Find Our Kindergarten
533 St Asaph St
Phillipstown
Christchurch
New Zealand
Why Choose Us
Kidsfirst Phillipstown’s multicultural community creates a uniquely diverse learning environment. Fully qualified, registered kaiako support tamariki to celebrate their cultural identities while building an understanding of others’ traditions and perspectives. The languages and cultures of our community are woven into daily kindy life, and we are privileged to have generous-spirited whānau with roots all over the world who regularly share their experiences and knowledge.
You’ll often see us out and about in our community, using the opportunity to help our tamariki make connections to the wider community, and supporting them to make sense of their place in it. 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.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Phillipstown is a well-resourced kindergarten with a spacious, welcoming, and attractive and child-centred environment for children. Inside we provide lots of opportunities to try new things, inspire curiosity and develop creativity through play. We work to provide an atmosphere full of fun in a beautiful and natural environment that gives our children independence and sense of belonging.
Our beautiful, Big Backyard has wide, open spaces for children to be challenged, to explore and to develop their physical skills, with a variety of moveable equipment that allows children to set their own challenges. Green grass, gardens, areas to experience physical challenges such as climbing trees, and equipment specially designed to support children’s physical growth and development are features, and our big trees provide shelter outside in all weather.
Nau mai, tauti mai – make a time to visit us and remember, you’re always welcome at Kidsfirst.
Why Kidsfirst Kindergartens
With over 100 years of proud legacy, Kidsfirst Kindergartens is a not-for-profit organisation that supports and leads kindergartens across Canterbury, the West Coast and Central Otago. Generations of South Island tamariki and whānau have passed through our gates, and we have strong ties to local communities.
Our kindergartens are down to earth places with warm, nurturing teachers with a rich range of resources and environments to explore.
One of the hallmarks of our kindys is that you’re always welcome here – whānau are encouraged to visit and stay, and take part in kindergarten life. We love it when families share their skills, and culture too – our kindergartens are some of the most diverse learning environments around, and children learn best when teachers and whānau work together.
Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Curriculum, guides our teaching and learning programmes, while the kindergarten philosophy underpins all we do. Tamariki learn through play in their own time, through their own interests, guided by trained teachers who are registered with the Teaching Council of New Zealand. You’ll often find our kindergartens located on, or near, local primary schools. Preparation for school and a smooth transition are a key part of the work for our kaiako.
Our kaiako are overseen by Professional Leaders with a focus on quality and ensuring the highest educational standards. Formerly known as the Canterbury Westland Free Kindergarten Association, Kidsfirst – and its kindergartens – consistently receive strong reports from the Education Review Office. You can read more about their assessment of our governing organisation here.
What Families Say
Latest News
Traditional kai, colours & decorations for Diwali
Diwali is one of those times of the year when communities come together, and this is especially true over the past few weeks at Kidsfirst Phillipstown, where tamariki, kaiako, friends and family joined in celebration. Traditional roti and sweets were made and beautiful rangoli created from flower petals and colored powder, amongst other activities. Amazing work, everybody 🌸❤️🎆
Jamming with fresh pickings
It’s a long weekend for many, and with the cooler weather with us now, anything that keeps tamariki occupied is a good thing. At Kidsfirst Phillipstown, tamariki and kaiako use fresh pickings from their Big Backyard to make delicious jam – it’s easy and fun, and a great way to practise kaitiakitanga, too. The Phillipstown tamariki are involved at every step along the way – caring for the fruit as it grows, harvesting it, and composting the peelings after they’ve prepared the fruit. Want to give it a go? It’s easy! For every 2kg of fruit, use 1.5kg of sugar, mash the fruit and sugar together, and then heat on the stove until your jam has reduced down to a thickness that suits you. Fun for all the whānau, but – kia matapopore tētahi ki tētahi – take good care, and make sure tamariki are well supervised – it gets very hot.
Tamariki bring the colour for Holi Day
The shift to cooler weather brought tamariki at Kidsfirst Phillipstown the opportunity to dowse one another and their kaiako in coloured powder, as a part of their Holi Day celebration. The Hindu Festival of Colour celebrates the Northern Hemisphere’s spring season, love, and new life. There are always lots of sweet treats, and plenty of fun to go around, and it’s a great way for tamariki to learn about the wider world and expand their cultural intelligence, while also making memories that will last a lifetime.
Tamariki make space for the community
Kindergartens have been at the heart of our communities (hapori) for more than 100 years now, and they still have an important role to play that goes beyond the kindergarten gate. Whānau, tamariki, and kaiako at Kidsfirst Phillipstown have been busy brainstorming, to come up with whakaaro on how unused areas at the old Lancaster Park could be turned into a community space that everyone can visit and have pride in. Tamariki and whānau took the kōrero home, and came up with some ideas as a family. Tamariki took their inspiration from their big backyard, saying “a whare just like ours”, a sandpit, and an ‘awesome playground’ would be great additions. Kei hea kē mai koutou, Kidsfirst Phillisptown, you’re fantastic!
Big Backyard, big attitude!
Regardless of the weather, our tamariki can enjoy their kindergarten’s big backyard all year round. As Bindu from Kidsfirst Phillipstown says, everything comes down to attitude.
Holi brings more than just colour
It was an early start to Holi – the Festival of Colour – at Kidsfirst Phillipstown, as they celebrated ahead of the two-day event that marks the arrival of Spring in India. Tamariki had a blast throwing coloured flour across their big backyard at each other (and some unlucky kaiako), and were later joined by whānau and friends. Teacher Bindu Naik says acknowledging the festival helps tamariki develop ‘cultural intelligence’ and learn about the diverse backgrounds that make our Kidsfirst community so unique — take a look at some photos from the Phillipstown’s big day.
Jamming Kaitiakitanga in the kitchen
Kaitiakitanga (taking care of nature) was a garden-to-table experience for tamariki at Kidsfirst Phillipstown last week when they harvested the fruit in the kindy garden to make jam. As well as experiencing the joys of caring for, growing and preparing their own food, they got to practice collaboration, learned about seasons and sustainability, and, of course, got a sweet treat at the end of it all.
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A proudly New Zealand owned and operated not-for-profit kindergarten association with over 110 years of kiwi heritage
