Daycare & ECE in Forest Lake
3 licensed early childhood services across 2 service types in Forest Lake, Waikato.
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 3 licensed services in Forest Lake.
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 Forest Lake, by type
Education & Care — 2
Growing Wings Central
Growing Wings Central is an education and care service in Forest Lake with 42 children on roll. Our analysis of the ERO report identifies sound whānau partnership and leadership practices (grade B), though bicultural practice has been identified as an area for development (grade C). The service has regular opportunities for whānau to share aspirations for their children and maintains operational guidance through annual planning.
House of Wonder Forest Lake
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Schools in Forest Lake
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 Forest Lake?
- There are 3 licensed early childhood services in Forest Lake, Waikato: 2 education & care, 1 kindergarten. Combined enrolment 162 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Forest Lake?
- Yes — Forest Lake has 3 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 Forest Lake?
- House of Wonder Forest Lake is the largest licensed centre in Forest Lake with 75 children enrolled (education & care). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Forest Lake offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 3 centres (0%) in Forest Lake 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 Forest Lake?
- Yes — 1 kindergarten in Forest Lake. Free Kindergartens typically charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds because of 20 Hours ECE.
- How much does daycare cost in Forest Lake?
- Costs in Forest Lake 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/forest-lake/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Forest Lake?
- All 3 licensed centres in Forest Lake are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Forest Lake 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.
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.