The Children's Garden
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Welcome to the Children’s Garden

QUALITY CHILDCARE AND LEARNING FOR CHILDREN

Babies

We provide quality care, support and learning during the ealiest stages of your child’s development.

Toddlers

We help the children to find their feet, and to learn how to understand the world around them.

Preschoolers

As they start to realise more about their world, we help your children to realise their own potential.

Welcome

THANKS FOR VISITING
At The Children’s Garden we aim to work with each child’s unique qualities, providing them with experiences and opportunities which will awaken their senses, stimulating
their imagination and creativity, fostering an enquiring mind and a love of learning. We aim to instil a sense of value and self-worth in all our children, along with an acceptance and understanding of the many cultures that make up our society. We promote and encourage good self-care through healthy eating practices and physical activity, and foster care and empathy for all other beings.

We believe in learning through play, and encourage resourcefulness and lateral thinking by providing open-ended resources and activities, utilizing natural materials and objects whenever possible. Our goal is to deliver responsible, respectful, caring, life-long learners, ready to embrace and make the most of their school years.

Bush Kindy!

Transition to School Programme

Van for Excursions

Our Mission

WHAT'S OUR GOAL

The Children’s Garden aims to provide a programme where the child’s development is nurtured through experiences and opportunities that will awaken their senses, stimulate their imagination and creativity by fostering an enquiring mind and a love of learning.
We seek to support and instil a sense of value and self-worth in each child as well as an acceptance and understanding of the many cultures which make up our wider community.

Our teachers are qualified professionals who are kind, responsive and fun. We guide and support learning through play-based explorations and experiences. We also place importance on our bush kindy, garden to plate, sustainability, community visits and our transition to school visits.
We acknowledge the importance of a close family and community spirit where whanau feel an inclusive sense of belonging and enjoy being part of a collaborative community to support our children.
We aim to provide an environment which feels homely and safe, encourages good self-care, healthy eating practices, physical activity, care and empathy for all creations.
We believe children learn best where there is predictability and each child feels loved, nurtured, valued and safe. Learning through play encourages resourcefulness, creativity and critical thinking.
Our environment stimulates wonder, curiosity and a love for learning and enquiring. We provide carefully thought out resources and areas utilising natural and recycled materials and loose parts, encouraging imagination, creativity and problem solving, to foster the next generation of innovative leaders.
We are committed to bi-cultural practice, actively engaging in respectful working relationship with all learners and their whanau (Whanaungatanga), promoting Tuakana/Teina (peer support), and reflecting Tikanga through an inclusive programme.
Our learning and teaching is underpinned by Te Whariki (New Zealand’s Early Childhood Curriculum) where it is visible and supports each child’s interests and development. These are documented in a variety of ways through the principles: Empowerment (Whakamana), Holistic Development (Kotahitanga), Family and community (Whanau Tangata) and Relationships (Nga Hononga).
We value our collective goal to nurture and grow responsible, respectful and caring life-long learners.

About Us

THINGS WE DO

Our Childcare Centre

Our Childcare Centre is small and family orientated. It’s Pamir place location is within walking distance of Selwyn Ridge Primary school.  This specialist 3 to 6 year olds centre, allows all children to build strong relationships with each other and with their teachers. Your  child’s sense of belonging and contribution is well supported within this 1:8ratio.

Our philosophy has a strong focus on extending each child’s strengths and interests within a natural and nurturing environment. Each child’s unique needs are supported by fully qualified teachers and our on-site manager.

Bush kindy and our transition to school programme make this centre the best choice in this area.

Our Pre-School Home

Our Specialized infant and toddler centre is small and homely. We specialise in catering for children from birth to 3, with a license for 25 children (only 10 infants 0 – 2 year olds). We offer a safe space for our crawling children. Open from 7:30-5:30.

We have a strong focus on nurturing each child’s sense of belonging. Our teachers get to know each child as a unique individual. Superb ratios allow for this.

Our children are encouraged to connect with nature through bush kindy. Growing vegetables and fruit for baking and soup making are regularly included in the programme. Natural resources are used to grow your child’s sense of joy, wonder and understandings about their world.

An extra ‘studio’ space is used for project and inquiry based learning.

This centre is situated at 64 Victory St. Our children transition from here to our childcare in Pamir st whenever is best for the child. This decision is made in partnership with our families.

Bush Kindy

Bush Kindy is a hugely successful addition to our regular off-site excursions.

Each week our children go exploring for a morning, and they love it. They go rain or shine (raincoats and gumboots supplied) and end the morning with a picnic lunch wherever their adventure has led them. Time in the bush reserve is unstructured and the children make their own fun.

The benefits of spending time outdoors is being increasingly documented, with research showing that time spent in nature can help improve academic performance, reduce stress and benefit a child’s development of strength, balance and co-ordination.

Natural play places provide sensory stimulation and physical diversity and can shape a child’s environmental identity and guide their environmental actions.

Off-site Excursions

One of our many points of difference is our bush kindy programme where on a weekly basis, children explore the natural environment of our local Johnson reserve

Both Centres have regular walks to our local Johnson Reserve and Waipuna Park. Weekly swimming and gymnastics lessons, travelling in our Centre van, are available for older children.

Teachers regularly organise extra outings to expand the children’s knowledge of our local community and the natural world.

Transition to School

The Children’s Garden Pre-school and Childcare have established a great working relationship with our local school, Selwyn Ridge, and also Welcome Bay School.

Children approaching school age are taken for regular visits to the school and are invited to attend school assemblies and events. Time is spent in the new-entrant classroom, getting to know the teacher and the children.

