Award-Winning Programmes
Busy Bumbles is the South Island’s leading provider of Before and After School Care programmes. Developed by qualified educators to provide engaging, enriching and FUN sessions that tamariki love to attend, our programmes have won multiple awards, and are used as an exemplar by Ministry of Social Development for other programmes nationwide. We offer a range of flexible session times to meet the needs of families, and provide safe spaces on-site at partnering schools for convenience and peace of mind. Our Before and After School sessions contribute towards your child’s educational and personal development, and are a great place for tamariki to make friends, build confidence and explore new interests and activities.
Busy Bumbles Before & After School Care!
On-Site Venues
Busy Bumbles is located at your child’s school for peace of mind and convenience.
Fun & Engaging
Our before and after school sessions focus on FUN to engage children of all ages.
FREE Homework Sessions
BBs offers FREE supervised homework sessions to support classroom learning.
MSD & OSCAR Approved
We’re MSD and OSCAR Approved and exceed all operational requirements.
Subsidies Available
WINZ OSCAR subsidies are available to help with the cost of care.
Family Discounts
Discounts are available to families with 2+ children enrolled at Busy Bumbles.
Breakaway Space for Year 5+
Some of our venues offer a separate breakaway space specifically designed and set up to cater for children Year 5 and older.
These spaces include a wide range of resources aimed at older children, as well as separate reward system, developed in consultation with the children themselves.
Before School Care
Busy Bumbles before school sessions start between 7:00 – 7:30am and operate through to the beginning of the school day.
This is how a typical morning looks during Busy Bumbles Before School Care.
- Children are signed in by their parent or caregiver and welcomed by staff.
- Some children bring their breakfast and start the morning with this.
- Staff help children settle into favourite activities, and play alongside them. We regularly ask children about their interests and what resources they would like us to source for them, to ensure they have lots of fun!
- Children are offered an opportunity to participate in themed crafts, games and activities for the week.
- Staff help children gather their belongings, ready for school.
In some cases, children are walked to their classroom to start their school day.
After School Care
Busy Bumbles after school sessions begin at the end of the school day, and run through to between 4:00 – 6:00pm, according to your venue.
This is how a typical afternoon looks during Busy Bumbles After School Care.
- Attendance roll call. Unnotified absences are investigated.
- Afternoon tea. Children sit together to eat/drink. This is a chance for children to catch up with friends and chat amongst themselves.
- Sharing time. Children are encouraged to share what they have done that day. This is optional, and children are free to get straight into play following afternoon tea, if they wish.
- Our FREE homework sessions ensure children are supervised and supported in completing their homework for the day. Supervised sessions include spelling, testing and listening to reading.
- Children who do not require homework supervision will take part in supervised free play. Children are provided with a wide range of resources and activities to occupy, develop and entertain lively young minds. We are proud to provide a huge range of resources for younger children, as well as more advanced activities for older children, including Beados, jewellery kits, Lego Bionicles, science kits, scrapbooking kits and more.
- If the children wish to, they participate in themed crafts, games and activities for the week. This includes fun and engaging activities such as baking, crafts and much more.
- Staff then lead the group in the game, which encourages sportsmanship and fair play. Children have a chance to mix with the other children and build new friendships. If the game requires, the children will be split into age-appropriate groups. This is optional for the children.
- Weather permitting, children can enjoy ‘outside time’ which may include playing on the playground, sports or any other outside activities such as blowing bubbles, skipping, obstacle courses and T-Ball. We have a wide range of resources and activities for the children to partake in outside.
- To end the day, we come back inside and choose from a large variety of games and activities.
Popular questions
Busy Bumbles provides care for primary school-aged children, typically from 5 to 13 years old.
Our before and after school care programmes include a mix of structured and free play activities, arts and crafts, sports, homework support, and fun themed days to keep tamariki engaged. We offer activity options for children of all ages.
Yes! Busy Bumbles is an OSCAR-approved provider, meaning eligible families can apply for a WINZ subsidy to help with the cost of care.
Yes! We offer flexible booking options to suit your family’s needs, whether it’s casual or regular attendance.
Busy Bumbles programmes are developed by qualified educators, and our team includes experienced, caring staff who are police vetted and fully-trained in first aid and child safety. We ensure a safe and nurturing environment for all children.
Simply head to the Enrolment & Bookings page to get started, or get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your child’s needs and to book a spot.