Childcare options in Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe 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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Top-rated childcare in Papatoetoe

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A picture of Kauri Kids Papatoetoe

Pro

4.82 (10)

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Kauri Kids Papatoetoe

This centre is not currently taking new enquiries

Located within the Allan Brewster Leisure Centre, we offer children a safe place to grow, learn and play.

Our children enjoy activities such as gymnastics, swimming, kick and catch, and kindy rock.

We celebrate Māori and Pacific language weeks as well as the birthdays of our children and whānau.

When we're not exploring the local library or the adjoining leisure centre and pool, we like to get active by visiting nearby parks.

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.

Licensed for

66 children

A picture of Kindercare Papatoetoe

Pro

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Kindercare Papatoetoe

Looking for safe, loving childcare in Papatoetoe?

Look no further than Kindercare Learning Centres because here, we are all about serving families and children with love. Led by our experienced and caring Centre Director, Lauren Hutcheson, our qualified Kaiako will gently ensure your little one spends fun-filled days, learning through play in our vibrant little ‘sanctuary’ of care, set back from Great South Road.

At our childcare centre, we understand every family is different, which is why we offer both full time and part time enrolment options to whānau, so you can choose what works for you. We look forward to welcoming your family to our centre and partnering with you, to cherish your child and help them reach their full potential.

About our childcare centre

  • Hours of fun and learning 
  • Age group of children we cherish
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • Transition to School

Fees

  • We don’t compromise on safe, supportive, care and education because like you, we want the best for your child. So our team works hard to ensure your whānau receives the highest standard of care for your weekly fee, which includes:
  • a generous annual leave allowance
  • a nutritious midday meal, prepared fresh at the centre daily – so you won’t need to pack kai
  • healthy mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks to fuel your child’s play and learning
  • our Positive Parenting program – offering tips, advice and support for every family
  • And, because every child has different needs, we ask you to supply your child’s own bottles, formula and nappies for each day.

Why choose our centre?

Since 1998, our small childcare centre, with a big heart, has been offering safe, loving care and creative learning for children from infancy until they are ready for primary school. Providing a home-away-from-home atmosphere and culture, your child will be cared for alongside children of a similar age and stage of development.

Each fun-filled indoor and outdoor space is intentionally planned to provide the nurturing care, inspiring learning and social opportunities best suited to your child’s individual needs. Our team is committed to partnering with you as closely as possible to align your home routines with what we do at the centre.

This content originally appeared on Kindercare Papatoetoe

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Omana Kindergarten

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Omana Kindergarten

Kia ora and welcome to Omana Kindergarten

Omana Kindergarten cultivates respect, responsibility and community through a supportive and enriching environment for children. Omana Kindergarten’s diverse teaching team are responsive and reflective, encouraging children to learn through developing their own interests. Omana Kindergarten has a wonderful newly refurbished outdoor environment catering to children’s needs for active movement, learning and exploration.

What makes us different?

  • Our natural environment is very welcoming and calming
  • Children are confident to explore and show empathy to the environment and other animals
  • Self guided learning by children supported by teachers
  • Tua kana teina (learning from older children) is practiced
  • AKO is practiced – learning from each other, teachers, equal partners with family and children
  • We encourage children to lead their own learning
  • Garden to table project
  • We have a vegetable garden and peach and plum trees
  • We work in small groups

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

Childcare for every family

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Other great childcare options in Papatoetoe

A picture of Go Bananas Childcare Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Go Bananas Childcare Papatoetoe

Welcome to Go Bananas Childcare!

Leaving a child with a childcare facility is an important decision. For most of the children, it marks the first time they will be away from their parents for a long period of time. We are delighted that you are considering our services as an integral part of your child’s upbringing. We are committed to providing the best quality care and education for children from 3 months to 6 years old.

Research shows a child’s first five years are critical to all future learning and development as their brains develop most rapidly during this time. By age three a child’s brain has already developed to 80% of its adult size with brain connections formed through the interactions, experiences, and relationships the child makes. The quality of these interactions, experiences, and relationships is crucial and that is why a child’s involvement in a quality early learning program is so important.

Why Choose Us?

  • Provide indoor and outdoor educational spaces which are age-appropriate and designed to engage and support children to discover, grow and learn.
  • Offer children the experiences to support their cognitive, emotional and physical development.
  • Plan from each child’s individual interests, we aim to work alongside their interest, making them to be creative, curious and confident to develop positive and lasting relationships with their peers.
  • Promote the very best practices to nurture children’s well-being and support them to fulfil their potential.
  • Partner with families to ensure our children feel a sense of belonging.
  • Acknowledge and respect the diversity of our families and communities in which they reside.
  • Have educators, teachers, and leaders who are passionate, dedicated and they support and celebrate each child’s individual talents and strengths through meaningful interactions, experiences, and relationships.

Licensed for

58 children

A picture of BestStart East Tamaki Road

Papatoetoe - Auckland

BestStart East Tamaki Road

BestStart East Tamaki Road is a new childcare and early learning centre in Papatoetoe, located close to Hunters Corner. We care for children from 3 months to 5.

At BestStart East Tamaki we believe that each child is precious. We welcome you and your child into our centre family providing you a community of support and connection. You will watch your child grow into an independent and competent learner who will leave us ready for their next adventure.

