Childcare options in Dunsandel

We recognise that every child is unique and has individual care and learning needs. Our team seek to work with you; the parent, guardian and/or whanau, to provide your child/ren with individual care and educational opportunities.

Our teaching team provide individual care and learning opportunities for your children and are qualified or near qualified early childhood teachers. We are privately owned and managed by experienced members of the community.

SMALL GROUP SIZES

We provide 3 dedicated areas for children to ensure small group sizes are maintained.

Kiwi – maximum 8 infants (8 weeks – 2 years)

Kea – maximum 13 toddlers (2 – 4 years)

Pukeko – maximum 23 young children (3½ – 5 years)

Children do have opportunities to interact and play with children within all 3 areas.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

We believe in providing quality childcare and educational experiences for rural preschool tamariki (children), in a safe and homely environment.  Every child will be greeted by a friendly face and be treated with respect; they will be praised and encouraged in all that they do. We aim to empower tamariki to grow up as confident and competent individuals, being proud of their achievements and developing their curiosity for life!

OUR VISION

To have a sustainable early childhood service in a friendly homely environment that provides caring, genuine and meaningful experiences to children and the families that attend.

WE VALUE

• The children – they are the future of our great country
• Parents as their child/ren’s first teachers, therefore we value parents’ comments and contributions
• The early childhood teachers who spend their careers reflecting and improving their caring and teaching skills

OUR OBJECTIVES

• Maintain a quality childcare and preschool centre that caters for rural families
• Employ and support a team of suitably qualified teachers and carers, who are passionate and committed to their roles
• Work alongside parents to ensure the best planning for their child/ren’s needs and interests

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to Dunsandel Playcentre

Playcentre is unlike any other early childhood education organisation. At Playcentre, both children and their parents / caregivers attend.

At Playcentre children get the opportunity to learn and explore in a fun and safe environment.

The curiosity and creativity of our tamariki is nurtured in a way that allows them to learn about themselves and their world.

Your child will be given a chance to explore, create, climb, read, sing, experiment, play music, wear costumes, have their face painted (or do it themselves!), garden, do carpentry with real tools, bake and cook, build sandcastles, swing, slide, dance, spend time in nature and get messy.

The activities change every day. Playcentre parents all bring different skills, interests, and cultural backgrounds to add to the rich learning environment.

We welcome families with children aged 0 – 6 years. Mixed age play allows your children to engage with others older and younger than themselves. Pre-schoolers learn how to communicate, share and negotiate with empathy for their younger peers.

At Playcentre, families come together and lifelong friendships are formed.

We welcome you to visit any time during the year. You are entitled to three free visits so come and check out what we do – we would love to meet you and your family!