Childcare options in Howick

At Somerville Kindergarten we are passionate about providing tamariki (children) with a bi-cultural curriculum that recognises and celebrates that each person is unique and comes to us with a kete of knowledge, culture and experience.

Tamariki and whānau (family) are at the heart of what we do and our whanaungatanga (relationships) anchors their sense of belonging. With a culture of manaakitanga (kindness) and aroha (love) we fill our tamariki emotional and social kete which fosters meaningful play and enriches authentic learning.

We provide a beautiful homely environment that is welcoming, safe, secure, and purposely prepared for tamariki to have a home away from home. We believe that the environment is the third teacher, and we are passionate about fostering a warm and inviting environment that facilitates authentic play.

Our play based kindergarten is underpinned by Te Whāriki (2017), an emergent curriculum with open ended resources that empowers tamariki and gives them the opportunity to immerse themselves in rich play experiences. When tamariki have autonomy over their play they become the creators and contributors of their own learning journeys.

We support tamariki to engage and become kaitiaki (leaders) of papatuānuku (earth) and develop sustainable practices. We strive to embed Tikanga values throughout the programme to uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We work alongside tamariki to increase our proficiency in the use of te reo throughout the programme.

Our learning philosophy

For the past 110 years, the Auckland Kindergarten Association has been igniting young minds by encouraging them to explore their imaginations through play. For many of us, kindergarten was where we began our life of learning; it was where we started learning skills like sharing, tolerance, patience, respect and self-confidence.

We view children as capable, competent, life-long learners, and our philosophy encourages children to make their own learning choices, problem-solve and observe and explore at their own pace…with support from teachers, parents, wider whānau and their peers. We value the importance of child-initiated, play-based experiences. Our kindergarten teachers nurture your children’s interests and natural curiosity by working alongside them, expanding language and introducing mathematical and science concepts, as well as literacy, digital technology and sustainable practices.

Our centres have gardens and natural outdoor spaces where children can create, explore, be imaginative and expressive. There’s plenty of room to safely run about, being imaginative and physically active. In fact, the natural world is essential to free-range play. AKA encourages each kindergarten community to explore and enrich their diversity and uniqueness. Some have regular excursions into the local community; some are Enviroschool kindergartens that live and breathe sustainable practices; while others engage in long-term research on child interest-based programmes of learning.

As an organisation, we formally acknowledge the dual heritage of Aotearoa / New Zealand, and work to uphold the spirit and intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in each kindergarten. We are accessible, secular and welcoming to the wide diversity of tamariki and whānau who attend our centres, and value ongoing partnerships between teaching teams and leadership staff with families and whānau. We value ongoing learning for teachers, parents and whānau, and the sharing of knowledge, skills and attributes is fundamental to achieving the best learning outcomes for children. Teachers and staff can access collegial professional time to ensure that quality practice is enhanced so current theories of learning and development within New Zealand’s world-class Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum are shared and understood.

Children learn

Children in our kindergartens have the opportunity to:

• Feel confident, develop responsibility and a sense of independence
• Play meaningfully alongside other children and adults
• Develop effective communication skills
• Persevere, problem-solve and take risks
• Explore limits, boundaries, routines and conflict resolution strategies
• Practice fine motor skills such as threading, writing, cutting and grasping
• Develop gross motor play such as physical games like climbing, throwing, kicking, balancing and lifting
• Develop creative expressions through painting, music, collage, movement, dance, finger-painting, drawing, cutting, pasting and story sharing
• Develop early numeracy, literacy and science skills
• Learn techniques through trial and error
• Explore the world through experimenting, questioning and curiosity
• Develop confidence and celebrate both attempts and successes
• Develop a passion for learning and a love of life
• Have fun!

Older children will be supported in their transition to school to make this process as simple and seamless as possible. Book a visit here on Kindello today, we’d love to meet you.

Our vision

“Howick Playcentre is a family co-operative with a holistic approach to early childhood education. Child initiated play and parents as first educators are of paramount importance. Our centre prides itself on being a welcoming, friendly, culturally diverse centre. We provide a safe, nurturing and creative environment for children and whanau, and are committed to biculturalism. This means that our children’s education is at the heart of our centre community.”