A place of belonging. A place to connect

At BestStart East Tamaki our vision is to create a warm and welcoming learning atmosphere where our children and families/whanau feel they belong. Walking into BestStart East Tamaki gives one a sense of calm and connection. Our teachers get to know the children and their families, including them in a vibrant centre life.

If you wander upstairs into the infant room, Nga Kakano, you will find our youngest explorers learning about the world in the safe inside/outside flow environment.  Infants create attachments naturally, as teachers we treasure these relationships and understand that they are necessary for them to explore, learn and relate to others. With an enviable 1:3 Teacher to child ratio, each child has its care routines established and supported by the nurturing and experienced team.  

The curious and active wanderers in Te Rito, the toddler room, love getting messy and learning about fun social interactions. You might come across an impromptu Tutira mai performance or a group-build of a tower. Watching toddlers respectfully wait their turn at the lunch table, say their karakia, self-serve and put their dishes on the cleaning tray shows their independence and social learning.

In Nga Rau, you will come across inquisitive pre-schoolers deeply immersed in a topic they are interested in – sparking their thinking and setting up life-long learning. Teachers organise excursions to support the topics and bring the knowledge and skills alive. Our Be School Ready initiative is carefully designed to support children’s next big learning step when they move to primary school. We support parents and children as they develop the skills and attitudes for being a lifelong learner.  We connect with them regularly to ensure children are familiar with staff and the transition to school is streamlined.

Rich cultural diversity

Each child’s home culture is valued. Inclusion is significant part of our practice and we believe that all children should be offered equal opportunities. We take every opportunity to celebrate, share hospitality and learn about each other. We use a wide range of teaching approaches and strategies when working with our children and use the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki, to provide engaging and stimulating programmes that are exciting for all the children in our centre. We acknowledge Tangata Whenua of the land by including Te Ao Maori world view in our daily practice.

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

100 children

A picture of Murdoch Park Kindergarten

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Murdoch Park Kindergarten

Kia ora and welcome to Murdoch Park Kindergarten

Murdoch Park Kindergarten has a strong commitment to bicultural and multicultural inclusion.  Everyone is welcome and diversity is embraced.

The teaching team at Murdoch Park Kindergarten are diverse, and respectful of the culture and whãnau of their kindergarten community.

Murdoch Park Kindergarten’s passionate and positive teachers are responsive to children – working alongside them to lay the foundations for the essential skills of life.


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 Papatoetoe Kindergarten

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Papatoetoe Kindergarten

Kia ora and welcome to Papatoetoe Kindergarten

Our culturally diverse and inclusive kindergarten in Papatoetoe encourages social interaction in a multicultural environment to provide a foundation of respect, uniqueness and community. We follow the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki. This is based around five principles of learning: wellbeing (mana atua) belonging (mana whenua), contribution (mana tangata), communication (mana reo) and exploration (mana aoturoa). By using these principles in our programmes, we nurture and teach each little learner in a way that responds to their individual needs.

Creative and innovative teaching is key in our kindergarten, and we endeavour to provide a top quality early childhood education in Papatoetoe. Part of that is our learning environment – and a great feature of our kindergarten is the exceptionally large outdoor area which provides opportunities for the children to explore all areas of the curriculum in new and different ways.

Our kindergarten offers so much more than just Papatoetoe childcare – it is a community-based centre of learning, helping to produce well-rounded Kiwi kids. We are part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association which has a well-established reputation for early childhood education. It has been around for more than a century, and we are proud to belong to this charitable organisation.

As part of the community focus, each kindergarten in the AKA is closely linked to nearby schools, facilitating an easy transition to the next stage. We also encourage families to be a part of their child’s learning as much as possible.

High quality learning environments and innovative teaching also set us apart from other Papatoetoe daycare options. Being a kindergarten, we are part of a long-standing tradition of teaching little ones and preparing them for life.

The passionate and purposeful team at Papatoetoe Kindergarten is committed to providing an environment where children are encouraged to make their own choices and are supported to experiment, explore and extend their skills and knowledge to realise their full potential. The teachers are all registered and qualified early childhood teachers.

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 Aorere Kindergarten

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Aorere Kindergarten

Kia ora and welcome to Aorere Kindergarten

At Aorere Kindergarten, our qualified teachers place emphasis on children leading their own learning. Teaching staff work alongside children to enhance teachable moments and to develop and nurture children’s individual capabilities and competencies.

Aorere Kindergarten has a newly refurbished modern indoor space and outdoor environment.  You are welcome to visit Aorere Kindergarten to meet our teaching team and see the kindergarten in action!

We are a caring and passionate team consisting of four qualified teachers, a part-time teacher, a teacher aide, an administrator and an education support worker. We work closely with the children and their families providing them with the best learning opportunities as the foundation for their future learning.  We take pride in our beautiful kindergarten and use resources to provoke, support and enrich our children’s interests.

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 Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

BestStart Papatoetoe

Why BestStart Papatoetoe?

We value our community and its diverse cultures. We have formed trusting relationships with our families and they have a great sense of belonging within our centre.

