Resource Hub
Part-Time vs Full-Time Childcare: Finding the Right Balance for Your Family
Published · Last updated · 8 min read
Contents
Should I choose part-time or full-time childcare?
It depends on your work schedule, budget, and your child's age. Most NZ families use part-time care (2–3 days per week), and the national average is around 15–20 hours. For children 3 and over, 20 Hours ECE covers up to 6 hours a day across your chosen days — so part-time can be surprisingly affordable. Under-2s cost more regardless of hours, but mixing centre days with grandparent or home-based care is a common way to balance cost and connection.
Understanding Your Options: Full-Time, Part-Time, and Everything Between
Childcare in NZ doesn't come in just two flavours. Between full-time centre care and staying home, there's a whole spectrum of arrangements — and most families end up somewhere in the middle.
- Full-time (5 days, 30–50 hours/week): Your child attends every weekday, usually from around 7:30am to 5:30pm. Common for parents working standard full-time hours.
- Part-time (2–3 days/week): The most popular option in NZ. You book specific days and your child attends those same days each week. Most centres require a minimum of 2 days.
- Sessional (4–6 hours/day): Kindergartens typically run this way — mornings (say 8:30am–2:30pm) or afternoons, term-time only. Great for over-3s who get 20 Hours ECE.
- Casual or drop-in: Some centres and home-based providers offer ad hoc sessions without a fixed weekly commitment. Availability varies and spots fill fast.
Here's what catches people off guard: you don't have to pick one model and stick with it. Plenty of families run a 2-day centre arrangement alongside a grandparent day and a work-from-home day. The "right" setup often changes as your child grows and your work situation shifts.
How Many Hours Do Most NZ Families Actually Use?
The national average sits at around 15–20 hours of ECE per week. That figure might seem low if you're picturing five full days, but it reflects the reality that part-time and sessional care (especially kindergarten) dominates in NZ.
According to Ministry of Education data, 20 Hours ECE — the government funding that kicks in at age 3 — is built around part-time attendance by design. It caps at 6 hours per day and 20 hours per week. That's roughly 4 days at 5 hours each, or 3 longer days. The funding structure itself nudges families toward part-time patterns.
Platform Insight
The Real Cost Difference: Part-Time vs Full-Time
Cost is usually the first thing parents weigh up, and the maths isn't always straightforward. Most centres charge per day rather than per hour, so part-time doesn't scale linearly.
| Arrangement | Under-2s (approx/week) | Over-3s with 20 Hours ECE (approx/week) |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (5 days) | $300–$500 | $100–$250 (after subsidy) |
| Part-time (3 days) | $180–$360 | $30–$120 (after subsidy) |
| Part-time (2 days) | $120–$240 | $0–$60 (after subsidy) |
| Sessional/kindergarten | N/A (usually 3+ only) | $0–$50 (mostly covered by 20 Hours ECE) |
A few things to watch for when comparing costs:
- Minimum day requirements. Most centres won't book a single day per week. Two days is the standard minimum, and some require three.
- Daily vs hourly rates. Centres almost always charge a flat daily rate ($60–$120 for under-2s). Home-based care is more likely to bill hourly ($8–$15/hr), which can be cheaper for shorter days.
- 20 Hours ECE doesn't cover everything. It funds up to 6 hours/day at the government's attestation rate (up to $18.55/hr for fully certified centres as of 2026). If your centre charges more per hour, you pay the gap — called an 'optional charge.'
- Term-time vs all-year. Kindergartens operate ~38–40 weeks/year (school terms). Centres run year-round. A kindergarten session might cost nothing out-of-pocket, but you'll need alternative care during holidays.
Cost-Saving Tip
What the Research Says About Hours and Development
This is where parents tend to spiral into guilt. So let's be direct: the research consistently shows that quality of care matters far more than the number of hours.
The Growing Up in New Zealand study — which has tracked thousands of Kiwi kids from birth — found that children in high-quality centre-based care showed positive cognitive gains regardless of whether they attended part-time or full-time. Quality trumped quantity every time.
Age-by-Age Considerations
- Under 2s: Shorter days and fewer days tend to work better. Babies and young toddlers tire quickly in group settings. Two to three shorter days is a common starting point. The NICHD study (the largest longitudinal childcare study globally) found modest behavioural effects above 30 hours/week at this age — but these were small and offset by high-quality care.
- 2–3 year olds: Most children this age handle 3 days well. They're more socially curious and benefit from peer interaction, but still need downtime. Many families increase from 2 to 3 days around this stage.
- 3–5 year olds: This is where 20 Hours ECE kicks in, and most children thrive with regular attendance. Four to five mornings or 3 full days gives them enough social and learning time to build school-readiness skills without burnout.
The bottom line: a well-rested child in a great centre for 2 days will do better than an exhausted child in a mediocre centre for 5. Pick quality first, then figure out the hours.
Mixing Care Types: The Patchwork Approach
The "pure" full-time or part-time centre model is actually the exception in NZ. Most families cobble together a mix — and that's perfectly fine.