Playcentre offers you

• Fun & friendship in your community
• Learning through play with your children
• Licensed early childhood education
• Quality play environment
• High adult : Child ratios (1:3)
• Free adult education(NZQA)
• Mixed aged sessions – birth to age 6
• Big Kids session for age 3.5+ on Fridays
• 3 Free visits for your family

Our sessions

We are open from 9am-12pm Monday-Friday (Big Kids Session on Fridays, age 3.5+). All preschool children in the family are required to attend a minimum of two sessions per week, although you may attend additional sessions when space is available. An adult from the family is required to actively participate on session each of the minimum two sessions.

Our tamariki (children)

Children learn through play! On any given session at Howick Playcentre, you will find a nurturing environment where our tamariki are supported to play, explore, discover, create, and grow. We believe that child-initiated play allows children to become confident and competent self-directed learners. Our dedication to the Playcentre philosophy means that our children are continually making and strengthening warm relationships with adults and their peers.

Our family cooperative

Our parents and families are actively involved with the running of our centre and our sessions. Adults are supported on their Playcentre journey as they grow their knowledge of early childhood education through the Playcentre Adult Education programme, which enables us to run high quality sessions and to self-license our centre.

When you step inside Howick Playcentre you are no longer just a parent, you are an educator to all of the children. Each family/parent holds a role within the centre, to help run the centre efficiently and is offered a wealth of support during their journey being a part of a parent co-operative.

 We hold bi-annual working bees, end of term clean ups and many fun and relaxed social events for the whole family.

Welcome to our new families and children!

We, at Bright Beginnings Early Learning Centre (Howick), have been organising the transition visits of our new children along with their parents/ whanau. Transitions are the moves children and young people make from their home to an early learning centres or from one centre to another centre. Individuals respond to change differently. Some may be excited, some take it in their stride, while others experience anxiety. During early childhood transitions parents/ whanau and even teachers can experience these emotions, as do the transitioning children. Not only for the children but also for their families, transitioning process is a significant milestone in child’s learning. This new experience is a time of change that can create excitement and uncertainty.

Here at Bright Beginnings Early Learning Centre, we believe in achieving optimal transitions which is when the children feel that they belong in the new place; when the educators feel that they belong as part of this new group of children; and when the families feel that they belong to the settings.

Reggio Emilia Approach

As inspired by Reggio Emilia approach and following our centre’s philosophy, we strongly believe in each child forming their own personality during the early years of development and they are endowed with “a hundred languages” through which they express their ideas. Children at Bright Beginnings Early Learning Centre are learning how to use symbolic languages such as painting in everyday life, which is also quite evident by their art works displayed on each room’s display boards.

Whanaungatanga (Relationship)

One of the Maori theoretical principles of Tikanga is whanaungatanga. It is defined as the relationship, kinship, sense of family connection – a relationship through shared experiences and working together which provides people with a sense of belonging. The focus of Whanaungatanga is on togetherness and relationships to enhance a sense of belonging.

In Bright Beginnings Early Learning Centre, we believe that children are the core of relationships between children, families and teachers. It is crucial that young children are given the opportunity to build these connections and be able to seek help when needed. When these needs are met, children can develop a sense of belonging. Fostering a sense of belonging for children can create an environment where learning can thrive and a greater motivation to succeed.

As a Reggio Emilia inspired centre, we also embrace the concept that learning is based on close interaction between teachers, parents, and children as children are collaborators and work best when included in a community. Both the parents and the teachers play important roles in their learning journey.

Teachers Play a Role

In order to build a sense of belonging, young children need to learn the process of developing their skills to work with others. They must learn to play cooperatively, help others, have a sense of empathy, and be a part of a team. These skills are developed over time through healthy routines and consistent expectations that are set in the classroom. Routines can help young children understand what to do so that they can focus on how to do things with others. Routines such as classroom jobs and keeping a consistent schedule can help young children feel and be a more confident participant of the classroom.