We offer:

  • Child initiated learning programme - children guide us
  • We provide freshly cooked nutritious meals prepared on-site 
  • Low teacher-child ratio
  • Affordable rates, 20 ECE hours

Our programmes:

  • Positive behavior guidance - learning respect for themselves, teachers, friends and their environment
  • Mighty Mouth Tooth Brushing programme
  • Storypark e-portfolios
  • Individual learning portfolios 

Our childcare and early learning rooms

We have two rooms, Harakeke and Toetoe, offering specialised care and education as children grow and develop.

Our Harakeke room. This space caters for children up to two years old. It provides a relaxed home-away-from-home environment for our infants and toddlers. Our experienced teachers ensure our youngest children receive personalised care and attention to explore the world around them. Our Harakeke room provides many opportunities for infants and toddlers to learn and develop their skills to become confident and capable individuals. 

Our Toetoe room.  This room caters for children aged two to five years old. Here we offer child-centered, play-based curriculum where our experienced teachers help identify children’s dispositions and provide appropriate experiences to support them to become competent, caring and confident individuals. 

Our Be School Ready initiative helps build children’s early literacy and numeracy skills which are embedded throughout the centre environment which we provide for all preschool children and are currently working alongside Papatoetoe East, Papatoetoe Central, Papatoetoe West and Puhinui Primary schools to develop a smooth transition between our centre programme and the schools. 

We have an open door policy and encourage all our families to join us to play a part in teaching our next generation. We look forward to meeting you soon!


Licensed for

45 children

A picture of BestStart Coronation Road

Papatoetoe - Auckland

BestStart Coronation Road

BestStart Coronation Road is conveniently located in Papatoetoe close to the train station. We offer families the very best care and education in a safe environment for children 3 months to 6.

At BestStart Coronation Road, we believe children should learn and grow as unique individuals. We pride ourselves in building close relationships through open, honest and positive communications that foster collaborative partnerships with children, parents and community. Our culturally diverse teaching team is dedicated to developing the best in your child. Teachers support children’s learning through the positive language and age appropriate resources that develop life long skills and love of learning.

Nutritious home cooked meals are provided by our chef. We do cater for all of the cultural and allergy sensitive needs of our children.

Our environment for children under 2 - We provide an environment with a feeling of home away home and offer an unhurried curriculum for our busy babies where they have time to explore and discover at their own pace. We work with families to make the transition to centre life a smooth and happy time, creating a strong bond and a setting that feels like family. Along with respect, safety and love, we offer a nurturing place for your child to foster the daily development of their minds and bodies. We have a fabulous 1:4 ratio in this room.

Our area for children over 2 - Our mixed age room sees dedicated staff working in partnership with families and children to develop programmes to engage and support the development of every child. Our programme is based on children’s interest and we offer a wide range of learning experiences in a supporting and enriching environment. Families are involved in various events throughout the year including centre programmes, local trips and excursions, fundraising and celebrations of cultures and community events.

We offer a Be School Ready initiative that specialises in preparing children for school life and building on their confidence in early literacy and numeracy. We are fortunate enough to have good relationship with our local school Papatoetoe West Primary.  We have regular school visits to ensure we can create a strong and smooth transition to school.

Our newly renovated outdoor area is inviting and challenges our children to take risks and gain control over their bodies.  We look forward to meeting you and welcome visitors to our centre at anytime.

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

50 children

A picture of Home Grown Kids Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Home Grown Kids Papatoetoe

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

Licensed for

4 children

A picture of Papatoetoe Playcentre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Papatoetoe Playcentre

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to Papatoetoe Playcentre

Playcentre is unlike any other early childhood education organisation. At Playcentre, both children and their parents / caregivers attend.

At Playcentre children get the opportunity to learn and explore in a fun and safe environment.

The curiosity and creativity of our tamariki is nurtured in a way that allows them to learn about themselves and their world.

Your child will be given a chance to explore, create, climb, read, sing, experiment, play music, wear costumes, have their face painted (or do it themselves!), garden, do carpentry with real tools, bake and cook, build sandcastles, swing, slide, dance, spend time in nature and get messy.

The activities change every day. Playcentre parents all bring different skills, interests, and cultural backgrounds to add to the rich learning environment.

We welcome families with children aged 0 – 6 years. Mixed age play allows your children to engage with others older and younger than themselves. Pre-schoolers learn how to communicate, share and negotiate with empathy for their younger peers.

At Playcentre, families come together and lifelong friendships are formed.

We welcome you to visit any time during the year. You are entitled to three free visits so come and check out what we do – we would love to meet you and your family!

Licensed for

30 children

A picture of BestStart Kenderdine Road

Papatoetoe - Auckland

BestStart Kenderdine Road

BestStart Kenderdine Road is a childcare centre close to the Papatoetoe train station and Allan Brewster Leisure Centre. We cherish our community ties and are a multi-cultural centre, with Samoan, Cook Island, Indian, European, Chinese, Fijian and Maori teachers. If you live in or around Papatoetoe and need childcare, this centre is a great choice for your family.

Nature's Explorers

Why choose BestStart Kenderdine?

We cherish our community ties and are a multi-cultural centre, with  Samoan, Cook Island, Indian, European, Chinese, Fijian and Maori teachers. If you live in or around Papatoetoe and need childcare, this centre is a great choice for your family.

