Typically responds within
A few hours
Vacancies
Taking enrolments
About Kaiapoi Nursery
Specialising in individualised and responsive care for infants and children from 0 to 3 years old, Portobelo Kaiapoi Nursery opened in February 2010. Originally a private residence, it has been extensively remodelled to suit the needs of our youngest children. We are tucked away on a quiet residential street, with our outdoor play areas at the back and well away from the street. Here there are trees, grass, swings, a sandpit and mudkitchen, gardens and decking, with spaces designed to encourage children's curiosity and exploration of their natural environment at their own pace. Our babies and toddlers can also see through the fence into the Preschool children’s playground, allowing for connections and interaction with their siblings as a natural part of their day.
Our indoor areas include underfloor heating (especially nice for the babies over winter time), lots of play nooks within a large space, and separate café, art room, and sleep rooms. Both indoor and outdoor environments are freshly set up several times each day by teachers, to have lots of interesting and inviting play spaces with resources that encourage children to explore deeply, all with a natural feel.
We understand how special your child is and we will work hard to ensure the settling in process takes account of what’s important to you and your whanau. We offer free orientation visits for you and your child so that relationships can be built between us all. To ensure we get to know each child and family well, and can meet each child’s individual preferences and needs, we work to ratios of 1 adult to 3 babies (under 12 months) and 1 adult to 4 toddlers (12 months and over).
When it is time to move “over the fence” to the Preschool, we will work with you to put in place an individual transition plan to ensure your child has plenty of time to become familiar with the new environment and teachers. We take our lead from the child as to how best to pace this.
