pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 13
pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
Hello there
Any Mums or families out there...my husband and I have just arrived in Auckland and are hoping to rent a house in Cockle bay, or the environs (Howick, Bucklands Beach etc) and I wondered firstly if there are any Mums with advice re things to do for kids, especially little ones (swimming lessons, sports clubs, dance etc), and also advice re preschools!! my son is 3.5 years and my daughter will be 1 once I go to work 3 days a week. My husband is also likely to be working at some point so I need to find a preschool for my little boy (he was in one in UK) and also either a childminder/nanny or a good nursery for my little girl...any advice or recommendations appreciated!! I am also keen to have any Mums who meet up for my days off and also to help meet people, I know two people in Auckland at the moment and they both live quite far away!!
Many thanks X
Any Mums or families out there...my husband and I have just arrived in Auckland and are hoping to rent a house in Cockle bay, or the environs (Howick, Bucklands Beach etc) and I wondered firstly if there are any Mums with advice re things to do for kids, especially little ones (swimming lessons, sports clubs, dance etc), and also advice re preschools!! my son is 3.5 years and my daughter will be 1 once I go to work 3 days a week. My husband is also likely to be working at some point so I need to find a preschool for my little boy (he was in one in UK) and also either a childminder/nanny or a good nursery for my little girl...any advice or recommendations appreciated!! I am also keen to have any Mums who meet up for my days off and also to help meet people, I know two people in Auckland at the moment and they both live quite far away!!
Many thanks X
#2
Re: pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
Hi
We live in Cockle Bay, but have teenagers If you are on facebook there is a page called East Auckland Grapevine and there are plenty of people on there who may be able to help you with your questions as plenty have littleuns from looking at some of the questions/posts.
Sorry I can't answer your questions myself but it's been a long time since mine were small
We live in Cockle Bay, but have teenagers If you are on facebook there is a page called East Auckland Grapevine and there are plenty of people on there who may be able to help you with your questions as plenty have littleuns from looking at some of the questions/posts.
Sorry I can't answer your questions myself but it's been a long time since mine were small
#3
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: Surrey
Posts: 7
Re: pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
Keen to hear an update on how you are getting on with this... we're coming out in 2 months, to Auckland as well, and i have a 3.5 yr old, a 2yr old and a 9 week old. So whilst I'll be a stay at home Mum for a while, my 2 toddlers enjoy a pre-school nursery in the UK so will probably need similar stimulation out there... they really enjoy nursery!
Have you found that nursery / childcare is expensive out there? We won't know anyone when we arrive, so if you are still wanting to meet up with Mums in 2 months time, I'll be in a very similar situation!
Have you found that nursery / childcare is expensive out there? We won't know anyone when we arrive, so if you are still wanting to meet up with Mums in 2 months time, I'll be in a very similar situation!
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 13
Re: pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
Hi Rachel
Well rest assured Auckland is pretty nice, but v spread out, so depending where you end up living...we are in Cockle Bay, the East side. Most people I was given as contacts live centrally, and one or two on the North Shore ie I will never manage to get there for play dates other than once in a blue moon!!! You will find you need a car too...there are buses but to be flexible and mobile, unf we are facing a two car household for the first time!!!!BUT we came from London and that is probably different from other parts of UK. Surrey is pretty car orientated too I think???
We found a great pre school that my son starts at next week three days, he has been there for a few visits and stayed there alone and did fine. Like yours he was in a similar thing three days at home...I find he is climbing the walls on the days he is at home all day!!! For my daughter there are two organisations that can provide you with childminders, or home educators they call them here. PORSE is national, and I found a bit corporate and not v organised ie they did not return my calls for some time, couldn't come when they said they would etc...and Stems from Home which is South and East Auckland and so far they are v good and have lined us up with two educators both lovely to the point we are not sure which to choose!!! So that option is a good one to for your little one, depends on your job work etc, and how flexible you will be...
