Sunnyside Early Learning Centre is a childcare centre in St Leonards, Hastings, with full-time and part-time places. It describes itself as a home away from home for tamariki, where children have fun and feel safe, loved and empowered. The centre follows Te Whāriki and runs a bicultural programme that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with the values of kāwanatanga, rangatiratanga and ōritetanga. Whānau and the wider community are part of the centre's life.
The centre has three age spaces. The nursery is warm and cosy, with a focus on responsive care routines for the youngest babies. The toddler space balances independence with care, and kaiako work closely with families on toilet training and social skills. The older group's curriculum is emergent and discovery-based, with reading and writing materials for children preparing for school, and loose parts to encourage imagination and problem solving. Sunnyside says it values learning, exploring nature, being creative and building relationships.