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Best for under-2s — national top-50

Education-and-care centres taking under-2s, ranked on ERO health & safety + wellbeing grades — the two dimensions that matter most for the youngest learners.

1,581 centres eligible nationally. Source: Education Review Office, licensed CC-BY 4.0.

  1. 1
    BestStart Taradale
    Taradale · Hawke's Bay · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 67
  2. 2
    Te Kōpae Piripono
    Bell Block · Taranaki · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A
    Roll 55
  3. 3
    Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd
    Burnham Camp · Canterbury · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 44
  4. 4
    Lollipops Millennium
    Ellerslie · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 85
  5. 5
    BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy
    Otara · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 80
  6. 6
    BestStart Motutaiko Street
    Taupō Central East · Waikato · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 61
  7. 7
    Conductive Education Canterbury Inc
    Addington · Canterbury · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 16
  8. 8
    Rainbow Bears Preschool
    Henderson · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 50
  9. 9
    The Cats Pyjamas Preschool
    Rolleston Tauwharekākaho · Canterbury · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 70
  10. 10
    Playhouse Early Childhood Centre
    Green Bay · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 49
  11. 11
    BestStart Dannemora
    East Tamaki · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 105
  12. 12
    Colenso Early Childhood Centre
    Marewa · Hawke's Bay · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 38
  13. 13
    BestStart Havelock North
    Havelock North-Central · Hawke's Bay · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B A H A L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 25
  14. 14
    Te Kōhanga reo o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti
    East Cape · Gisborne · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 20
  15. 15
    Kindercare Learning Centres - Avonhead (211)
    Avonhead · Canterbury · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B H A L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 100
  16. 16
    BestStart St Andrews
    Te Rapa · Waikato · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 92
  17. 17
    Little Einsteins Montessori (MacDonald Street)
    Mt Maunganui · Bay of Plenty · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L B
    Roll 75
  18. 18
    Pakuranga Baptist Kindergarten
    Pakuranga · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  19. 19
    Twizel Early Learning Centre Inc
    Twizel · Canterbury · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 39
  20. 20
    Active Explorers Highbrook
    East Tamaki · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 150
  21. 21
    New Shoots Children's Centre - Whenuapai
    Whenuapai · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B H B L A
    Roll 90
  22. 22
    Active Explorers Blenheim
    Whitney East · Marlborough · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 83
  23. 23
    My Treehut
    Mountview · Waikato · Education And Care
    C W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 56
  24. 24
    BestStart Kamo Central
    Kamo · Northland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  25. 25
    Glendowie Montessori Preschool
    Glendowie · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B A H B L A
    Roll 37
  26. 26
    Tiaki Early Learning Centre
    Owhata · Bay of Plenty · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 29
  27. 27
    BestStart Palmerston North 1
    Palmerston North Central · Manawatū-Whanganui · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 79
  28. 28
    Te Rito, Te Whare Reo
    Kaitāia West · Northland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B H B L A
    Roll 50
  29. 29
    Taikura Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten
    Hastings Central · Hawke's Bay · Education And Care
    C W A Wh A B A H B L B ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  30. 30
    Te Kōhanga Amorangi o Whakawātea
    Deanwell · Waikato · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh C B A H B L B
    Roll 40
  31. 31
    NatureSpace Early Learning
    Kelvin Grove · Manawatū-Whanganui · Education And Care
    C W A Wh A B H B L A
    Roll 72
  32. 32
    Funhouse Learning Centre
    Whanganui Central · Manawatū-Whanganui · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H C L A
    Roll 50
  33. 33
    Tikipunga Educare
    Tikipunga · Northland · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B B H B L B ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 50
  34. 34
    Mokopuna ki Clendon Early Childhood Service
    Clendon · Auckland · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B H B L A
    Roll 45
  35. 35
    Aspiring Beginnings Early Learning Centre
    Wānaka Central · Otago · Education And Care
    C W A Wh A B H B L A
    Roll 40
  36. 36
    Daystar Early Learning Centre
    Mount Eden · Auckland · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B H B L A
    Roll 35
  37. 37
    Ngā Tamariki Childcare Centre
    Alicetown · Wellington · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B A H B L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 32
  38. 38
    Gulf Harbour Preschool
    Gulf Harbour · Auckland · Education And Care
    C W A Wh B A H B L A
    Roll 30
  39. 39
    Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation
    Mairangi Bay · Auckland · Education And Care
    C W A Wh A B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 30
  40. 40
    Annabel's Educare - Somerfield
    Somerfield · Canterbury · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B C H B L
    Roll 100
  41. 41
    BestStart Mount Eden
    Sandringham · Auckland · Education And Care
    C W A Wh A B B H B L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 56
  42. 42
    BestStart Morrinsville
    Morrinsville North · Waikato · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B A H B L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 50
  43. 43
    BestStart Ngatai Road
    Otumoetai · Bay of Plenty · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh B B H B L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 50
  44. 44
    Te Atatu South Childcare Centre
    Te Atatu South · Auckland · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B C H B L B
    Roll 50
  45. 45
    Te Puna Reo o Ngāti Toa
    Takapuwahia · Wellington · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B A H B L
    Roll 50
  46. 46
    The Treasure Cove Early Learning Centre
    Manurewa · Auckland · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B H B L B
    Roll 50
  47. 47
    Second Home Early Learning
    Newton · Auckland · Education And Care
    C W A Wh B B H B L A
    Roll 23
  48. 48
    Punahau Early Childhood Care Centre
    Levin East · Manawatū-Whanganui · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B H B L B
    Roll 15
  49. 49
    Mini Thinkers
    Musselburgh · Otago · Education And Care
    C W A Wh B H B L A
    Roll 150
  50. 50
    AoKids/Papakura
    Papakura Central · Auckland · Education And Care
    C B W A Wh B B H B L
    Roll 100