At the Centre we prepare children for their transition to school by teaching self-care skills, looking after their belongings, using lunch-boxes and managing themselves. Numeracy and literacy are taught through play, with name writing and recognition encouraged. Your child will be encouraged to find real joy in books and story telling.

‘Kiwi Club’ is held twice each week and is an inquiry based approach to learning and extending your child’s sense of wonder in their world. Literacy and numeracy skill development are cleverly woven in to this programme.

About Us

THINGS WE DO

Our Childcare Centre is a small, family orientated, mixed-age centre that allows for all children to mix with, and learn from, each other.

This allows siblings and whanau to help build relationships and a sense of belonging beyond their home environment. It also caters for parents/care-givers who want their children to be together while they are cared for.

Our philosophy has a strong focus on free-play in a natural and nurturing environment, supported by fully qualified teachers and our on-site manager.

Our Pre-school Centre is small and homely, catering for infants to 3 year olds, with a license for 25 children. and our Kindy centre is for our 3 to 6  year old tamariki, focusing on learning foundation skills in their development to grow and become competent, confident learners.

We have a strong focus on family and community and have regular excursions away from the centre, visiting the local park and reserve, or further afield to beaches, playgrounds, garden centres, the library etc.

Weekly “Bush Kindy’ and school visits for the older children are also provided.

 

 

girl magnifying leaf

Bush Kindy is an active part of our curriculum, and hugely successful addition to our regular off-site excursions.

Each week the oldest 10 children have the chance to go exploring for a morning, and they love it. They go rain or shine (raincoats and gumboots supplied) and end the morning with a picnic lunch wherever their adventure has led them. Time in the bush reserve is unstructured and the children make their own fun.

The benefits of spending time outdoors is being increasingly documented, with research showing that time spent in nature can help improve academic performance, reduce stress and benefit a child’s development of strength, balance and co-ordination.

Natural play places provide sensory stimulation and physical diversity and can shape a child’s environmental identity and guide their environmental actions.

 

 

 

As our Centres are converted homes on town sections, we appreciate the need for regular trips away from the Centre, to stretch our legs and experience a variety of additional learning environments.

Both Centres have regular walks to our local Johnson Reserve and Waipuna Park, ensuring a community spirit and Aroha for where we live and grow.

Teachers regularly organise extra outings to expand the children’s knowledge of our local community and the natural world.

The Children’s Garden Pre-school and Childcare have established a great working relationship with our local school, Selwyn Ridge, and also Welcome Bay School.

Children approaching school age are taken for regular visits to the school and are invited to attend school assemblies and events. Time is spent in the new-entrant classroom, getting to know the teacher and the children.

At the Centre we prepare children for their transition to school by teaching self-care skills, looking after their belongings, using lunch-boxes and managing themselves. Numeracy and literacy are taught through play, with name writing and recognition encouraged.

 

Testimonials

WHAT PARENTS SAY ABOUT US

Emma-Jane Jones

This is an amazing, loving centre that treats the tamariki as their own. I have had 3 of my children here at The Children’s Garden over 10 years and still keep in touch with a couple teachers who take real joy in seeing children grow and develop.

Erica Macdonald

We have three children (now 5, 3 & 4months old), two who have attended The Children’s Garden in Pamir Place and one who will attend once she is a wee bit older. We have always been very happy with the level of care our children have received within the centre and have a great deal of trust and respect for all the staff there. Our children love going to the centre and always come home with exciting and new learning stories and adventures to share with us.
The Children’s Garden also go the extra mile with activities outside of the centre (i.e swimming, gymnastic) as well as many outings within the community which we love being involved in. After moving to The Children’s Garden from a much bigger childcare centre we have found our children have really thrived in the environment and have formed friendships with other families which have grown over the years and continued into primary school. We really love that our kids get to mingle with all ages (under S) and siblings spend the day together rather than split into age groups. Thanks to The Children’s Garden for allowing our babies to learn and grow and always challenging them with new and exciting experiences. It makes our lives as parents much easier knowing we are dropping them off to a facility which provides an outstanding level of care.
Regards,
Erica Macdonald & Cameron Mitchell

Sally

“Our son Blake has the privilege of attending Children’s Garden Preschool.We feel so lucky to have been recommended this warm and friendly centre!! The environment is supportive, nurturing and full of creativity. The hands on learning shows great strength,independence and confidence building among the children. We admire the centres teachers, their commitment and enthusiasm is fantastic! Blake never wants to miss a day, with weekly bush walks, swimming, school visits, cooking, singing, building all so much fun! The centre also involves learning and celebrating their heritage, including Te Reo Maori language. We have seen Blakes confidence grow and grow and know we definitely made the right decision to enrol Blake here.We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Childrens Garden Preschool to any parent!”

Mel

“Children’s Garden is so much more than a daycare. It is a place for kids to socialise in an environment where there is lots to do, while they are supervised and nurtured by teachers who are passionate about childcare. Children who attend Children’s Garden are learning routines and skills, interacting with children of varying ages and developing friendships. Kiwi Club and the involvement that they have with local schools makes this centre the perfect stepping stone to primary school. There are so many things about Children’s Garden that make it special. The regular themed events, soup/wrap days, bush kindy, learning diaries, huge sandpit and Christmas Party are things that we have really enjoyed over our three years with Children’s Garden. Overall, I have really appreciated the extra mile that the teachers at Children’s Garden demonstrate everyday. This shines through in everything that is awesome about the centre.”

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