Childcare options in Belfast

Belfast 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 Belfast

Parents agree these childcare options are highly rated for location, staff, and more.

A picture of BestStart Styx Mill

Belfast - Christchurch

BestStart Styx Mill

BestStart Styx Mill provides quality education and care in a specially designed centre in Northwood. Our teachers do more than just care for tamariki, we focus on supporting their development and learning. We work with families to support their hopes and dreams, to ensure their child's individual routines are supported, helping create a smooth transition into centre life.

Our Vision - To Be The Best We Can Be

What makes us different?

  • All our environments are designed to be age appropriate and stimulating
  • Both our under two and over two year old outdoor play spaces are very large making them fantastic spaces for physical development and exploration
  • The centre also has a gym where children can do physical activities within small groups supported by a teacher
  • Our team of qualified and experienced teachers provide and maintain a respectful centre where you will be happy to leave your children, knowing they will receive the highest quality care and education
  • We will inquire about your hopes and dreams for your child as well as their routine to make a smooth transition into our centre
  • Centre will surprise the whanau with special days and events that the children can be part of. Special celebrations are supported within the centre
  • Nutritional morning and afternoon teas as well as providing breakfast
  • Ample off street parking

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 Belfast Playcentre

Belfast - Christchurch

Belfast 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 Kidsfirst Kindergartens Belfast

Belfast - Belfast

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Belfast

Nestled within Sheldon Park and connected to Belfast School grounds, Kidsfirst Kindergarten Belfast is conveniently located just past Belfast School, with ample parking for easy access. The kindergarten boasts a beautiful, expansive backyard that serves as a haven for exploration, discovery, and cultivating a sense of wonder. Set amidst a natural environment, it encourages tamariki to take risks, engage in physical activities, and collaboratively set their own challenges. With a focus on environmental stewardship and the concept of kaitiaki, children are taught to care for their surroundings as guardians of Papatuanuku. Kidsfirst Belfast prioritizes building strong relationships to empower children's learning, fostering confidence, respect, and connection among akonga (learners). The kindergarten aims to cultivate a spirit of exploration, curiosity, and creative thinking, equipping children with the necessary attributes to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Licensed for

40 children

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A picture of The Owls Nest Preschool

Belfast - Christchurch

The Owls Nest Preschool

The Owl’s Nest Preschool is a family owned and operated preschool located in the Northwood and Belfast area.

The Preschool is in an ideal location nestled on a quiet residential street backing onto Englefield Reserve with easy access to the two main transport routes in the area (Main North Road and Johns Road).

Christchurch husband and wife team Graham and Charlotte Henderson decided to start an early childhood service because they are passionate about the importance of education in the early years of a child’s life and how this lays the foundation for lifelong learning.

Graham’s 16 years educational background (both secondary and early childhood) and Charlotte’s psychology degree mean they are both well versed in meeting the needs of diverse children and their families and they and their team cannot wait to care for and nurture your precious child.  

What we offer

  • The Owl’s Nest caters for a maximum of 28 children aged between 2 and 5 years old.
  • We have a ratio of one teacher for every seven children which is well below the Ministry of Education requirement (one teacher to every ten children).
  • This smaller sized preschool allows more teacher time per child which creates a more calm and relaxed environment for children to grow and develop.
  • It also allows meaningful reciprocal relationships between whānau and caregivers, children and the team to evolve.
  • We have a large and spacious outdoor play area with plenty of room for our children to run and play. 
  • We also back onto Englefield Reserve with a locked gate access and the children will have opportunities to be taken on excursions to the Reserve.
  • The classroom space is also light, airy and warm for those chilly indoor days.
  • Nutritious and delicious morning and afternoon teas will be prepared on site and served to the children daily. 
  • There’s also the possibility that we may offer catered lunches in future so please ask us about this if you are interested.

Licensed for

28 children

A picture of Creative Cubs Belfast

Belfast - Belfast

Creative Cubs Belfast

At Creative Cubs children and families are at the heart of what we do.  

We believe in providing environments where children feel safe and secure, enabling them to feel happy, capable and confident.   

We value child-led, creative and practical experiences to enhance children’s development across all areas. Children who are actively engaged and involved in their own learning see themselves as competent and capable young people.  

We value the arts approach where through imagination, music, dance, drama and visual arts, creativity will flourish amongst children.  

Our calm and nurturing environments offer enriched learning spaces that promote challenge, collaboration, creative synergy, problem solving and active thinking skills.  

Te Whariki underpins our curriculum, as well as incorporating the RIE philosophy, Reggio Emilia and Carl Orff approach.   We value partnerships with parents, whanau and the community as a collaborative approach.  

Our teachers are also life long learners who work alongside and nurture children, to explore and discover their unique interests and strengths.   

We value respectful and inclusive practise where children are seen as unique individuals and learn and grow together.

Licensed for

40 children