About us

Early Learning Counties Manukau Takanini is a brand new centre, providing the local community with a fantastic and innovative opportunity for children’s before five growth and learning.  The ELCM Takanini Team is caring, inviting, open and welcoming to our children, whānau, community and visitors. The teaching team comprises of qualified, registered and in training teachers as well as enthusiastic support staff. 

A healthy, safe, stimulating and enriching environment for our children is paramount, one in which we follow the children’s interests, extend their thinking and challenge their physical boundaries.  We pride ourselves on having an environmentally friendly building and surrounds, with an indoor/outdoor flow to the play spaces and environment that has a naturally appealing look and feel. Some of the other eco-friendly features include, rain water tanks for the gardens, solar panels, recycle, reuse and reduce mentality and options and an orchard is in the planning.

All in all, an amazing new centre, catering to the whole community, building strong relationships, nurturing confident and competent children, because “Children are the heart of what we do”.

Our programmes

Our philosophy is inspired by Pikler and Reggio Emilia approaches that promote and encourage inquiry based learning, children learning through play and utilising the environment as a third teacher.  The programme has a kindergarten character and feel which encompasses and weaves in our New Zealand Te Whāriki curriculum.  We embrace a bicultural approach, still we value, respect and welcome all of our community cultures equally.