Childcare options in Tokoroa

The diverse cultures and backgrounds of our children and their whanau are valued by encouraging the sharing of their knowledge and skills. Building positive, reciprocal relationships with whanau is important to the team at Paraonui as it strengthens our work with children.

The kindergarten environment fosters children’s social and emotional competence and promotes their love for learning. The kindergarten programme is based on the strands and principles of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki; this broadens the outcomes for children, building on their strengths and skills. We are committed to providing a safe, happy environment where children have the opportunity to play, learn, explore and have fun.

Our door is always open, we welcome you to visit us anytime.

Samoa Taumafai Aoga Amata is a well-established Samoan bilingual service. It is located on the grounds of the Samoa Community Welfare building in Tokoroa. The licence has recently been increased to provide all-day care and education for 34 children, including up to 12 aged under two years of age. Samoan children make up 40 percent of the roll. A further 40 percent are Māori or from other Pacific groups.

The aoga philosophy promotes Samoan culture, language and beliefs. It emphasises respectful practices, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.

Infants and toddlers have dedicated learning spaces, resources and teaching staff. The different age groups regularly spend time together in mixed play and during routines.

Located on the south side of Tokoroa, we offer children the opportunity to lead their own learning, through respectful, responsive, and consultative relationships between your child and their whānau, kaiako/educators and the wider supportive community.

We have a large outdoor area planted with shrubs and trees to nurture connections with nature. We have a large garden area to grow food for ourselves and our community. We also have chickens which provide us with eggs.

Our environment fosters unhurried learning which nurtures your child through inclusion and equality, provoking investigation, discovery, and exploration. Our multi-cultural centre is indeed rich and stimulating, musical and fun for all to enjoy.

We support your voice and acknowledge the importance whānau hold in your child’s life, learning and development. We provide for a caring and secure transition into the centre for your tamaiti. Haere mai, open the door and come right in – meet our great team of kaiako/educators, take a look around our beautiful environment, and see if we are the centre for you and your family.

Tokoroa Childcare Centre is a community-based centre situated beside Tokoroa High School. It is licensed for 47 children including 12 who are aged under two. 

The centre is owned and governed by a not-for-profit incorporated society representing parents, staff and the community (the Ark committee). Daily management of the centre is the responsibility of the operations and curriculum managers. Staff reflect their community and the cultural backgrounds of children at the centre. Seventy-five per cent of staff have early childhood education qualifications.

The Ark committee is currently managing a building project to provide designated learning areas for three age-based groups of children. Until now, there have been two designated learning areas.

The centre's philosophy is based on Christian values that celebrate life, people and events. It also promotes life-long learning, and respect for each child as an individual learner. It states that teachers will provide a challenging, stimulating, aesthetically pleasing environment that encourages exploration and discovery, building positive relationships, valuing diverse cultures, and celebrating tuakana teina relationships.

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to Tokoroa 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!

Ra-itu Koanga Reo is an early childhood centre connected to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Tokoroa, South Waikato. It is governed by a management committee, which includes church and parent representatives as well as centre staff.

The koanga is licensed for 27 children, including up to ten infants and toddlers, who share the learning space with older children. Most of the children enrolled are Cook Islands Māori. The koanga's philosophy is based on Cook Islands Māori culture and language, and Christian values.

The service provides meals several times a week, with a strong focus on healthy eating. Children also bring lunches from home.

Looking for the best in childcare and early education for your young family? Enrol them at one of our early learning centres.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa provides high-quality early childhood education and care to children of students, staff and communities.

Each of our Whare Kōhungahunga (early learning centres):

• has a high proportion of qualified and registered early childhood teachers (at least 80 percent of staff).
• provides a learning environment embedded in Te Whāriki (the early childhood education curriculum).
• offers competitive and comparative fees.
• is registered with WINZ (for those who are eligible for a childcare subsidy)
• provides 20 hours of early childhood education (ECE) each week for children three to six years old.
• supplies healthy meals for all children at no extra cost.

Here at Central Kids Clyde Street, tamariki and whanau, experience the uniqueness of our culturally diverse play-rich environment. 

Tamariki lead and are involved in music, dance, drama, art, reading, literacy, numeracy, discovery and exploration – all through play. 

