Tuākana–teina is an important part of our preschool culture. Older or more experienced tamariki naturally guide and support younger peers, whether helping with routines or encouraging them in play.

Through these relationships, children build leadership, confidence, and empathy, while strengthening whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and the mana of both the tuākana and the teina.

We took time to talk about the meaning of St Patrick’s Day, learning why it is celebrated and exploring its traditions. The children had lots of fun trying to copy Irish dancing, sharing plenty of smiles and laughter along the way.

Throughout the day, cheeky leprechauns created mischief, sparking curiosity and imagination for our tamariki.

We also celebrated our wonderful kaiako with special St Patrick’s Day treats, helping to build a strong sense of belonging in our Christchurch preschool community.

Four-year-olds need movement and challenge. Today the tyres became the perfect opportunity, with tamariki jumping in, on, and over them — testing distance, balance, and control.

These active moments strengthen tinana (bodies) while also building confidence, resilience, and risk assessment skills. As tamariki challenge themselves and succeed, their mana and belief in their own capabilities continue to grow.

Visiting the new entrant classroom is an exciting step for our tamariki. It gives them the chance to reconnect with old preschool friends and see familiar faces in their new kura environment.

During the visit, children learn about school routines — where to put their bags, how mat time works, and what happens during learning blocks. These experiences strengthen their mana, build confidence, and support a smooth transition from preschool to kura, helping them feel ready and capable for this next step in their learning journey.

Counting and number recognition are woven naturally into our daily play. Whether children are building with blocks, setting the table for kai, measuring in the sandpit, or counting friends at mat time, early maths learning happens in meaningful, hands-on ways.

Through play-based learning, children develop number recognition, one-to-one counting, understanding of quantity, and early problem-solving skills. By making numeracy fun and purposeful, we build strong foundations for school readiness and lifelong learning.

Holi ki hardik shubhkamnayein — Happy Holi!

Our preschool came alive with colour as we celebrated Holi, the festival of colour, joy, and togetherness. Tamariki enjoyed music, dancing, crafts, and sharing delicious food.

The highlight was celebrating with gulal, the traditional coloured powder used during Holi. Some children jumped into the colour fun, while others watched from the outside and others helped capture the moment in photos.

Celebrating cultural festivals helps our tamariki appreciate differences, spark curiosity, and welcome diversity. 

Rituals are an important part of life in our preschool. They create connection, belonging, and shared meaning for our tamariki. Celebrating birthdays is one of those special traditions.

On their birthday, each child makes a crown alongside their kaiako and other important people in their life. Together, they create something meaningful that reflects the relationships that matter most. This simple ritual strengthens identity, nurtures belonging, and surrounds each child with aroha as they celebrate their special day.

Through these rituals we also nurture key Māori dispositions — mana (confidence and self-worth), whanaungatanga (relationships and connection), and manaakitanga (care and respect for others). Children see themselves as valued members of our preschool whānau.

Our preschoolers regularly head out into the community, visiting our local playground to explore, learn, and challenge themselves. Trying new play equipment builds confidence, resilience, coordination, and gross motor skills while children learn to take supported risks.

These excursions strengthen friendships, encourage teamwork, and deepen children’s sense of belonging within our local community.

Manaakitanga was on full display as a child noticed when a younger child needed help, so he stepped in with care and kindness. Through offering a hand, waiting patiently, and encouraging her, he showed empathy and respect for others. These everyday moments of helping build strong relationships, confidence, and a sense of belonging, reminding us that caring for others is at the heart of our learning community.

We loved celebrating Lunar New Year at preschool with a day full of colour, culture, and connection.

Tamariki enjoyed tasting dumplings, moving to traditional music, and dancing together with big smiles. We explored Chinese crafts, creating beautiful red decorations — a colour symbolising luck and happiness — and many children chose to dress in red to mark the occasion.

Celebrating cultural events like Lunar New Year helps children learn about traditions beyond their own, strengthening respect, curiosity, and whanaungatanga within our diverse preschool community.

To our families celebrating, we wish you happiness, good health, and prosperity in the year ahead. 新年快乐 (Xīn nián kuài lè)!

Some invitations to play are instantly successful. The simple task of squeezing lemons drew a large group of eager children, all keen to take part. This hands-on experience captured attention, encouraged turn-taking and cooperation, and supported sensory exploration as children squeezed, poured, and ultimately tasted the lemons.

While celebrating a teacher’s birthday, children became curious about the flowers, noticing that some were open while others were closed. They looked for pollen, compared different blooms, and enjoyed smelling the flowers, using their senses and asking thoughtful questions. This moment supported early science thinking, language development, and shared connection through a meaningful celebration.

Water play is a favourite activity for many children, offering rich sensory input that supports calmness and emotional regulation. Through pouring, scooping, and transferring water between containers, children developed fine motor skills, concentration, and early science understanding. This unhurried, hands-on experience encouraged problem solving, confidence, and self-regulation as children worked at their own pace.

Children explored shape matching using colourful rings and sticks, carefully aligning each piece to complete the picture cards. This focused, hands-on activity supported early maths concepts, problem-solving, and fine motor control as children concentrated, adjusted, and persevered with their designs.

Tamariki were quick to spot hungry caterpillars on the swan plant. Over the coming weeks, we will be watching them grow, change and eventually emerge as monarchs. It’s a simple but powerful way to explore nature, life cycles and the wonder happening right outside our door.

Children don’t just stack blocks—they problem-solve, negotiate, rebuild and push through frustration. Block play is a practical workout in perseverance and resilience: towers fall, plans change, and new strategies emerge. Through trial and error, tamariki learn that effort matters, failure is part of learning, and success feels earned.

Our preschool children enjoyed the sunny weather with some water balloon fun, tossing balloons to friends and laughing as they splashed around. This hands-on water play supports social interaction, cooperative play and emotional regulation, helping children manage both excitement and frustration and express emotions safely.

Today children explored blocks of ice using small hammers, discovering how force, temperature and texture change the ice as it breaks apart. There was plenty of excitement as they tapped, smashed and chipped away, watching pieces crack and melt in the warm air. This simple sensory activity builds fine motor skills, hand–eye coordination and early science understanding. It also gives children a safe way to experiment with tools, feel capable, and explore cause and effect through real action.

Sometimes small additions can spark big learning! By adding photos to the playdough table, preschool children were inspired to create a variety of pasta shapes. This simple play enhancement extends children’s interests, encourages creativity, and supports imaginative play while supporting cultural connections and children learn about different foods.

On a hot summer day, our preschool children enjoyed some simple outdoor play with a sprinkler. Running, splashing, and laughing, they experienced the joy of water play while staying cool. Activities like this support early learning, gross motor development, and social skills, all while keeping playtime fun and safe. Sometimes the simplest summer fun is the best way for children to connect, explore, and enjoy the outdoors.