Childcare options in Waihi Beach

The 'Nido' Classroom Aged 0 - 3 years

The Nido Philosophy

• Respect is the most significant aspect of care and education with infants and toddlers and is the overarching principle underpinning the values and actions of the Athenree Montessori Nido teaching team. Actions demonstrating respect include: developing nurturing relationships', predictability, empathy, considering the child a capable and equal human being, being fully present and undertaking peaceful observations to respond sensitively 

• Children are empowered as they are offered choice and are given time to respond. Offering choices and inviting children to engage are both important parts of the Nido program

• ‘Through subtle signs and gestures in the presence of sensitive, attuned observers, even the youngest child can express his or her opinion and therefore have his or her human rights upheld”
• It is through peaceful observation that teachers learn what the child wants, needs, likes, dislikes, and also what they’re capable of and what they’re emerging capabilities are.

• Our children experience an environment that respects them for who they are. 
• Our program encourages our children to feel secure and safe to make independent choices in all areas of their learning and development.

• Respecting children’s confidence and competence provides them with the self-esteem that comes with working through feelings and emotions. When children are allowed time and are given support to work through feelings like frustration, they learn to self-regulate, collect themselves and refocus. They also learn trust and feel emotionally secure if they need extra help from someone else. 

The 'Bambini' Classroom 3 - 6 years

Children's inherent love of learning is encouraged by giving them the opportunity to be spontaneous, and engage in meaningful activities under the guidance of passionate, qualified teachers.

The wide range of children’s interests, abilities, and learning styles are identified, catered for and celebrated. 

"If we try to think back to the dim and distant past... what is it that helps us reconstruct those times, and to picture the lives of those who lived in them? It is their art... It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen."

— Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Our Montessori classroom provides a prepared environment where children naturally choose to play and learn. Our focus is on creating independence, with a love of learning. Acquiring a love of learning and learning how to learn is our goal. Children have daily opportunities to learn practical life skills which enables concentration, independence, and care for their environment, themselves, and others in their community. Montessori is a way of being, preparing children for life.

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

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

Our tamariki develop nurturing and social skills which have lifelong benefits. Siblings attend together, allowing tuakana-teina relationships to form where older children can 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 children’s learning and gaining new skills by working through the adult education system, a nationally recognised qualification. 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.

KiwiKidz Educare At The Beach

We are a family-owned and operated Early Childhood Learning Centre.

We respect and appreciate the values, needs and aspirations that you have for your child. Teachers and children learn, celebrate and implement practices that support our environmental focus throughout our centre.

We have an authentic commitment and enthusiasm for nurturing children on their journey as confident, curious, competent life learners.

"Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti arahia o tatou mahi -

Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work."

We are located on the beautiful East Coast and only 2 minutes from Waihi Beach Village. We are walking distance from Waihi Beach Primary School and a small stroll to our beautiful Waihi Beach.

Kiwikidz At the Beach embraces it's large natural outdoor environment that incorporates climbing equipment, large covered sandpit area, lot's of natural grass space and native planting and a special mud play area.

We celebrate our large outdoor natural environment that incorporates children’s vegetable gardens, worm farm and fruit trees and home of our centre guinea pigs Bruno and Rocky.

Our bright open inside spaces provide opportunities for children to enjoy imaginative play, art activities, early literacy and numeracy activities and invite opportunities for music and movement.

We have a beautiful area for our infant and toddlers.