Our Childspace Karori centre provides high quality care and education for infants and toddlers in a nurturing, respectful environment.
We are located at 81 Old Karori Road and cater for both part and full time spaces.
The centre is licensed for 22 infants and toddlers per day, and has a team of 7 kaiako.
We also have a centre kai creator (cook) who spends her days preparing nutritious and tasty meals for all of the children.
The kaiako at Childspace Karori have been inspired by the work of Emmi Pikler and Magda Gerber. They strongly believe in providing a peaceful child-centered approach, cherishing and respecting children’s individual interests and routine. Complimenting this, each child has a key teacher.
The key teaching system provides children with the comfort of knowing a familiar adult is close by and fully present, sensitively observing their cues and gestures for both care and play needs. The kaiako are sensitively attuned to when children are ready to transition from our younger room Kākano to our older room Rito. We compliment the key teaching approach with a continuity of care approach, where a key kaiako will transition from one room to the other, alongside children so that they continue to have that familiar support and care.
Our different spaces are designed to empower infants and toddlers through free movement and floor time for infants and to meet the specific developmental needs of toddlers.
Our outdoor area provides a safe but challenging environment for infants and toddlers to explore.
We offer an innovative programme which celebrates individual children’s interests and strengths in their journey of learning and development. Each child has a ‘discovery book’ with stories about their interests and development.
We also use an online system, Storypark, which is a great way to share stories and photos between kaiako and whanau.
Our families are guaranteed a place at Childspace Wilton around their second birthday. The Wilton centre is a very short drive from Karori.
The key kaiako at Karori and Wilton ensure there is a smooth, thoughtful and gradual process in place for the children and their families when they transition. We have recently extended our continuity of care approach, with kaiako moving with children to Childspace Wilton to continue and strengthen the relationship for longer.
Our centre has whānau-kaiako korero (parent teacher conversations) twice a year.
These are special times when parents are invited to come and meet with their child’s key kaiako for an uninterrupted chat.
Together whānau and kaiako share stories and observations and celebrate their child’s learning and exploration over past six months. Kaiako respond with a written celebration of learning of each child’s individual learning and development.
Parents are also welcome to attend workshops provided by the kaiako team at Karori, our early childhood institute or by outside speakers.
These workshops provide new knowledge for families and support parents in areas that are of current interest.
So far we have had workshop facilitated about food & nutrition, self-regulation & co-regulation, child behaviour, our early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki, ukulele and much more!
You are welcome to come and visit us at an arranged time. Please contact our centre manager, Sarah to do so. We’re looking forward to meeting you soon and showing you around our place!
Meet our dedicated team of caring and professional specialists, who strive to provide the best possible service for you and your children.
Kia ora, my name is Sarah and I am the Kaiwhakahaere/Centre Manager at Childspace Karori.
I studied at Victoria University of Wellington and graduated in 2015 with a conjoint degree of a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching in Early Childhood Education. In 2023, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Infant and Toddler Learning and Development through Te Rito Maioha New Zealand. I believe that respectful care and education for our infants and toddlers should be at the centre of everything that we do and I’m passionate about building trusting, reciprocal relationships with our tamariki and their whānau.
I grew up living throughout New Zealand and also spent time living overseas as a child; but I’m a Wellington girl at heart. I love to travel, and am always on the lookout for new places to jet off to. In my spare time I enjoy catching up with friends and family, exploring coffee spots around Wellington and walking the many hills.
Kia ora, my name is Chontelle and I am a qualified kaiako having completed my Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) through Open Polytechnic in June 2023. I am originally from Nelson and then lived in Blenheim for four years working in an early childhood centre which grew my love and passion for teaching our young tamariki.
My teaching philosophy is based around learning from the tamariki and kaiako. I learn from them as much as they learn from me, creating a reciprocal ako relationship. I am constantly amazed and inspired by the individual tamaiti and what they teach me about being curious of the world around us.
When I am not at work, I enjoy spending quality time with friends and whānau, being outdoors, and finding new tramping areas. I also love traveling overseas and learning new skills, including Muay Thai Boxing.
I look forward to meeting you all and being there to guide and support your tamaiti/tamariki at the very beginning of their learning journey with us.
Kia ora, I’m Rhian. I have recently completed my Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) through Te Rito Maioha. I have loved working with tamariki for most of my life. I decided I wanted to teach as a career during intermediate school.
I love supporting tamariki to learn new things and encouraging them through their interests. I am interested in arts and crafts and exploring the outdoors.
During my studies, I had the opportunity to work part time at Childspace Wilton with children aged 2-5 years. On completion of my studies, I was offered a fulltime role here at Childspace Karori teaching alongside infants and toddlers, and I am looking forward to building my skills as a kaiako and getting to know all the whānau.
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Kia ora! I have recently completed my Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) through Te Rito Maioha and I have moved to Wellington for more opportunities. I have been working in early childhood for 4 years now, and I have spent majority of that time working with infants and toddlers, where I have found my passion.
I believe that infants and toddlers are competent and confident individuals who deserve loving, trusting and respectful interactions. Trusting and secure relationships should be at the heart of what we do as kaiako, and I strive to establish these with each tamaiti and their whānau. I enjoy observing tamariki and seeing how they learn and communicate, as well as allowing them time to try things individually. The interests, wants and needs of tamariki should all be nurtured within an early childhood setting, supporting each tamaiti to express themselves freely and comfortably.
I continue to learn from each tamaiti and whānau each day and I am so grateful for this opportunity! In my free time I enjoy going to the beach, reading, exploring nature and the city! I am so excited to join the Childspace whānau and I look forward to meeting and getting know your tamaiti and whānau!
Kia ora, I’m Jana. I have recently completed my Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) through Te Rito Maioha. Working alongside tamariki has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I often volunteered for children’s events and programmess in my neighbourhood growing up which I absolutely loved doing. After high school, I moved to Palmerston North leaving my small hometown of Shannon. There, I began my journey as a kaiako working with tamariki aged 3 months to 6 years. After four years in Palmerston North, I decided to make the move to Wellington to explore the opportunities and lifestyle here.
As a kaiako I value each individual tamaiti learning journey. I view tamariki as competent and capable learners. I look forward to meeting your whānau and tamaiti and enjoying this journey here at Childspace.
I am an unqualified kaiako who has been working in ECE for over 2 years now. I’ve had a passion for teaching and learning alongside tamariki for many years now and am so excited to be part of the team at Childspace Karori. I’m born and raised in Wellington and I absolutely love all that Wellington has to offer. I can’t wait for this new adventure to help me learn and grow in a new environment. Looking forward to meeting you and your whānau!
In addition to teaching, I have a deep love for cooking. Growing up in the southern part of India, I was surrounded by the rich flavors and traditions of South Indian cuisine, where food is not just nourishment but a way of bringing people together. I was fortunate to be offered a relief cooking role at Childspace, which eventually led me to becoming the Kai creator and joining the Childspace Karori whanau, allowing me to combine my love for both teaching and cooking. Now, I enjoy preparing healthy, comforting meals that support children’s growth and well-being.
I look forward to continuing this journey with the team and making a positive impact.
I am a qualified kaiako with a Bachelors Degree in (Teaching) Early Childhood.
I am passionate about supporting tamariki on their individual learning journeys to explore and discover in a respectful and homely environment that views them as capable.
I aspire to empower tamariki to be their true self, and to feel confident in their abilities, knowledge, and self-expression.
