Our Rooms
Lollipops Takapuna has two separate outdoor areas and three separate indoor spaces, catering to children at each age and stage of development.
Outdoors we have an infants and toddler play area, where our children can explore safely at their own calm pace, as well as a preschool area, where our older children enjoy more challenging activities.
Inside, we have the following rooms:
Cubs Room
This caters for children from birth to approximately 18 months. We have a ratio of one teacher to four children, which means we have a maximum of eight babies per day. We follow each baby’s established routine from home and cater for their individual needs in every way. During this stage of a baby’s development we encourage self-discovery which is why our babies regularly enjoy heuristic play and an environment that provides opportunities for exploration with all the senses. We enjoy listening to songs, nursery rhymes, waiata and music from different nations. Our programme is based on Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum that fosters children’s holistic development.
Daily Routine
7:45 am: Cubs Room opens, children welcomed and settled
- We’ll ask you if your child had a good night, what time they woke up and if they’ve had something to eat or drink. This information is important as we follow each child’s individual routine.
8:30 – 9:30 am: Morning tea (or breakfast first brought in by the parents, followed by morning tea)
Sleep Time: If your child requires a morning, midday or afternoon rest, our teachers will confirm specific times, based on your child’s routine.
11:00 am: Lunch
- Your child will enjoy a hot meal from the menu. If they’re not on solids, bottles can be given at specific times and in addition to solid meals. Our cook also prepares food especially for our babies, taking into account the different stages of feeding and the introduction of new foods.
Planned and free play: Throughout the day your child will be involved in different activities and experiences e.g. sensory play, music, and movement, puzzles, heuristic play, gross motor skill play, and painting. This allows your child to experience self-discovery and open-ended play, encouraging them to learn at their own pace, with the support and guidance of their teachers.
2:00 – 3:00 pm: Afternoon tea
Depending on what time your child wakes up, we will provide them with afternoon tea from the menu. If your child requires a bottle the educator will confirm specific times for this.
4:00 – 6:00 pm: Final bottle/dinner if required (provided by parents)/free play/quiet reading
- When you arrive to pick up your child you’ll be given their daily diary outlining meals, nappy changes, sleep records and highlights of the day.
6:00 pm: Cubs Room closes
Tigers Room
Here we cater for children from approximately 18 months up to 3 years of age. Our teachers follow a programme which supports and develops our toddlers’ physical, social and cognitive skills and language development with resources that encourage problem solving and exploration. During this stage of a child’s development they are discovering their individuality and gaining independence by developing self-help skills. Our Tigers benefit from a free play philosophy where they are able to choose from a range of interactive experiences on offer to them throughout the day. We also have structured mat times, music and movement time and art learning experiences.
Daily Routine
7:45 am: Tigers Room opens, children are welcomed
- Free play including reading, play dough, puzzles, construction and more
9:05 am: Mat time including stories, rhymes, songs and games
9:15 am: Hand washing
9:20 am: Karakia and morning tea, sitting at little tables with friends and teachers
9:30 am: Sunblock (in summer)
9:35 am: Free play
- Indoor and outdoor learning experiences linked to planning and/or children’s interests including sensory, manipulative, block, dramatic play, art and crafts, fine and gross motor experiences, dancing, singing and reading stories
10:00 am: Nappy changing/toileting
11:00 am: Tidy up
11:10 am: Mat time including stories, rhymes, songs and games
11:20 am: Hand washing
11:25 am: Lunch
11:40 am: Rest and sleep time (under 2s sleep in their sleep room; over 2s sleep in the Tigers room with calm music played in both areas)
12:30 pm: Children start to wake/nappies and toileting/quiet learning experiences including heuristic play, puzzles, books
1:30 pm: Sunblock (summer months)
2:05 pm: Mat time including stories, rhymes, songs and games
2:15 pm: Hand washing
2:20 pm: Afternoon tea
2:35 pm: Free play/toileting and nappy changes
- Indoor and outdoor learning experiences linked to planning and/or children’s interests including sensory, manipulative, block, dramatic play, art and crafts, fine and gross motor experiences, dancing, singing and reading stories
3:30 pm: Sunblock (summer months)
3:45 pm: Story time including big books with musical accompaniment and other calming activities
5:00 pm: Tigers and Lions come together for last part of day to enjoy play and calming activities/ nappy changes and toileting
6:00 pm: Tigers Room closes
Lions Room
Catering for children aged approximately 2.5 to 5, we have a free play philosophy where children are able to choose from a range of resources as they become more confident and independent. Our Lions are encouraged to initiate their own activities and play alongside, and in collaboration with, their peers. Learning experiences include a variety of indoor and outdoor experiences/games/activities which enhance their interest in science, mathematics, technology, drama, music, dance and art. Children develop and express their creativity throughout the day through numerous interactions with their teachers and peers. Routines such as mat times, meal times and rest/sleep times are scheduled to allow maximum time for learning through play and relationships.
Daily Routine
7:45 am: Lion and Tiger children are welcomed into the Tigers Room.
- Free play including reading, play dough, puzzles, construction and more
8:15 am: Lions transition to Lions Room/sunblock in summer/free play
- Indoor and outdoor learning experiences linked to planning and/or children’s interests including sensory, manipulative, block, dramatic play, art and crafts, fine and gross motor experiences, dancing, singing and reading stories
9:25 am: Children tidy up, learning to take responsibility and care for their environment
9:30 am: Mat time including stories, rhymes, songs and games
9:40 am: Hand washing
9:45 am: Karakia and morning tea, sitting at little tables with friends and teachers
10:00 am: Nappies and toileting/free play
- Indoor and outdoor learning experiences linked to planning and/or children’s interests including sensory, manipulative, block, dramatic play, art and crafts, fine and gross motor experiences, dancing, singing and reading stories
10:15 am: Sunblock (summer months)
11:10 am: Children tidy up
11:20 am: Mat time including stories, rhymes, songs and games
11:30 am: Hand washing
11:35 am: Lunch
12:00 pm: Nappies and toileting/quiet reading/rest and sleep time
1:00 pm: School readiness programme for our 4 year olds/quiet learning experiences for our younger children as they wake up/nappies and toileting/sunblock
2:10 pm: Children tidy up
2:15 pm: Mat time including stories, rhymes, songs and games
2:25 pm: Hand washing
2:30 pm: Afternoon tea
3:00 pm: Free play/toileting and nappy changes/sunblock
- Indoor and outdoor learning experiences linked to planning and/or children’s interests including sensory, manipulative, block, dramatic play, art and crafts, fine and gross motor experiences, dancing, singing and reading stories
4:45 pm: Story time/big books with musical accompaniments/calming activities
5:00 pm: Tigers and Lions come together for last part of day to enjoy play and calming activities/nappy changes and toileting
6:00 pm: Lions Room closes