Lakelands Welcomes Nido Early School
02 Nov 2025Nido Early School has expanded in Lakelands with the opening of a new purpose‑built early school near Yaaka Park. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, Lakelands East provides thoughtfully designed learning environments and strong family partnerships to deliver high‑quality early learning close to home.
We’re delighted to share Nido Early School has joined the Lakelands community again. In addition to our existing early school located in the Lakelands Shopping Centre, the new purpose-built early school, just minutes from Yaaka Park, opened in October 2025, offering care and education for children aged 6 weeks to school age.
“We’re thrilled to continue enriching the Lakelands community and supporting families as their children begin their early learning journey,” says Marliza Buitendag, Executive Service Manager, Nido Early School Lakelands East. “With two Nido Early Schools now in Lakelands, we’re proud to offer even more families access to the highest quality care and education closer to home.”
Enriching Environments Every Day at Lakelands East
Inspired by the world-renowned Reggio Emilia approach, Nido’s philosophy places children at the centre of their learning journey. Educators work alongside children to co-create their learning journey, encouraging exploration and celebrating each milestone.
At Lakelands East, this philosophy is reflected in the everyday environment. The early school features custom-made furniture, spacious group rooms, and thoughtfully curated outdoor areas – all designed to support children’s wellbeing, spark curiosity and encourage confident exploration. These enriching spaces provide a calm and engaging setting where children learn through play, discovery and connection with the world around them.
“We consider our environments the ‘third teacher’,” explains Marliza. “By creating spaces that spark curiosity and provide comfort, we give children the freedom to explore and develop confidence in their own abilities.”
Every Family, Every Community Matters, Every Day
“We value the partnership we have with families”, explains Marliza. “When we work together, what happens at Nido connects naturally with what’s happening at home. That’s when we see the biggest growth – children who are confident, settled and genuinely excited to learn. We want every child to feel secure, supported, inspired and every family to feel a true sense of belonging.”
Every day is the most important day in a child’s life. And every day, we’re here to make it count.
Find out more about our early school at Lakelands East.