Re costs, 3 year olds + get 20 hours subsidised, called ECA, so for us we still have to pay around $90 a week to top up the days my son will be at his preschool...but we can use it from 730-530 (though we won't take him so early nor collect him so late). Child minding is $5.50-7.50 an hour depending on the carer, and there seems flexibility like we don't need care in school hols as my hubbie is a teacher and the two minders we met were both good with that as they have young kids school age too....
Not sure if this is helpful, but rest assured it is much easier to find people and places here, within the first few weeks we had the pre school place and also swimming lessons and gym group with no wait lists etc, the sports opportunities are great and if you move to Eastern Auckland there are lovely beaches and loads of families etc, so its a great place to be!!! Life is quite relaxed here, sweet as they say!!
Let me know if you need any more advice and I am always free and keen to meet new Mums etc.
Well rest assured Auckland is pretty nice, but v spread out, so depending where you end up living...we are in Cockle Bay, the East side. Most people I was given as contacts live centrally, and one or two on the North Shore ie I will never manage to get there for play dates other than once in a blue moon!!! You will find you need a car too...there are buses but to be flexible and mobile, unf we are facing a two car household for the first time!!!!BUT we came from London and that is probably different from other parts of UK. Surrey is pretty car orientated too I think???
We found a great pre school that my son starts at next week three days, he has been there for a few visits and stayed there alone and did fine. Like yours he was in a similar thing three days at home...I find he is climbing the walls on the days he is at home all day!!! For my daughter there are two organisations that can provide you with childminders, or home educators they call them here. PORSE is national, and I found a bit corporate and not v organised ie they did not return my calls for some time, couldn't come when they said they would etc...and Stems from Home which is South and East Auckland and so far they are v good and have lined us up with two educators both lovely to the point we are not sure which to choose!!! So that option is a good one to for your little one, depends on your job work etc, and how flexible you will be...
Re costs, 3 year olds + get 20 hours subsidised, called ECA, so for us we still have to pay around $90 a week to top up the days my son will be at his preschool...but we can use it from 730-530 (though we won't take him so early nor collect him so late). Child minding is $5.50-7.50 an hour depending on the carer, and there seems flexibility like we don't need care in school hols as my hubbie is a teacher and the two minders we met were both good with that as they have young kids school age too....
Not sure if this is helpful, but rest assured it is much easier to find people and places here, within the first few weeks we had the pre school place and also swimming lessons and gym group with no wait lists etc, the sports opportunities are great and if you move to Eastern Auckland there are lovely beaches and loads of families etc, so its a great place to be!!! Life is quite relaxed here, sweet as they say!!
Let me know if you need any more advice and I am always free and keen to meet new Mums etc.
#5
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Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Whangaparaoa
Posts: 458
Re: pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
Keen to hear an update on how you are getting on with this... we're coming out in 2 months, to Auckland as well, and i have a 3.5 yr old, a 2yr old and a 9 week old. So whilst I'll be a stay at home Mum for a while, my 2 toddlers enjoy a pre-school nursery in the UK so will probably need similar stimulation out there... they really enjoy nursery!
Have you found that nursery / childcare is expensive out there? We won't know anyone when we arrive, so if you are still wanting to meet up with Mums in 2 months time, I'll be in a very similar situation!
Have you found that nursery / childcare is expensive out there? We won't know anyone when we arrive, so if you are still wanting to meet up with Mums in 2 months time, I'll be in a very similar situation!
We were paying 7 pounds an hour in the UK. Here we pay $5.50 an hour unsubsidized. The pre-school is awesome too.
There are some things that are much cheaper here - dont listen to the moaners.
#6
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 13
Re: pre schools in Auckland, Howick area
I would agree, costs can be a bit more for some things but lifestyle and ease at which you can do things more than makes u for it, and the fact that preschools etc are so amazing, they all have great outdoor play areas etc and the kids actually can go outside all year round as the weather is so much milder. Its great over in NZ fear not!!! My son is a changed boy here, loves it!!