Kauri Kids Ōtara

This centre is not currently taking new enquiries

With our extensive natural outdoors area complete with palm trees, we are a friendly, multicultural centre with a strong community focus, and warm, dedicated staff.

We're lucky to be part of the Ōtara Pool and Leisure Centre, and swimming lessons can be provided.

Why choose Kauri Kids?

At Kauri Kids, we believe that with the right nurturing all tamariki can be as mighty as the kauri tree. Our goal is to enable our tamariki and their whānau to develop the skills they need to reach their potential and live a healthy and prosperous life. Kauri Kids' vision and values:

Our commitment to sustainability.

We empower tamariki to care for the environment so they can become kaitiaki (custodians), use resources wisely, and take an active role in fighting climate change. Each centre has its own environmental initiatives. These could include:

• using cloth wipes and nappies instead of disposables
• wet bags instead of plastic bags
• worm farming and composting food scraps
• beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap
• collecting and repurposing bread tags
• recycling yoghurt pots and baby food plastic pouches
• a shared vegetable and herb garden.

The power of free play

We're strong believers in the power of free play and play-based learning. That's why you won't see many 'typical' toys or structured activities when you walk into our spaces. We set tamariki up with real, everyday objects and natural play materials, and leave it up to them to choose what interests them. We help them to develop their imaginations and explore the environment around them. Children love moving and being physically active is an important part of everyday life. With this in mind, we actively encourage children to move freely on their own, as their capabilities and development allow. Tamariki are also given daily opportunities to practice climbing, balancing, kicking, throwing and jumping.

Nurturing relationships

We value respectful relationships. At our centres, our kaiako (teachers) recognise and respond to tamariki as individuals. We value their mana (self-esteem) and their sense of belonging. Kaiako also encourage tuākana / teina (older person/younger person) relationships. We teach social skills by supporting and guiding tamariki in their learning. We encourage them to be resilient, take risks, understand and express their emotions.

Creating global citizens

In order to succeed in our rapidly changing, and increasingly interconnected world, we teach our tamariki to become global citizens. Global citizenship is the idea that everyone, no matter where they live, is part of a worldwide community and they should respect other cultures and the environment and contribute to wider society. Our curriculum helps tamariki develop essential skills that will support their lifelong learning and promote respect for diversity such as:

• problem-solving,
• communication,
• collaboration and
• cross-cultural awareness.

Our pricing

20 hours free is available for children aged under 2 years, additional hours will be charged at an affordable hourly rate.
20 hours free is also available for children aged over 3 years who are enrolled for a minimum of 2 days per week.
We also offer 30 hours free early childhood education for children aged over 3 years who are enrolled for 6 hours per day/5 days per week.

Additional hours are charged at an affordable hourly rate.