Little Blue Penguin Preschool and Nursery - Bishopdale

Little Blue Penguin has two locations in Christchurch. Little Blue Penguin Bishopdale - 68 Farrington Ave, and Little Blue Penguin Prestons - 408 Prestons Road. Both centres are owner-operated and provide a lovely home away from home environment for tamariki; where children, educators, parents, whānau and leaders will collaborate to co-design an exceptional programme with the same goal in mind: children who are comfortable in their surroundings, happy in their play and confident in their learning.

As Christchurch-based mums, passionate early childhood educators, and keen researchers we have a vision to create truly exceptional and unique learning spaces for children to learn, grow, discover and develop in natural, home away from home settings. Because of our dedication to early childhood advocacy, supportive learning communities and continual improvement, we decided that the best option is to create our very own evidence-based preschool and nurserys.

Little Blue Penguin is dedicated to quality care and meeting the needs of each child and their whānau. This is achieved through our evidence-based and holistic approach to teaching and learning, as well as our core values: calmness, closeness, consistency, curiosity and confidence.

Knowing each child, their whānau (who they are and where they come from) is crucial to the success of the programme, and in order to truly implement a holistic approach Little Blue Penguin will provide nutritious home-cooked meals for children; caring for the children’s well-being first and foremost.

At our centres, we employ a primary caregiving system known as the Key Kaiako approach. This approach ensures that each child has a designated Key Kaiako or pair of Key Kaiako to provide consistent support for their learning and developmental needs. By establishing this bond, we foster a sense of security and trust, enabling tamariki to feel confident in forming relationships and exploring their environment. This approach allows for personalised attention and care, creating a nurturing environment where every child can thrive.