Ok, now it is a few years since my children were preschoolers, but I think I still have the…read moreauthority to rave about Titirangi Kindergarten. This is based on my own experiences and on chatting to friends who have youngsters attending, all who share the same sentiments as me. Which is a glowing 5 Star endorsement. From day one, each and every one of my three children (and all of our neighbourhood friends who attended) fell in love with this relaxed kindy, their great facilities and mostly the lovely teachers. Here's what is so awesome about the kindy: their nature table and their woodwork area get top marks. A sandpit to envy other kindergartens, complemented by a great adventure playground which is nestled in the Titirangi bush. Cool books and an even cooler Lego collection. There was not a day that went by that the kids didn't bring home a colourful artistic creation of recounted yet another adventure at Titirangi Kindy. Well prepared for school years after a stint at this kindergarten.

What can I say about this amazing new centre. I had the pleasure of being shown around this amazing…read morecentre (just out of interest) and I'm very impressed, not only about the location, but the amazing space purpose built for kids in this great thriving community. The centre is large with ideal spaces for babies and a toddler areas too. Plenty of arts and creative space, kitchen, bathrooms and laundry area and also some beautiful outdoor play areas for the little ones. The centre director Cindy was excellent, very knowledgeable and passionate about her work. I would surely love for my kid to go here. I'm however confident in all other children's experiences and parents too as my child went to another centre of the same owner (Blue Frog) and I've also seen another Mangere Bridge Centre - Spotted Frog and all three are of high calibre and provides excellent teaching staff for all ages 0-6 years.

I cannot recommend Oaktree Kindergarten highly enough. From the moment my daughter, Felicity,…read morestarted here, the teachers have gone above and beyond in creating a safe, loving, and inspiring environment. They are not only highly professional and experienced but also genuinely warm, patient, and attentive to each child's individual needs. What stands out most is how incredibly supportive and nurturing the teachers are. They truly see Felicity as a whole person -- encouraging her confidence, creativity, independence, and social skills. Whenever I drop her off, I feel reassured knowing she is surrounded by such dedicated and caring educators. The activities are also exceptional. From hands-on science experiments (like making "dinosaur eggs" fizz open with hidden surprises inside) to imaginative play, music, art, and storytelling, every day is filled with rich opportunities for learning and discovery. I've seen Felicity grow in confidence, curiosity, and joy since joining Oaktree, and she now comes home excited to share what she's learned. It is the greatest feeling as a parent to see my daughter run to her teachers with unconditional hugs and to know that she has a special connection with each and every one of them. That bond is priceless, and it speaks volumes about the heart this team puts into their work. A special thank you to Jane, Lucy, Jenny, Vanessa, Amy, and Natalie -- you are an incredible team, and I am deeply grateful for the love and dedication you show every single day. If you're looking for a kindergarten that is more than just a childcare centre -- a place where your child will be truly valued, guided, and inspired -- Oaktree Kindergarten is the best choice you could make.

Technically a child should be writing this review. I think if a four-year-old could type it would…read morego something like this... "I like going to kindy here because there is a fun playground with a slide and I can climb up on it with my friends. I like going on all the swings too! Inside there are toys everywhere I can play with and we also do painting and make cool stuff. I learnt to count in Maori and now I know all about fire trucks and police cars." But that's just a guess... I went to a four-year-old birthday party here in the weekend and it was the perfect venue for this event. The kids were set free on all the play equipment outside so there were no issues with keeping them entertained. There was a kitchen to prepare the party food and lots of nice shady areas for the adults to sit. I heard it was really inexpensive too with a small fee to be paid for birthday parties of any child enrolled in the kindy. My nephew comes here a few times a week and he absolutely loves it. He calls it "big boy kindy" and has made some wonderful friends here. The stories I hear about his adventures at Oaktree make me wish I could take a day off from my life to build sandcastles and paint pictures with the carefree kiddies.

My nephew comes here and he absolutely loves it. The standard of childcare in New Zealand is high…read moreand this is one of its best centres. It's a Reggio centre whose principles concentrate on a child's development and many childcare centres in New Zealand are based on this. The children are catered for, getting a morning/afternoon tea and lunch. The parents of the children are emailed out an update every day on the activities of the children at the centre - this is great for parents and really keep them in the loop. The teachers in the school are all passionate about childcare and each child is given a lot of attention and care. I think what attracts a lot of young couples to come live in New Zealand is the emphasis on children and a child friendly environment. There are many good centres in Auckland but this is, by all accounts one of the best.

My dad went here, I went here and while my kids aren't attending plenty of my nieces and nephews…read moreare carrying on the tradition. This is a friendly country school, very much in vogue as the suburb it resides in has elevated position out West. There is a sculpture of an apple tree with students standing under it on the school grounds which encapsulates the history of this, a school which served its community members many who were orchardists. Many other sculptures and artworks are proudly displayed around the school, such as a mural of an apple tree on a school building as you drive into the school. The teachers are reportedly still wonderful and caring about their students. A keen PTA seems to always be on board. Two main social events on the calendar include a country fair in March and the Stark Brown Picnic in November, both events to celebrate the community spirit through a great little school.

Whenever I pick up my son from daycare, he looks happy, not just happy to see me, but truly filled…read morewith joy. I can see that he was well looked after, received personal time and enjoyed a good rest between play periods. I simply love the way the ladies at Kindercare on Greville look after my little one. I chose Kindercare over other childcare facilities, because of the smaller numbers, but also because of their values. Glennie, the owner of Kindercare is a true Kiwi Gem, and all the Kindercare kids can thank her for her devotion to quality care. I for one can recommend Kindercare as the foundation for your child's education

Kindercare in Greville road is literally the best childcare I have experienced in two countries…read more What a gem. Great work ladies.

I really love the flow of the Northcote Community Crèche, the outdoor play area flows almost…read morecompletely around the crèche, allowing the children to spend lots of time playing in the sand pit, riding a scooter or pushing a cart. The staff are also wonderfully calm and helpful, and always attentive with the children. My first visit here was to have a look around and see what I thought about enrolling my child. Didn't take me long to realize, that the kids were happy, and there was so much to learn from and play with. A routine session, gave your child- indoor and outdoor play time, a sit down group meal, group book reading, and sing along/dance time. Organised and cheerful, this community crèche is a favourite of mine.

I will always have a soft spot for Mt Eden Kindergarten. As the kindergarten I attended as a child,…read morethis place has been around for decades and still attracts hundreds of locals. Conveniently situated on Milton Road off Dominion Road, this kindy offers all sorts of fun games and activities for kids. Painting, dress ups, miniature houses, puzzles, building blocks, picture book, a sandpit, swings, lots of balls and a whole playground are part of this place. The children I babysit both went to this kindergarten, so while I haven't been enrolled there for over 16 years, I have visited in regularly in the past few years and the feedback from the kids has always been brilliant. The staff that work at this kindy genuinely love children and are very good at teaching them the basics - reading, writing, sharing - in a fun and innovative manner. Mt Eden Kindy is a small community - everyone there knows each other, and I actually found myself recognising many of the parents and being included in their conversations. An extremely friendly, welcoming kindergarten that I would happily send my own kids to!