Parents Play a Role

When teachers and parents work together, it helps to create a positive sense of community for the child, which can have a positive impact in areas such as children’s early learning skills and behaviour. Developing a sense of belonging from a young age also allows children to feel confident in exploring new ideas, engaging in learning and being self-expressive.

Why Us?

• Encouraging the use of natural materials
• A strong transition into school
• Teaching team inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach supports your child’s creative potential.
• Healthy, tasty hot meals cooked fresh
• 20 ECE hours available/free sessions for 3 year olds
• A boutique, homely feel to our centres
• Strong connections between teachers and whanau.

What will the children learn?

While some of these teacher provocations are planned, projects often move in unexpected directions due to the open ended nature of the provocation and also due to the immense potential of a child’s mind. Thus, program planning involves open-ended and often prolonged projects that are based on the teacher-child, child-parent and teacher-parent interactions. Projects also give children the opportunity to make a connection between what they know and what more can they know about the topic. Hence in its true sense, a project is considered a vehicle of learning.

The centre environments strongly reflects our inspiration – The Reggio Emilia philosophy, from Reggio Emilia, Italy.

The centre environment is one of its kind and is definitely worth a visit. The image of the child is very powerful and is strongly visible in the centres. The current whanau of children is very diverse and multi cultural. Our normal day involves a pleasant blend of the Reggio Emilia approach, diverse cultures and many open ended opportunities, all under the umbrella of Te Whaariki, the NZ early childhood curriculum. Our onsite chefs prepares hot and nutritious meals for children. A diverse menu incorporates the various cultures of the families. Teachers skillfully support children’s learning through meaningful experiences. Artifacts, re-cycled material and unique recourses are the special characteristics of the centre. We encourage a very strong and powerful image of the child. Detailed portfolios reflect the child’s learning. Families often contribute to the child’s development through their portfolios, through open discussions and through parent evenings.

All children over 4 years of age participate in a multifaceted Transition to School program.

Sessions, short days and full days are the options of enrolment available.

Our philosophy

Bright Beginnings Early Learning Centre believes in providing a creative and open ended environment which encourages infinite learning for the children and strong relationships between teachers, children and families.

Our proactive quality environment acts as the third teacher for our children. Teachers aim at spending quality time talking and listening to the children. Respect is the key word and it is emphasised in all aspects of the day, whether it is routines, educational program or interactions between children and adults.

There is flexibility in the day’s routines, at the same time care is taken that each individual child’s needs are recognised and respected.

We believe in partnership and as a team we focus on extending this respect to children, families and team members.

We provide a stimulating, unique and natural environment that allows children to engage in experiences that they plan and implement. We believe in giving children complete ownership of their learning and their experiences.

We work towards planning for the children in a triadic manner, with teachers, parents and children being completely involved with centre life.

Welcome to Howick Kindergarten!  Our kindergarten has well-established links to schools and to the local community.  This helps your children with their transition into school.

Here at Howick Kindergarten we have a strong focus on inclusion – everyone is welcome – by learning from each other, we learn about ourselves.

Howick Kindergarten’s reflective and qualified teaching team are passionate about early childhood education and achieving the best learning outcomes for your children.

Our kindergartens have early childhood qualified and registered teachers.  The teachers are dedicated to, and passionate about, early childhood education.  Each kindergarten has a head teacher plus teachers and support staff.  Quality learning programmes are based on the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whãriki.

Our learning philosophy

For the past 110 years, the Auckland Kindergarten Association has been igniting young minds by encouraging them to explore their imaginations through play. For many of us, kindergarten was where we began our life of learning; it was where we started learning skills like sharing, tolerance, patience, respect and self-confidence.

We view children as capable, competent, life-long learners, and our philosophy encourages children to make their own learning choices, problem-solve and observe and explore at their own pace…with support from teachers, parents, wider whānau and their peers. We value the importance of child-initiated, play-based experiences. Our kindergarten teachers nurture your children’s interests and natural curiosity by working alongside them, expanding language and introducing mathematical and science concepts, as well as literacy, digital technology and sustainable practices.

