KingsView centre manager Gill Hodgson reads to Troy Poole (2). Photos by Christina McDonald.

The first children to attend KingsView Early Learning Centre happily played the day away with a vast array of colourful equipment.

Centre manager Gill Hodgson said seven children were signed up to attend Monday's sessions.

The centre would take only 11 for the initial period until the "core people" were settled.

"If you get the core people settled, then you can bring others.

"If you go to a place where people are crying then it's not a happy place."

The centre has ratios set out by the Ministry of Education and already has a waiting list of 50 families.

Max Horn (3) is watched by German nanny Sheila Pineda, as he plays in the KingsView Early Learning Centre sandpit.

Low-key activities were being planned for the first days and a permanent feature would be homemade bread for morning and afternoon tea.

Mrs Hodgson envisioned the centre to be "a home away from home".

As well as being an early childhood teacher, Mrs Hodgson had become accustomed to also wearing fundraising and administration hats, but it was "all exciting".

While the centre was well-equipped with everything from sandpit toys to books and pet birds, Mrs Hodgson said now it had a licence it would be applying for more funding through Central Lakes Trust.

"We want more equipment but we have enough for the meantime.

"It we get more, we have plenty of space. It's not a problem."