Nestled away in rural Swanson is a centre surrounded by 10 acres of land that tamariki are immersed in every day.
A tucked-away gem of animals, creeks, paddocks, and play-centred learning; a unique setting not commonly found in bustling Auckland. Farm Friends is located on a 10-acre lifestyle block in Swanson, only 5 minutes from Henderson. We have been open since 1997 and cater for a mixed age group of 36 children, 2-5years old. Our setting is very unique, allowing for the appreciation and care of our natura
l forest environment, hand rearing and hands on care of our pet animals – with the opportunity to learn about life cycles, active outdoor play and to experience the spacious country grounds. We strive in supporting our families and building a sense of community, where we provide a rich, social, family-like setting with a range of flexible sessions, offering to cater for the varied needs and aspirations of families today e.g. Six hourly session (e.g. 8am - 2pm, 9am-3pm, 10am - 4pm) and Full-days (8am-5pm – Friday, 5.30pm Mon-Thu) and 20 hours ECE for 3 & 4 year olds. Children are well supported in self-initiated, planned and spontaneous activities by providing a high teacher/child ratio of 1:7. Teachers work alongside children as positive role models and facilitators of learning, actively extending and scaffolding their play experiences. Children’s language is enhanced through quality, interactive and responsive communication, in a relaxed and nurturing atmosphere. Farm Friends maintains a small, stable staffing team, committed to ongoing professional development and building long lasting relationships with our Centre families based on trust, respect, open communication, consultation and collaboration. Outdoor discovery/forest/natural environment:
At Farm Friends, reconnecting children to nature is an important aspect of our philosophy and centre aspiration. We are lucky enough to be located on a 10-acre lifestyle block, with our farm environment, animals and centre forest. Our forest is a natural playscape and an affordance of nature, where children are free to explore, examine and reconnect to the wonders and experiences our natural backyard offers. Our forest offers endless learning opportunities:
Physically– gross motor development, risky play, safety for oneself and peers, tactile experiences. Socially – Imaginative/fantasy play, interactions with peers and teachers, assisting one another. Intellectually – extending cognitive development, problems solving skills, scientific development, small and large group discussions. Emotionally – Finding a place, a connection with nature, a place where we all belong.
17/06/2026
Hands that are never empty. Hands that are pouring, mixing, digging, creating. Hands to hold. Hands to climb. Hands that play turn into hands that can hold a pencil, put a fork of food into the mouth, hold a cup, and turn the page of a book.
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We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm Friends whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for any new enrollments that start with us between now and the end of June!
11/06/2026
Chilly winter days call for hot chocolate over the firepit; prepared and enjoyed by our tamariki ☕️
08/06/2026
The genuine smiles of tamariki who go on nature hikoi daily, eat delicious home made lunches, engage in child-led free play all day, have secure and safe relationships with their kaiako, and are reminded daily that they are capable and valued humans who can make a difference in this world 🫶🏼
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We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm Friends whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for any new enrollments that start with us between now and the end of June!
04/06/2026
Bits and bobs from this week on the Farm 🍂
We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm Friends whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for any new enrollments that start with us between now and the end of June!
28/05/2026
Snippets from life on the Farm.
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We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for anyone that enrolls between now and the end of June!
25/05/2026
As Alfred Wainwright once said: “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”. At Farm Friends, we take this one step further and let our tamariki feel the rain whether they’re wearing ‘suitable’ clothing or not. Why can’t our children feel the rain soak into their skin, run through their hair, and cover their feet? Why can’t they simply get changed into dry clothes once their exploration is complete? Who are we to stop them from immersing themselves in the ua (rain) completely and wholeheartedly?
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We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for anyone that enrolls between now and the end of June!
21/05/2026
“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” ~ Thomas Berry
We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for anyone that enrolls between now and the end of June!
20/05/2026
“Let the children be free; encourage them;
let them run outside when it is raining;
let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water;
and when the grass of the meadows is wet with dew,
let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet;
let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath its shade;
let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them in the morning.”
~ Maria Montessori
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We have limited spaces available now and would love for you to join our Farm whānau! We’re offering 1 month of free fees for anyone that enrolls between now and the end of June!
18/05/2026
We could tell you about all the ways our centre stands out from the rest, but we think it’s much better coming from the people who trust us with the care of their tamariki each day 💛
Free spaces are filling up quickly so get in touch to book in a tour, we’d love to have you join our whānau!
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