We offer:

  • Child-led learning programme - your child will guide us
  • Positive behaviour guidance - where your child will learn to respect themselves, classmates, teachers and their environment
  • Friendly and approachable staff - that speak a range of languages
  • Be School Ready initiative - your child will be ready to begin the next step in their learning when the time comes

Our Learning Spaces

Your child will be supported in their unique learning journey in one of our six rooms designed to meet the needs of each age and stage

Harakeke. In the Harakeke Room, your infant has a teacher dedicated to their needs, whom they will develop a trusting relationship with. They will follow your baby's lead in their daily routine and provide a calm environment, allowing them to develop at their own pace. Their learning will be exciting, with a range of age appropriate learning opportunities.

Kowhai. From 18 months to 2.5 years, your child will be here with a team of teachers that are always prepared to take on the challenges the toddler age group presents. As their emerging physical skills put them at the height of their curiosity, your child will be encourage to explore in a warm and responsive space.

Pohutukawa. Here the focus is on helping your child (2.8 - 3.5 years old) explore and develop their understanding of the physical, social and natural world. They will use a rich variety of resources, thoughtfully presented to evoke curiosity and risk-taking, which will develop self-help and interpersonal skills.

Kea. Creativity, nature learning, shared learning, science and mathematics are used to help your child pursue their interests in meaningful ways in this spacious room with beautifully manicured playgrounds. Kea Room welcomes children from 3.6 to 4 years old. 

The Tui Room. Your child's literacy and mathematics skills are consistently supported through a wide variety of play-based learning experiences.There is also a strong focus on developing self-help skills in children from 4 to 5 years of age.  

For your convenience, we have two entrances - one at 42A Wyllie Road and one at 19 Kenderdine Road.

We were recognised this year by Reader's Digest readers, who awarded us the Gold Quality Service award. 

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

150 children

A picture of Little Hands Childcare & Early Learning Centre

4.67 (1)

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Little Hands Childcare & Early Learning Centre

We at Little Hands Childcare and Early Learning Centre believe: 

  • That as a care and education institution, it is our mission to provide a safe, secure, happy and stimulating learning environment for the tamariki (children) to explore and learn. We believe that our tamariki are powerful, capable, confident and independent learners. Therefore we believe in providing a purposeful and responsive learning environment that enables the tamariki to enhance these lifelong skills.
  • In the power and value of whānau (family), parents are the first Kaiako (teachers) of their tamariki, and therefore we aim to establish strong partnerships with parents and whānau based on mutual trust, respect and honest and open communication. We recognise how precious each individual tamariki is to their family and the amount of trust it takes whānau to leave their tamariki in our care, we, therefore, have very meaningful relationships with parents and whanau, and we try to be as supportive as possible. We strive to provide a quality childcare and education for all the tamariki in our care with a strong essence of family. Our motto at Little Hands Childcare is “We are family”. We enjoy a lot of cultural celebrations throughout the year to promote respect and tolerance of other cultures from a young age for our tamariki and for the Kaiako and whānau to connect by sharing what values are important to them.

Licensed for

38 children

A picture of Littletoetoes Early Learning Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Littletoetoes Early Learning Centre

Our name is inspired by our commitment to the children we care for and the community we serve. The little toes that steal our heart from the day they come into our lives. The little toes that add meaning to our lives. Littletoetoes Early Learning Centre is a place where learning is all about passion, fun and excitement. Where warm motivated and caring educators are happy to explore the new and fun adventures of learning with our little gems. At Littletoetoes we aim to provide a welcoming feel not only to children but to parents as well. We inspire to nurture each and every child to their full potential in a safe and secure environment along with providing them a homely environment that fosters respect and care for all. Where love, laughter and learning are all in a wholesome environment.

Licensed for

42 children

A picture of The Learning Castle

Papatoetoe - Auckland

The Learning Castle

The Learning Castle’s aim is to provide a secure and dynamic environment for all children to achieve their full potential.

Our Castle recognises that Whanau and Kaiako play an important role in the learning and development of children. We value and respect the unique knowledge and contribution of parents and whanau in the decision-making process around their child’s education and care.

We have an emergent curriculum that encourages and empowers children to learn through play. 

This philosophy enables our children to:

  • grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit
  • secure in their sense of belonging
  • build the knowledge to make a valued contribution to society in their own unique way
  • At “The Learning Castle” we believe in building lifelong memories for children and their families.

Our programme is based on the Early Childhood Curriculum, TeWhāriki and evidence of this is identified through formal and informal planning and assessment methods. We endeavour to acknowledge the unique place of Maori children and their whanau as knowledge holders and rangatira and our practices demonstrate that.

Licensed for

70 children

A picture of Immanuel Preschool (Papatoetoe)

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Immanuel Preschool (Papatoetoe)

Immanuel Preschool believes in offering a nurturing, safe, aesthetically pleasing and stimulating environment. Families, Whanau, Teachers and support staff form a strong community working together for the care and education. Our philosophical approach is very distinctive because it incorporates both free choice and structured planned activities to extend the children’s interests alongside Christian values and morals. Immanuel Preschool’s philosophy is encapsulated in our motto “Strong foundation Bright future”. We strongly believe in providing an enriching environment with great avenues for learning that would lay a strong foundation for a brighter future.

