Children's entertainment in New Zealand

“I'm a parent of two children (11 y.o. and 4 y.o.), and both of them have attended this childcare. Honestly, I can’t praise the team enough for the incredible work they do with the kids. This year, many children moved on to school, and it was so heartwarming to see whole teams of teachers attending 5th birthday parties to celebrate and show their support. That says so much about the strong relationships they build. The teaching team has remained consistent over the years. When my younger child started, I already knew everyone—which gave me a great sense of trust. More importantly, the team works well together, they are genuinely happy in their roles, and they clearly love what they do. That joy and commitment reflect in how much they achieve with the children. I absolutely recommend this place. You can trust them with your little ones. Even if the building doesn’t look the flashiest from the outside, inside it’s full of love, care, and real focus on the wellbeing of both children and staff.”

“After visiting many centres, including some way closer to home, I can fully vouch for New Shoots Greenhithe. Everything is welcoming there: the teachers, the staff and the space. It is open, peaceful, full of light and surrounded by nature. I felt very supported on the early weeks where everything was new. Now, after 6 months, I can confidently say that NSGH was the best decision we could have made. I am amazed to see how my daughter is thriving, learning new things everyday, having fun no matter the weather outside. I can feel in our daily interactions how much the teachers and other staff care for her and she also shows she loves to be there by happily talking about them all the time. I highly and honestly recommend them.”

“We were absolutely blown away by the love, kindness and support that each staff member gave our little boy while we were at New Shoots Hobsonville. The centre is truly amazing. The staff is friendly, the centre is so well run, and Jude’s cooking always made our mouths water. I highly recommend this centre for anyone in the area who is looking to have their little one grow and develop while knowing they are in a beautiful and safe environment. Thank you team. Xxx Forever grateful, The Carys”

“Our son joined New Shoots Sunnynook in 2020 when he was 2.5 years old and he couldn't wait to get there and after he moved to the pre-school room he wouldn't want to go home on some days. Our daughter also attends New Shoots for almost a year now and she loves it. The teachers are amazing, dedicated and have offered a secure and nurturing environment for both of our children. One of the things that I appreciate are the exciting table activities that wait for the kids in the mornings and make drop-off so much easier. Thank you for the wonderful work that your team does!”

“A fun place for watching quirky local shows or established artists "slumming it" for intimate gigs. There's usually a great selection of wines and beers on offer and the programme shifts often enough to keep you coming back.”

“Me and my girlfriend went to this place and did the bloodstone keep and it was personally the most high quality escape room I have ever been too. We felt very integrated into the story, the puzzle were meaning full and very interactive. The props were amazing. Hints were good and the staff was truly amazing (there was even a puppy while we were waiting which was so cool!!) The staff really added to the story of the rooms (getting into character which I found really cool and funny from sitting at a table nearby.) By far one of my top experiences with reasonable difficulty to do with people. Would recommend highly and 100% worth the price. We only planned to go once on our 2 week trip but with our experience today we will be making a second trip”

“New Shoots is a great daycare. My kids have allergies and this has never been an issue for the staff. My kids love going to daycare, always have a great day. The fact they have days off site is fantastic. My son loves Explorers. So good for them.”

“The first thing I want to say is how lucky I was to make the right decision. My son is three years old, and before that I visited a lot of places and did a lot of research. I knew a little bit about the environment before I came here and courses are great. I didn't expect too much for the teachers to be so friendly and responsible. For me, the feelings and experiences of children are more important than anything else. Because my son has not attended any day care before, his native language is not English, and his grandmother often takes care of him went back home for a period of time, which makes me worried about whether he will adapt to the new environment. All teachers, the front desk staff and the centre manager all understood my concerns and cooperated with each other to help my son to adapt faster and better. After two weeks transiting,my son is happy to stay and not crying after we drop him off. I am really grateful to the teachers there and this is the most responsible place I have encountered. They will understand the parents' thoughts and concerns, and work together, everything is for the sake of the child. Hope my son will have a wonderful journey in kakapo creek.”

“Our son loves New Shoots so much! It was his first time at a centre and he adjusted so well because his kaiako are so wonderful and caring. He's learned so much since he started.”

“I run a sport and movement programme for the children at New Shoots Hillcrest and have loved working with the centre, their staff and children. The staff always do the utmost to ensure the children's needs are met and they are well cared for and I can see the strong relationships and nurturing bonds built between staff and child to allow them to thrive and grow in the environment. The facilities are great and enable the children to express themselves both indoors and outdoors and build friendships with the children in their respective rooms.”

“Nice little beach here with public restroo.s, running water and, yes, a children's playground.”

“New shoots has been an amazing place for my daughter. Since leaving another daycare, the process and transition for my family has been amazing. My daughter is so settled and happy there, she now wakes up and wants to go! The staff are all so kind and caring, the facilities are great, the outdoor area is a paradise of exploring for all the little ones, my daughter no only tells me about her meals each day but also about all the activities she does and is thriving. Everything you want in a centre.”

“Great service! Delivered and packed down on time. The kids absolutely loved the bouncy castle. Excellent communication and very reliable. We’ll definitely use them again for future events.”

