Childcare options in Ngongotaha

Our Community

Our tamariki and whānau feel a sense of belonging at Busy Bees Ngongotahā, and we welcome new families in, to feel right at home too in our home-style villa.  We offer nutritious, home-cooked meals, a huge backyard play area for our tamariki.  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 and preschool 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.

Environment & Sustainability

At Busy Bees Ngongotahā, we are also passionate about teaching sustainable habits and practices to our children. By encouraging them to reduce, reuse, and recycle, we instil a love for the environment in their young minds. Our centre has worm farms, and we grow our own vegetables in our garden, allowing our toddlers and pre-schoolers to become explorers in their environment. Through imaginative play, they learn the names of animals, insects, and plants, and their purposes on our earth. As they care for their centre environment and community, we foster a sense of responsibility for the world we live in.

Transport & Excursions

We proudly operate our own Busy Bees centre van, allowing us to help support both new and existing families who require assistance with transport to and from the centre. We also utilise this awesome resource for excursions out and about in our local community, which are always a fantastic learning opportunity!

We place importance on children having space to explore, create and develop with few restrictions and limitations placed on them. 

Children's creativity and interests are nurtured, while using rich language and introducing a huge variety of learning experiences. 

Children's interests, abilities, curiosity and passions are integral to the running of our centre. 

We are situated in semi-rural north Ngongotaha. This location is ideal for parents from rural Kaharoa, Mamaku, Hamurana, Mourea and Ngongotaha. 

Only two minutes from Ngongotaha and 12 minutes from central Rotorua, the centre is on state highway 36, so no extra detours for parents and caregivers. Vegetarian meals are provided with an emphasis on quality food from sustainable providers, where possible from onsite edible gardens.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngongotahā is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Rotorua and provides for up to 30 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.