Our centres have gardens and natural outdoor spaces where children can create, explore, be imaginative and expressive. There’s plenty of room to safely run about, being imaginative and physically active. In fact, the natural world is essential to free-range play. AKA encourages each kindergarten community to explore and enrich their diversity and uniqueness. Some have regular excursions into the local community; some are Enviroschool kindergartens that live and breathe sustainable practices; while others engage in long-term research on child interest-based programmes of learning.

As an organisation, we formally acknowledge the dual heritage of Aotearoa / New Zealand, and work to uphold the spirit and intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in each kindergarten. We are accessible, secular and welcoming to the wide diversity of tamariki and whānau who attend our centres, and value ongoing partnerships between teaching teams and leadership staff with families and whānau. We value ongoing learning for teachers, parents and whānau, and the sharing of knowledge, skills and attributes is fundamental to achieving the best learning outcomes for children. Teachers and staff can access collegial professional time to ensure that quality practice is enhanced so current theories of learning and development within New Zealand’s world-class Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum are shared and understood.

Children learn

Children in our kindergartens have the opportunity to:

• Feel confident, develop responsibility and a sense of independence
• Play meaningfully alongside other children and adults
• Develop effective communication skills
• Persevere, problem-solve and take risks
• Explore limits, boundaries, routines and conflict resolution strategies
• Practice fine motor skills such as threading, writing, cutting and grasping
• Develop gross motor play such as physical games like climbing, throwing, kicking, balancing and lifting
• Develop creative expressions through painting, music, collage, movement, dance, finger-painting, drawing, cutting, pasting and story sharing
• Develop early numeracy, literacy and science skills
• Learn techniques through trial and error
• Explore the world through experimenting, questioning and curiosity
• Develop confidence and celebrate both attempts and successes
• Develop a passion for learning and a love of life
• Have fun!

Older children will be supported in their transition to school to make this process as simple and seamless as possible. Book a visit here on Kindello today, we’d love to meet you.

BestStart Howick is located in a lovely converted heritage villa close to Howick Village and is within easy travelling distance for parents living in Bucklands Beach, Eastern Beach, Cockle Bay and Highland Park. The centre is rich with character and all the teachers and children who have journeyed before us have contributed to an enriching and stimulating environment.

Our stable and experienced teaching team provide a safe, supportive and engaging learning environment for our children. The relationships with children and partnerships with parents form a strong foundation for learning in our centre. Our philosophy places emphasis on the importance of free play and our unique environment provides a home away from home feeling, providing children with engaging and challenging experiences that help them develop the essential dispositions that create a life-long love of learning.

We are fortunate to have a wonderful large outdoor play space that supports children’s ongoing physical development and natural inquisitiveness. Our outdoor area is an extension of our classroom and supports the development of children’s dexterity and social competence. Our beautiful heritage tree provides natural shade and can be climbed along with climbing frames. Our bikes, swings, water play area and creative arts area ensures our children are provided with numerous activities to develop and grow.

The fantastic resources and fully qualified teachers support children to actively participate in centre life, empowering them to inquire and explore as they learn about the world around them.

We offer small group sizes, with 8 children in our under 2 year old room and 37 children over 2 year olds in our in our preschool rooms. We welcome feedback and ideas that help us to create a meaningful learning environment.

We would love you and your family to join us at BestStart Howick. Please feel free to call us for more information or simply drop by for a visit.

BestStart是新西兰最大的幼儿教育机构，我们服务于新西兰幼儿教育行业已经有22 年了。在全国各地，我们有270多家幼儿园以及众多具有新西兰幼儿教育资质的教师。BestStart的所有幼儿园都隶属总部直接管理，因此我们拥有一支强大的教育领导团队确保和提高每个BestStart幼儿园的教育质量。

我们采用的新西兰早教教材- Te Whāriki是享誉世界的。在新西兰，儿童早期教育提倡孩子从玩中学习，注重孩子个人的喜好和发展，由孩子自己决定想要学什么以及怎么学，从而使他们逐渐形成适合自己的学习方法。众多著名的研究报告表明，教会了孩子掌握知识的方法才更有可能使他们在以后的学习和成长过程中赢得成功。这个短片就是向您简单介绍一下，在我们BestStart幼儿园孩子们是怎么样从玩中学习的。

Who is BestStart?

