BestStart MacDonald Street

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reading time
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swing babies
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best start vests
toddler wood blocks
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BestStart is one of NZ's leading early childcare providers. BestStart MacDonald Street in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga provides affordable, high quality education and award winning childcare for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

At BestStart MacDonald Street we are inspired by our community!

At BestStart MacDonald Street we think its important to foster connections within our community. We have an amazing community we are situated in an industrial area but love to get out into the community through walking trips and with the van to explore our surrounding areas. Being close to several primary schools in the area we work closely with them to support children's transition to school. We are also lucky enough to have before and after school care and holiday programme on our premises which allows even more strengthened connections to school. 

All the children in our care can benefit from community connection as we can all learn from one another. We believe in role modeling and building relationships which are strong foundations for learning at any age. 

You will find us tucked away near the end of a long cul-de-sac off of the Pacific Coast Highway. We are a large centre with generous amounts of space. We are in a great position, especially for those who work in the surrounding industrial area. 

Our Team

Our team is multicultural and full of passion. They are deeply connected to our tamariki and whanau and work hard to create amazing bonds with each child. We welcome you to become part of our whanau and come and learn alongside our amazing community here at Best Start MacDonald St. Teachers create individual development programmes and consistently update e-portfolio's that record their learning and development.

What We Offer

  • 20 hours free for 3-5 year olds and WINZ subsidies available* if required
  • Experienced tight-knit team of passionate teachers
  • Healthy Heart Award - knowing nutrition and health is important to us
  • Fresh, healthy, nutritious meals and snacks provided throughout the day 

Our Spaces

We have huge play spaces with an amazing outdoor play space that has lots of room to run around and be free. We invitie whanau with our warm and welcoming culture. We are inclusive of all and we have our two beautiful centre rabbits who teaches us empathy and caring for others, We have schools out right behind us which is convenient for whanau to do a one stop drop.

Te Tipu

(Under 2)

Koru

(2-3.5 years old)

Kowhai

(Over 3)

Video Gallery

Learning through playful interactions
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths - STEAM learning at BestStart MacDonald Street
ANZAC Lockdown activity
A taste of centre life
Quality Service Award 2023

kind words from our parents

Parent

This is an awesome centre. We are always greeted by friendly staff and farewelled with a smile. Everyday my son learns something new and is so excited to tell me how he learnt it. My kids love to be at the centre and I have loved being a part of this journey by being connected and knowing what they are doing through story park, Its not just a childcare centre, it is their second home.

Parent

I love this centre for a number of reasons… 1) The Staff – They have a number of wonderful staff members including, the Manager Ani who genuinely cares about the children and their families. 2) Top Kids Room – I love the Top Kids room because of the cool layout, it’s nice and big, it has a fun atmosphere and a range of activities for the kids. 3) Safe & Fun – I feel confident that my daughter is being well taken care of and always enjoys her day there. She is always happy to go there in the mornings and is happily playing when I arrive to pick her up. 4) Structure – I like how the days are structured with meal times, sleep times, activities, themes and free play. They balance routines with different activities and themes, which keep things interesting for the kids. Overall, I think this centre is great and I feel very happy with my daughters learning and development.

Parent

The correspondence from teachers during lockdown has been outstanding. They always had a number of activities to try to do at home, and recipes to help make the children get involved whilst still learning. I found it really good as we would get activity ideas to undertake if we wished to. This was done on StoryPark, which is user friendly and can be used daily to communicate with teachers if need be. Coming back at level 3 was a decision that I did not even hesitate to make. My husband and I had no choice but to return to work at Level 3. However, I have full trust in the teachers and the Ministry of Education to ensure that my children were going to be in a safe environment and very tight hygiene rescheme. As we have been back at Level 3 for 2 weeks now, I am very pleased with the procedures in place that have made me and my children feel safer whilst Covid-19 is still present. The professionalism and commitment of these engaged teachers have done a wonderful effort in these unpredictive times.

Parent

Our children have attended BestStart McDonald Street over the past 8 years. When we first investigated which centre to send our daughter, Best Start McDonald Street stood out from the others due to the friendly and welcoming staff. We liked the separate learning spaces for different age groups, emphasis on child safety, daily routine and targeted learning towards various ages and stages. The reassurance as a parent dropping my children off and knowing that they would be cared for unconditionally enabled me to confidently focus on my day. Our children have had such a warm, caring and nurturing experience. My eldest had a fantastic transition to primary school and was well prepared for the next stage of learning. Now that my youngest daughter is ready, I am confident that she will also have a positive transition. Thank you so much for your caring, nurturing and heartful teaching, we will miss you.

Parent

During lockdown it was great to have ideas of things to do at home with everyday items, like forts with blankets and pillows, the foam was a big hit. Rhett also really enjoyed being able to watch videos of his teachers singing songs and reading books. We loved being able to submit photos of Rhett doing the activities and the teachers responding to the pictures. As parents we loved the fact that teachers would take the time to send an individual video to the kids. Rhett loved watching video from his teachers, and ‘talked’ to them. We also really enjoyed having the words of songs and the kids favourite stories sent through so we can give them something familiar. We have really connected more as a family unit during this time but Rhett is very ready to get back to daycare and see his friends again! You have no idea how much we appreciate the daycare teachers!!!

Parent

Our son Charlie started at BestStart McDonald Street when he was 3 years old, after a not so great experience at another child care centre. We were a bit nervous to switch, but from the moment we arrived at BestStart, the team went above and beyond to ensure our boy was happy. They worked alongside us when he needed some extra assistance in the classroom, and he is now an amazingly settled and clever 5 year old enjoying his first year at school. We really cannot thank the teachers and staff enough for their efforts and would not hesitate to recommend BestStart McDonald Street to anyone who is looking for a great child care centre for their children.

What we're proud of

Read our latest ERO report Read our latest ERO report e-Portfolios e-Portfolios We have a Healthy Heart Award We have a Healthy Heart Award We're part of the Building Blocks Programme We're part of the Building Blocks Programme Most Trusted Childcare Most Trusted Childcare Quality Service Award Quality Service Award Set For School Set For School

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