Parents always ask about the settling process, and we will adapt our process to suit the individual needs of each child and family.  Below is a general outline of what this might look like for you at Curious Kids. During the enrolment we will go over the settling process in detail.

We suggest doing at least three visits.

Visit One
The first visit you will spend the entire time in the classroom with your child and the visit should be for about one hour. During this time your child will have the opportunity to explore their new environment and meet new friends. You will have the opportunity to chat with all the staff and learn about the daily routines and what you need to bring along with you on your child’s first day.

Visit Two
The Second visit will be very similar to the first, you will come to the class and let the child explore, play and learn about the new environment. If you and your child are already to, you can pop away for 15 minutes to a half hour.  We don’t like the child to feel like you have disappeared so we ask that you let them know you are going and will be back shortly.

Visit Three
On the third visit once the child is settled, we will ask you to leave for up to 2 hours.  If your child becomes distressed we have your contact details and will contact you if we need to. Most children are ready to start after these initial three visits however if you or the staff feel that a few more visits are needed we will make a plan with you for this.

Once started, you are more then welcome to phone the centre to check as many times during the day as you would like.  It is not uncommon for children to be upset in the beginning, and we know it can be unsettling for you to hear, but more often then not, after a cuddle from the teachers and some re-direction to play they are happy and content. This will become easier over time as they learn that you will be back to collected them at the end of the day.

We encourage parents to get involved in the centre, review our policies and have regular conversations with teachers and we will hold parents evenings throughout the year and value parent and whanau participation and feedback.

We use an electronic online portfolio system called Storypark which allows you to keep up to date with your child’s development and milestones. You can add other family members and relatives, share stories with the teachers and make comments on posts.  There is also a mobile app that allows you to access everything while you are on the go.

We have a Facebook and Instagram page where you can keep up to date with what is happening at the centre.