BestStart is for families who want more from early-childhood education. Safe, nurturing and educationally focused, we’re committed to growing caring people with curious minds.

Together we teach, learn and nurture.

Our vision is to work in partnership with families, whanau and communities to enable children to achieve their learning potential.

Ko tō mātou tirohanga hei mahi ngātahi i te taha o ngā whānau me ngā hāpori, kia āwhinatia ngā tamariki, kia tū pito mata ai rāatou, hei rangatira mō āpōpō.

We are committed to being a progressive and responsive leader in early-childhood education. We do this by enhancing our services, investing in our people, developing our support structure and continuously improving the educational outcomes and experiences of our children, families and the communities we serve.

Some facts:

• We’re licensed to educate and care for 15,000 full-time children daily.
• 18,000 families use BestStart services annually.
• We have over 270 centres nationwide located from Whangarei to Invercargill.
• Each centre is managed by a Centre Manager who is supported by a local Area Manager. This gives our centre teams ongoing quality training and support.
• Te Whāriki, the world-wide acclaimed national early childhood education curriculum, is used in all centres.
• We have over 4500 permanent teachers nationally. Over 90% of our permanent teaching staff are either fully qualified with a diploma or bachelor of teaching (ECE) or higher, or are in training. These figures are very high by national standards within the ECE sector.
• We provide a two-year Advice and Guidance Programme for all recently certified teachers, providing further mentoring and training. This gives strong support for teachers from provisional registration to full teacher registration with the NZ Teachers Council.
• We regularly spend around $4 million on teacher training per annum.

We’re for children

At our heart is our commitment and passion for children. Central to this belief is our focus on the holistic development of children. We support children to explore the world around them, learning through relationships, creating a love of learning in an ever-changing world. Exploration, friendship and fun are part of the journey.

We’re for good

BestStart is a registered charity owned by the Wright Family Foundation. We support initiatives and programmes within BestStart and the wider early-childhood education sector (ECE) that support good outcomes for all children. We do this because we want to make a positive difference to the lives of all children.

Innovation leads us

At BestStart, innovation guides our thinking. We advocate positive change for learners through our research and practice. We’re proud to be thought leaders within ECE, openly challenging ourselves to think differently to provide the best for our children, families and staff.

We’re responsive

Our centres reflect their children, staff and communities. We celebrate individuality, uniqueness and diversity, encouraging a spirit of empathy, understanding and collaboration. Through our responsive relationships and our curriculum, we support learners to choose their own path.

Our people matter

At BestStart people come first. When we grow and develop our people, everyone benefits. We strive for whakamana/empowerment, nurturing a culture of excellence with engaged, talented professionals. Their commitment, skill and passion light our way.

Thinking about Home Based childcare with Home Grown Kids?

All of our Educators are carefully selected and screened including Police Vetting, identity checks, an interview that assess their attitudes and values toward children and an overall assessment of risk.

Enquire today and we’ll be in touch with you soon to provide the perfect option for your family.

Choosing the Best Educator for Your Child

We stand strong alongside our Educators. We care about them and we’re committed to the work they do, supporting and communicating with them every step of the way. We understand that engaged, fulfilled Educators make for happy families and even happier tamariki who thrive in these small group settings.

Small Group Setting

Our Home Based childcare groups are capped at a maximum of four children under the age of six, including Educators’ own children. This means we can offer each child the individual attention they need to flourish.

The best fit for your whānau values

Our Educators offer a range of different programmes based around their beliefs, values, culture, background and philosophies. Over 90% of our Educators hold a recognised ECE qualification. Some of our Educators are mothers and grandmothers with fantastic life skills, experience and knowledge. We’ll listen to your needs and then offer, where possible, a range of Educators. You will get to choose an Educator that you and your whānau connect with and trust.

Exceeding educational standards

An education programme that reflects New Zealand ECE curriculum - Te Whāriki. We are a Ministry of Education approved and licensed Early Childhood Education provider. Regularly reviewed by the

Education Review Office to ensure all our Home Based environments not only meet, but exceed the Ministry of Education’s Licensing Criteria for Home-based Services (2008).