Showing top 50 of 1,581 eligible centres. Per-centre pages link to the source ERO review with full attribution.

Best for under-2s by region

Auckland (583) Canterbury (212) Waikato (162) Wellington (156) Bay of Plenty (121) Manawatū-Whanganui (61) Hawke's Bay (58) Northland (60) Otago (61) Taranaki (28) Southland (24) Gisborne (12) Tasman (12) Marlborough (13) Nelson (9) West Coast (7)

How we score "Best for under-2s"

Education-and-care only (kindergartens are 3+, kōhanga reo vary). Score = health_safety × 1.5 + wellbeing × 1.5 + composite × 0.5 (so the two priority dimensions weigh roughly 3× the others).

See full methodology and the ERO source row.

People also ask about best for under-2s

Curated from Google's People-Also-Ask data for NZ-located queries (refreshed 2026-05-28). Overseas-policy questions filtered out.

Is it okay to put a 2 year old in daycare?
The Benefits of Daycare at Age Two Here's what it offers: Two-year-olds begin learning how to share, play, and communicate with others. Group settings encourage toddlers to express themselves and build vocabulary. Regular schedules give children a sense of security and prepare them for preschool.
What should a 2 year old be learning at daycare?
What do two-year-olds learn at daycare? Two-year-olds learn to test out their newfound independence; build language, social, and self-help skills; experiment with cause and effect; investigate the outdoors; build relationships; and more.
Is 2.5 too early for daycare?
If your toddler is between 18 months and 3 years, and shows signs of readiness, you're likely in the ideal window to start daycare —especially if the center (like those in Pembroke Pines) offers developmentally supportive programs tailored for toddlers.
What are the red flags for a 2 year old?
See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for Best for under-2s.
What is the 3 3 3 rule for toddlers?
See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for Best for under-2s.
Who is eligible for 20 hours free childcare NZ?
See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for Best for under-2s.

Other rankings

Best by SchoolsNearMe composite (v1) Best-rated by ERO Best kindergartens Best kōhanga reo Best home-based networks Best playcentres Largest centres by current roll Best 20 Hours ECE centres Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice Best curriculum (ERO) Best for child wellbeing (ERO) Best leadership (ERO)