Immanuel Preschool management and staff strongly believe that every child has a right to high-quality care and education and so to make it possible we have chosen to provide the quality care and education by creating a great attractive environment and highly dedicated and qualified staff who are passionate about the childcare. It is our privilege for being entrusted with the care and education of your child. Immanuel Preschool believes that children are competent and the family, community and the wider society play a larger role in the lives of the children. A welcoming, comfortable environment, Christian based values, morals, a personalised learning journey books, trips, concerts, parent evenings, dedicated, focussed highly qualified staff make Immanuel Preschool unique.

Immanuel Preschool is privileged to provide an information booklet which covers some of the important aspects of our programme which could be of interests to parents and caregivers. It provides a practical information about the programme, staff who work with your children, philosophy and beliefs on which this institution is based on, the services available for the children, administrative matters including the fees and working hours and other practical issues like toilet training, healthy eating habits, sleeping plan and child to teacher ratio.

Once again thank you for allowing us to provide your child with quality education and care and we would like to welcome you into our closely knitted family centre. If there are any other matters which you require more information on or advice please feel free to see me or take time to talk to the team leader. Thank you for your support and contribution to Immanuel Preschool.

Licensed for

35 children

A picture of Li'l Champs Educare Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Li'l Champs Educare Papatoetoe

An environment for children offering Love, Learn, Laugh.

Opened in early 2014, Li’l Champs Papatoetoe is conveniently located on Great South Road and boasts plenty of off-street parking. Handy to Papatoetoe and Manukau, our centre feeds into several local schools.

Our Papatoetoe Centre offers three spacious rooms which infants, toddlers and preschool children transition between during their learning journey. Our large outdoor play areas provide further opportunities for your child to develop and learn.

Why us….

  • A warm, safe and secure place for children to grow and thrive
  • A successful program, blending the best of Montessori and Te Whariki
  • A child-driven approach to learning that builds curiosity, strengthens discovery and fosters independence
  • A focus on social and emotional growth, skills and competencies
  • An exposure to a wide variety of music, arts, dance activities, building creativity and imagination
  • A well established transition to school program
  • A passionate team of educators who qualified and registered teachers
  • We build a strong relationship with our families and whanau
  • Age group catered – 3 months to 5 years old children
  • Open from 7.30am – 6.00pm, we offer sessions, short or long days, or full time enrolment for children aged 0-6.

Licensed for

42 children

A picture of Fun 'N' Play Childcare Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Fun 'N' Play Childcare Centre

About Fun ‘n’ Play Childcare Centre

Fun ‘n’ Play Childcare Centre is a privately owned, offering a nurturing home like environment for children from 2 to 5 years. The Management and Educators of Fun ‘n’ Play childcare centre aim to provide high quality care and education for young children. Children deserve the best and we strive to provide this by employing trained and nurturing teachers.

Within the Centre programme we incorporate the Principles, Strands and Goals of Te Whariki- The NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, which reflects the holistic way that children learn and grow.

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Little One's Garden Early Education Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Little One's Garden Early Education Centre

Little One’s Garden Early Education Centre is purposely designed and aims to offer a creative, fun learning environment to inspire exploration and play.

At Little One’s Garden, learning is all around. Play is the foundation of all learning. Come and join us at Little One’s Garden, give your child a best start for their lifelong learning journey!  Little One’s Garden Centre Philosophy

Underlying our teaching practices and philosophy at Little One’s Garden Early Education Centres a belief in tino rangitiratanga-supporting children to be self sufficient, confident and competent learners Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum of Aotearoa is at the core of our philosophy at Little One’s Garden Early Education Centre. We follow the principles and strands of Te Whariki as a guiding document. 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). We acknowledge and enact practices that respect Indigenous language and culture as a visible and accessible taonga for all our tamariki, mokopuna and parents/whanau.

Licensed for

47 children

A picture of Play And Learn (King Street)

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Play And Learn (King Street)

Play and Learn King Street

A friendly welcoming mixed age group centre in the heart of Papatoetoe. Our team of stable dedicated teachers (many have been with us for over 20 years) provide an extensive early childhood programme covering all curriculum areas with real life experiences including cooking, gardening and technology with children taking responsibility.

Regular trips and outings into the community and venues such as Ambury Farm, Museums and libraries are a feature of Play and Learn King Street.

The Nature Programme is well established at our King Street centre. 

Our family atmosphere combines children from 6 months to 6 years working together with younger children learning from the older children learning to take responsibility and teach the younger children.

Licensed for

45 children

A picture of Te Kōhanga Reo ki Papatoetoe Whānau

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Te Kōhanga Reo ki Papatoetoe Whānau

Te Kōhanga Reo ki Papatoetoe Whānau is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Papatoetoe and provides for up to 25 tamariki. Book a visit today to connect with our kōhanga reo and to learn more about the options for your whanau. 

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

  • total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
  • whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
  • accountability
  • health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

  • security in te reo Māori
  • a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
  • whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
  • greater respect and appreciation of each other.

Licensed for

25 children

A picture of Te Whare Punanga Takawaenga Atawhai O Aorere Aorere College Childcare Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Te Whare Punanga Takawaenga Atawhai O Aorere Aorere College Childcare Centre

​Aorere College Childcare Centre teachers work to achieve optimum holistic development for each and every child. Each child will be accepted as unique and as bringing an exclusive set of capabilities and needs to the centre. Their perspectives, interests and desires will be respected and integrated into the curriculum through formal and informal planning.