Subsidies available

We’re an approved Work and Income provider and can support you to access a childcare subsidy if you are eligible.

20 hours ECE scheme

The Government subsidises all children aged 3-5 years (or 6 if not enrolled in school) who attend an ECE facility, making access more affordable for all.

Leaders in development practices for each child

All our Educators are supported and guided by our Visiting Teachers who are Qualified certificated ECE teachers with many years’ experience and expertise in early childhood education. Our Visiting Teachers regularly attend professional development to keep up-to-date with current research and theory for best practice for Education and care for under fives.

Our philosophy, vision and mission

• Our Vision– The why – The reason we exist:

To provide a family friendly wrap around support service that enables all tamariki/whanau to learn, grow and thrive in a home-based setting. Investing in cultivating kindness, strong and professional relationships, in all our people to continue growing as lifelong learners

• Mission Statement – The How -How are we going to achieve the Vision?

We will achieve our Vision through ensuring that every team member is emotionally invested in the well-being of our people including tamariki, whanau, Educators, communities and our Edubase family. We value successes and that these are not ours alone, the greatest success comes from the strengths of many. Our passion, knowledge and commitment will be the catalyst that enables everyone to learn, thrive and achieve.

• Philosophy Statement

Edubase is a Home Based Early Childhood Education service that is committed to providing nurturing learning environments where tamariki thrive as individuals through an authentic play-based, natural learning education and care programme, in a home setting.

To enrich the learning of each tamariki we form strong community connections, developing links within the home and the learning environments of our Kaiako. Tamariki learn respect for people, places and things, shaping Aotearoa and developing an appreciation of New Zealand’s dual heritage. We continually strive to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi – supporting a holistic approach to learning which is guided by our NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki.

Educators and Nannies offer comfortable, small group sizes, fostering respectful and reciprocal relationships, promoting tikanga Māori within their practice.

As an Organisation, we pride ourselves on cultivating strong, professional relationships, strengthening capability in all our people to continue growing as lifelong learners.

Edubase celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of each tamaiti, whanau and Kaiako and the gifts they bring. They are taonga, a treasure or gift. All things cultural are affirmed and celebrated, aiming to support children in gaining a positive awareness of their own and other cultures.

Tiaki nga tamariki – take care of the children

Our environment is a vibrant and well-resourced place for your child to develop and learn.  Children are encouraged to be self-motivated learners and empowered to learn through free play.

The teaching team is made up of committed, enthusiastic teachers who provide a safe – yet challenging- environment that fosters warm and respectful relationships with children and families from our community.  We are a not-for-profit organization that is run by a Parent Committee.

St Andrew’s Chilton Kindergarten is first and foremost an educational kindergarten, chartered and licensed for children aged two to five years old. It is a Christian based kindergarten where providing early childhood care and education for our children is our primary aim.

Our values are based on the Christian Faith to encourage, support and model in an atmosphere of peace and acceptance.

We provide a warm, fun, inclusive, nurturing, stimulating, challenging, safe and rewarding environment.

The principles, strands and goals of Te Whariki 2017 (the Early Childhood Curriculum) are reflected through the programme we provide for all the children.

We honour and acknowledge New Zealand’s bi-cultural heritage.

All cultures and backgrounds will be acknowledged, celebrated, and respected.

As a team we will work in partnership with parents; showing mutual respect and communicating with openness and honesty.

We provide an open door policy for all families.

We provide a self-choice programme with a minimum of structure to enhance each session.

We believe play is a natural learning opportunity for children to learn and respect it as their work.

Our programme planning, assessment and evaluation will reflect the children’s strengths, interests, and experiences. Their views of the world will be celebrated and acknowledged, giving the children the opportunity to experience socio-cultural learning and to develop their potential. 

The children are our primary focus. We support each child’s uniqueness and their exclusive set of capabilities by providing an environment that is flexible and responsive, allowing children to make choices, learn through play, follow their interest, and participate in individual and group activities.

We respect and value the children’s voices and the contribution they make to their own learning.

