Wakatipu

45 Brecon street, Queenstown
Mobile: 021 890 873
8:45am to 2:45pm,
Monday to Friday.
2 years to school age

You’ll find our kindergarten in the centre of picturesque Queenstown, right under the Gondola - and there's plenty of parking!  We’ve been teaching and learning with the Wakatipu Basin community for nearly 30 years, lucky to have panoramic mountain views and a natural, changing landscape to inspire our children’s imagination and learning every day.  We’re proud of our place, and our special Kidsfirst Wakatipu mihi helps us to connect with and understand the whakapapa (ancestry) of our whenua (land).

Our teaching team

Diana Holden
Head Teacher
Diploma of Teaching
Rachel Rooke
Teacher
Diploma of Teaching (ECE)
Laura Strain
Teacher
Bachelor of Education
Aimee Cornforth
Teacher
Bachelor of Education
Post Graduate Diploma of Education
Sally Hogg
Teacher
NZ Free Kindergarten Union Diploma

Inside our purpose-built kindergarten has activity areas set up for children to explore and engage in play experiences with, and alongside, each other. Children can choose from a wide range of resources and equipment:  there are quiet, creative, and imaginative play areas and learning occurs in all spaces at your child’s pace. 

 

Outside at Kidsfirst Wakatipu we have an incredibly beautiful, big backyard - ideal for curious learners and creative imaginations - it has to be seen to be believed!  There’s a variety of challenging climbing and physical play equipment inviting active exploration, and large play spaces and equipment specially designed to support children’s physical growth and development are features.  There’s space for running, jumping, climbing, swinging and exploring, as well as peaceful places to connect with nature, and make sense of our natural world.

The qualified and experienced teaching team here at Kidsfirst Wakatipu ignite an excitement for learning in tamariki aged 2 – 5 years by recognising and responding to a child’s individual interests, developing their knowledge, and by practicing skills and attitudes needed for lifelong learning.

 

Play is essential to learning and development in our tamariki, and our programme is based on exploration, inquiry, creativity and nature-based education. We believe in uninterrupted time and space to grow and learn – our tamariki and whānau are heard, and time to learn is unhurried. We see knowledge as a process - a discovery and building of understanding.

 

You're always welcome here - community and connectedness are at the heart of what we do. We value the relationships we build with our whānau/families, and look forward to making new connections, embracing the multiculturalism and diversity of our community.  We love it when whānau come to visit and take part in their child’s kindergarten day, sharing their skills, knowledge, language and culture too - all enriching our programme.

 

We have strong links with our local primary schools, which supports the transition to school for you and your child, as he/she moves on from Kindergarten.

 

We would recommend that you enrol initially for at least two full days – building up to five days at your child's pace.  This gives our teachers time to get to know your child and gives consistency around supporting their learning. 

 

Nau mai, tauti mai - come in any time, we are very proud of our unique learning environment and would love to show you around.  Kidsfirst Kindergartens Wakatipu is a wonderful place to learn!

From time to time we have special offers, to enable more children to come to our not-for-profit, community kindergarten. But hurry, spaces are limited and these offers only apply for a limited time. Conditions apply.

 

 

 

 

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