What ages does KidsCo take?

KidsCo is licensed for children aged 3 months to 5 years. We're a small Birkenhead early learning centre with a maximum of 35 children across the whole centre where every child's name, interests and passions are known.

What are your opening hours?

We're open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:00pm. We're closed on weekends and public holidays.

Where is KidsCo located?

We're at 21 Park Hill Road, Birkenhead, on Auckland's North Shore. We have onsite parking and we're easy to reach from Birkenhead, Birkdale, Northcote, Beach Haven, Glenfield and across the wider North Shore.

We're licensed for 35 children in total, while most early learning centres in Auckland take 50 to 150 children. We've kept KidsCo small because it means teachers can genuinely know every child, every family, and every learning journey.

How is KidsCo different from kindergarten?

Kindergarten is a great option for some families, but it's not the same as a small early learning centre like KidsCo. We're open longer hours, we take younger children from 3 months, and our smaller numbers mean teachers know every child individually. Our school readiness preparation is delivered through our Kura Programme for our 4 year olds, which we believe stands up to anything kindergarten offers.

How long have your teachers been at KidsCo?

Our teaching team has an average of 7+ years of experience and many have been at KidsCo for 5+ years. That's unusually low turnover for the early childhood sector, and it means the team your child meets on day one is the team they'll grow up with.

How do I enrol my child at KidsCo?

The best first step is to book a visit so you can see the centre, meet the teachers, and get a feel for whether KidsCo is the right fit for your family. After that we'll walk you through the enrolment paperwork. The full process is on our Enrolment page.

What documents do I need to bring to enrolment?

You'll need your child's birth certificate (or passport), emergency contact details, and any relevant medical or allergy information. We'll provide the enrolment forms and walk you through everything you need to fill in.

Do you require immunisation records?

We don't require immunisation records as part of enrolment. We do ask if your child has any specific health needs so we can support them well.

How does settling in work?

Before your child's official start date, we invite you to visit with them so they can begin to explore the environment and meet the teachers, all with you by their side. Some children need just one visit before they're ready. Others need two or three, and that's completely fine. We follow your child's lead.

What if my child cries at drop-off?

Some separation anxiety is completely normal, especially in the first few weeks. We'll work with you on a settling routine that suits your child. Most children settle within a few minutes of you leaving. If a child is genuinely distressed for an extended time, we'll contact you and adjust our approach together.

What do I need to bring on the first day?

Spare clothes, any comfort items they need (a special toy, blanket, or dummy), nappies, and a hat. We provide wipes, sunscreen and all meals and snacks.

Can I visit the centre before enrolling?

Absolutely, visiting is the most important step. We offer visits between 10am and 11am weekdays so you see the centre as it really is. Book a visit through our Visit Us page or call us on 09 480 0088.

What do you provide vs what do parents need to bring?

We provide all meals (morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea), wipes and sunscreen. Parents need to bring spare clothes, a hat and any comfort items.

What food do you serve?

Every meal at KidsCo is prepared fresh daily by our in-house cook. Nutritious food, made with care, accompanied by daily fresh fruit. We cater for allergies and dietary requirements, and mealtimes are social and genuinely enjoyable.

How do you handle allergies and dietary requirements?

We cater carefully for allergies and dietary requirements. Talk to us when you enrol about your child's specific needs and we'll plan accordingly. Our cook prepares meals with this front of mind. We're nut-free, so no nut products should be brought into the centre.

How do you communicate with parents during the day?

We use Storypark, a free downloadable app, to keep you connected to your child's day. You'll receive daily news with photos showing what's been happening, your child's learning stories documenting their progress and next steps, and centre-wide community updates. It's not just a communication tool, it's a window into your child's world at KidsCo.

Do you do toilet training?

Yes, we support toilet training when your child and family are ready. There's no rush. We follow your lead and use consistent approaches between home and centre. Accidents are part of learning and we support these without any fuss.

What happens if my child gets sick?

We follow Ministry of Health exclusion guidelines and will contact you if your child develops symptoms during the day. Keeping unwell children at home protects everyone, and we'll work with you to make the process as easy as possible.

How do you handle behaviour and conflict between children?