We believe in enhancing each child’s self-esteem and confidence.

The teaching team make contributions to all aspects of the kindergarten, respond flexibly to spontaneous events and are passionate about teaching.

As professionals, we are committed to professional development and support within the team.

We see our role as not only preparing children for school but also preparing them for life.

Howick Baptist Kindergarten is a not-for-profit Christian early childhood centre operated by a Management Team and Staff committed to providing quality education where children, their families/ whanau and staff are valued, accepted and nurtured through their learning journey in a supportive Christian environment.

Our Philosophy: We aim to provide an environment appropriate

to each child’s development where he or she can grow holistically in a caring atmosphere, supported by qualified teachers. We believe in the uniqueness of each person as created by God, and their right to a safe and healthy life.

We understand the importance of the family unit and

our responsibility to support all family structures.

We take the Christian Biblical philosophy as the basis for how we view the world, our community and our curriculum. Combined with our Christian philosophy, our curriculum also strongly follows the Early Childhood National

Framework of Te Whāriki. 

Our Kindergarten is for children 3 years to school aged.

Our indoor area has been created by architects who know how kids play and learn. Beautifully equipped with hand selected resources our light and bright interior is designed to stay warm in winter and cool in summer. A uniquely designed ceiling tilt creates interesting shapes and shadows for growing minds and reduces noise reverberation, allowing our children to learn in a quieter, calmer environment.

Outside is even more exciting, with sheltered nooks for mud pie parties, a dual slide and a nature inspired water play feature. With landscaped tracks and play equipment derived from nature there’s plenty of places for kids to get their daily dose of Vitamin D. Our carefully tended garden beds, fruit trees, flowers and natives will keep growing gardeners and explorers busy no matter what the season.

Children adore discovering and learning both inside and out, hence we’ve created plenty of opportunities for both. It is our aim that all children at The Secret Garden receive a wide range of rich learning experiences whilst they feel 'at home' in a genuinely warm and nurturing environment.

Children are encouraged to develop their personal capabilities, strengths, interests and learning styles. Our experienced team of professional Early Childhood Educators strive to ensure each and every child at The Secret Garden LOVES their time at preschool and has their individual needs met with love, patience and understanding. Our teachers encourage children to think for themselves, make decisions and work towards their own solutions, by expressing their own ideas and feelings.

We work together closely with parents and families to ensure all of our children are happy, healthy and fulfilling their absolute potential for learning. We feel it is a privilege to play such an important part in nurturing and guiding your children through their preschool years and we genuinely love what we do.

We hope you will visit us at The Secret Garden soon, but in the meantime please don't hesitate to get in touch by phone or email for a chat.

The Learning Ladder is an early learning centre located in Howick, Auckland, focussing on providing your children with quality care and education. from three months to five years old.

As a mixed age centre, with individual spaces for the under two's and over two year olds, and specific group times for the different age groups to support their age and stage growth.

A dedicated indoor gymnasium is perfect for exploring your child's body confidence and control, both on rainy days and sunny days, too.

Pop in and meet our wonderful team; spend some time having a look around our facilities, and we're sure you will be delighted with what you find.

Philosophy

• At the Learning Ladder we are committed to providing education for all children, aged 0 to 6 years, no matter their abilities, social status, race or gender.
• We are passionate about ensuring our families are part of their children's learning and development through our open-door policy.  Communication is key to everything that we do.
• We feel that children learn best through their own play, in an environment that is positive, respectful, unhurried, and calm, with some structured times to assist in the transition to school process for our 4 - 5 year olds. 
• We feel that learning and mastering their social and emotional skills is just as important as reading, writing, counting, colours and shapes.  This is a belief backed up through our community and connections with our local schools.
• We understand that all children come from different backgrounds and cultures, and each culture needs to be respected and acknowledged to allow the child to understand themselves and the world around them.
• We strongly believe in our connections to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our curriculum Te Whāriki and their teachings, values, and history.  We feel it is important to impart our countries history and culture on to all families that come through our door, in a respectful and open way which enlightens all people to our country.

