Hit enter to search or ESC to close

centre-banner-shape-3

Busy Bees Ashburton

feature-ece

20 Hours ECE

feature-storypark

Storypark

feature-meals

Meals provided

Enrol Now

details-poi 80 Peter Street, Ashburton, 7700

details-phone 03 308 1379

details-email

details-clock Mon - Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm

Busy Bees Ashburton location in maps

Welcome to Busy Bees Ashburton

Busy Bees Ashburton, we are child-focused, working alongside whānau and our community to provide equal opportunities for all tamariki. We are inclusive and pride ourselves on using a wide range of tools from our kete to support learning and development, setting our tamariki up to be lifelong learners. Our kaiako are passionate, responsive and work collaboratively with each other, tamariki, whānau and our wider community to create meaningful learning experiences and strong relationships. Working collaboratively with whānau and our wider community.

Our learning spaces are inclusive and welcoming, filled with opportunities for exploration, creativity and discovery.

Nursery baby exploring sensory experience at Busy Bees Ashburton
banner-icon-3

At Busy Bees Ashburton, we create meaningful relationships that support each child’s learning journey and celebrate their individual identity, culture and strengths.

As you enter our learning spaces, you will see a variety of visuals displayed at child level. These tools support and guide our tamariki, helping them to feel empowered, capable and confident in their environment. You will hear laughter, excitement and a rich variety of languages, including the home languages of our tamariki and whānau, reflecting the diversity within our centre.

Our centre has two age appropriate areas, with two learning stage spaces in each. The Harakeke Room provides a warm, nurturing environment for our youngest tamariki. Our caring kaiako work alongside whānau in collaborative partnerships, responding to each child’s individual needs with care and consistency, just as you would at home.

As tamariki become more mobile and independent, they transition into the Koru Room. Here, kaiako continue to work in respectful, responsive partnerships with whānau to ensure tamariki’s needs are met throughout the day. When tamariki show readiness for further transition within the centre, kaiako work collaboratively with whānau and tamariki to ensure the process is smooth, positive and supportive. 

The Mānuka Room supports tamariki through meaningful learning experiences where kaiako and whānau work together in partnership to ensure learning and developmental needs are nurtured. Our values underpin the learning curriculum and guide everyday practice.

The Pōhutukawa Room helps prepare tamariki with lifelong skills that support them to grow into confident and capable learners. We pride ourselves on building strong partnerships with whānau and the wider community. We are inclusive and value the identity, culture and uniqueness of every child and family within our centre.

Our early education centre welcomes tamariki and their whānau and we strive to support children to develop into capable learners with a strong cultural identity. Our qualified teachers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, providing quality education in a stimulating environment. We are so proud of what our kaiako bring to our learning environment and we welcome your child to our community and look forward to helping them start their education journey.

Dietitian Designed Menus

We believe that through nourishing food, children are fuelled to thrive physically and mentally, whilst enjoying the benefits of coming together and connecting as a group at mealtimesWe supply a wide variety of nourishing meals for the children at our centre. Across morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, our fabulous centre cook will provide foods that are minimally processed, avoiding recipes that are high in added sugar, instead using fresh, real and wholesome ingredients.

Our dedicated cook and centre team is currently striving towards the Tohu Manawa Ora | Healthy Heart Award from the Heart Foundation.

To support childrens transition to school, we do have lunch box days each week with our near five year olds.

Teachers also do regular baking with the tamariki, which provides them opportunities to engage and learn a range of food preparations skills and fine motor movements such as pouring, sifting, spooning. It is a great hands on sensory experience for children to develop independence through self-help skills, practice simple maths as they measure and count quantities.

Our programme reflects the principles, goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki the New Zealand bi-cultural Early Childhood Curriculum. This curriculum covers the education and care of children from birth to school age and clearly reflects the concept of learning as a lifelong process that begins at the very start of life. Our teachers follow this to work alongside your child to plan and extend on their learning. This celebrates the uniqueness of each child and the value we hold in the contribution of family/whānau in their child’s learning. 

At Busy Bees Ashburton, we value every child and see them as unique and a special taonga. Our teachers provide quality education and childcare in a stimulating environment that will contribute to their successful future. Conveniently located just down the road from Ashburton Netherby School, we're easy to find and within a short travelling distance to Ashburton Domain. We're the natural choice for busy parents and local families in the community.

Busy Bees Ashburton outdoor water play
Babys playing with toys at Busy Bees Ashburton
Sensory experiences for preschoolers at Busy Bees Ashburton
Busy Bees Ashburton outdoor races
Busy Bees Ashburton clean spaces for babies and engaging setups
Busy Bees Ashburton Imagination play

Our Programmes

Busy Bees Ormiston Road 8 March 2024 10

Bee Curious, our Busy Bees Curriculum Framework, has been created to guide and inspire kaiako in supporting tamariki through rich, interconnected learning experiences. Built on the strong foundation of Te Whāriki, it reflects the principles of Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum and the aspirations we hold for our children as they grow.

read more

climbing learningtreealbanyHB2 8620

Our MOVE programme deliberately sets out physical activities that give children the opportunity to learn, practice and master physical skills whilst developing their resilience, perseverance, patience, co-ordination, gross-motor skills, teamwork and much more, all while having loads of fun!

read more

Busy Bees Tahunanui Nourish Morning Tea

Nutritious food is the foundation for healthy growth and development in our children. Our Nourish menus fuel our children and support full, healthy tummies enabling clear minds to focus on the learning and set children up to thrive at our centre.

read more

quotes

Testimonials

"Busy Bees Ashburton is perfect. From the staff down to the facilities."

Parent Feedback 2026

"Great environment, amazing kaiako, lunches supplied!"

Parent Feedback 2026

“Our daughter loves it there, all of the staff are so friendly from the moment you walk in. Love getting the updates with photos.”

Parent Feedback 2026

"We've noticed the comfort and care our boy has received in the classes he has been in. The transitioning between classes were well corresponded and allowed us to have an understanding on how he has taken these big changes.
Thankful for the clear communication from teachers on what's working for our boy and what he's enjoying at daycare so we can continue to support his interests at home"

Parent Feedback 2026

“The staff are amazing, the teaching they do is phenomenal. Overall the centre and staff are fantastic. They are so hands on, know my child well, communicate with me well and are friendly and my son enjoys attending”

Parent Feedback 2026

"Staff are always friendly and welcoming. They have plenty of activities to do with the children. Much improvement with new ownership!! Well done."

Parent Feedback February 2024

"Amazing team. So supportive of my kids and teaching them to become their best. Thanks so much!"

Parent Feedback April 2024

"Busy Bees has been amazing throughout my child's preschool journey! With many things such as, talking more, socialising more and being more independent. They focus on the needs of the child and are always super friendly and helpful."

Parent Feedback April 2024

footer-object-1
footer-object-1

Find your local Centre