Daycare & ECE in Dargaville
7 licensed early childhood services across 4 service types in Dargaville, Northland.
Composite = our 0–100 ECE quality score (weighted average of six ERO dimensions, normalised within Equity Index band). 20 Hours ECE & ERO coverage are counts of the 7 licensed services in Dargaville.
Estimate your costs: our FamilyBoost + Childcare Subsidy calculator stacks 20 Hours ECE, the means-tested Childcare Subsidy, and the IRD FamilyBoost rebate to show net weekly cost.
Services in Dargaville, by type
Playcentre — 2
Te Kopuru Playcentre
ERO assessed Te Kopuru Playcentre as Not well placed in its 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified a strength in whānau partnership, where parents are actively engaged as educators and involved in consensus-based decision-making.
Dargaville Playcentre
Education & Care — 2
Family Link Childcare
Family Link Childcare is an education and care service in Dargaville with 50 children on roll. Our analysis of the ERO report identifies strengths in interest-based curriculum and family involvement, though assessment practices and Te Whāriki application could be strengthened, and whānau partnership communication could be more extensive.
Busy Bees Dargaville
ERO assessed Busy Bees Dargaville as Not well placed in its 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in bicultural practice, health and safety, and leadership, with sound curriculum and learning approaches. Whānau partnership was identified as an area requiring further development.
Kindergarten — 2
Dargaville Free Kindergarten
ERO assessed this kindergarten as Not well placed in their October 2016 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found sound Te Whāriki implementation with responsive, interest-led curriculum (B grade) and positive, accessible partnerships with parents (B grade).
Selwyn Park Kindergarten
ERO assessed Selwyn Park Kindergarten as Not well placed in their October 2016 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service received B grades for curriculum and learning, and children's wellbeing, indicating strengths in planned curriculum with intentional teaching and positive relationships that supported children's sense of belonging.
Explore Dargaville & Northland
Schools in Dargaville
When they age out of daycare, check schoolsnearme.co.nz for every NZ school with audited financials + ERO reviews.
Frequently asked
- How many daycare and ECE centres are in Dargaville?
- There are 7 licensed early childhood services in Dargaville, Northland: 2 playcentre, 2 education & care, 2 kindergarten, 1 te kōhanga reo. Combined enrolment 299 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Dargaville?
- Yes — Dargaville has 7 licensed early childhood services, every one of them listed below with its address, service type and 20 Hours ECE status. To rank them by walking or driving distance from your exact address, use our find-by-address radius search.
- What's the largest daycare in Dargaville?
- Busy Bees Dargaville is the largest licensed centre in Dargaville with 89 children enrolled (education & care). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Dargaville offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 7 centres (0%) in Dargaville participate in 20 Hours ECE, which subsidises up to 20 hours/week of care for 3-5 year olds. The 20-Hrs pill on each centre card below shows participation.
- Are there kindergartens in Dargaville?
- Yes — 2 kindergartens in Dargaville. Free Kindergartens typically charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds because of 20 Hours ECE.
- Is there a kōhanga reo in Dargaville?
- Yes — 1 kōhanga reo (te reo Māori medium of instruction) in Dargaville. Look for the "Kōhanga reo" service type in the listing below.
- Which operator chains have centres in Dargaville?
- 4 operator chains with centres in Dargaville: Playcentre Aotearoa (2), Northland Kindergarten Association (2), Busy Bees (1), Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust (1). Plus 1 independent centres.
- How much does daycare cost in Dargaville?
- Costs in Dargaville follow the NZ national pattern: education & care centres typically $280-$360/week for under-2s, dropping to $0-$100/week for 3-5 year olds at 20-Hours-participating centres. Free Kindergartens charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds. FamilyBoost (25% IRD rebate, $75/week cap) applies on top. See our /cost-of-daycare/dargaville/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Dargaville?
- All 7 licensed centres in Dargaville are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Dargaville centres), the means-tested Childcare Subsidy from MSD, and FamilyBoost (25% rebate up to $75/week from IRD, phased out from $140k-$180k household income). Use our /familyboost-calculator for your specific net weekly cost.
- How much do daycares cost in NZ?
- Typical Weekly Childcare Costs in New Zealand (Before Subsidies)
- How much does it cost to care for a child per week?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Dargaville.
- How much does Winz pay for childcare subsidy?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Dargaville.
- How much does a baby cost per week in NZ?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Dargaville.
- How many hours is free daycare NZ?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Dargaville.
Understanding NZ ECE — topic guides
Data sources & freshness (4 sources · last refresh 12 July 2026)
Service type, address, roll, ethnicity, Equity Index, 20 Hours, Takiwā, lat/lng
Annual financial returns (community-based + umbrella orgs)
Per-centre review reports + 6-dimension letter grades (curriculum / wellbeing / whānau / bicultural / health & safety / leadership)
Safety score, crime/1k, 2023 Census demographics
Last build refresh: . See full methodology + data sources pages for licences, refresh cadences, and known gaps.