Childcare options in Otahuhu

Otahuhu has a few daycare, childcare and early childhood education options. Book a visit or enquire at any one of them with Kindello. We're here to help you find the perfect fit for you and your child.

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A picture of Otahuhu Kindergarten

Otahuhu - Auckland

Otahuhu Kindergarten

Kia ora and welcome to Otahuhu Kindergarten

Otahuhu Kindergarten’s environment is built on respectful, responsive and reciprocal relationships with tamariki, whānau, wider community and Papatuanuku.

Our outdoor area is spacious and green, with lots of shady trees.  Our indoor area has been newly renovated in 2013, it is welcoming and interesting to explore. We are an Enviroschools and endeavour to learn and teach sustainable practices with our Tamariki and our Whanau.

At Otahuhu Kindergarten we are inclusive and embrace cultural diversity in our community. Our tamariki and their whanau participate in and enjoy our kindergarten cultural events – this includes celebrations, shared lunches and excursions out into the local and wider community.

We recognise that each child is unique and encourage all children to be involved in a wide range of experiences that are challenging and fuels children’s curiosity.


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.

Licensed for

40 children

A picture of BestStart Portage Road Kindy

Otahuhu - Auckland

BestStart Portage Road Kindy

BestStart Portage Road Kindy is a unique childcare centre for 2 to 5-year-olds. Our childcare centre is situated on the border of Otahuhu and Mt Wellington with an outdoor environment that overlooks the lovely Mt Richmond Park. To support our whānau, our kindy is open from 8am until 5pm.

Kia kaha. We will stand alongside you!

At BestStart Portage Road Kindy we are here when you need us and will work together with you to ensure children get the best quality education and care. Whanaungatanga is important to us as we understand it is through our relationships with our tamariki and whanau that we build strong, resilient, confident learners. 

Our learning spaces

We have 4 rooms designed to meet the social and educational needs of our tamariki:

  • Laititi Kiwi Potu  2 year olds
  • Te Karearea Whanau  young 3 year olds
  • The Pukeko Nest  older  3 - 4 year olds
  • Tui Fânau Fale  4 - 5 years old

You will see...

Engaged, focused children who are confident learners

Sustainable practices implemented in the centre such as growing beautiful flowers and yummy vegetables for our shared kai; and gradually phasing out plastic for natural resources and loose parts.

Beautiful, interactive learning indoor environment with lovely outdoor areas facing Mount Richmond

Caring and respectful interactions between tamariki and kaiako

Successful transitions from home to centre, between rooms and to school

Lots of laughter from tamariki and kaiako as we play and learn

We are a multicultural centre with a multi-lingual team, you will hear different languages being used as kaiako talk with our whānau

Kai time

We provide healthy morning tea and afternoon tea with tamariki bringing their own lunches. Meal times are a slowing down time and valued as an environment to further develop self-help and social skills through being respectful, courteous, kind and using our manners.

Our Teaching Philosophy

Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi. With your basket and my basket the people will thrive. Our centre philosophy underpins the value we put on learning-focused relationships, we realise that whanau play a big part in successful learning outcomes for our tamariki.

 Our kaiako are caring, fun-loving, intentional teachers who have your child at the centre of their practice. We are reflective and innovative educators, actively seeking ways to transform learning for our 21st century children. We are proud of our tamariki and our curriculum which reflects the creativity and diversity of our centre.

Whānau and Community engagement

This is important to us and we value your involvement in your child’s learning. Whether it is through face to face, a parent evening or through Storypark, it takes a village to raise a child. Even during Covid lockdown we were in contact with our families daily on Storypark and interactively using Zoom.

We value our community and to show our appreciation we host various community agencies including, Plunket B4 School checks, fitness classes and such in our Community Room. We are fortunate to have a van driver so can not only do pick-ups and drop-offs but also visit our local library and park.

Come discover what we can offer your child today!

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.

Licensed for

80 children

A picture of Busy Bees Otahuhu

Otahuhu - Auckland

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 – 6:00pm 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.

Licensed for

100 children

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A picture of Church Street Educare

Otahuhu - Auckland

Church Street Educare

Welcome To Church Street Educare

A fun place where our children learn & grow ...

At Church Street Educare, children are central to everything we do. We pride ourselves in offering a warm, friendly, “home away from home” environment where children learn, communicate, play, and grow together. Our qualified and professional educators offer specialised care. We encourage and embrace individual personalities and strive for the holistic development of children.

Our philosophy is founded on our aspirations for children to ""grow as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society"". (Ministry of Education, 1996)

Our Programme incorporates the learning principles of the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum – Te Whāriki:

  • Whakamana – Empowerment
  • Kotahitanga – Holistic Development
  • Whānau Tangata – Family and Community
  • Ngā Hononga – Relationships

A visit would be worthwhile to witness our top quality education, care, and facilities...   

Licensed for

90 children

A picture of Kids Connect -  Early Learning Centre

Otahuhu - Auckland

Kids Connect - Early Learning Centre

Environment

Our centre offers a safe, calm and loving place to be, where your children can grow and develop their early independence.

