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Best for child wellbeing (ERO) — national top-50

Centres with the strongest ERO grade on the wellbeing dimension — child agency, emotional safety, transitions.

1,635 centres eligible nationally. Source: Education Review Office, licensed CC-BY 4.0.

  1. 1
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Pūtake Whakatupuranga
    Elgin-Gisborne · Gisborne · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A
    Roll 93
  2. 2
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Iti Noa
    Te Hapara · Gisborne · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A
    Roll 70
  3. 3
    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
  4. 4
    Te Kōpae Piripono
    Bell Block · Taranaki · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A
    Roll 55
  5. 5
    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
  6. 6
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Kororipo
    Kerikeri South · Northland · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A
    Roll 33
  7. 7
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Ao Tawarirangi
    Oceanic Gisborne Region · Gisborne · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L A
    Roll 18
  8. 8
    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
  9. 9
    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
  10. 10
    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
  11. 11
    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
  12. 12
    Edubase Otago/ Southland
    Dunedin Central · Otago · Home Based
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 50
  13. 13
    Wild Things (Four)
    Dunedin Central · Otago · Home Based
    C A W A Wh A B B H A L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 50
  14. 14
    Wakari Kindergarten
    Wakari · Otago · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 45
  15. 15
    Paengaroa Free Kindergarten
    Rangiuru · Bay of Plenty · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 43
  16. 16
    Central Kids Kindergartens - Edgecumbe
    Edgecumbe · Bay of Plenty · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  17. 17
    Milverton Kindergarten
    Milverton · Manawatū-Whanganui · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  18. 18
    Oratia Kindergarten
    Oratia · Auckland · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  19. 19
    Remuera Kindergarten
    Remuera · Auckland · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  20. 20
    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
  21. 21
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kohao o Te Ngira
    Hamilton East · Waikato · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 35
  22. 22
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whānau Tahi
    Halswell · Canterbury · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 35
  23. 23
    Kerikeri Playcentre
    Riverview · Northland · Playcentre
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 30
  24. 24
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Rāhui Pōkeka
    Huntly West · Waikato · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 30
  25. 25
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Tarimano
    Ngongotahā East · Bay of Plenty · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 30
  26. 26
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rongopai o Takapau
    Makaretu · Hawke's Bay · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 30
  27. 27
    Dinsdale Playcentre
    Frankton · Waikato · Playcentre
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 25
  28. 28
    Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa
    Rotokawa · Bay of Plenty · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L A
    Roll 25
  29. 29
    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
  30. 30
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Pou Herenga Waka o Te Whakapono
    Marewa · Hawke's Bay · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L B
    Roll 20
  31. 31
    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
  32. 32
    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
  33. 33
    BestStart Totara Street
    Mountview · Waikato · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 80
  34. 34
    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
  35. 35
    BestStart Judea
    Judea · Bay of Plenty · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 72
  36. 36
    Funhouse Learning Centre
    Whanganui Central · Manawatū-Whanganui · Education And Care
    C A W A Wh A B A H C L A
    Roll 50
  37. 37
    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
  38. 38
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Pekanga
    Waitara East · Taranaki · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L B
    Roll 50
  39. 39
    Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Tīmatatanga
    Manurewa · Auckland · Kohanga Reo
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L
    Roll 48
  40. 40
    Waverley Kindergarten
    Windsor · Southland · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B B H B L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 45
  41. 41
    Winton Kindergarten
    Winton · Southland · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H B L B ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 45
  42. 42
    Irmgard Ritchie Kindergarten
    Upper Hutt CBD · Wellington · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 42
  43. 43
    Anchorage Park Kindergarten
    Pakuranga · Auckland · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  44. 44
    Central Kids Kindergartens - Kihikihi
    Kihikihi Central · Waikato · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  45. 45
    Central Kids Kindergartens - Paeroa
    Paeroa · Waikato · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H A L ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  46. 46
    Central Kids Kindergartens - Thames
    Thames Central · Waikato · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  47. 47
    Kidsfirst Kindergartens Burnham
    Burnham Camp · Canterbury · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  48. 48
    Kidsfirst Kindergartens Phillipstown
    Phillipstown · Canterbury · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  49. 49
    Kidsfirst Kindergartens Rutland Street
    Christchurch · Canterbury · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40
  50. 50
    Newfield Kindergarten
    Newfield · Southland · Kindergarten
    C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed
    Roll 40

Showing top 50 of 1,635 eligible centres. Per-centre pages link to the source ERO review with full attribution.

Best for child wellbeing (ERO) by region

Auckland (463) Canterbury (199) Waikato (179) Wellington (180) Bay of Plenty (135) Manawatū-Whanganui (89) Hawke's Bay (62) Northland (84) Otago (81) Taranaki (42) Southland (36) Gisborne (25) Tasman (20) Marlborough (14) Nelson (17) West Coast (7)

How we score "Best for child wellbeing (ERO)"

Sorted by wellbeing grade (A→D). Ties broken by composite + roll.

See full methodology and the ERO source row.

People also ask about best wellbeing

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

Is daycare stressful for children?
US researchers found that cortisol levels were higher in children in daycare compared with children at home and that 63% (n = 151) in daycare had raised cortisol levels, of whom they considered 40% were stressed.
Who is eligible for 20 hours free ECE?
20 Hours Free ECE All children aged 3 to 5 years are eligible for 20 hours of free early childhood education (ECE) each week under the New Zealand Government's 20 Hours ECE funding scheme. AKA extends this benefit to include 2-year-olds at most of our kindergartens (note: this does not include KiNZ Centres).
What is the best age for children to go to daycare?
Quick Answer: Best Age To Start Childcare
How do daycares handle discipline?
Examples of appropriate discipline might include: Redirecting behavior (e.g., offering a different activity) Time-outs or cool-down areas for short periods, in a calm and safe environment. Positive reinforcement (e.g., praise for good behavior)
What are red flags in daycare?
Some crucial daycare red flags every parent should be aware of include poor staff behavior, lack of transparency, unexplained injuries, and sudden behavioral changes in children. So, you need to seek facilities that provide your child care, security, and a warm environment in the critical early years.
Are kids who go to daycare healthier?
Viruses like colds and flu are part of childhood. But research shows that kids in daycare get sick more often up to around age 3. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it's normal for young children in daycare settings to have 10 to 12 respiratory infections per year.

Other rankings

Best by SchoolsNearMe composite (v1) Best-rated by ERO Best for under-2s 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 leadership (ERO)