommodation but it can be intermittent.There are common areas where volunteers can have meals or can sit and chat. There is a kitchen where meals are freshly prepared for the volunteers by the cooks. Volunteers need to bring their own towels and toiletries.The accommodation also offers some great facilities for the volunteers such as hammocks and volleyball pitch. At a short distance from the accommodation, amenities such as ATM, department stores are available.
Your accommodations will be simple yet cozy, allowing you to connect with the local environment and bond with fellow volunteers. The spacious communal outdoor dining area is ideal for sharing stories over tasty meals. Nearby, you’ll find essential amenities like supermarkets, ATMs, and a laundromat within a short walking distance.
You will share a room with three other volunteers and have access to a shared indoor bathroom equipped with a western-style toilet and cold showers. Each room is fitted with a ceiling fan, and all bed linens are provided.
You’ll have easy access to explore the island from Friday to Sunday. Taxis and other transport options are available, allowing you to reach all parts of Bali quickly and affordably. Whether you want to scuba dive at the famous Tulamben sites (20 minutes away), explore the city of Ubud (2 hours away), or party in Kuta on the south coast (3 hours away), our local team can assist with your plans.
Some important points to remember about the accommodations –
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All bed linen is provided
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Please bring your own towel and toiletries. Nearby laundry service (approximately IDR 7,000 per kilo)
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The journey to the airport takes around 3 hours
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Nearest shops are just a 5-minute walk. Wi-Fi is available but can be intermittent
Orientation
The in-country team in Tianyar will conduct the Orientation Session for the volunteers.You will be provided with all the details about the project, about the work that you’ll have to do, as well as information about the place. If you have any questions regarding safety issues, traveling and project, the local team will be there to assist you always.
Meals
You’ll enjoy three freshly prepared meals each day, cooked on-site from Monday to Friday. While most volunteers explore on weekends, meals are available from Saturday to Sunday for a small additional fee if you choose to stay at the camp.
Most of the meals feature traditional Indonesian cuisine, with rice as a staple accompanied by fish or chicken. Here’s a taste of what you can expect:
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Breakfast usually comprises pancakes, toast, fruit, tea, and coffee
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Lunch includes Rice, fried noodles, pasta, rendang, gado-gado, soto, chicken, and soup
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Dinner usually comprises Rice, chicken, fish, noodles, pasta, rendang, gado-gado, and soto
Vegetarian options are consistently available, and we can accommodate vegan requests upon advance notice. Our team will strive to meet any dietary needs, but please note that there may be times when you’ll need to purchase alternative ingredients at your own expense.
During Free Time
During your time in Bali, you will be based in Tianyar, a small fishing village located in the Northern part of the island. The region is much quieter in comparison to other touristic parts of the island.During your extended weekend from Friday to Sunday, you can travel and explore other parts of Bali such as Ubud or head down south to Seminyak or Kuta. Taxis and other modes of transport are easily available for traveling within the island. The local team would always be available to assist in your weekend plans.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Bali
Airport pickup
Fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS) on a Sunday, before 5pm. A local team member will meet you in the arrivals hall with a name sign and drive you directly to Tianyar, about a 3-hour trip.
First night
You settle into the volunteer house and have a night to rest after the journey, followed by breakfast the next morning.
Orientation
On Monday the local team runs an orientation covering dress code, conduct, and what to expect at the kindergarten, and you meet other volunteers starting the same week. Your first volunteering session is that same afternoon.
First days at the center
From Tuesday to Thursday the local team lets you know the day's planned activities at the kindergarten, and you work alongside local staff supporting the children.
Ongoing support
The local team is available throughout your stay, with a local contact person and 24-hour assistance if you need help at any point.
From volunteers in Bali
Frequently asked questions
What do volunteers actually do at the kindergarten?
You spend your days playing with children, leading arts and crafts, singing, dancing, and simple sports, teaching basic English words and phrases, helping distribute meals, and supporting local staff with daily tasks at the center.
Do I need childcare experience or qualifications to join?
No previous experience or qualifications are required; you mainly need patience and a willingness to spend the day with young children, alongside a clean criminal background check.
What is a typical day like?
After orientation on your first full day, you join the local kindergarten staff for the day's planned activities, which include play, songs, crafts, and helping with the mid-day meal, with your schedule set by the local team each day.
How long can I volunteer and when do programs start?
Placements run 1–12 weeks, with new starts every week (sundays); the next start date is 20 Sep 2026.
What does the program cost and what is included?
Programs start from $719 with the $249 deposit included; this covers airport pickup, orientation, accommodation in Tianyar, meals Monday to Friday, and 24-hour local support, but not flights, visa fees, or vaccinations.
Where will I stay and what will I eat?
You stay in a volunteer house in Tianyar, a cluster of bamboo cottages near the beach, sharing a room with other volunteers and a shared bathroom with cold showers; meals are freshly cooked on-site Monday to Friday, with vegetarian options available and vegan requests accommodated with advance notice.
How does airport pickup work?
You fly into Denpasar (DPS) on a Sunday before 5pm, where a local team member meets you with a name sign and drives you to Tianyar, roughly a 3-hour trip; if you arrive earlier, pickup from a hotel in Kuta or Sanur can be arranged instead.
What support is available if something goes wrong?
The local Balinese team provides orientation on arrival, a local contact person throughout your stay, and 24-hour assistance for any safety or welfare issue.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations?
Visa fees and vaccinations are not included in the program fee; guidance on these is sent before departure.
Will I ever be alone in charge of the children?
No, you always work alongside local kindergarten staff and are never left in sole charge of the children; this is a community kindergarten, not an orphanage placement.
Who is this program best suited for?
It suits students, gap year travelers, and backpackers aged 17 and up who want a village-based placement working with young children, without needing prior teaching or childcare experience.
What can I do on weekends?
Weekends are free, and you can stay in Tianyar or travel to places such as Ubud, Kuta, or Tanah Lot before returning for your next week if you are staying longer.
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