What We Offer

Our Daily Rhythm

Children will experience the healthy daily rhythms of a warm, nurturing environment that is filled with the visual abundance of the seasons and delicious aromas. Each day, a whanau member is warmly greeted, which allows information to be shared and enables them to leave trusting we know who their child is.

With our holistic approach, all times are approximate and unhurried.

• 8 am – 9 am: Arrival and getting ready for the day.
• 9 am: Morning circle where we sing songs/share stories, followed by free play indoors.
• 10:30 am: Morning tea, followed by outside time, garden time and story time.
• 11:45 am – 12 pm: Morning pick-up.
• 12 pm: Shared vegetarian lunch.
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm: Rest time and quiet play, followed by child-directed play.
• 2 pm – 4 pm: Staggered afternoon pick-up available.
• 3:30 pm: Smoothie snack.
• 4 pm: Final home time.

Experiences for you and your child

Aurora is a home for children filled with love, consciously prepared to be aesthetically pleasing, and designed to promote children’s creativity.  A home where their body, soul and spirit are nourished and free to unfold and blossom. Through seasonal songs, stories and food their soul is enlivened with beauty and wonder, and their body is free to develop and grow naturally. They can expect warm and reciprocal interactions with Kaiako, their whanau and tamariki.

Our Environment & Garden

Our environment is furnished with natural resources, and we have a large outdoor garden to play in, grow food, and nurture the earth. We provide an open indoor and outdoor space that allows the children free independent movement and an ability to freely explore nature, trees and varying heights.

At Aurora Tamariki, we thrive in the natural environment and give reverence to Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother. Children are involved in food gathering, gardening and recycling. We eat from the land and give back to the Earth, with a strong sense of the Māori concept of Te Ao Māori and kaitiakitanga.

We provide nourishing organic food for the children and prepare our meals with and around the children. The way the food is gathered and prepared helps the children connect with ancient truths and healing herbs. All food served is vegetarian.

Our Whare

Each day we sing songs, tell stories, with handmade imaginative puppets, and celebrate the rituals of life. Children learn everywhere, in what they see, hear and experience. It is the environment around them and the people in it. Every space at Aurora Tamariki has a reading corner, plenty of resources, and there are opportunities for children to find quieter spaces or more active areas of play. 

The Lavender Room

The Lavender Room is our first space when you enter Aurora Tamariki. As such, it’s a more active space for larger creative free play. Here, we congregate and sing songs, dance and play. There are daily and seasonal art and craft activities for all children and lots of natural resources and toys for open-ended play. There are blocks, soft dolls, silks and cloths, farmyard animals, building blocks, dress-ups, kitchen things, house corners and resources to encourage imaginative play, group play and learning. 

The Rose Room

The Rose Room is our quieter space, where younger children are able to explore and interact with the environment. Our two (safe) sleeping spaces are also located in the Rose Room, and this room becomes our Rest Room during Rest time. It has lots of resources to encourage creative play and exploration for children under three such as soft balls, pull-along toys, and heuristic play.

At Aurora Tamariki we create an environment where the children feel safe and secure, their senses protected, nourished and they feel a sense of belonging. Find out more about Enrolling at Aurora Tamariki on our Enrolment page or learn more about our philosophy and educators on our About page.

Noble Purpose and Core Beliefs

We exist to provide children a consciously prepared warm home environment where they are free to develop holistically in partnership with their whanau. Tamariki will be free to express their individual special nature and nourish their senses through imaginative play, purposeful work and imitation. Our intention is to instill a sense of wonder, a love for the environment through sustainable practices so that the children will know who they are and that they are capable, confident humans ready to go forth in the world.