We aim to provide children with a secure, stimulating environment that fosters, quality learning, respect, cooperation and sensitivity to bi-cultural and multi-cultural perspectives.

The centre environment will incorporate positive guidance using praise and encouragement for all efforts and achievements. Appropriate social interactions and peaceful, assertive conflict resolution strategies will be fostered.

Parents/Whanau and children will be encouraged to participate in the decision-making of all aspects of the centre management and programme development. Their aspirations will be acknowledged and their contributions will be valued.

The centre acknowledges the value of qualified and registered teachers. On-going Professional Development will ensure that all teachers maintain high levels of qualifications, current knowledge and skills.

Licensed for

40 children

A picture of Playway

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Playway

Playway Early Learning Center in Papatoetoe is designed to offer opportunities for learning through play while giving your child the support to develop foundation skills.

We value children’s curiosity and provide an environment for children to be creative and active learners, an environment where every child is given acceptance, nurturing and respect in order to reach their full potential. This will extend and enhance your child’s learning and development throughout their infancy, toddler and pre-school years, empowering them to become liberal members of our society.

We celebrate and support the diversity of our tamariki and whanau – valuing and respecting everyone regardless of their ethnicity or cultural background. We hope to support parents and the community by building positive relationships and having open communication.

We understand that choosing a childcare facility is an important decision as your child will be spending a long period of time away from their home and family. This is why our team of passionate teachers are dedicated to provide the best quality care and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years.

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

Our Philosophy

Our Preschool is unique because God’s love is our motivation.   We want each child to experience the unconditional love of Jesus and to believe that they are valuable (taonga).   In our Preschool we respond to the preciousness of others, because all are precious to God.  We respect and value the influence of the family and their diverse cultures and consider it a privilege to share their child.

We believe the Bible demonstrates the best way to live.   Because of this, it forms the heart of our curriculum.  The principles of loving God and others are demonstrated through the developing of warm, caring, reciprocal relationships (ngā hononga) across the Centre and explored through Bible stories, Christian songs, prayer and Christian values in the daily, play-based learning programme.   Each child in our care will be encouraged to develop respect, emotional agility, to actively learn, to be community-focused and to have a heart of love.  These fundamental values (our Flourishing Spirit-Led Child curriculum) will be creatively woven through the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, being delivered in a way that upholds Te Tiriti O Waitangi, is responsive to individual learners and where parents are respected as first teachers.

Practising collaboration with family and whanau (whanaungatanga), kaiako will implement a responsive, dynamic curriculum that enables every individual to flourish as competent and confident learners (whakamana) and communicators (mana reo), healthy in mind (taha hinengaro, taha whanau), body (taha tinana) and spirit (taha wairua), secure in their sense of belonging (mana whenua) and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society (mana tangata).

Our values & dispositions

As a Christian early childhood centre, we will explore a rich range of values with your child as they experience life and interact with each other in the course of their day. In particular, there are a number of values which we desire to be characterised by as we operate as Christian professionals. We wish to be defined by these values and held accountable for their intentional implementation through our flourishing Spirit-led child curriculum and in our practice.

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Koru Kids Early Learning Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Koru Kids Early Learning Centre

Kea Kids Childcare provides all-day care and education. The philosophy of the centre values cultural diversity and is based on a belief that “children are unique and are a special taonga” entrusted to the centre’s care. 

Kea Kids Childcare help children settle and interact confidently with each other and adults in a supportive environment. Children under two years of age have their own indoor and outdoor spaces. Toddlers and older children have separate indoor spaces and share a common outdoor space allowing for mixed-age play.

Infants and toddlers experience programmes that are responsive to their individual care and learning needs. Older children engage independently in play, with a range of relevant resources and experiences to choose from.

Licensed for

73 children

A picture of Little Feet Childcare Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Little Feet Childcare Centre

Our philosophy is learning through play as we offer a stimulating environment for children.

We are passionate and committed to assist children to grow to be confident and socially competent members of the community who engage respectfully, honestly with enthusiasm and with confidence as they interact with others as they positively embrace the cultural diversity of experiences offered in life.

We believe that teaching is from the heart and all children including children with special needs are cared for in a safe, secure, stimulating and challenging environment in an atmosphere conducive to the development of healthy and happy children.

At Little Feet Childcare Centre we develop and maintain opportunities for professional and personal developments of the staff and we believe that quality development and education is best achieved through a team approach to achieve common goals and objectives.

Licensed for

48 children

A picture of Star Educare

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Star Educare

Our Roots

Think. Reason. Question. Experiment. These are just a few of the skills and qualities that children will develop at Star Educare. We are founding our centre with the focus on supporting kids during all transitions through childhood.

All activities are being designed to adequately nurture the emotional and intellectual growth of our kids. Through stimulating situations and hands-on learning opportunities, young children will be free to develop into bright young minds. Reach out to learn more, and register your interest with us today!

Our vision

We view children as active explorers and learners. We support this by providing a stimulating, enjoyable, nurturing and safe environment. We provide quality Early Childhood programme that will empower them to learn with and alongside others by engaging in learning experiences that have meaning for them. Our Kaiako will actively respond to the strengths, interests, abilities and needs of each child to foster their holistic development and learning. 

