About
Why choose us?
There are a host of reasons why families choose Little Wonders Oamaru. Here are just a few of them:
- Extended hours provide enrolment options to suit all families (7.30am to 5.30pm)
- All meals provided (morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea)
- Part of Enviroschools programme
- Amazing Trent Street Wilderness Garden enables children to explore and connect with the natural world
- We use sustainable practices including worm farm, compost, recycling, eliminating plastic bags through children suppling their own wet bags
- We have our own vegetable garden and fruit trees
- Purpose built centre that is spacious, modern and inviting
- Children learn to nurture and care for animals thanks to our rabbits, turtle, guinea pigs and fish
- Our environments are inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy
- Primary care approach for under 2s
- Four separate rooms for each age and stage encourage accelerated learning as children transition through the centre
- Visits from local library representative for music and movement classes and story time
- Multicultural environment
- Family participation and collaborative relationships encouraged
- Highly anticipated 5th birthday ritual
- Regular participation in community initiatives such as Burns Memorial art exhibition and Victorian Heritage celebrations
- Cultural celebrations including Chinese New Year, Matariki, Diwali, Tongan Language Week
- End of year Christmas party for children and families
Our philosophy
Our philosophy honours the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi and embraces Te Whariki, our Early Childhood
Curriculum document. We foster partnerships with Kaiako, tamariki, whanau, and hapori that are authentic
collaborative, responsive and reciprocal. Our relationships are built on trust, respect, aroha, compassion,
and kindness. We value whanau involvement as being critical to the creation of a learning community for
children. (Whanaungatanga)
We are proud of our inspiring environment influenced by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. We believe it
empowers our ākonga to feel protected, calm, safe and secure while fostering a platform for movement, fun,
curiosity, discovery, risk taking, and growth to naturally occur with and alongside others. We recognise the
value of free play as ‘child’s work’ embedding the knowledge and skills for life and inspires a life-long love of
learning. We aspire to enhance the mana of the child, and the child’s sense of themselves as an independent,
competent, capable learner and communicator within our environment. (Manākitanga)
We encourage continuous growth and ongoing learning for kaimahi, tamariki and whanau through the sharing
of knowledge, stories, and wisdom. (Ako)
Kaiako foster knowledge of sustainable practices supporting tamariki to grow aroha for and engage
respectfully with Papatūānuku and the wider world.
We support participation in an inclusive, welcoming homely environment where diversity, individuality,
respect, and resilience are empowered and reflected in our practice and learning community. (Kotahitanga)
Whakatauki
Manaaki whenua Manaaki tangata Haere Whakamua - Care for the land, Care for the people, Go forward.
About Evolve
Evolve Education Group is a leader in early childhood education, with over 90 centres across New Zealand offering a range of top quality learning options for all of our families.
Our highly regarded brands – which include Active Explorers, Lollipops, Pascals, Learning Adventures, Little Wonders, Little Lights and Little Earth Montessori – nurture children to love learning and become the best they can be. Rich and diverse educational opportunities are delivered by passionate, experienced educators in purpose designed centres equipped with the latest learning resources.
Evolve Education Group is helping shape the future, preparing little minds for great things in today’s ever changing world.
