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The are many advantages when it comes to home-based childcare and it is now the fastest growing type of early childhood education in New Zealand. Time and time again research shows that group size and child to adult ratios are key factors in quality outcomes for children. Find out if home-based childcare is suitable for your little one.

Are you be missing out on thousands of dollars of ECE funding? When you’re starting out, finding the right childcare option can seem like such a minefield and the issue of early childhood education (ECE) funding is often overlooked. Find out how you could receive up to 30 ECE hours per week.

Looking for childcare options? Sharing a nanny with another like-minded family or families maybe a more affordable solution than you might think when it comes to looking after your children. Nanny sharing allows you to share the cost of hiring a nanny, offers the flexibility for them to fit in with your schedule and provides extra help around your home too.

With more and more of us needing to work, we often require the services of childcare experts to help care for our children. For those looking for flexible childcare in their own home, hiring a nanny could be the answer. Not sure where to start or what questions to ask? Check out our list of key considerations and find a nanny you feel confident leaving your kids with.

Have you ever thought about hosting an Au Pair? Someone to look after your children, take care of some of the household chores and cleaning, laundry and cooking and to babysit so you can have a night out? Read about this mother’s first-hand experience and the sort of things that you can expect.

Having a good relationship with your nanny is so important as it can have an effect on your whole family. Here are 5 quick tips to help keep your nanny happy and working for you for a little longer.

So which should you choose - a nanny or a home based educator? Lisa Bentley, Director of KiwiOz Nannies, tells us the main differences between a nanny and a home-based educator. From the location and type of childcare they offer to household duties, cost and ECE subsidies.

Messy play is so much fun and comes with numerous benefits for preschoolers. From playing with water in the bath to creating something with playdough, experimenting with paint and lots of other exciting activities. Messy play provides preschoolers with a great opportunity to learn through unstructured play. There are so many ways preschoolers can benefit and have fun with mess!

Reading to your child every day is a wonderful way to spend some time with them and support them in their learning. Snuggling up with your child and reading them stories helps them to develop a positive attitude towards books.

Kids are happy to just play and really don’t need big, expensive, brand-name toys to keep them occupied. Here are some cheap and easy things you can make at home to keep them amused for hours.

When was the last time you sang a nursery rhyme? It may not have been since your own childhood or you may just be a little bit rusty, so here are the words to a few favourites to help refresh your memory and to sing to your own kids.

Nursery rhymes are an important part of a child’s development, helping them to increase their vocabulary and develop their counting skills. Check out our list of popular kids nursery rhymes and learn the words to sing with your little one.

Pretend play is an essential part of growing up, and as adults, it’s important for us to encourage toddlers and preschoolers to give it a go. Pretend play comes with many benefits too and helps develop a child’s creativity, recreate social relationships and learn how to get along with others. It’s also necessary developmentally too, being like a ‘rite of passage’ as a child gets older.

Sensory experience is an important part of child development, but often kids are so busy getting their hands messy, that we forget about them using their feet for sensory play activities. Using their feet for sensory or messy play has many benefits, especially when it comes to exploring the sense of touch.

Kids will love this sparkly play dough recipe! Play dough is always a hit with young children, so why not add some glitter for more fun and a little extra sparkle! Have a go at making this no-bake play dough recipe. It’s easy to model into all sorts of shapes and creations and you can even make it a couple of days in advance if you’re pushed for time.

Who knew painting with marshmallows could be so much fun! It’s really easy to set up and a great activity to help toddlers and preschoolers develop their fine motor skills.

So how do you choose a great read aloud book when there are so many good children’s books out there? Books that will become firm family favourites and hold your children’s interest time and time again. Check out these 4 tips to help you find read aloud books that your baby, toddler or pre-schooler will love.