Portobelo Preschools Professional

Portobelo Preschools are privately owned New Zealand preschools. The owner operator, Lyn Eder, is a local resident who is a Registered Midwife and Nurse. Lyn worked for 19 years as a Plunket Nurse in Christchurch, overlapping with 10 years tutoring early childhood teaching students in Maternal and Child Health. Specialising in individualised and responsive care for infants and children from 0 to 5 years old, Portobelo has been operating since 2002. Our centres in Avonhead and Kaiapoi are in what were once private homes, now extensively remodelled to suit the needs of our young children while keeping a homely feel..Our large natural outdoor play areas are well away from the street, and any industrial or traffic pollutants. There are trees, grass, swings, a sandpit and mud kitchen, gardens and decking, with spaces thoughtfully designed to encourage childrens curiosity and exploration of their natural environment at their own pace. Every day our Portobelo children use this space for swinging, digging, running, climbing, playing ball games, riding their bikes and tending our gardens. They learn about challenge and risk, problem-solving, working with others, perseverance, and responsibility, all the while deepening lifeskills for making and being friends. Our indoor areas have a number of cosy inviting areas thoughtfully set up by teachers each day, that encourage children to engage in sustained creative play. We have a wide range of ever-changing resources that invite cooperation and joint work on projects of various natures and sizes. For our older children, we have a specially designed programme of learning experiences including early literacy and numeracy, that ensures each child is well set up for success when they enter formal schooling. Unlike many other centres, our sleep rooms and eating places (cafes) are separate, meaning our programme is flexible to follow individual children's rhythms without disturbing our core programme. Your child is important to us, as we know that creating the right preschool experience for your baby or child will make a positive difference in their attitudes, friendships and social abilities, and their life-long ability - and desire - to learn. We believe relationships are at the heart of this. So to ensure the best possible start, we offer free orientation visits, so that we can get to know you and your child, and you us, before you leave your child in our care. Please phone to arrange a visit to see how special Portobelo Preschools and Nurseries are, and what we have to offer you and your baby or child. We will show you around and discuss your childs particular interests and strengths and your wishes and hopes for their learning and care while in our centre.