Our highly qualified and experienced teachers are the key to delivering a reciprocal and responsive, nurturing, meaningful and empowering learning environment which provides rich opportunities and challenges to extend Tamariki’s worldview through inquiry.

Learning

We believe with the support of our teachers, play is the most important mode of learning. Your Tamariki come with their own potential, gifts, and talents - unique in their own way.  We support and further strengthen their interests by recognising their abilities and trust that everyone is born to self-educate. Semi-structured activities and our play based curriculum instill an inquiry focused approach in your Tamariki which will help them to problem solve, share, make decisions and explore the world around them.  

Licensed for

100 children

A picture of Tipu Montessori School

Otahuhu - Auckland

Tipu Montessori School

Our mission is to promote the joy of independence while working in a family oriented environment which enhances tamariki's sense of trust.

We thrive to provide a caring, child friendly environment which empower children to become confident, competent learners and communicators.

Guided by the Principles of Te Whariki we aim to foster the social, cultural, spiritual, intellectual and physical development of tamariki by delivering a child centred, holistic curriculum. 

OUR GOALS

  • To nurture happy, well-rounded children who develop the love of learning.
  • To create an environment dedicated to building a community of caring individuals.
  • To help children to acquire social skills that brings peace and harmony to self and others.
  • To foster children’s wisdom through experiences and knowledge.

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Creative Garden Early Learning Centre - Otahuhu

Otahuhu - Auckland

Creative Garden Early Learning Centre - Otahuhu

About us

Creative Garden is a purpose-built childcare centre that dedicated to provide quality care and education to children aged 0-5 years. We aim to provide an environment where children, parents and their families feel like home and sense of belonging.

“We take pride in cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand and acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori as tangata whenua. We respect individual identity of each child and provide an inclusive curriculum, which encompasses gender and ethnicity, diversity of ability and learning needs, family structure and values, socio-economic status and religion.

“Among the greatest of all great services is the education of children”. Our teachers are committed towards quality education and care of children to establish strong and durable foundation to the life long journey of all children.

Our Approach

Ko nga tamariki o enei ra hei rangatira mo apopo.

(Children of today are the leaders of tomorrow.)

Our Mission

He aroha whakato

He aroha puta mai

(If kindness is sown then kindness you shall receive)

Our Values

Commitment towards quality education & care of children

Integrity in all we do

Respect for all stakeholders

Open and honest communication

Responsive towards families/whānau and community

Licensed for

60 children

A picture of St Andrews Christian Pre-School

Otahuhu - Auckland

St Andrews Christian Pre-School

We are a small preschool that take up to 40 children aged from 2-5 from Monday to Friday 9am-3pm. Using a Christian based teaching curriculum we create a safe, loving and nurturing environment for children to grow and flourish. Our staff come from different backgrounds and cultures to provide quality care for each and every child.

We believe active play is a vial key in children’s learning. It provides hand on learning, self discovery and authentic relationships. It empowers tamariki (children) to be thorough thinkers and researchers. We value our connections with our local Otahuhu community. Having strong connections to our church, library, and local schools supports our tamariki in feeling a part of a strong and beautiful community.


Licensed for

40 children

A picture of St Mary's Family Pre-School

Otahuhu - Auckland

St Mary's Family Pre-School

The Preschool provides an affordable place where children can experience a warm, accepting and nurturing environment; so they can develop to the highest level of potential while feeling safe and secure. All staff recognise that parents / whanau are primary to a child’s wellbeing and work in partnership to achieve positive outcomes for children.

The teachers acknowledge the multicultural society that we all live in and provide a holistic way of learning that embraces this; along with the wider community.

As a team, we believe Early Childhood Education should be fun; it’s a time where lifelong attitudes and skills are taking shape.

Staff will work alongside children getting to know them, their personality and their temperament, while giving them the opportunities to make decisions and take responsibility for themselves, each other and their preschool.

We acknowledge that each child is unique with individual needs and abilities and recognise that there can be wide variation of development and readiness between children. We provide experiences that build on each child’s strengths and interests through opportunities to explore and experiment, in an environment where children are supported with their own learning at their own level.


Licensed for

35 children

A picture of Akoteu Kenani

Otahuhu - Auckland

Akoteu Kenani

Akoteu Kenani is one of seven full immersion Tongan services governed by the Va’a Fonua Methodist Church Early Childhood Group Trust. The acting centre manager oversees the operation and administration of the service. The church minister assists with administration.

Licensed for

38 children

A picture of Seugagogo Aoga Amata Preschool

Otahuhu - Auckland

Seugagogo Aoga Amata Preschool

Seugagogo Aoga Amata Preschool is licensed to provide full-day education and care for 60 children, including up to 18 infants and toddlers. The service's philosophy has a strong focus on promoting Samoan language, culture and identity, and Christian values. Most children are of Samoan heritage, and a small numbers are of other Pacific groups and NZ European/Pākehā.

A new building (Nikau) caters for children aged three to five years of age. The infants and toddlers remain in the neighbouring original building (Mason).

