Welcome to Manu Kindergarten

Our family-owned centre has been providing high quality early childhood education in New Plymouth for over 30 years.

Fully trained teachers: Our team is stable and consistent, with 100% trained teachers. We focus on building genuine, trusting relationships with each child.

Quality over quantity: We intentionally keep our group size to just 20 children per session. This allows for deeper engagement and supports children to feel a strong sense of belonging.

Nature focused: From gardening experiences, nature craft, forest exploration and more, we are passionate about nurturing children’s connection with the natural world.

Get in touch
A young boy with blond hair, wearing a blue and gray hoodie and gray pants, is playing in a sandbox with a small shovel, digging in the dirt.
Children playing outdoors on the grass, sitting in a circle, with one child smiling and standing barefoot nearby.
A young girl in a purple raincoat and pink hat crouches on the forest floor, touching the ground, with a backpack on her back, surrounded by green plants and trees.

  • "Play is the work of the child—it’s how they explore, discover, and make sense of their world."

    —Pennie Brownlee

  • "Children’s brains are built through responsive, loving relationships. The more connected a child feels, the more they learn."

    Nathan Wallis

  • “He taonga te mokopuna, kia whāngaia, kia tipu, kia rea — A child is a treasure to be nurtured, to grow, to flourish.”

    — Whakataukī, (Māori proverb)