Childcare options in Clive

Surrounded in beauty the soul grows. 

A beautifully landscaped garden, animals, trees, vegetable and flower beds, where am I? You are at The Nest Private Kindergarten, a beautiful peaceful and tranquil oasis in Clive, Hawke’s Bay. This kindergarten is different from any other mainstream kindergarten in New Zealand in that it is one of the very few in New Zealand, if not the only one, that implements the Pikler philosophy for children three years and older.  

The relationship is all that matters. At The Nest we are inspired by the principles of Emmi Pikler, (Pikler Institute, Budapest, Hungary). It was Emmi Pikler’s belief that only when emotionally satisfied, can the child truly learn. This is evident in all we do at The Nest. 

Your child’s innate ability to learn will be sensitively supported by our uniquely qualified and highly experienced staff who are all skilled in the Pikler philosophy.

We believe that children deserve nothing less beautiful than an adult would desire themselves. Therefore the physical environment at The Nest has been created with the utmost care and thought for the children’s learning. Visit our beautiful kindergarten and see for your self what sets us apart from the rest. 

A place to grow. Children at The Nest have the freedom to explore and unfold naturally, as nature intended, in a secure environment that allows them to develop into confident, sociable and competent young people ready for the challenges of life.

Nature Preschool is a Gaia (Earth) inspired™ childcare centre situated in Clive, between Napier and Hastings in Hawke’s Bay. We provide children with a caring, nature play-based program that supports their holistic growth.

We are a small and popular centre in high demand (licensed for 27 children aged from 3 months to 6 years). We offer a ‘home away from home’ environment for our local families; a truly unique experience with our natural setting and huge backyard (total site is over 46 sqm per child!). We know from feedback that these are some of the reasons why families drive over 10 km from Napier and Hastings for their children to experience our special place.

Our experienced, qualified and caring team of teachers are here to support and encourage children to find the wonderment in “learning from nature, not just about nature”. We provide a rich program that values learning outside, and we believe that the dirtier and the more nature-based play children get during the day, the more well-rounded, balanced, understanding and more resilient they will be later in life.

Looking after Papatūānuku (Mother Earth), by refining our sustainable practices and developing awareness to our local environment, is essential to us and is weaved through our local curriculum.

Chuckles Learning Centre in Clive believes in developing each child as an individual while working alongside their families/whanau to enhance the child’s development and wellbeing. Our learning centre fosters an environment where growth and development is encouraged through activities such as art, music and movement, numeracy and literacy games, outdoor challenges, and various other activities which involve children's interests. We develop children's knowledge and skills in literacy, numeracy, creativity and social skills. 

We offer a variety of outdoor and indoor activities to challenge your child while creating a fun and fulfilling happy centre for you and your child, where you are both valued. Chuckles Learning Centre believes that happiness is paramount to both you, and your child's well-being. We strive to ensure that you and your child’s needs are met within our Learning Centre in Clive.