BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy

The Teina Room is where our tamariki take their first big step on their learning journey. Building strong relationships (whakawhanaungatanga) is at the heart of what we do, as the friendships formed here often carry through into our Tuakana Room.

In Teina, we place a strong focus on sensory and manipulative play, using tools from Kōwhiti Whakapai to support the development of oral language.

Our kaiako nurture the cultural values and overall wellbeing of each child, helping tamariki feel supported by both their whānau and those around them. This creates a solid foundation for a smooth and confident transition from Teina to Tuakana.

The Tuakana Room supports our tamariki as they prepare to take their next big step — starting school!

Our programme is designed alongside cultural values to develop confidence and independence through Set for School routines, mat times, storytelling sessions, and regular school visits to Mayfield Primary.

Tamariki also enjoy excursions to the local library, and each child has their own notebook to practise early literacy and numeracy skills in a fun and meaningful way.

Everything we do in the Tuakana Room is to help our tamariki feel ready, capable, and excited for the journey ahead.

Our outdoor area is a favourite space for our tamariki to explore, move, and connect.

With a spacious playground, a large sandpit, bikes, and a variety of engaging activities, there’s always something fun happening outside.

We place a strong emphasis on physical play, helping tamariki build coordination, strength, and confidence, while promoting healthy hearts and an active lifestyle from a young age.

It’s a space where tamariki from both the Teina and Tuakana Rooms come together, building their older sibling, younger sibling bond, learning from one another, and enjoying shared experiences.

This daily interaction fosters a strong sense of whanaungatanga across the centre, helping younger children gain confidence and older tamariki develop leadership skills in a natural, playful way.