Wellbeing

We know that if a child eats healthily and exercises regularly, that they’re more likely to be a happy, healthy adult. That’s why we partnered with Heart Foundation and Waikato and Auckland Universities to create our Hauora (Wellbeing) programme. You’ll find exercise and healthy eating part of what we do every day at BestStart, simply because we want the best start and life for your child.
The evidence is overwhelming that what happens during the early childhood years sets the pattern the rest of our children’s lives. As the country’s biggest early childhood provider, we feel it’s important to set great habits around good nutrition and activity. That’s why we created ‘Hauora’, our wellness initiative – and it’s in every BestStart centre.
We’re proud to partner the Heart Foundation to bring you ‘Hauora’. Our goal is for every BestStart centre to start their Tohu Manawa Ora | Healthy Heart Award at Rito, the foundation level award. Our focus is to increase physical activity and nutritional health for all children, and in turn that will increase our children’s likelihood of healthier, happier adult lives.
At a BestStart centre, your child will learn physical skills that are critical to brain development too. Called the ‘fundamental movement patterns’, these skills are proven to support brain and physical literacy development that will positively affect your child’s development and their transition to learning at school.
Our teachers receive research-backed training to bring your child the Hauora programme. We strongly believe that it will give your child the best start in life.