BestStart North Road

122 North Road, Prestonville, Invercargill 9810 View on map

03 215 8374

Mon - Fri 7:00am to 5:30pm

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Discover our unique rooms

BestStart North Road is a purpose-built childcare centre with three classrooms, offering welcoming spaces designed for children at different ages and stages. Our environments reflect the Invercargill community and local curriculum, with our natural landscape, landmarks and local history woven into children's everyday experiences.

Our large outdoor spaces give children plenty of room for hands-on exploration, active play and discovering the world around them. Combined with thoughtfully prepared indoor environments, children have opportunities to follow their interests, build confidence and learn through everyday experiences.

Explore our classrooms below to discover more about each space and what your child can enjoy at BestStart North Road!

Tuatara Room(Youngest Pēpi)

Our Tuatara room is a warm, homely space where your pēpi can feel safe, settled and cared for while they are away from home. We take the time to understand your child as an individual, following their cues, routines and pace so they can build confidence and enjoy their early learning journey.

Start with Heart: Your child receives responsive, individual care that supports their development while helping them build confidence and secure relationships.
A strong connection with home: We work closely with whānau to understand your child's routines, needs and personality, helping create consistency between home and childcare.
Safe to explore: Children have the freedom to explore, discover and test their growing abilities, with caring teachers close by to support them.

As your child grows, their move to the next learning space is guided by their individual readiness and development, rather than age alone — helping make each transition feel right for them.

Paihamu Room(Toddlers)

Paihamu is a hands-on learning space where children are encouraged to explore, try new things and discover what they can do. With a strong focus on sensory play, children can use their senses to investigate the world around them while building confidence, curiosity and independence.

Hands-on sensory play: A variety of sensory experiences encourage children to touch, explore, experiment and discover, supporting early learning through play.
Building confidence: Children are encouraged to have a go, make choices and try things for themselves, helping develop an “I can do it” mindset.
Learning with others: Exploring alongside friends gives children opportunities to share ideas, solve problems together and develop important social skills.

With strong whanaungatanga and an open-door approach for whānau, Paihamu is a welcoming space where children can build relationships, feel a sense of belonging and confidently explore their growing abilities.

Pukeko Room(Older Tamariki)

The Pūkeko classroom is a space where children are encouraged to explore, discover and learn through meaningful experiences, projects and connections with the world around them. As children become more independent, teachers support them to build confidence, curiosity and the skills they need for their next big step.

Wild at Heart: Regular excursions to Thompson’s Bush give children the opportunity to explore nature, challenge themselves and develop confidence in the outdoors.
Set for School: Our programme supports children to build early literacy, numeracy, social and independence skills, with regular visits to Donovan Primary School helping them become familiar and comfortable with their future school environment.
Learning beyond the centre: Children learn through both planned experiences and spontaneous discoveries, making connections with people, places and things in their wider world.

Pūkeko helps children develop the confidence and sense of belonging they need to explore, discover and take on their next adventure — starting school.

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