Richmond Day Care Options

Brent Palmer
Brent Palmer
Published on May 8, 2018

Not only are we spoilt for choice in the Richmond area for great schools, but we have an amazing array of day care options too.

I’ve put together a list to hopefully help you know what options are available before or after you move.

Richmond Kindergarten (Florence Street)

03 544 5588.

Kindergarten catering for children from 2.5 – 5 years.

Open 8.30am – 2.45pm.

A varied programme is offered throughout the day where children experiment, explore, co-operate, challenge, build relationships, socialise, practise and master new skills in a safe and secure learning environment.

Richmond Kindergarten is a family friendly kindergarten which offers flexible enrolments to meet children’s individual needs.

The Kindergarten is located in the heart of Richmond and has positive relationships with all the local primary schools in the area.

Richmond Kindergarten is well resourced, with a strong focus on sensory motor development and fostering the needs of individual children.

The programme celebrates diversity by incorporating sign language and Te Reo.

The “Growing Up” group is for 2.5 – 4 year olds. This is often their first experience of being away from home for an extended period.
Important areas of learning for this group are:
– Becoming independent
– Managing self and belongings
– Socialisation

The “Getting Ready for School” group introduces children to more formal learning opportunities that will set them up for success at school.
These could include:
– Number and letter recognition
– Oral and listening skills
– Physical challenges
– Resilience and a positive attitude towards learning


Waimea Kindergarten (Gilbert Street)

544 6908

Kindergarten catering for children from 2.5 – 5 years.

Open 8.45am – 3pm.

Their programme offers a balance between structured and non-structured learning opportunities where children and adults can experience the fun and humour of learning together. This inclusive approach encourages and supports children’s independence and sense of belonging.

Children’s emotional well-being and social skills are nurtured through the use of small groups, large educational puppets, and imaginative play. The indoor and outdoor environments are attractive and richly resource allowing children to explore their surroundings while being supported and challenged.

Their programme encourages the development of physical skills, which directly impact on young children’s brain development and learning. This approach is based on the latest neuro-educational research. They also have a strong commitment to giving children strategies that promote healthy life choices.

A successful and seamless transition to school is vitally important to life-long learning and actively work with all schools in our area to ensure this occurs.


Waverley Street Kindergarten (Waverley Street)

544 4170.

Kindergarten catering for children from 2.5 – 5 years.

Open 8.30am – 2.45pm.

Waverley Street Kindergarten is led by a team of enthusiastic and energetic teachers. The teachers work with individuals and groups of children at day care to support their interests and learning. As teachers, the passion is for children to become life long independent and confident learners.

The environment is well equipped and provides a range of learning opportunities that encourage children’s investigation, curiosity, imagination, and exploration. There is a wide range of equipment and opportunities available for children to develop maths, literacy and science skills and knowledge.

The children experience regular excursions to the gym and visits from community organisations. Waverley Street Kindergarten operates a library for children to take books home each week.

Waverley Street Kindergarten celebrates the diversity of families and believe all children should have equal learning opportunities.

They aim to empower children for future learning, making their transition to school positive and successful. Waverley Street Kindergarten welcomes all children and their families through the gate at any time.


Champion Kids   60 Champion Road, Richmond

544 4378

Caters for children 0 – 5 years.

Open 7.30am – 5.30pm.

Champion Kids is a place that provokes creativity, fun and learning in a Reggio inspired and eco-friendly environment. Our belief is that children are capable of constructing their own methods of researching and learning using everything from play to a variety of other hands-on-learning experiences.

Above all we will treasure every moment of each child’s journey as they develop and grow; learning about their world, sharing in the magic and wonder, and making happy memories..


Jigsaw Preschool

24 Edward Street, Richmond

541 0617

Caters for children from 0 – 5 years.

Open 7.30am – 5.30pm

Food options available.

At Jigsaw Preschools we believe children deserve to experience a warm, accepting and nurturing environment where they can explore, discover, learn, develop and have fun! We recognise that each child is unique with different needs, interests, strengths and rates of development. So we provide experiences and opportunities that support all children in their individual learning. All children are valued and respected as unique individuals and given opportunities to become confident and competent learners.