Licensed for

60 children

A picture of Blossoms Educare Riverside

Otahuhu - Auckland

Blossoms Educare Riverside

Information for Parents, Family/Whanau

The subsequent information will help you understand our methodology and what you can expect. You are free to discuss any queries you may have with any of our teachers or administrative staff. We encourage you to visit, explore, and ask questions regarding any aspect of our service you need clarity on. You can also arrange for an appointment with our manager, if needed, to discuss things over.

Be rest assured that your child’s development and well-being is our main priority. Find out further how you can get acquainted with the administrative process at Blossoms Educare.

Complete involvement of family

We believe in an open door policy and involve parents and family members in everything we do. Ensuring participation of parents makes the child feel comfortable and has a strong positive impact on the child. Keeping this in mind, we warmly welcome parents to the centre anytime.

The teachers and staff at Blossoms sincerely take care of the child’s happiness and comfort. We regard a three-way relationship between parents, caregivers and the child as an indispensable part of the child’s well-being.

Keeping track of everything

We make sure that parents are well-informed at each step of the way. They are provided with everything they need including newsletters, invoices, receipts and copies of learning stories.

Events and Outings

We believe that interaction and communication is vital. Keeping this in focus, we organize cultural events to help Blossom Educare members interact with other families and children and also with the teachers and staff. We are always on the lookout for such events and they form an integral part of our calendar.

Training for new teachers and volunteers

Volunteers and new teachers are thoroughly screened before getting onboard with us. They are required to meet our standards and adhere to our philosophy. Volunteers interact with the children and keep them engaged. Students of early childhood teacher training courses are properly supervised at the centre.

Facilities for availing subsidy

Our ‘Work and Income’ department operates a subsidy for parents. The subsidy is subject to an income qualification. Further information and forms shall be provided by ‘Work and Income’. Also, Blossoms provides 20 hours subsidy for all children above the age of 3. Please refer to our fees schedule for further information.

Educare Programme

‘Educare’ is a compound word meaning education and care. Our centres deliver educare programmes centered around the child. These programmes involve observing the children on a regular basis, evaluating their needs and concerns and planning activities around them. These programmes help the child develop in their own individual pace.

These programmes are founded on the guiding principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum policy of the Ministry of Education. We keep revising our developmental programmes to stay updated.

There are four broad principles at the centre of Te Whāriki – the early childhood curriculum.

  • Empowerment - The early childhood curriculum empowers the child to learn and grow.
  • Holistic Development - The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow.
  • Family and Community - The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum.
  • Relationships - Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things.

Licensed for

64 children

A picture of Blossoms Educare Otahuhu

Otahuhu - Auckland

Blossoms Educare Otahuhu

Information for Parents, Family/Whanau

The subsequent information will help you understand our methodology and what you can expect. You are free to discuss any queries you may have with any of our teachers or administrative staff. We encourage you to visit, explore, and ask questions regarding any aspect of our service you need clarity on. You can also arrange for an appointment with our manager, if needed, to discuss things over.

Be rest assured that your child’s development and well-being is our main priority. Find out further how you can get acquainted with the administrative process at Blossoms Educare.

Complete involvement of family

We believe in an open door policy and involve parents and family members in everything we do. Ensuring participation of parents makes the child feel comfortable and has a strong positive impact on the child. Keeping this in mind, we warmly welcome parents to the centre anytime.

The teachers and staff at Blossoms sincerely take care of the child’s happiness and comfort. We regard a three-way relationship between parents, caregivers and the child as an indispensable part of the child’s well-being.

Keeping track of everything

We make sure that parents are well-informed at each step of the way. They are provided with everything they need including newsletters, invoices, receipts and copies of learning stories.

Events and Outings

We believe that interaction and communication is vital. Keeping this in focus, we organize cultural events to help Blossom Educare members interact with other families and children and also with the teachers and staff. We are always on the lookout for such events and they form an integral part of our calendar.

Training for new teachers and volunteers

Volunteers and new teachers are thoroughly screened before getting onboard with us. They are required to meet our standards and adhere to our philosophy. Volunteers interact with the children and keep them engaged. Students of early childhood teacher training courses are properly supervised at the centre.

Facilities for availing subsidy

Our ‘Work and Income’ department operates a subsidy for parents. The subsidy is subject to an income qualification. Further information and forms shall be provided by ‘Work and Income’. Also, Blossoms provides 20 hours subsidy for all children above the age of 3. Please refer to our fees schedule for further information.

Educare Programme

‘Educare’ is a compound word meaning education and care. Our centres deliver educare programmes centered around the child. These programmes involve observing the children on a regular basis, evaluating their needs and concerns and planning activities around them. These programmes help the child develop in their own individual pace.

These programmes are founded on the guiding principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum policy of the Ministry of Education. We keep revising our developmental programmes to stay updated.

There are four broad principles at the centre of Te Whāriki – the early childhood curriculum.

  • Empowerment - The early childhood curriculum empowers the child to learn and grow.
  • Holistic Development - The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow.
  • Family and Community - The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum.
  • Relationships - Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things.

Licensed for

70 children