Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to Northland Childspace.
We are located in windy Northland, with lush bush and wide spaces all around us.
We cater for children between 0 – 6 years.
We have a bright spacious teina (nursery) located upstairs, in which we have two teachers and up to eight children.
Watch this wonderful video to learn more about our Northland early learning centre.
Our tuakana (2-6 years) is on the ground level, with three teachers and up to twenty-two children.
We have many siblings who attend, and our environment allows for them to visit one another in the two spaces.
However, this in not restricted to siblings, we invite and encourage all children to benefit from tuakana-teina relationships (learning from peers).
Our teaching team believe strongly in supporting children’s sense of belonging and wellbeing within the centre by fostering ongoing relationships between family, whānau and children.
Our team bring with them a range of passions and experiences, which they enjoy weaving into their daily programme and sharing their interests with the children.
We offer a diverse early childhood programme that includes a strong focus on art, gardening, excursions, sustainable practices, heuristic play, and self-directed play. Much of our inspiration comes from the work of Emmi Pikler and Magda Gerber.
Our centre is made unique by its ‘Secret Garden’ which gives children an opportunity to connect with nature allowing them to respect and appreciate Papatūānuku.
We also have an extended bush land across the road, which we make very good use of. We are passionate about providing opportunities in which the children are able to explore their relationship with the natural world, including our prolific bird population.
Open from 7.30am-6.00pm Mon-Fri we offer full-time and part-time spaces for your family.
We endeavour to accommodate to your childcare needs to the best of our ability.
Meet our dedicated team of caring and professional specialists, who strive to provide the best possible service for you and your children.
I have been a kaiako in ECE for many years, coming from a small community based centre that was in the city and that had similar values and philosophy to Childspace.
I aim to be a very intentional and considered practitioner with aroha and connected relationships as the foundation of my philosophy. I have had a focus within my professional career on RIE philosophy and the work of the Reggio Emilia schools which are very aligned with the principles here at Childspace. I am also a passionate and deeply committed learner regarding all things Māori.
I am especially excited to be involved in Childspace’s very robust natural world curriculum, particularly the regular hikoi into te Ngahere and the Wild Space programme.I also love the wild outside area at the centre and the emphasis on loose parts play and child initiated adventuring that happens in this space. I find the Northland environment and team to be warm, cosy and homely and just the kind of place I want to be.
I live in Newtown with my son and our cat. I do Yoga, meditate, walk, garden and I love the sea and the beach trying to spend as much time there in summer as I can and hopefully getting away in the holidays to Mt Maunganui and Tauranga where I grew up. I watch a lot of movies, listen to lots of music and love all kinds of visual art. I’ve also done a little bit of professional development and teaching related to visual art in ECE so that is another of my particular interests.
I am excited to begin this new adventure with you all and I look forward to meeting you all!
Kia ora, I’m Huan, also known as JoJo. I’m originally from Chengdu in south-west China, a city known for its spicy food and pandas. I came to New Zealand in 2019 to challenge myself and begin a new chapter.
I completed my master’s degree in Teaching Early Childhood Education at Toi Ohomai in Rotorua and joined the Childspace whānau in December 2022. I love being around children and feel grateful to support them as they grow, explore, and make sense of the world.
Authentic teaching sits at the heart of my teaching practice. I value genuine relationships with children and whānau, respectful communication, and holding a positive image of every child. Bringing my culture into my teaching has been a joyful part of my teaching journey, and I believe children learn best through real, meaningful experiences in the world around them.
Childhood is the very beginning of finding out who you are. This rewarding career gifts me the time with children coming to grips with learning themselves, it keeps reminding me what’s important in life so I am very grateful to be able to share my enthusiasm for learning in nature, for leading a creative life and for having big dreams that require time and courage.
Kia ora, 您好,
My name is He Jiajie (何嘉洁), but everyone calls me ‘Kit’. I grew up in Guangzhou, China and came to Aotearoa in 2003. I finished my Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) in 2010 and started teaching in 2011. I have worked at a few preschool/childcare centres as a permanent kaiako and also relieved at a variety of ECE settings. I believe tamariki learn through play and, they learn best when they feel happy and safe. Ako (give and take) is something I value a lot – tamariki learn from me, and I learn from tamariki. Teaching is a never ending journey and every day is different. That’s the beauty of being an early childhood educator. It’s very rewarding to see how tamariki grow into confident, independent and competent global learners.
I am a mother of 3 beautiful children Alex, Minnie and Evie, living with my husband Alex in Ngaio. It’s lovely to be part of the team in Childspace Northland. I cannot wait to work alongside all the tamariki, whaanau and kaiako.
In my spare time, I love playing badminton. This year, I represented two Wellington North teams (Masters Division 2 and Central Region Senior Division 1 team). I have also recently found another passion in umpiring, so I became a NZ accredited/qualified umpire in badminton this year. Coaching may well be something I want to explore next.
Nga mihi,
Kit
Kia Ora,
I am originally from Hungary and I’m the aspiring early childhood educator here at Childspace Northland. I have moved to New Zealand a couple of years ago and joined the Childspace family back in July 2022 as a reliever.
I got offered a permanent role at Northland in September 2023.
I am passionate about well-being & fostering emotional intelligence. I believe that one of the greatest skill we can teach to our children is a deeper understanding of life and the ability to love and believe in themselves. I care deeply about the small details that can bring more intention and beauty into our everyday lives. May that be some fresh flowers around the space or lightning a candle before a cup of tea I enjoy creating safe and intentional spaces for our tamariki. I also never say no to a good boogie. Movement has always been a big part of my life. I took dance lessons from age 4-18. I believe it has greatly influenced my ability to feel comfortable in my own body and “dance like nobody’s watching” and I would love to plant a seed in our tamariki to feel the same way in their future.
I’m on a constant journey of honing my story telling skills as I love letting my imagination run free. I especially love coming up with stories with the children together.
I also started to learn Te Reo Māori as of this year 2023.
In my free time I love to paint, dance and figure skating. I love poetry and I often catch myself contemplating about the mysteries of life.
Being part of Childspace has been nothing short of inspiring. My intention is to enroll into an ECE program
in 2025 once I can call finally myself a proud permanent resident of Aotearoa.
Aroha nui,
Judit
Aotearoa has become my second home, and living here has deepened my love for nature. This connection has shaped my teaching philosophy, inspiring a shift toward nature exploration and environmental sustainability. I am also passionate about the arts, and music and movement, which I consistently incorporate into creating meaningful learning experiences for the tamariki. My teaching is guided by the core values of passion, empathy, dedication, compassion, respect, and integrity. My primary goal is to support children’s social-emotional development, helping them become resilient and self-sufficient individuals. I also strive to instill values of kindness, integrity, and resourcefulness, equipping the tamariki to thrive wherever they go.
I deeply value and respect cultural diversity, and enjoy learning about different cultures and languages. As a Filipino, I am excited to share my heritage while embracing and celebrating the rich cultural diversity of New Zealand and the Childspace whānau and community. Outside of work, I enjoy activities like hiking or going for a bush walk, singing or listening to music, karaoke, playing ukulele, reading books, going to the gym, creating arts and crafts, watching movies, binge-watching TV series, and caring for my succulents. I also love spending time with my friends and loved ones, which keeps me balanced and energized.
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.
