Central Kids Waipahihi Kindergarten is an early childhood centre on Frederick Street in Two Mile Bay, Taupō, part of the Central Kids network of not-for-profit kindergartens, with details on the Central Kids website. Kindergartens in New Zealand work to Te Whāriki, the national early childhood curriculum, and most of the day looks like play — sandpits, painting, block building, dress-ups — while teachers quietly extend what each child is working on. The things that mark out a good centre rarely show from the gate: a settled, qualified teaching team, an unhurried settling-in for new children, and outdoor space used in all weather. Rather than judging from a brochure, drop in at session time and watch whether teachers kneel to children's level and how calmly the day runs. Families in Two Mile Bay and Waipahihi have one right on their doorstep to do just that.