Centre-tour checklist at a glance

On a childcare tour, ask how teachers build relationships, respond to distress, plan from children’s interests, manage routines, communicate with whānau and keep children safe. Also confirm hours, sessions, availability, fees and what families need to provide. Write down examples, not just yes-or-no answers.

A childcare centre tour is your chance to see how a service feels during an ordinary day. The Ministry of Education recommends visiting when choosing an early learning service, with or without your child. A prepared question list helps you look past first impressions and compare centres fairly.

You do not need to ask every question in one uninterrupted interview. Observe first, follow the natural flow of the visit and note anything you want to clarify before enrolling.

Questions about relationships

• Who will be my child’s main teachers?
• How do kaiako learn about a new child’s routines, interests and comfort cues?
• What happens when a child is upset at drop-off?
• How do adults support conflict, turn-taking and big emotions?
• How do you maintain continuity when a familiar teacher is away?

Listen for specific examples. ‘We value relationships’ is a useful principle; an explanation of how teachers welcome, comfort and communicate with children shows how the principle is put into practice.

Questions about learning and play

• How is the programme guided by Te Whāriki?
• How do teachers notice and extend children’s interests?
• Can you show me an example of a learning story or project?
• How are active, creative, sensory, language and quiet experiences balanced?
• How do children spend time outdoors?

A strong answer should connect observation, play and intentional teaching. Look for opportunities to explore rather than a room filled only with adult-directed activities.

Questions about your child’s daily routine

• How are meals, bottles, sleep, rest, nappies and toileting managed?
• What food is provided and what must families bring?
• How are allergies and cultural or religious food preferences documented?
• Can routines be adapted for babies or children who still sleep?
• What should be packed and labelled each day?

The Ministry notes that food and sleep arrangements vary between services. Discuss your child’s actual routine, not a hypothetical one, and ask how changes are communicated between home and centre.

Questions about communication and belonging

• How will I hear about my child’s day and learning?
• Which updates are shared digitally and which are discussed in person?
• How can whānau share goals, home learning and cultural knowledge?
• How are names, home languages, te reo Māori and tikanga Māori included?
• Who should I speak with if I have a concern?

Communication should flow both ways. Consider whether the systems suit your family and whether teachers appear available for meaningful conversations at appropriate times.

Questions about inclusion

• How do you adapt activities and routines for different developmental or communication needs?
• How do you work with parents, whānau and specialists?
• How are visual resources, modelling or individual plans used?
• How do you ensure every child can participate and belong?

Share important information early. The aim is not to make a child fit a fixed programme, but to understand how the environment, communication and teaching can respond to the child.

Questions about health, safety and security

• How are arrivals and authorised collections recorded?
• How is active supervision maintained indoors and outdoors?
• What are the illness, medication and allergy procedures?
• How are sleeping children monitored?
• How often are emergency drills practised, and how are families contacted?
• Where can I read the complaints and child-protection policies?

Licensed services must meet health and safety criteria, but asking how procedures work gives you practical reassurance. Check whether the centre has up-to-date emergency contacts for your child and clear rules for alternative collectors.

Questions about enrolment, sessions and cost

• Is there a place for my child’s age group and preferred start date?
• Is there a waiting list, and are there any waiting-list conditions?
• What attendance minimum applies?
• Which sessions are currently available?
• What is included in the fee and what may be charged separately?
• How do 20 Hours ECE or other assistance apply to our chosen attendance pattern?
• What notice period applies if our needs change?

Ask for current written information. Childcare fees, funded-hour arrangements and vacancies can change; a third-party listing or old social post may not reflect the arrangement you are being offered.

What to notice without asking

• Whether children appear engaged and able to seek help
• Whether adults respond warmly and respectfully
• Whether the environment is clean, usable and genuinely available to children
• Whether quieter areas and active areas both have purpose
• Whether displays and resources reflect the families who attend
• Whether answers are clear, consistent and open to follow-up

After the tour, record three strengths, three questions and one overall feeling. If possible, compare centres using the same list and revisit your leading option with your child.

Use the tour questions in three rounds

Before the visit: remove unsuitable options

Confirm the address, opening hours, accepted age group and whether your essential days or likely start period can be discussed. This prevents a long tour of a centre that cannot meet a non-negotiable need.

During the visit: observe before filling the silence

Let the environment answer some questions. Watch how adults position themselves, how children seek help, how play develops and whether routines feel calm. Then use the question list to explore what cannot be seen during a short visit.

After the visit: request the details that affect commitment

Ask for the current session, fee, waiting-list and enrolment information in writing. Record who gave the information and when. If two answers appear inconsistent, ask the centre to clarify before you sign.

Bring your child back for a different kind of visit

An adult-only tour is useful for detailed questions. A later visit with your child helps you notice different things: where they pause, which resources invite them in, whether they accept a teacher’s approach and how the team responds without pressuring them. One short reaction is not a final verdict, but it adds a valuable perspective.

Practical questions about childcare tours

Should I take my child on the first tour?

You can visit with or without your child. An initial adult visit can make detailed questions easier, while a later visit with your child lets you observe their response.

Can I ask to see centre policies?

Yes. Ask where current health, safety, complaints, illness and collection policies are available.

What if the centre cannot confirm a space?

Ask about the waiting-list process, likely timing, how updates are given and whether other attendance patterns may be available.

How long should a tour take?

There is no universal duration. Allow enough time to see key spaces, observe interactions and discuss the details that matter to your child.

Contact Childsplay Unlimited

Childsplay Unlimited welcomes enquiries for its Mt Roskill and Kingsland centres. Contact the relevant team to arrange a visit, ask these questions and confirm current availability, sessions and fees.