We see challenging behaviour as communication, children are usually telling us something. Our team uses positive guidance, helps children name their feelings, and supports them to find solutions together. For ongoing challenges, we partner with families to find what works.

How do children learn at KidsCo?

Our programme is child-led and play-based, which means we start with what your child is genuinely curious about and build rich learning experiences around that. Children learn best when they're interested which is backed by decades of research into how young brains develop.

Do you teach children to read and write?

We build the foundations for early literacy, maths and science through play-based activities, reading aloud, conversations, environmental print (labels and signs), and children's self-initiated writing. By the time children leave KidsCo, many recognise letters, write their names, and understand that print carries meaning. Our Kura Programme for 4 year olds adds more structured literacy and numeracy activities to prepare them for school.

How does KidsCo prepare children for school?

KidsCo follows Te Whāriki, New Zealand's national early childhood curriculum, and tamariki join our School Readiness Programme (Kura Programme) when they turn 4. This builds the whole child across five areas that primary school teachers say matter most: learning to learn, independence and self-help skills, social competency, early literacy and numeracy, and bicultural identity. You can read more about it on our School Readiness page.

What if my child has additional needs?

Every child deserves to thrive. We have experience with diverse learners and work closely with families and specialists to create an inclusive environment where every child can participate fully. Talk to us about your child's specific needs and we'll discuss what support looks like at KidsCo.

How do you celebrate cultural diversity?

KidsCo is proudly multicultural and we mean that genuinely. We want your family's traditions, celebrations and language woven into your child's experience here. Whether that's celebrating Diwali, Lunar New Year, Eid, Matariki or any other celebration that matters to your family, we'd love to include it. Tell us what's important to you.

Do you use te reo Māori at KidsCo?

Yes, we use te reo Māori naturally throughout the day in songs, greetings, kai time and karakia. New Zealand's bicultural identity is part of our programme so every child feels grounded and connected.

How much does KidsCo cost?

We share fee details when you visit so we can talk you through what applies to your child's specific schedule and any subsidies you may be eligible for. Book a visit and we'll cover everything.

What is 20 Hours ECE and how does it work?

20 Hours ECE is a government subsidy that gives all 3, 4, and 5 year olds in New Zealand up to 20 hours of early childhood education per week. KidsCo participates in 20 Hours ECE, so this subsidy is available for our preschool children. We'll talk you through exactly how it applies to your child's days when you enrol.

Do you accept WINZ Childcare Subsidy?

Yes, families receiving certain benefits or studying may qualify for additional subsidies through Work and Income. We can help you understand the process when you enrol.

Privacy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 11 June 2026

KidsCo Early Learning Centre ("KidsCo", "we", "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and store it, and your rights under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

What we collect

When you contact us through our website enquiry form, we collect the information you choose to provide, typically your name, email address, phone number, and any details you include in your message (which may include information about your child). We also collect basic technical and usage information automatically when you visit our website, as described under "Cookies and analytics" below.

Why we collect it and how we use it

We use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry, arrange visits, and discuss enrolment and care options for your child. We do not use your enquiry details to send you marketing, and we do not add you to any mailing list. We use website analytics information to understand how our site is used and to improve it.

Cookies and analytics

Our website uses Google Analytics and the Meta (Facebook) Pixel. These tools use cookies and similar technologies to collect anonymous information about how visitors use our site, and to help us measure and improve our advertising. This information is handled in accordance with Google's and Meta's own privacy policies. You can disable cookies in your browser settings if you prefer.

How we store and share your information

Enquiries submitted through our website are sent to us by email and stored securely. We take reasonable steps to keep your personal information safe from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access. We do not sell your personal information. We only share it with the third-party services we use to run our website and communications (such as our email and form providers), and only as needed to operate our service. Some of these providers may store data outside New Zealand.

How long we keep it

We keep enquiry information only for as long as we need it to respond to you and, where relevant, to support your child's enrolment. If you do not enrol and there is no ongoing reason to keep your details, we will dispose of them securely.

Your rights

Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you, to request a copy of it, and to ask us to correct it if it is wrong. To make a request, please contact us using the details below.

Contact us

If you have any questions about this policy or about how we handle your personal information, please contact us at office@kidsco.co.nz or on 09 480 0088. You can also find out more about your privacy rights at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, privacy.org.nz.