Childcare options in Burwood

Our tamariki and whānau feel a sense of belonging at Busy Bees Bottle Lake, and we welcome new families in, to feel right at home too.  Our teachers live locally, which supports our strong sense of community and comfortable and welcoming environment. Our centre provides nurturing and stimulating environments for young children with its separate Nursery (Taihua), Preschool (Kūkūwai) and Kindy (Ngahere) rooms, as well as areas where tamariki can come together to share tuakana-teina (older-younger child) interactions where wonderful teaching moments are shared. We aim to promote the development and learning of each child, through positive partnership with parents and open communication at all times for family, tangata whenua, whānau, and community.

No need to book a tour, pop in and see us or fill out our enquiry form and the team will be in touch to answer any queries you have! 

Learn more about us here: https://busybees.org.nz/bottlelake

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

Located adjacent to Queenspark School, Kidsfirst Queenspark kindergarten is situated in the heart of the neighborhood, offering children a glimpse of the bustling world around them. Surrounded by tall trees, the kindergarten's engaging atmosphere is evident as children aged 2 to 5 years enjoy the expansive and beautiful backyard. Working alongside one another, the children make choices that connect them with the people, places, and objects within their environment and community, fostering a sense of engagement and exploration. Within the warm and welcoming environment of Kidsfirst Queenspark, both the friendly children and teaching team extend a warm welcome. The spacious interior is filled with natural light and adorned with the children's impressive artwork and displays showcasing their wonderful learning experiences. The outside area is a magical garden, offering natural shade and inspiring spaces for storytelling, games, or moments of tranquility. With native plantings and an array of challenging climbing and physical play equipment, the outdoor space invites active exploration. Featuring grassy and barked areas, gardens, climbing trees, and specially designed equipment to support physical growth and development, children have the freedom to choose and utilize real resources such as saws, hammers, nails, gardening equipment, spades, and shovels. This empowers them to learn about managing risks and making safe choices for meaningful play.

The Champion Centre provides multi-disciplinary early intervention services to infants and young children with significant disabilities and their families in Canterbury. The programme is offered in a centre-based model of service, in partnership with parents, and in accordance with international best practice.    

The Champion Centre offers services for children who have special needs or children whose developmental progress is at risk. Children who attend the centre have a wide range of special needs. These include Down syndrome, other genetic disorders, cerebral palsy, extreme prematurity, epilepsy, developmental dyspraxia, Autism Spectrum Disorder and brain injury.  

We offer a number of services at the Centre including:

• An early intervention programme for children from birth to primary school age who have delays in at least two or more areas of development;
• A specialist early intervention programme for children with relating and communicating difficulties;
• A monitoring programme for children who are at developmental risk either because of prematurity or because of some other health-related vulnerability;
• Individual assessment for children for whom there are questions about their development.

Child referral process:

​Children are referred to the service via a paediatrician who makes a referral to the Early Intervention Coordination Service. This service represents all the early intervention providers in the area and allows offers to be made to families from more than one provider, dependent on capacity in those providers. 

Our children are supported to become confident, competent self-directed learners through play based around their interests. Our children gain knowledge through play, participation and positive guidance.  

Our Children’s curiosity and creativity is nurtured through the fun range of experiences provided … no two days at Playcentre are the same.  

Our children develop nurturing and social skills which have lifelong benefits. Siblings attend together, allowing older children to mentor younger children and practise empathy and caring.  

Our parental relationships developed through Playcentre provide support from parents and help them develop new parenting and life skills.  

Our parents are actively involved in providing our children’s learning programmes. The high adult to child ratio allows a good balance for group and individual support during each session.  

There is no other organisation for early childhood education and family development quite like it in the world. Thousands of kiwi children, and their parents too, have grown up with Playcentre … book in for your three visits today and come and join the fun.

Little Explorers Preschool is an independent privately owned centre and is owner operated.  

We are a small centre that caters for up to 8 under 2's and 24 over 2's. We provide an atmosphere that is rich in quality interactions and have an outstanding natural environment.  

Little Explorers Preschool is committed to maintaining a stimulating programme that is flexible to the needs of our children and their whanau.  

The curriculum is based on the Principles of Te Whariki - the Early Childhood Curriculum and reflects the holistic way that children learn.  

The philosophy of the centre is that children learn through active exploration of the environment. We believe in providing a richly resourced environment with qualified educators who support the children to develop their full potential.