Curious Minds Island Bay is an early learning centre in the heart of Island Bay, Wellington, caring for children aged 6 months to 6 years. The centre was formerly known as Wellington Childcare and rebranded to Curious Minds, with the team and care described as unchanged under the new name.
Children are grouped across three rooms: the Tūi Room for 6 months to 2 years, the Kiwi Room for 2 to 3 years, and the Pūkeko Room for 3 to 6 years. Each room is designed around its age group, from a nurturing home-away-from-home space for pēpi in the Tūi Room through to an engaging environment in the Pūkeko Room where older children develop their own working theories about the world around them.
The centre's programme is grounded in Te Whāriki, New Zealand's early childhood education curriculum, built around the strands of Wellbeing (Mana Atua), Belonging (Mana Whenua), Contribution (Mana Tangata), Communication (Mana Reo) and Exploration (Mana Aotūroa). Learning is play-based and child-led, with teachers responding to each child's interests, and the centre's own philosophy priorities are Manaakitanga, Maia, Mahi Tahi and Whanaungatanga.
Daily life includes a hot cooked lunch plus morning and afternoon tea, catering to various dietary needs, along with sensory play, music and movement, arts and crafts, story time and outdoor play. The centre also uses in-house relievers so children are cared for by familiar staff when regular teachers are away, and offers the 20 hours ECE subsidy. Curious Minds Island Bay is reviewed by the Education Review Office, with its ERO report available online.
Tucked into the heart of Island Bay, Curious Minds Island Bay is an early learning centre for children aged 6 months to 6 years, previously known as Wellington Childcare before its rebrand. The team and day-to-day care are described as unchanged, with the new name intended to better reflect the centre's focus on curiosity-led learning.
Children move through three rooms as they grow. The Tūi Room cares for babies from 6 months to 2 years, offering a warm, nurturing space for pēpi to safely explore. The Kiwi Room, for 2 to 3 year olds, is an engaging space where toddlers experiment, build confidence, and start learning alongside others. The Pūkeko Room, for children aged 3 to 6, is built around celebrating children's unique ability to learn and develop their own working theories about the world and their wider community.
The centre's programme is grounded in Te Whāriki, New Zealand's early childhood education curriculum, whose name means "woven mat" — a reflection of the interconnected strands of learning that shape each child's growth. At Island Bay, that plays out across five strands: Wellbeing (Mana Atua), ensuring children's health and emotional wellbeing come first; Belonging (Mana Whenua), building strong connections with families and community; Contribution (Mana Tangata), valuing children's ideas and encouraging collaboration; Communication (Mana Reo), supporting rich language and expression; and Exploration (Mana Aotūroa), nurturing curiosity and problem-solving. The centre's own philosophy priorities sit alongside these: Manaakitanga, Maia, Mahi Tahi and Whanaungatanga.
Daily routines include a hot cooked lunch along with morning and afternoon tea, catering to a range of dietary needs, so meals are covered as part of the day rather than something families need to pack. Learning experiences on offer include sensory play, music and movement, arts and crafts, story time, and plenty of outdoor play, supported by spacious classrooms, dedicated outdoor play areas, a wide range of learning materials, and quiet areas for children who need a break to rest and recharge.
The centre uses in-house relievers, meaning that when a regular teacher is away, children are still cared for by staff they already know, rather than an unfamiliar face. Curious Minds also points to strong staff retention, attributing this to offering full pay parity to attract and keep experienced educators. Child-to-teacher ratios are kept at or above government standards. The centre is independently reviewed by the Education Review Office, with its ERO report published online for families to read, and it offers the 20 hours ECE subsidy for eligible families.
Families are kept in the loop through bi-annual parent-teacher meetings to discuss each child's progress and development in more depth. The centre encourages prospective families to get in touch directly, book a visit, or ask questions by phone or email before enrolling.
Curious Minds Island Bay is located at 112 The Parade, Island Bay, Wellington, and is open Monday to Friday, with the centre closed on weekends and public holidays.