BestStart Te Aroha

Our Pēpi Room is a nurturing under 2's space that supports children from infancy through to when they are developmentally ready to transition to the next room, typically between 2 years. Transitions are never age-driven; instead, they are guided by each child’s physical, emotional, and social readiness.

This room is built around a responsive & flexible approach. While shared moments such as morning tea and afternoon tea provide gentle structure, individual routines are always prioritised. Older children who are on one sleep often enjoy lunch before settling for rest, while our younger babies follow their own home routines: sleeping, eating, and having bottles when they are ready.

We are proud to offer our own dedicated outdoor space with real grass, allowing babies to explore, move, and connect with nature in a safe and calming environment. With a maximum of 15 children per day and up to three teachers, our Pēpi Room focuses on strong relationships, consistency, and meeting each child exactly where they are developmentally, supporting them to feel secure, valued, and confident in their early learning journey.

Whare Tamariki is our vibrant over 2's learning space, where children can remain until they transition to school. This is a busy, energetic environment grounded in play-based learning, with teachers providing intentional teaching, thoughtful provocations, and rich experiences that extend children’s thinking, language, and understanding of the world.

We place a strong emphasis on creating a rich learning and language environment, recognising this stage as a crucial time when children are developing a strong sense of identity and belonging. Social competency is a key focus in this space & children are supported to learn skills such as turn-taking, respecting others, managing emotions, and understanding how to work alongside their peers; all essential foundations for life beyond early childhood.

We value learning beyond the centre and regularly take part in excursions. We implement our "Set for School" programme in-centre and our older children participate in the "Ready, Set, Go" programme at Te Aroha Primary School, supporting a smooth and confident transition to school.