Busy Bees Otahuhu

At Busy Bees, we value every tamati and see them as unique and a special taonga. We understand that your childs education and care is a priority and that choosing the right centre can be a big decision. We would be delighted to share in your childs learning journey. You’re welcome to call or visit anytime.

We are open 7.30am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday.

Our Environment

Busy Bees Otahuhu has a cosy nursery, a separate toddler space and an adventurous preschool environment. The Nursery have their own separate outdoor space, whilst the toddlers and preschool have a shared outdoor area providing endless opportunities to explore the natural environment. We promote the development of active and confident learners who think, question, seek information and apply knowledge to the best of their ability. Our team strongly value relationships with our centre whānau and the wider community. This is something that we hold close to our hearts and incorporate into our programme on a daily basis.

Nursery (up to 2 years)

Our Nursery environment is based on building loving and trusting bonds between infants and kaiako, who structure the day according to individual needs. Kaiako work closely with whānau to understand our infant’s cues and develop a routine that supports tamariki’s natural rhythms. Play is open-ended and full of fun as we embrace the unknown of how tamariki explore and experiment with their ideas and theories of how the world around them works.

Toddler (2-3.5 years)

Our Toddler space is designed to help our tamariki balance the desire to be independent with the need to be nurtured and cared for. This age group are ready to explore their sense of self whilst still needing more care than the older tamariki, therefore we have a focus on emerging social skills and independence. Our Toddler environment is prepared to entice tamariki’s curiosity and exploration where testing, trying and challenging are valued. We support tamatihood learning with a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate and supportive of all tamariki during this age of discovery and wonder.

Preschool (3.5-6 years)

Our preschool room offers opportunities throughout the day for tamariki to be involved in contributing to the curriculum by helping to make decisions about what is set up and sharing their ideas. Kaiako work alongside the tamariki to set up an environment which is challenging, provides curiosity and active exploration. Tamariki’s self-help skills are very important at this stage and tamariki are supported to go to the toilet on their own, wash their hands, dress themselves, and serve up their own kai. Our tamariki have regular mat times throughout the day where they learn songs, and stories and are encouraged to share things with the other tamariki. Some of our group learning times arise from the tamariki’s own participation in incidental moments when we are playing with the parachute, outside games, at the play dough table or gardening.  We value that each tamati learns at their own pace and when they are ready, and that play is tamariki’s work.

Van Service

We proudly operate our own Busy Bees centre van, allowing us to help support our centre whānauwho require assistance with transport to and from the centre. We also utilise this awesome resource for excursions out and about in our local community!

Regular Excursions/visits

We believe excursions and visits supports tamariki to understand what is going on around them and outside the centre setting. Tamariki learn to ask questions and explore new environments; we plan regular visits to the local library and participate in various cultural events and activities. Our adventures provide opportunities to connect with the local community and gain first-hand experience in a different environment. Visits to parks and gardens offer tamariki the opportunity to take their learning outside the centre and at the same time connect and learn to respect nature-papatuanuku.

Bi/multi-Cultural / Celebrations/Traditions

At Busy Bees, we provide a range of opportunities for tamariki and whānau to celebrate cultural diversity. As educators, we show our respect for celebrating differences and diversity by encouraging our centre whānau to participate in cultural activities and programs, we welcome them to share their culture, knowledge and traditions with all our tamariki. Through this collaboration with our parents, we strengthen our children’s self-identity and promote inclusive practice. Sharing cultural knowledge and experiences supports our tamariki to develop respect and Aroha for one another. Embracing diverse cultures creates an equitable learning environment for all tamariki, as we celebrate and affirm who they are and, in return, create a positive awareness and understanding of their own and other cultures.