Li'l Champs Kenepuru Landing is the newest centre in the Lilchamps family-owned early learning network, located in Kenepuru Landings, Porirua. The centre prioritises meaningful relationships and personal connection, nurturing independence, confidence and curiosity through individualised learning pathways, bringing the same warmth and commitment to excellence found across the wider Lilchamps network to Porirua.
Lilchamps began in 2012 in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, built on the belief that every child deserves love, laughter and quality learning, and has grown steadily since — expanding into South and East Auckland, then into the Wellington region in 2022 with Aotea in Porirua, and most recently opening Kenepuru Landing alongside a new Onehunga centre. Throughout this growth, the company has kept its centres deliberately small (typically 45–80 students), following a philosophy of quality over quantity so that every child can form a genuine, personal relationship with their teachers.
Kenepuru Landing welcomes children aged 3 months to 6 years, offering 20 Hours ECE funding for 3 and 4 year olds and an individualised school transition pathway. The centre follows New Zealand's Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum and partners with the Heart Foundation's Healthy Heart Programme, reflecting the wider Lilchamps commitment to nurturing environments, strong family partnerships, and quality early childhood education.
Tucked into Kenepuru Landings in Porirua, Li'l Champs Kenepuru Landing is the newest addition to the Lilchamps early learning network, bringing a philosophy built on meaningful relationships and personal connection to the Wellington region.
Lilchamps began in 2012 in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, as a single centre built on the belief that every child deserves love, laughter and quality learning. From there, the network grew steadily: Papatoetoe opened in 2014, followed by a dedicated Montessori Preschool at Mission Heights in 2016, and Highland Park joining in 2018. In 2022, Lilchamps took its first step into the Wellington region with Aotea in Porirua, alongside a new Auckland centre in Mangere Bridge. Most recently, in 2026, Onehunga and Kenepuru Landing joined the growing whānau — with the company noting that its founding philosophy of quality over quantity remains at the heart of everything it does.
Rather than growing centre sizes to maximise capacity, Lilchamps has deliberately kept its centres small, typically between 45 and 80 students, so that every child can build a genuine, personal relationship with their teachers. This 'quality not quantity' approach extends to a low teacher-to-child ratio, giving staff the time to tailor learning to each child rather than managing large groups. At Kenepuru Landing specifically, this translates into individualised learning pathways that nurture each child's independence, confidence and curiosity.
Families at Kenepuru Landing can access 20 Hours ECE funding for children aged 3 and 4, alongside a school transition programme designed to help children move confidently into their next stage of education. The centre also partners with the Heart Foundation's Healthy Heart Programme, reflecting the wider Lilchamps commitment to supporting children's health alongside their learning. Children aged 3 months to 6 years are welcome at the centre, covering the full early childhood age range from infancy through to school entry.
Like all Lilchamps centres, Kenepuru Landing follows New Zealand's Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum, which underpins the network's approach to nurturing each child's growth, sense of belonging and wellbeing. The wider Lilchamps philosophy is built around seven core values: Love, Laughter, Learning, Respect, Family, Trust, and Parent Partnership — with an emphasis on genuine, respectful relationships between teachers, children and families, open communication, and celebrating the cultural diversity of the communities each centre serves.
Early feedback on the new centre has been positive. One parent, Cassandra Mahu, described Kenepuru Landing as "already setting an incredibly high standard," specifically praising how the individualised learning pathways mean her daughter's particular strengths and interests are genuinely nurtured, alongside praise for the facility itself.
Kenepuru Landing is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 5:30pm, and families can reach the centre directly by phone or email to ask questions or arrange a visit. Prospective families can also start the enrolment process online, with the Lilchamps team aiming to respond within one business day. As the newest centre in a network that now spans Auckland and Wellington, Kenepuru Landing continues Lilchamps' founding commitment: keeping centres small, relationships genuine, and every child at the heart of what they do.