Childcare options in Ngaio

About us

Tiny Nation is home-based care and education with a difference.

We believe that children have the best chance to flourish when they have secure attachments and a strong sense of belonging in their early years. This foundation is key to emotional, physical and mental growth and wellbeing. From this nourished beginning, happy, healthy and well-adjusted young adults can grow.

Enquire today

We would love to match you with the ideal educator in your area so send us an enquiry here and we’ll be in touch to provide you with all the information you need to make the best choice for your family.

How we look after our families

• High quality education and care using only trained educators and qualified teachers

Because we believe in quality, not quantity, we only work with trained educators and qualified teachers, who by completing their training have proven their commitment to nurturing and caring for children. We find the best trained teachers and educators and support them to deliver their own unique early learning programmes in their own homes. We hand-pick them for their passion, commitment, experience and qualifications. We know that qualifications are an indicator of quality when it comes to early childhood education and we’re proud to represent 100% qualified educators and teachers.

• Family and educator self-matches

When you enquire with us as a family, we support you to self-match with a Tiny Nation educator of your choice. The choice factor is huge here – you get to choose the person you leave your child with when you can’t be there. You will choose your educator based on the needs of your family and child, your values, your own early learning philosophy and, most importantly, your connection with them. This allows you to find the perfect educator for your family – someone who will become a part of your support village and who will advocate fiercely for your child when you can’t. Isn’t this what we all want as parents?

• Small ratios of no more than four children to one educator

By choosing home-based early learning, you are choosing small groups and responsive relationships. Tiny Nation educators have no more than four pre-school children in their care at any given time, with no more than two under the age of two. This allows them to engage with their care children in meaningful ways, dedicating time to support their development and getting to know them deeply. Having small ratios of children per educator enables respectful interactions and authentic connections. Your child is not just a number at Tiny Nation.

• Nurturing, natural and familiar home environments

Home environments stir up comforting memories for all of us. We make personal connections with this kind of environment because it represents our childhood. It provides a strong sense of security and safety as we are able to seek comfort through the familiar. Early childhood education in home environments provide a calm and settled foundation for learning to occur. Children have the space to explore the community around them in real and authentic ways.

Our vision

To empower a nation of children to reach their full potential

Our guiding principles

Leadership / Ārahitanga

We encourage, empower and inspire our educators and teachers to contribute to our thinking and re-define what leadership looks like in early childhood education.

Relationship / Whanaungatanga

We are founded on consistent, familiar and nurturing relationships. It’s vital to take the time to understand, relate to and acknowledge each other as relationships are the soil from which everything else grows.

Partnership / Whakahoahoatanga

We are collaborative and work in partnership with parents and whānau, educators, the community and other like-minded services so that they can participate in and contribute to our journey.

These are our values

Authenticity / Mana Pono

This means being real and accountable. We partner with people who are aligned with our principles, values and beliefs so that we can all show up for our children in meaningful ways.

Belonging / Nō Konei Hoki

We affirm the identity, culture and language of our community and ensure staff, children, families and whānau know they have a place with us. Our environments and programmes are inclusive and our transitions are thoughtfully planned.

Communication / Kōrero

Reciprocal and responsive communication allows us to express ideas and feelings. We’re as passionate about listening as we are about being heard. We model effective communication so that our children become capable and confident communicators.

Our commitment to families

“Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti aroha o tatou mahi.

Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work.”

When you enrol as a family with Tiny Nation, we make a commitment to you as we journey together to provide your child with the love and care that they need to grow and flourish. For us, early childhood starts with care and ends with education. We know that no significant learning can occur without there first being a significant relationship. Your chosen educator becomes your child’s special person – their ‘go to’ in times of triumph and trouble. Someone who loves them just like you do and an extension of your family.

We are nestled in the leafy suburb of Ngaio, surrounded by hills, parks and our precious Kaiwharawhara stream, which is inhabited by our beautiful taonga, eels. Our children love to observe and discuss them!  

A part of the community for more than 40 years, we are a well-established centre for parents to meet and children to have fun learning. We have close ties with our local schools, including Ngaio and Crofton Primaries, which most of our children transition to.  

Our team philosophy acknowledges all children as confident, competent learners. We enable them to develop and build their independence, practice new skills, be challenged and experience success. We are open and reflective about our teaching practice, and value the culture, beliefs, and backgrounds of all our children and whanau.

Ngaio Childspace is nestled within the beautiful area of Tarikaka Settlement in Ngaio, Wellington.

We believe in care and education that fosters reciprocal and respectful relationships with tamariki and whanau. It is through this partnership and our continuity of care approach that children are supported holistically within our space.

We endeavour to have enriching and engaging environments that encourage exploration, autonomy, and trust while upholding the values that are important to us as a centre, and those that are important to our whanau.

Our passionate team of qualified teachers work across two neighbouring spaces: one villa is dedicated to children up to the age of around two years old and the other villa up to the age of five years old.

Whilst each age group has their own freedom of space, there is a caring culture where all children spend time together and learn from one another.

Ngaio Childspace is a full-time centre, committed to fostering love and care in Early Childhood Education.

Ngaio Childspace runs a relationship based programme focusing on the utmost respect for every child and family that we work with.

Our thoughtfully planned out spaces offer opportunity for exploration and investigation, and also spaces for sanctuary and retreat.

Inspired by the work of Emmi Pikler and Magda Gerber, we have created a peaceful environment which allows children to discover as much as possible on their own with the support of familiar and consistent teachers.

This respectful approach is supported by our key caregiving system which ensures one person within the environment is committed to building a close trusting relationship with each child and their family.

This creates consistent communication with families on a daily basis and a secure base for children spending time away from their family during the day.

Our whole-team approach to key caregiving ensures that all teachers form loving and respectful relationships with children.