When the Clayton family began looking for a preschool for baby daughter Frankie, they were determined to find a warm, nurturing and collaborative centre that would be the perfect fit for their little girl.

"After visiting Penguins, we just felt like it was the right place to be," says mum Jess. "We had a lot of questions, which were all answered extremely well, and everyone was very welcoming. The teachers and the environment in the Pukeko infant room made us feel really at ease. Frankie was able to have a little crawl around and play, and it was so cool to see her exploring and interacting with the teachers and looking happy with her surroundings. After seeing this, we knew that Penguins was the right choice for us."

And in the three years since, Jess has no doubts that the nurturing and inclusive atmosphere at Penguins has allowed her daughter to grow and thrive. And after her recent transition to the Kiwi room, Frankie's abilities and confidence are steadily increasing as she explores new activities and opportunities with her classmates.

"Penguins provide such a safe, encouraging and supportive environment for all of their children," adds Jess. "The feedback I have received after Frankie's first month in the Kiwi room shows me the teachers have gotten to know her so well and can talk about so many of her traits. That has been really positive and reassuring as a parent."

Delivered by experienced educators, the inquiry and play-based curriculum at Penguins is inspiring and engaging. And Jess believes the low child to teacher ratio also allows for plenty of individualised attention, ensuring children receive all the necessary skills for a smooth and stress-free pathway into the next phase of their learning journey.

"The level of care we continue to receive at the centre has been excellent. They foster and develop growth from the babies to the preschoolers ready to head off to primary school. The teachers support all of their little learners and go above and beyond to make sure that your child feels valued and safe."

And Frankie is clearly flourishing during her time at the centre.

"Frankie just loves her days there as a whole! She is such a happy little person with so much energy. She likes to try lots of new hands-on activities and loves reading, art and pretending to be a teacher, copying the role models she sees every day. As Frankie has grown at Penguins, she has begun talking so fondly of many of her teachers, which reinforces how happy she feels in their care.

"When I pick her up, she always has a big smile and talks about her fun times playing outside, interacting with her friends, communicating with her teachers and getting involved in indoor play. With the variety of activities and learning offered at Penguins, she is really in her element.

"Overall, we are really happy with our experience at Penguins. The whole team has been so supportive of Frankie and us as a family, especially when we were going through a challenging period. The staff are all incredibly friendly and approachable, and I couldn't imagine sending Frankie anywhere else. Thank you, Penguins, for the care you have given to little Franks. We have loved our time at Penguins so far and know that our next child will thrive in their care!”