Aro Arataki Children’s Centre is a purposefully designed two-storey building on the very edge of the Greenlane Clinical centre site, from where connections to the clinical centre, neighbouring parks and facilities and the local community are maintained to provide an ideal learning environment for preschoolers.
INDOOR SPACES
Entering from either the front or back of the building brings you into the heart of Aro Arataki where the indoors is divided into three distinct play spaces named after treasured native New Zealand birds Kiwi Room, Kea Room and Tui Room.
Children are grouped as infants, toddlers or young children, and transition through these spaces during their time at Aro Arataki and then journey on to the wider world of school.
OUTDOOR SPACES
The outdoor learning environments link directly to the indoor play spaces through big open doors that connect along covered patio areas.
Shaded spaces, open sunny spaces, and the elements of sand, water, natural materials, challenging structures, secret gardens, fragrance, colour, sounds, trees, grass meld together to create playful childhood experiences.
CONNECTING SPACES
Being enmeshed in the local community has been an important aspect of Aro Arataki life from the very early days when the centre first opened, and remains an important focus still today.
Children and teachers venture out regularly on outings to the wonderland that is Cornwall Park to experience the riches nature has to offer.
Then there are walks around the mix of urban landscapes offered on and near the Greenlane Clinical Centre site. This provides a myriad of opportunities for encounters and discoveries along the way.