Childcare options in Fairlie

Fairlie Area kindergarten is situated in a quiet Sloane Street location and is a very long-established provider of quality Early childhood education in the Mackenzie district.    

We warmly welcome children and families from a very large rural geographical catchment (from Lake Tekapo to Cave) some of whom utilise the school bus to access our Kindergarten.  

The very spacious indoor and outdoor environments provide for a wide range of play-based experiences. Indoors, a variety of rooms offer areas for small group participation in art, music, literacy and role play.    

Our outdoor environment features a large archgola covered sandpit and decked area, grassed sports field, and a bike and tractor track. Our commitment to sustainability is enhanced through growing our own kai, active recycling, composting our waste, feeding our worm farm and harvesting eggs from our hens.  

We are a member of Enviroschools so our environment reflects our commitment to ensuring many resources are from nature and any purchases are made with long term sustainability in mind. These resources support children to develop creative and imaginative play through the use of loose parts in an open-ended way.  

We enjoy a close working relationship with all local schools to ensure a strong transition programme is in place to support children with this pathway.

Fairlie Early Learners is a purpose built Preschool & Nursery, opened in 2014, providing care and education for children of the Mackenzie District aged from 0-5 years.   

The Nursery offers children under 2 years of age:  

• Exclusive room and outdoor area provides an environment where infants and toddlers can confidently learn & play with their peers. 
• Caring teachers, who have a passion for working with younger children, support your childs learning and emotional needs. 
• The transition to preschool is smooth and supported by the familiar settings, staff and children.   

The Preschool offers children from 2 – 5 years:  

• A stimulating environment inspiring children to develop knowledge and skills based on their interests and abilities. 
• Teachers encourage development of skills & knowledge by integrating each childs particular interests into the programme. 
• Our large outdoor area provides many different experiences and the ability for children to create their own. 
• An extension group has been established for over 4 year olds providing opportunity to work in smaller groups, focussing on increasing their literacy and numeracy knowledge, to support their transition to school.