Fun Zone are finalists for the Electra Business and Innovation Awards

Fun Zone owner Rangi Esson. Photo / Rosalie Willis

It's all about fun at Fun Zone.

Fun Zone is a service which runs before and after school care programmes along with other events and holiday programmes for children aged 5-14 years in the Kāpiti district.

Owners and operators Rangi and Motu Esson started Fun Zone when they moved to the coast and found there was no on site OSCAR providers for their primary school-aged daughter.

OSCAR providers are out of school care and recreation providers with the Ministry of Social Development's Social Services Accreditation.

"We thought let's just do it and set it up for the families in the Waikanae area – and we haven't looked back," Rangi said.

"It's just grown from there - people just keep having kids."

Operating under the name KidzOwn from 2007-2016 until they rebranded as Fun Zone, KidzOwn was the first out of school care programme in their area to operate out of a local school.

Meeting Rangi on his return from helping run a school holiday event in Ōtaki, cooking sausages on a barbecue for 90 kids, it is evident he enjoys a good time being a 'big kid at heart'.

Together with 25 staff, Rangi and Motu go into six schools from Paekākāriki to Ōtaki providing care and fun for kids when their parents are working or busy, treating them as their own in a safe environment.

"It's a real family business.

"We're professional in terms of child safety and quality of care but what makes us so different is that we are down to earth, with Kiwi family based values.

"We teach about actions and consequences but also let kids be kids at the same time.

"What's cool is that we get to do all the things we never got to do as kids and get paid for it."

Entering the Electra Business and Innovation Awards this year, Rangi and the team were ecstatic and excited to find out they were finalists.

"The process of entering is pretty simple, but the thought that goes into it is more time consuming and challenging.

"From a business strategic view it's good to explain the reasons and purposes behind why you do what you do.

"It's great to have outside eyes looking in, non-critically, but critically, it's only a positive impact rather than a detrimental impact.

"We are proud to be a finalist especially in this Covid-19 environment.

"It is great recognition for our amazing team and for all the great work they continue to do supporting our local families."