From 6 months
At Little Lumsden, we provide nurturing nursery care that grows with your tamariki, from infancy through to their toddler years. Our calm, supportive environment is led by trained kaiako and designed to meet each child’s needs at every stage.
We offer:
High teacher-to-child ratios with caring, ECE-trained teachers
A balance of planned learning and child-led exploration
Plenty of outdoor play and active movement
Strong parent and whānau involvement
Following the Lumsden philosophy, our littlest learners experience the same teaching priorities as Big Lumsden—adapted in fun, age-appropriate ways.
Nursery
Our nursery offers a calm, nurturing space with one kaiako for every three babies, ensuring close bonds and attentive care. We work closely with parents to support smooth, unhurried transitions, fostering belonging, security, and wellbeing. Our kaiako complement parents as primary caregivers, providing compassionate communal care.
Little Lumsden provides shared learning spaces alongside quiet, dark sleep rooms and age-appropriate resources to support growing minds. Routines, developed with infant sleep consultant Sally Cawston, prioritise health and development. Families supply nappies, food, and sleep associations to ensure continuity of care from home to centre.
Ready-to-run
Our energetic ‘ready-to-run’ toddlers thrive in spaces designed for independence, safe risk-taking, and active play. With nurturing kaiako alongside them, tamariki build confidence, social skills, and movement abilities while exploring their growing independence.
Transitioning 'through the gate'
The journey ‘through the gate’ to Big Lumsden begins with daily visits, helping our littlest tamariki grow familiar with older children. One month before turning three, they join activities at Big Lumsden, easing their transition. A special graduation and welcoming haka mark this milestone, while friendships continue across the fence.
What People Are Saying
“Absolute treasure of lunsden that we have found for our kid. Love knowing they offer so much to quinns days and even getting him to take better naps, could not speak anymore highly about these lovely bunch of lady's!! who are Absolute gems of their trade. Keep doing what ya do lumsden”
— Max Gibson
“Lumsden has been amazing for our two boys. They've become more independent and out-going since starting there and have learned so much. Our boys always talk about their teachers and their friends at Lumsden and I know they thoroughly enjoy it when they ask why they can't go when it's a public holiday. I love the different studies Lumsden provides and am blown away when I see our boys using maori and sign language at home and telling me you can eat frogs at a restaurant in the Eiffel Tower in France!”
— Shane Medland
More on Big Lumsden
From 3 Years