ABOUT US
A NATURAL AND NURTURING
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
Welcome to The Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare. A home away from home for your precious children based in Welcome Bay, Tauranga.
Come and learn a bit more about us and what we stand for...
Our Babies and Toddlers Centre on Victory Street is small and homely, catering for infants to age three, with a license for 25 children. While our Preschool centre on Pamir Place is licensed for 33 children aged three to five year, focusing on learning foundation skills in their development to grow and become competent, confident learners. The centres are just 100m apart.
We have a strong focus on family and community and have weekly bush kindy excursions into the Johnson Reserve. These exciting outings are designed to expand the children’s knowledge of our local community and the natural world.
The Children’s Garden Preschool and Childcare have established a great working relationship with our local schools, Selwyn Ridge Primary School and Welcome Bay School. To learn more about our transition to school process please click here to visit our Parent Info page.
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.
Natural play places provide sensory stimulation and physical diversity and can shape a child’s environmental identity and guide their environmental actions.
BUSH KINDY
Bush Kindy is an active part of our curriculum, which is much loved by all tamariki.
Each week the oldest 12 children have the chance to go exploring for a morning, and they love it. They go rain or shine (raincoats and gumboots supplied) and enjoy their morning tea in the bush together before heading off to explore. Their 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.
OUR MISSION
The Children’s Garden aims to provide a program 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 instill 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 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 relationships with all learners and their whanau (Whanaungatanga), promoting Tuakana/Teina (peer support), and reflecting Tikanga through an inclusive program.
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.