Baby Space

Chelsea Ave

544 1106

Caters for Toddlers from 6 months – 3 years.

Open 8am – 5pm.

BabySpace’s Curriculum is influenced and inspired by Te Whariki, Te Tiriti O Waitangi and the Pikler Philosophy.

Te Whariki our Early Childhood Curriculum, identifies the importance of developing respectful, responsive and reciprocal relationships between teachers, children and their whanau, as a crucial element in the provision of quality care.

Our practice and beliefs relating to the care and education of infants and toddlers is also inspired by many aspects of the Pikler Philosophy. For us this means respecting infants and toddlers for their confidence, competence and ability to make choices, be initiators, explorers and self learners. In practice this means we value freedom of movement, allowing children to develop physically at their own pace. We support children to solve their problems by having a trusted adult close by to offer support without unnecessary intervention. All children have a relationship with a consistent trusted adult who knows the child’s personality and needs.


Richmond Preschool

67 Oxford Street

544 0556

Caters for children from 2 – 5 years.

Open 7.30am – 5.30pm.

We believe that children learn through play, so our programme is based on play which incorporates the interests of children and the aspirations of parents. This means that we can focus our planning on promoting a love of learning through the provision of activities that interest children and encourage participation. Children will then be more likely to learn, grow and develop to their full potential because they are enjoying their early education


Active Explorers

6D Champion Road

544 7611

Caters for children from 3 months – 5 years.

Open  7.30am – 5.45pm

We acknowledge the importance of parents as first teachers and encourage responsive reciprocal relationships between teachers, parents and whānau.

We value a Primary Care approach where teacher/child relationships are fostered through high quality care and education for infants, toddlers and young children.

We respect and value children and adults as individuals, celebrating children’s individuality, personal qualities, uniqueness and beliefs. We show respect by following tikanga practices and the use of te reo Maori which reflects the understanding of the cultural heritages of both partners of the Treaty, and allow all children to enjoy the dual heritage of Aotearoa and all other cultures to which they belong.  (Ministry of Education, 1996)


The Ark

123 Salisbury Road

544 2951.

Caters for children from 2 – 6 years.

Open 8.30am – 3.30pm.

The Ark Preschool is a Christian Preschool that provides a loving environment guided by Christian beliefs and values.  We warmly welcome everyone. We are a place where children learn to love and love to learn.

At The Ark Preschool, children will experience a curriculum that builds on their experiences, knowledge, skills, attitudes, needs, interests and views of the world.
The curriculum will nurture children cognitively, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially with a Christian ethos underlying all aspects of our programme.
Our programme is based on Te Whariki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum.
Our well resourced core curriculum supports children in spontaneous, meaningful play as well as providing a wide range of experiences to encourage children’s learning and development.   A balance between free play and structured activities encourages children to make choices and decisions so that they develop competence, confidence and independence as learners.
We offer a programme that ensures all children have the foundation skills for literacy and are prepared for the organised, highly symbolic world of school.

If you need some help deciding on the best day care option for you, you could review the ERO reports, but be mindful that they are only done every 3 years.


top real estate agent richmond nelson

Brent Palmer – Professional Real Estate Consultant

About the Author: The above article on Richmond Day Care Options was written and provided by Brent Palmer, a local leader in the field of Richmond and Nelson Real Estate sales, marketing, advanced technology for home selling, and social media. You can contact Brent Palmer here, or at 027 544 9921.

He has helped many people buy and sell homes in the Nelson, Stoke and Richmond areas for years, and would love the opportunity to help you as well.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a real passion for helping people sell their homes in our Nelson and Tasman Region, as well as the marketing, social media & advanced technology for home selling that goes along with it. I’d love to have the opportunity to sit down with you discuss how we can work together to get you the best price.

I help people buy and sell real estate in the following Nelson and Tasman  towns  & neighbourhoods: Wakefield, Brightwater, Hope, Appleby, Redwood Valley, Mapua, Stoke, Tahunanui, Atawhai and of course, Richmond and Nelson City. Connect with Brent on Facebook and pretty much everywhere else.

Know someone who needs help with real estate? Be rewarded and REFER them here