“Both of my children, Rocco and Billie Mae, have absolutely flourished at this amazing centre. The growth we've seen in their learning, confidence, and social development has been incredible. The staff are warm, nurturing, and genuinely care about each child’s individual journey. What really sets this place apart is how proactive and involved the management is. They're constantly communicating, engaging with families, and creating interactive opportunities that bring everyone together. You can truly feel the passion and dedication from the whole team. I couldn’t be happier and are so grateful to be part of such a supportive and inspiring environment!”

“Fantastic customer service and a wonderful experience every time my family has visited! More recently, the team went above and beyond by supporting our community through the donation of vouchers for our kindergarten. Huge thanks to Porcia and the team for their generosity and support!”

“Nice place with a lot of benches to chill at, chilling, people watching and their dogs. Meet random passerbys and enjoy the sunshine together.”

“Fantastic fun, good team of people, great facilities. We have been coming here for 3 years and the facilities and staff are great. They always go out of their way to make you and your kids comfortable and feel at home.”

“Nice place to stop for a road trip break with children. Playground had a safe vibe for single mum's with babies, lots of people walking through for a walk. Beautiful beach and toilets with a fun playground.”

“Was my Nephews Birthday, his parents shouted us.. The food was yummy.”

“just amazing....only catch is no public toilet around...otherwise..super picnic place with family-friendly...”

“We had my son Lincoln’s birthday party there this afternoon, and the customer service was amazing! Nothing was a problem, I was anxious as it was my first time having a party there and they were so amazing and sorted everything I asked for with a smile on their face! Will forever recommend them as a party place from now on. Thanks team ☺️”

“Both my daughters attended children's ark full time. One is at school already and one is going to school next year. I am very grateful my girls attended here as they have a truly fabulous team. The teachers are very caring and lovely and they form very good relationships with the parents which is super important. Would always highly recommend them to everyone. Thank you children's ark staff for all the hard work you all do :-)”

“Our daughter has been at KCC for a little over a year and it has been the absolute best thing for her! She has made great friends with children and teachers alike and it has been amazing for her overall confidence and growth.”

“I cannot recommend New Shoots Coatesville highly enough. Our little one started at eight months & from our first visit we felt so confident in the wonderful team looking after her. She absolutely loved her time at the Centre & we felt so happy about her care, experiences & opportunities. The imaginative & varied activities have been wonderful, she slept better at daycare than home & the homecooked food was a huge hit. Every single member of staff is a credit to the Centre. We also loved our daily updates on the Storypark app. The team were great at adapting & focusing on individual children's needs & we have seen our little one blossom during her time with the team. We have left the area & so New Shoots & leaving was the hardest part of our move. Our next daycare has so much to live up to! Thank you to the whole team.”

“Great facility available for children, my son loving going kindy everyday he loves the teachers and the atmosphere, surrounding, environment and everything, I 101% recommend. Staff are so friendly welcoming every time you enter the centre. Keep up the good work team.”

“A wonderful childcare provider in Silverstream Upper Hutt. The key focus at Children First is to provide a safe and friendly environment so pre- school children can learn. Children first do this very well with excellent staff who really care about their students' outcomes. All meals are provided and are healthy to provide a balanced morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea”

“We, as parents, are very thankful to all the wonderful teachers and staff of Aro Arataki. The school is really a great place of learning for the kids. They provide them nutritious meals and gives them the opportunity to explore and play, with lots of time outdoors and field trips. We have seen our child flourish in all aspects. They have earned our trust that we can always leave our child in a safe environment. We have worked stress-free for years knowing that our child is in good hands, thank you for giving us the peace of mind. Most importantly, our child grew up carrying good values and respect- that we cannot take all the credits for, because we know that the teachers were alongside parenting with us on this journey. Thank you to the teachers and staff of Aro Arataki! We will definitely miss you. Ngā mihi nui ki a koe!”

“We've been part of Good Seeds Daycare since August and today marks our last day, as I’ve started a new job that affects our timing. This daycare has truly been a second home for our family. The teachers—Eni, Sala, Courtney, Coco, Carleen, and Suzie—and the wonderful administrator Jazz, along with the manager Helen, have been incredibly welcoming and supportive from day one. When we first started, I was nervous about my daughter adjusting, especially since English was new to her. But thanks to the patience and guidance of the teachers, she’s now confidently started speaking English and has formed beautiful bonds, especially with Eni. One thing I loved the most was how they made every child feel special. Their yearly family picnic (Auckland Zoo), the lovely Christmas celebrations, and the way they encourage children with prizes all showed how much effort they put into creating joyful memories. On our last day, they even gave us a farewell booklet of Elaine’s learning journey. That thoughtful gift touched my heart so much—I cried because I know how incredible they are and how much love they put into caring for her. The daycare’s approach of allowing children to choose their own activities, rather than sticking to a strict routine, made it a perfect fit. It allowed my daughter to explore, learn, and grow at her own pace. I’m deeply grateful to all the teachers and staff for making this experience so enriching, warm, and heartfelt. I wholeheartedly recommend Good Seeds Daycare to any parent looking for a nurturing, loving, and family-like environment for their child. They truly care, and it shows in everything they do.”