Childcare options in Tuakau

WINZ may be available to Assist with childcare payments if you are eligible. WE have a centre cook providing us with a nutritious morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea as well as consideration for those with specific dietary requirements being catered for.

We have firm relationships within our local community, providing experiences to develop a sense of belonging for children and links with their home/whanau. 

Our centre is privately owned by sister and brother Rachel Thorn-Vercoe and Bevan Thorn who have created a space for children to learn and develop in a predictable and secure environment.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Mokopuna o Te Awamarahi is a centre-based kōhanga reo located in Tuakau and provides for up to 25 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.

We help children engage their bodies and minds through fun and educational activities.

Mission

Dandy & Lion Educare is no ordinary ECE provider. We are a village of families dedicated to providing each and every one of our children with an early childhood filled with love and holistic growth. The Dandy House, nestled in Tuakau Township, teams a home environment with high quality care and innovative education. We are strongly focused on connection and collaboration. Our purpose is to know and love our children, our families, our staff, our community. We aim to empower them, through care & learning moments, growing who they are and how they learn. 

We Know

At Dandy & Lion, we know our place, our people and ourselves. This knowledge is the primary guide to our daily practice. We continually seek innovative teaching & learning approaches, to ensure we are best fulfilling each individual’s care & educational needs.

The Dandy & Lion Centre’s purpose is to ensure every child leaves their early learning years with a lion’s share of connections, experiences & memories, and the courage to make a thousand dandelion wishes for the future. 

We Love

We believe that love and care is an essential part of all quality learning experiences. Dandy & Lion is modelled on a home environment and holds all the same comforts: an open and comfortable setting, an atmosphere of warmth, acceptance as an individual, and genuine close relationships with others.

We Grow

Dandy & Lion offers a learning approach that grows hearts and bodies, as well as minds. With Te Whariki (Early childhood curriculum) as a foundation, we have utilised the Pikler approach, along with Maori tikanga and Christian values, as education pillars by which our curriculum stands. Our children will leave their early learning years with a lion’s share of knowledge, experiences & memories, and the courage to make a thousand dandelion wishes for the future.

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to Tuakau 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!

We are open from 7.00 AM – 6.00 PM, Monday – Friday. We are licensed to take up to 38 children 10 under 2’s & 28 over 2’s. We take children from 3 months to 5 years. We have total 6 teachers, 4 qualified teachers working in the centre.

We have a cook onsite who prepares fresh meals for the children.

We value the knowledge children bring to the centre. Activities based on their interests motivate their learning. This fosters a love of learning, curiosity, affection and self-direction.

We believe all children are competent and capable and can take a control of their learning. Therefore, we provide them with a range of open-ended resources and let them have autonomy in their learning environment. We believe that children learn best when they feel safe. 

At A1 Kids warm reciprocal, responsive relationships are promoted where children’s well-being and sense of belonging is an important aspect built through meaningful interactions and learning opportunities. Our professional and knowledgeable team interacts with children in a warm and loving manner which enables them to feel comfortable and secure, trust their teachers and lays the foundation for lifelong learning, ‘learning to love to learn’.