Common combinations include:
- 2 days at a centre + 1 day with grandparents + 2 days with a parent working from home
- 3 days at daycare + 2 days with a nanny (shared with another family to split costs)
- Mornings at kindergarten (term-time) + afternoon home-based care for the work hours gap
- Centre care during the week + casual babysitter for occasional weekend shifts
One thing to know: you can split 20 Hours ECE across two approved providers. So if your child does mornings at kindergarten and two afternoons at a centre, both can claim their share of the funded hours. You'll need to manage the paperwork — each provider gives you an attestation form — but it's straightforward.
Whānau Care
How Flexible Are Different Provider Types?
| Provider Type | Typical Hours | Part-Time Friendly? | Key Trade-Off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre-based daycare | 7am–6pm, year-round | Yes (min 2 days usually) | Less schedule flexibility, higher cost |
| Kindergarten | 4–6 hrs/day, term-time | Built for it | No holiday care, limited hours |
| Home-based (PORSE, Barnardos) | Flexible, hourly billing | Very flexible | Smaller peer group, depends on educator |
| Nanny/au pair | Your hours | Totally flexible | Most expensive per-hour, no ECE funding |
| Playcentre | 2–3 sessions/week | Part-time only | Requires parent participation |
Home-based care stands out for flexibility. Providers like PORSE and Barnardos match you with an educator who can work around your schedule — early starts, late finishes, even the odd weekend. They bill hourly ($8–$15/hr) rather than daily, which can save money if you only need 4–5 hours. The trade-off is a smaller social group (1 educator with up to 4 children) and the quality depends heavily on your individual educator.
Your Rights to Flexible Work in NZ
Since April 2024, every employee in New Zealand can request flexible working arrangements from their very first day on the job. This is under the Employment Relations Act 2000 (Part 6AA) — it used to require 6 months' service, but that restriction was scrapped.
Your employer must respond within one month and can only refuse on reasonable business grounds. Common requests that parents make:
- Compressed hours (e.g., 4 longer days instead of 5)
- Starting and finishing earlier or later to match centre drop-off/pick-up
- Working from home 1–2 days per week
- Part-time or job-sharing arrangements
If your employer declines, they must give specific written reasons. You can challenge the decision through mediation if you believe the refusal is unreasonable. In practice, most employers — especially post-COVID — are more open to flexibility than you might expect. It's worth asking before you assume full-time centre care is your only option.
How to Decide: A Quick Framework
Rather than agonising over the "perfect" number of days, run through these questions:
- What does your work schedule actually require? Map your committed hours first. Include commute time.
- What's your budget ceiling? Use The Parent Circle's cost estimator to compare 2-day, 3-day, and 5-day scenarios for centres near you.
- Who else is in your care network? Grandparents, partners working from home, neighbours with kids the same age — all reduce the days you need from a centre.
- How old is your child? Under 2? Start with fewer days and build up. Over 3? More days are fine and often beneficial for social development.
- What does your child seem to need? Some kids are exhausted after 2 days; others come home buzzing and clearly want more. Watch their cues after the first few weeks.
Start Small, Scale Up
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 20 Hours ECE if my child only attends 2 days a week?
Yes. 20 Hours ECE has no minimum days requirement — it funds up to 6 hours per day and 20 hours total per week. If your child attends 2 full days (say 9am–3pm), that's 12 funded hours. You can use the remaining 8 hours at the same centre on another day, or at a different approved provider.
Do most centres have a minimum number of days?
Most centres require a minimum of 2 days per week. Some popular centres in high-demand areas (Auckland, Wellington) may require 3 days. It's worth asking during your initial enquiry, as minimums aren't always listed online.
Is it unsettling for children to attend only 2 days?
Not typically. Children are adaptable, and 2 consistent days with the same teachers and peers builds a routine they can rely on. Consistency matters more than frequency — the same 2 days each week is better than irregular attendance. Most centres assign a primary kaiako (teacher) who provides continuity.
Can I change from part-time to full-time later?
Usually, yes — subject to availability. Most centres will try to accommodate families who want to increase days. The catch is popular days (Tuesdays to Thursdays tend to fill first) may have waitlists. Let your centre know early if you're considering adding days.
Is home-based care better for part-time than a centre?
Home-based care (through networks like PORSE or Barnardos) is more flexible on hours and doesn't usually have minimum day requirements. It bills hourly rather than daily, which can be cheaper for short days. However, centres offer more social interaction and a wider range of resources. Neither is objectively better — it depends on your child's temperament and your schedule.
There's no single answer to the part-time vs full-time question, because there's no single type of family. What works for a solo parent working shifts looks nothing like what works for a two-parent household where one works from home. The good news is NZ's ECE system — with 20 Hours ECE, home-based options, and the legal right to request flexible work — gives you more levers to pull than most countries. Start with what your family actually needs this month, not what you think the "ideal" arrangement should be. For more on choosing the right centre once you've figured out your hours, read our complete guide to choosing childcare in NZ.
Find Childcare That Fits Your Schedule
Search by hours, days, and location to find centres and home-based providers that match your family's routine.
Estimate Your CostsRelated guides
Find childcare near you
Search and compare providers by suburb, care type, cost, and availability.