FAQs

To make the transition as stress-free as possible, we recommend several short visits prior to the start date, where you stay with your child as they familiarise themselves with the new environment.

Our teachers will work together with you to ensure your child has a great experience right from the start. Each child is assigned a key caregiver who is responsible for their settling in, parent induction, routines, development updates and individual discovery projects. We find that having a key caregiver as a familiar point of contact helps to reduce stress and increase trust and excitement about starting at Little Earth.

Once your child starts with us, feel free to visit or phone the centre at any time to find out how they are getting on – you might find this unnecessary once you see how much they love our centre! 

We have learnt from experience that it is best to devise a regular routine for saying goodbye and discuss it with your child before arriving at the centre. Some tips to make it a bit easier include:

• Keep the goodbye process short to minimise stress
• Always let your child know you are going to leave but will be back later to pick them up. If your child gets upset at this point, we recommend sticking to your routine
• Leave them with one of the teachers or some other children rather than just on their own
• Always leave as soon as you have said your goodbyes
• Crying is normal when you leave especially when the child is still settling; however, rest assured this usually stops soon afterwards as they get on with their day!
• Children will pick up on your emotions about coming to the centre. Make sure you have positive conversations about the centre and always ask them how their day was when you pick them up

The children at our centre are very busy which means there is often a need for parents to pack a few extra things. We recommend packing the following named items:

• Two or three complete changes of clothes, including underwear and socks
• Sunhat in summer
• Warm hat in winter
• Inside slippers/crocs and gumboots for outside
• Nappies if necessary
• Raincoat

*Hats, footwear and gumboots may be left at the centre.

Morning and Afternoon Tea

A child’s blood sugar level drops quickly. Please ensure they have something fairly substantial for breakfast or lunch. We have fresh bread every day prepared by our preschool children, served with fruits, cheese, and usually with eggs. Our eggs come from our own chicken at preschool. Each family is asked to bring two pieces of fruit per week which is placed in the classroom fruit bowl. Seasonal fruit from our garden are also available.

Lunch

Children bring their own prepared lunch. Filtered water is always available for drinking.

We promote a litterless, healthy lunchbox. We encourage families to consider putting healthier options in their children’s lunchboxes, such as sandwiches, fresh cut up veggies, leftover dinner, fried fruits, yoghurt and eggs.

We love to build close relationships with all our families and use an online tool called Storypark to share your child’s learning with you.

The team are always available to discuss any matter regarding your child and centre. We recommend that you make an appointment so that teachers can be available without interruption.

Yes, we do! Under this scheme if your child is aged 3, 4 or 5 they can receive fully subsidised care, up to 6 hours per day for a total of 20 hours per week. For more information, please get in touch.

Studies show that a child’s early years are critical to their brain development and this development is influenced by the child’s experiences. The Montessori programme and learning environment is designed to enhance that development during those critical years. Children learn through hands-on activities, they can repeat activities as much as they wish (repetition is important), they are encouraged to explore and experiment, they get to make decisions, use their judgement, think laterally, and use initiative – all in a safe and encouraging environment.

Please phone the centre and let us know (you can leave a message if no one picks up the phone). 

We will phone you and/or your child’s caregiver and, if required, seek the appropriate medical assistance. We will continue to care for your child until you arrive.

We respect parent/caregiver choice around immunisation.  If your child is immunised, please provide their Plunket book on enrolment so that we can photocopy their immunisation chart.  If you have chosen not to immunise your child, please let us know on enrolment, so that you can be notified if there is ever an infectious disease/illness in the centre.