Childcare options in Thames

Te Kōhanga Reo o Matai Whetu is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Thames and provides for up to 20 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.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Tonga o Hoterini is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Thames and provides for up to 23 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.

A Fun Place to Be is situated 2km from The CBD of Thames on the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula. 

We are a privately owned centre operated by experienced, qualified and family orientated early childhood teachers. 

We occupy a modern purpose built centre allowing for a personal and practical experience for children, staff, families and visitors.

We offer a safe and secure environment that focuses on empowering each child with the self confidence to make their own positive choices. We aim to build lifelong connections with Whānau and look forward to sharing in your child's learning journey.

We believe that children need space to learn and grow.

We are fortunate to have a vast outdoor area hosting a large bike track, playground, vegetable gardens and substantial grassed areas- promoting active play, physical development and an affinity for nature.

Central Kids Thames Kindergarten is part of your community. We are a whānau focused kindergarten, and parents/whānau are always welcome to stay, make a cuppa and spend time with us.

Our kindergarten supports sustainable practices including gardening, recycling and sourcing sustainable resources. Children are able to plant and collect vegetables and herbs fresh from our garden to use in our daily baking. We also offer a weekly Ngāhere programme where children develop an appreciation and respect for Papatūānuku. This gives our older tamariki the opportunity to spend one whole day a week immersed in nature at a local bush reserve.

We are extremely proud of our kindergarten and programme. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Kia Ora and Welcome to Little Chiefs Educare,

With our great central location Little Chiefs caters for up to 39 children aged 0-6. We operate out of two rooms: The Mini Chiefs room is for our up to two year old children and our Mighty Chiefs room is designed for our over two children.

We operate with raitios of 1:3 in the Mini Chiefs with a max of 9 children, and 1:8 in the Mighty Chiefs with a max of 30 children. By operating with higher ratios and lower group sizes than the Ministry of Education requirements we allow more space for children to actively explore and make discoveries, as well as getting more time with the teachers to support and foster children's learning and development.

Little Chiefs has qualified and experienced staff who are responsive to the needs of our children. Our staff are passionate about creating an atmosphere which invites a child’s interests, stimulates creativity and develops their confidence to explore and discover their surroundings and make sense of the world around them.

We aim to meet the needs of parents and children, providing the child with meaningful learning experiences and the parents with time to pursue their daily activities, secure in the knowledge that their child is well cared for and happy.

We base our programme around the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum: Te Whāriki and dispositional learning through a play-based environment.

Little Chiefs

This name been established to signify the future generation of leaders in this beautiful country of ours… Our very own tamariki. These ākonga (learners) are the next chief executives, chief petty officers, Chiefs rugby players, chief pilots, and Maori Chiefs just to name a few. They are our future and they will be the ones making decisions for us when we are elderly. It is in these early years that these Little Chiefs have the ability to explore and discover who they are and start preparing their inspiring minds to excel in the world around us. We come together from many cultures and nationalities where these mokopuna have the opportunity to start their journeys in a non-judgemental environment that fosters their abilities to become lifelong learners and reach their unique personal goals.

Te Koha o te Ao

Te Koha o te Ao poetically translates to “The gifts of the world.” These tamariki are the tremendously precious and we wish to acknowledge that, while we teach them to become the best they can be, we also realise that they need love and care at this age and we are here to give them the extra cuddles they need while in our care, and allow them to building trusting and reciprocal relationships in a safe and nurturing environment.

Janie Smith

Centre Director

We are a family owned small childcare in the heart of Thames. Offering children and there families a truly quality early childhood service.

Our Philosophy 

• We value learning through play and movement. Our children will be able to move freely, and this is valued contribution to their learning.
• Relationships will be at the forefront of what we value ensuring everyone is involved for all children and made to feel a part of the centre.
• We will create a home away from home for all our young miners, supporting links between home and centre and respectful of all children’s and family’s needs.
• We understand our children are emotional learners and we will support their emotional journeys as they move towards being ready for school.
• We support building resilience and building capable learners who develop a positive attitude towards giving it a go.

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to Thames Parawai 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!

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