AoKids DNA
At AoKids, Children and Relationships Matters. Culture matters. Quality matters.
This is not just what we believe — it is how we aspire to be every day and is what continues to guide us.
AoKids honours our Pacific foundations while embracing a bright future within Aotearoa’s bicultural heritage. In our nurturing home away from home, children belong, thrive, and grow a lifelong love of learning together with their āiga/whānau.
Core Of Our AoKids DNA
The word “Ao” carries meaning in both Māori and Samoan — representing cloud, day, dawn, and leadership. These meanings reflect the cultural heritage of our founders and their connection to Aotearoa as the place they now call home. Together, they continue to guide the values, purpose, and direction of AoKids
At its core, AoKids is about giving children the best start to their learning journey — acknowledging their identity, culture, and heritage, while supporting them to grow into confident learners.
We are committed to building strong and consistent relationships with tamariki and whānau. We strive to create environments where culture is seen, heard, and lived. We continue to strengthen our teaching practice in alignment with Te Whāriki. We support children to grow in confidence, identity, and belonging.
AoKids Mission
To create opportunities for tamariki to grow, learn, and lead their learning journeys through strong relationships, cultural identity, and quality teaching practice.
Our Pillars
Our work is guided by four pillars (values) — what we call our values at AoKids:
Lead. Innovate. Collect. Transform.
These pillars bring the meaning of Ao to life.
We see these pillars as the pou of AoKids – the structural foundations that hold and support everything we do. They guide how we support children, families, and communities to:
LEAD
Lead With Heart, Mind, And Body
INNOVATE
Innovate Through Curiosity And Cultural Responsiveness
COLLECT
Collect Knowledge, Tools, And Wisdom From Their People And Environment
TRANSFORM
Transform Through Care, Resilience, And Belonging
AoKids Philosophy
At AoKids, we are dedicated to grounding children in their cultural and ethnic heritage, while supporting them to grow and thrive within the bicultural context of Aotearoa New Zealand.
We do this by working in partnership with whānau, communities, and educators to strengthen each child’s connection to who they are.
Through the implementation of Te Whāriki, we support a lifelong love of learning.
Our aim is to provide a strong foundation for tamariki to succeed in Aotearoa, the place they have chosen to call home.
Our Centres
AoKids is a family of early learning centres across Aotearoa.
Each centre reflects the community it sits within, while remaining connected through our shared commitment to Relationships, Culture, and Quality.
Our centres are shaped by the families, cultures, and communities they serve, creating environments where children feel a strong sense of belonging, identity, and connection.
“a place that feels like a home away from home”
Select a centre to learn more.