We believe that in practising our philosophy, our children will develop:

• Respect for themselves and others.
• Confidence and a 'give it a try' attitude.
• Curiosity and imagination.
• Friendly caring and honest behaviour.
• Linking to our core values of:  Nurture, Respect, Integrity, Education and Happiness.

Li’l Champs Highland Park is our newest Montessori Preschool located at 43 Aviemore Drive. The Centre is strategically located next to a beautiful nature reserve, Lloyd Elsmore Park and it’s one of the most distinctive features of our Centre. Using the reserve and the beautiful surrounding landscape as inspiration, we have designed a warm, spacious and inviting space for our children, their families and our teachers.

We welcome families with children from the age 3 months to 6 years. The internal and external spaces have been designed to be aesthetically pleasing and functional to meet the needs of the different age groups of children that we care for. We aspire to provide the Montessori Method of early childhood education woven into Te Whariki, the NZ early childhood curriculum. Both philosophies emphasise the holistic development of the child, engaging all their senses as they interact with the different materials within their prepared environment, building on essential social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive skill that will set them up to be confident and competent life long learners.

Parents please give three months notice before your children are turning 5 if you decide to stay with us till the age of 6 years.

At Small Steps, we view all children as capable and confident learners. We believe that children construct their own ideas and develop their thinking through social interactions, particularly through tuakana-teina relationships. Tuakana-teina refers to the relationship between an older and younger person, where they learn from one another, through role modelling, observation and guidance.  Therefore, we also place a strong emphasis on building social competence and resilience among our tamariki. Social competence plays an essential role in a child’s holistic development, as their cognitive thought processing is encouraged, they learn empathy and respect for others, as well as promoting self-esteem and confidence in oneself. It allows for children to understand the boundaries of acceptable behaviour and practice, thus encouraging responsive, reciprocal, meaningful relationships with one another. This sets the foundation for an inclusive program, where children can still be affirmed as individuals, but understand that they all have a right to develop and learn in a supportive environment of acceptance.

In short everything we do is in answer to one very simple question. “Whats in the best interests of the child?”

Our team work hard to ensure that children feel safe, secure, valued, respected and listened to as a foundation for them to grow as happy, engaged and independent learners. Our curriculum is based on Te Whāriki, the New Zealand national curriculum for early childhood. This ensures that children have access to a wide range of learning opportunities to support them to grow in mind, body and spirit. At The Children’s Corner…

Children can lead their own learning based on their individual needs and interests.

Develop their self-help skills and independence.

There are plentiful opportunities for children to learn in both the indoor and outdoor environments of the centre.

We encourage children to care and respect for their environment, each other and also themselves.

We foster a respectful and co-operative environment where children grow as socially competent learners

Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their belongings and work.

Children can learn at their own pace in a non-competitive environment.

We support children as they transition to primary school with opportunities for extended learning.

Kids Crafty Clubs is a privately owned and operated company. The Director, Leesa Hill, is very passionate about children and realised this is where her career path was destined. She made her dream of one day owning her own centre a reality and opened her first centre in 1989, at our Pakuranga Location providing After School Care and School Holiday Care.

Leesa’s great passion for children led to the opening of Kids Crafty Clubs first day care centre, furthering her dream of owning her own centre. In 1996 she proudly opened Pakuranga Heights Learning Centre providing daycare for pre-schoolers and in 1998 our Nursery was built within our Pre-School.

2001 Kids Crafty Clubs Oscar in Howick started offering After School Care for up to 50 children aged from 5-10 yr olds.

In 2004 Kids Crafty Clubs Kindergarten opened for 2-5yrs olds and in 2007 Kids Crafty Clubs Nursery opened. Kids Crafty Clubs Kindergarten and Nursery is now known as our Kowhai House 3 months – 5 yrs and our Phoenix House 3-5 yrs. We cater for up to 65 children in our Howick Centre.

In 2008 we opened our Chill Zone Oscar providing After School Care for up to 10 children aged from 11-14 yrs olds.

In Jan 2013 we sadly closed our doors at Pakuranga Heights Learning Centre and in July 2014 we closed down our After School Care Programme at the Pakuranga Christian Fellowship Church.