BestStart Whangamata

The Fantail Room is a home away from home for our young tamariki. The room is set up to function like a house and children are able to explore and learn at their own pace in a quiet and inviting space. Play-based learning provocations are set up to cater to children's individual interests and development needs. The teachers communicate daily routines with parents through a notebook that is updated daily and goes home with parents. This notebook includes important information such as meal times, sleep times, and nappy changes. Teachers also write notes about the child's day and add special messages and stickers for parents to enjoy and cherish.

A beautiful indoor space that embraces the 16 areas of play for young children. It is set up to cater for infants and toddlers and appeals to their learning and development needs. The room has lots of loose parts for children to explore and create with. There is a covered deck area for indoor/outdoor flow. Then a ramp leads to an outdoor area with a sandpit, waterplay and plenty of space to climb and ride tricycles. The under twos environment has been set up to feel like a home away from home

The Tui Room is set up in three different spaces. We have an indoor space where art, craft, and playdough are set up. Inside we also have a quest space with puzzles, building blocks, and loose parts play. Then, our outdoor area is set up with water play, a sandpit, and lots of outdoor equipment to inspire active movement. We also have an outdoor "mat room" where we have family play, musical instruments, wooden blocks and much more. The mat time room is great for indoor/outdoor flow and there are covered play areas by each entrance of the mat room which means play is not limited when it is raining. We embrace the Play-based learning philosophy and endeavour to have the "16 areas of play" displayed in our centre each week.

We have an indoor space where art, craft, and playdough are set up. Inside we also have a quest space with puzzles, building blocks, and loose parts play. Then, our outdoor area is set up with water play, a sandpit, and lots of outdoor equipment to inspire active movement. We also have an outdoor "mat room" where we have family play, musical instruments, wooden blocks and much more. The mat time room is great for indoor/outdoor flow and there are covered play areas by each entrance of the mat room which means play is not limited when it is raining. We embrace the Play-based learning philosophy and endeavour to have the "16 areas of play" displayed in our centre each week. Tui Time, is a group for four-year-olds to become ready for school. We have Tui Time every afternoon and it is a rite of passage for our tamariki. They read stories, do art, play games, and learn early literacy and numeracy skills.