Our vision is to work in partnership with parents with regards to their children’s learning and development, taking into consideration their aspirations for their children. We welcome every culture in our centre as we embrace the bicultural curriculum of New Zealand which is the Te Whariki.

Our philiosophy

We believe that children should be given an opportunity for active exploraitn and discovereies. Star Educare provides an opportunity for children to be creative and discover their own learning. We view children a sa capable and competent individual, that we focusing on providing a stimulating  for children to explore, use their imagination and develop their communication skills. We believe that children develop confidence when they are supported in their exploration.

We incorporate in our practice the Principles and Strands of Te Whariki which supports children’s holistic development as a whole. We believe that children should be provided with a safe, nurturing environment for them to enjoy a meaningful learning experience.

We believe that every child is unique. We value their identity and well-being. Our curriculum respects the individual needs of each child. We also respect the child’s cultural identity and we welcome parents and whanau from a different culture. We encourage parent’s contribution and participation in sharing their values, beliefs and culture.

Children’s emotional development plays an essential part in their cognitive development that we promote social interaction and provide a nurturing relationship with them. We support them in every milestone of their development by reflecting on the deeper meaning of their learning as seen in their learning dispositions. We strive with our best practice to respond by making their learning visible to them and to their parents/whanau through rich documentation.


Licensed for

55 children

A picture of Akoteu Sia-ae-toutaiola

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Akoteu Sia-ae-toutaiola

Akoteu Sia-ae-toutaiola is a privately-owned early education centre catering for ages 0-5 years.

Licensed for

40 children

A picture of Blooming Stars Childcare

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Blooming Stars Childcare

We offer a play-based emergent curriculum complete with low teacher to child ratios. Come see our environment and how it is designed to promote exploration, adventure and imaginative play. We believe that children are active participants in their own learning. That’s why we encourage them to ask questions and explore the world around them.

Licensed for

40 children

A picture of Expressions EEC

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Expressions EEC

At Expressions we help children to become competent and confident learners by empowering them to make choices and supporting them in their interests.

Our environment is a home away from home, designed to encourage tamariki to discover what engages them through a range of stimulating and challenging play areas, activities and resources.

Our teachers support freedom of choice, and use children's own interests to extend their learning through art, music, dramatic play, verbal communication and physical activity; using a wide range of learning resources.

Learning activities are tailored to meet the needs of all early childhood, ensuring children progress successfully through milestones and are well equipped for primary school.

Operating in a mixed age setting, we encourage children to have respectful interactions with each other and adults, promoting a sense of belonging, self-worth and confidence.

We pride ourselves on providing a supportive atmosphere, valuing open communication with whanau.

We work alongside caregivers and whanau to practice in a multi-cultural way, to meet and respect the needs of our multi ethnic community.

“Te Whaariki”  - the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum -  is embedded in our practice to reflect the reciprocal relationships between children, families and the learning environment.

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Fetu'u Moana Catholic Early Childhood Preschool

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Fetu'u Moana Catholic Early Childhood Preschool

Fetu’u Moana Catholic Early Childhood Preschool is a Tongan language nest managed and governed by the Tongan Catholic Chaplaincy.

Licensed for

40 children

A picture of Blossoms Educare Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Blossoms Educare Papatoetoe

A little about us

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 w

Licensed for

40 children

A picture of Pukeko Preschool Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Pukeko Preschool Papatoetoe

Pukeko Preschool Papatoetoe is a friendly, loving preschool in the heart of Papatoetoe. Our teachers here are focused on education with a commitment to following our Vision of putting our children at the centre of everything that we do.

We strongly develop our curriculum based on following our children’s interests and urges and our philosophy is based around considering what kind of adults we want our children to become. 

When you enter our Preschool through into our lovely outdoor play space you and your children will feel welcomed and part of our Pukeko family. We have separate, recently refurbished and upgraded indoor and outdoor playspace areas for over and under two year-olds, and are staffed well above Ministry of Education guidelines.

Come and visit us any time, we would love to meet you and your family!

Licensed for

50 children

A picture of St Georges Preschool

Papatoetoe - Auckland

St Georges Preschool

St George’s Preschool is a unique learning environment for children aged 0 to 5 years from all backgrounds and ethnicities offering local families quality, affordable childcare with sessions to accommodate working and studying parents.

Our Philosophy

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

50 children

A picture of Fatugatiti Preschool

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Fatugatiti Preschool

The Fatugatiti A'oga Amata believes that the quality of the service it provides depends largely on the quality of its staff, both teaching and management. The Governance Board is therefore committed to creating a working environment with which staff are comfortable and one that is conducive to them performing at their best. 

The Ministry of Education requires 100% of all Early Childhood Teachers to be trained and registered by 2012. We are proud that the Fatugatiti A'oga Amata has met this requirement since February 2012.


Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Mar Addai Catholic Preschool

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Mar Addai Catholic Preschool

2-5 years old free of Charge for the whole year 

20 Free ECE Hours available

We are open Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.30pm

Tuition Fees

UNDER 2 - $117 PER WEEK

505 Great South Road

Papatoetoe

Phone : (09) 250 1434


Licensed for

50 children

A picture of Little Ducklings

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Little Ducklings

Our little story

Our aim

We aim to provide the best early childhood care and education services possible. We do this by working in partnership with the parents, whanau and community, with children at the ehart of everything

Our mission

To provide a range of high-quality services that support child development that responds to the interests of all children under age 5 in a welcoming, stimulating and positive environment

To expand our horizon by partnering to provide a happy, caring and stimulating environment for children to recognise and achieve their fullest potential to enable them to make their best contribution to society

Our vision

We, at Little Ducklings, aspire to strengthen, enrich and nurture our relationship (Ngā hononga) with our whānau and tamariki with love, respect and compassion.

Our philosophy

At Little Ducklings Early Learning Centre, we promote genuine, respectful relationships between teachers, children and families, and value open, honest, reciprocal communication. We respect children as competent and confident individuals, we support them to build on their individual strengths, interests and encourage them in developing independence and personal responsibility. We believe that children are filled with curiosity and potential, and have the right to learn and communicate. “Play is indeed the child’s work and the means whereby he grows and develops”. We value play as a distinctive tool for exploration and self-expression and a medium of learning. We actively encourage children to express their creativity, ask questions, try new ideas, and develop their problem-solving skills. Our staff provide an encouraging and empowering environment for Learning. Interactions are caring and nurturing, we are proud to provide a safe yet challenging, well-resourced environment to meet the developmental needs of all children enrolled in our service. We acknowledge and embrace the cultural diversity of our community and enjoy honouring a wide variety of celebrations and traditions. Fun, Laughter and Play are an important part of our day. Our programme is designed to equip children as capable and confident learners, ready to take their place in the wider world. We believe that it is a shared journey of learning for children which involve Parents/Whanau, Teachers/Kaiako and the whole Early childhood community. We promote Te Reo Maori and Nga Tikanga Maori which are made visible and their values are affirmed for children from all cultural backgrounds. We believe in Reggio Emilia based learning experiences as well as Mainstream Early Childhood experiences that endorse our Early Childhood Curriculum – Te Whariki.

Licensed for

70 children

A picture of Aspirations Early Learning Centre

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Aspirations Early Learning Centre

Aspirations Early Learning Centre is owned by an Auckland based couple and will be owner-operated centre located in Papatoetoe. With complete qualifications, registration and over 10 years of industry experience in Early Childhood we have a lot to offer.

It has been the best journey in the last decade to be a contributing factor in shaping futures and building a strong base for so many tamariki, who I have facilitated in the past. I have always been in a staunch believer of the wonders this age group of children between the ages of 0-5yrs can do and as a Kaiako, this becomes our prime responsibility to be able to recognise those needs and respond to the learning in an appropriate manner.

Having my own child and seeing him develop and grow in the same childcare as I would work in before, has been my main motivation behind being so passionate about this profession. We are a beautiful family of 3, which includes my Husband and our beautiful son who is now a 5-year-old and attending primary school. We both are proud of him and the way he has adjusted into a school environment and that too with so much ease. We hold strong to our Values, Ethics and Beliefs which helps us stay alert, more focused on our goals and having a very practical approach to life, these are our principles that we live in as a family.

“What we shape today becomes the future of tomorrow”. Our strong focus to increasing capabilities, building on strengths, challenging ourselves, focus on literacy and numeracy, bringing in structure and Robust Transition to School Programme while keeping the Cultures alive and inspiring tamariki to enjoy their learning is what Aspirations Early Learning Centre is all about.

It is a place where Diverse cultures comes to life and where children are encouraged to think beyond the normal to Become Competent and Confident Learners.

Licensed for

60 children

A picture of The Tree House

Papatoetoe - Auckland

The Tree House

Nau mai haere mai ki te whaanau! Welcome to our Tree House family!

We are a community-based not-for-profit early childhood education centre set up in 1998 to provide affordable childcare for staff at Middlemore Hospital and our local community.

More than twenty years on, we continue to deliver high quality and accessible care in our newly renovated premises.

Our aim is to provide:

  • A service that is connected and responsive to our community needs, preferences and resources
  • A strong and effective teaching team of caring, qualified and experienced kaiako (teachers)
  • Secure, consistent relationships between kaiako and tamariki (children)
  • Inclusive and innovative learning and teaching practices
  • A culture that celebrates diversity and promotes the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) and bicultural learning
  • A quiet, warm, well-organised indoor environment and natural, spacious outdoor setting
  • Nourishing kai (food) and active play that supports healthy development
  • Inspired and committed leadership and governance

Licensed for

90 children

A picture of Cuddly Kiwis Childcare Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe - Auckland

Cuddly Kiwis Childcare Papatoetoe

Cuddly  Kiwis Childcare is a family owned and operated group of early learning  centres which offers safe and quality learning environments through play  for young children.

With  stimulating play spaces and a child-centered curriculum, our aim is to  inspire creativity, imagination, exploration to enhance children’s  emotional, social, cognitive and physical growth to become competent,  capable and confidant learners.

We  believe in empowering children through opportunities, challenges,  offering choices through activities and events in our daily practices so  that they grow in body, mind, heart and spirit and achieve excellent  self-esteem, skills and a positive outlook in life. 

Come join us in nurturing a brighter future for our young leaders of the world. 

Licensed for

50 children