Ako is evident as we teach and learn together in an inclusive warm way. 

Our values are based on Whakawhanungatanga, Manaakitanga, Kotahitanga and Kaitiakitanga. 

We welcome you to visit.

At Central Kids David Henry you will find passionate, enthusiastic teachers who develop close relationships with tamariki and whanau. We have a large playground area that is available to tamariki at all times. 

Provision of wet weather gear enables access to the outside environment regardless of the conditions. Nature is strongly valued and nurtured – kaitiakitanga is encouraged in tamariki through projects including growing sunflowers and gardens, worm farms and regular plantings. 

Trips and excursions within the community are a regular part of the programme with both large and small groups, incorporating bush, marae, library and community gardens.

We have a whanau room in the kindergarten that is used for a variety of early childhood services, including speech and language therapy, TCOSS, hearing and vision testing or any other need that requires a quiet room and a friendly environment. 

Whanau involvement is encouraged prior to tamariki starting kindergarten and often lasts long after tamariki have left.

We believe transition to school is very important and teachers support this very exciting time through firm connections with new entrant teachers. We welcome you to visit our kindergarten anytime.

We offer a beautiful home-like environment that inspires imagination through natural resources and ‘loose parts’ that enable children to play and create. We have a challenging outdoor environment that encourages risk taking and strong gross motor development. We also have quiet, comfortable areas offering children a place to learn with books and puzzles, or just to slow down and take time. 

Our high-quality science programme and environment with pets encourages children to learn about our living and non-living world. At Central Kids Arohanui we have a strong team philosophy that is centred around children’s ‘sacred urge to play’. Our door is always open, come in and see us anytime.

At Central Kids Balmoral children and their families are warmly welcomed into an inclusive high-quality learning environment. Relationships among teachers and children are respectful, close and trusting. We work in partnership with parents and whānau and involve them in decision making. The concepts of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga are embedded in our practice contributing to children and whānau having a strong sense of belonging to the kindergarten.

Children’s language, culture and identity are celebrated here at Balmoral Kindergarten. We seek ways to maintain children’s connections to their cultural identity. Partnerships with whānau lead to reciprocal information sharing about culture, needs, interests and home experiences, which are interwoven into learning experiences. Children are proud to share their culture and often contribute to the learning of their peers through the sharing of waiata and cultural practices. All children benefit from these experiences and Māori children are well supported to experience success as Māori.

Through research and our own extensive experience, we strongly believe in an organised environment with routines, but one where children are able to make choices, think independently and develop their own sense of judgement and decision making.

We welcome you to visit our kindergarten anytime.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Atamārie is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Tokoroa and provides for up to 26 tamariki. Book a visit today to connect with our kōhanga reo and to learn more about the options for your whanau.

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

• total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
• whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
• accountability
• health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

• security in te reo Māori
• a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
• whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
• greater respect and appreciation of each other.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Awhi Mai is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Tokoroa and provides for up to 36 tamariki. Book a visit today to connect with our kōhanga reo and to learn more about the options for your whanau.

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

• total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
• whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
• accountability
• health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

• security in te reo Māori
• a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
• whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
• greater respect and appreciation of each other.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ataahua is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Tokoroa and provides for up to 10 tamariki. Book a visit today to connect with our kōhanga reo and to learn more about the options for your whanau.

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

• total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
• whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
• accountability
• health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

• security in te reo Māori
• a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
• whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
• greater respect and appreciation of each other.

Te Kōhanga Reo Tuarua o Tokoroa is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Tokoroa and provides for up to 30 tamariki. Book a visit today to connect with our kōhanga reo and to learn more about the options for your whanau.

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

• total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
• whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
• accountability
• health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

• security in te reo Māori
• a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
• whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
• greater respect and appreciation of each other.

Te Kōhanga Reo Tuatahi o Tokoroa is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Tokoroa and provides for up to 25 tamariki. Book a visit today to connect with our kōhanga reo and to learn more about the options for your whanau.

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

• total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
• whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
• accountability
• health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

• security in te reo Māori
• a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
• whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
• greater respect and appreciation of each other.