When Kaiako Milly “fell asleep” during mat time, some of our tamariki quickly stepped in to continue reading the story to the younger children and encouraging them to stay quiet as to not wake Milly. This lovely moment demonstrated tuakana-teina, as well as manaakitanga (caring for others), rangatiratanga (leadership) and the confidence to take responsibility for their group.

Our nursery toddlers enjoyed a wonderful sensory experience exploring ice, flowers and scented ice. They investigated the different colours, textures, temperatures and fragrances while watching the ice slowly melt—encouraging curiosity, discovery and plenty of new language.

Our tamariki enjoyed some quiet time exploring water and colourful spring blossoms. As they noticed the beautiful colours, textures, scents and movement of the flowers, kaiako introduced new vocabulary and descriptive words to extend their thinking, communication and understanding.

Small group activities give our tamariki valuable opportunities to learn alongside others, take turns, communicate and develop confidence in a relaxed setting. A game of Memory Match adds plenty of fun while strengthening concentration, visual memory, problem-solving and perseverance. Learning together also encourages children to celebrate each other’s successes and develop positive relationships.

Starting school is a big milestone! As part of our transition to school programme, our tamariki visit local schools to become familiar with the school environment and what a school day might look like. These experiences help build confidence, independence and a sense of belonging, making the move from preschool to school feel positive and exciting.

We loved welcoming Hato Hone St John to spend time with our tamariki, learning about how to keep ourselves safe, the different emergency services that help us, and what to do when we need help. The children learnt about calling 111 in an emergency and who might come to help. Visits like this also strengthen whanaungatanga, building meaningful connections between our tamariki and the people and services within our local community.

Being prepared is an important part of keeping our tamariki safe. During our earthquake drills, the children practise making their “turtle” — getting down low, covering their heads and staying safe until the shaking stops. Regular practice helps our children become familiar and confident with what to do in an emergency.

Our curious tamariki have been investigating the magic of magnets and magnetism! Through hands-on play, children experimented with different objects to discover what magnets attract and what they don’t. Experiences like this encourage curiosity, problem-solving and early scientific thinking as children explore, test their ideas and make exciting discoveries.

Cold winter days call for a little extra warmth! Our tamariki love helping with the occasional coffee shout for our teachers, showing manaakitanga – kindness, care and appreciation for others. It’s a simple but meaningful way for our children to experience the joy of doing something thoughtful for the people who care for them each day.

We were very excited to welcome our local Fire and Emergency New Zealand crew for a special visit! Our tamariki explored the fire engine, discovered some of the equipment firefighters use and learnt about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

Visits like this are also a wonderful way to strengthen whanaungatanga – building relationships, connections and a sense of belonging within our local community. By connecting with the people who help keep our community safe, our tamariki develop confidence and a greater understanding of the world around them.

Our little firefighters have been busy responding to emergencies and saving the day! Dramatic play like this gives our tamariki opportunities to use their imaginations, work together, solve problems and explore the important roles people have in our community. Who knows — we may have some future firefighters in the making!

Tāwhirimātea was smiling on us, blessing us with a crisp, clear night for our Matariki Disco! It was a wonderful evening of fun, laughter and whanaungatanga, bringing our tamariki, whānau and teachers together. Matariki gives us a special opportunity to connect with our families, remember and reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and look ahead to our hopes and aspirations for the future.

There was plenty of excitement when our tamariki headed out into the neighbourhood to see the new overpass bridge finally in place! This is a significant development for our local community and one that will become part of everyday life for many of our families — with some of our tamariki soon walking across the new bridge on their way to preschool.

Getting out and noticing these changes strengthens whanaungatanga, helping our children build a sense of connection and belonging while seeing first-hand how their neighbourhood is growing and changing.

There’s something magical about bubbles! Our tamariki have been busy exploring, experimenting and discovering what happens when we blow gently through a straw. This simple experience encourages curiosity and concentration while building oral motor skills and an understanding of cause and effect — all while creating lots of bubbly fun!

The tamariki have been enjoying revisiting familiar books at preschool, building early literacy skills as they recognise characters, retell stories, predict what happens next, and explore new vocabulary.

Our Transition to School group has been exploring different ways to represent numbers through games, group discussions, writing, and hands-on learning experiences. The tamariki are building confidence with early maths concepts while developing the skills they need to have a successful start to their school journey.

Milo the mischievous monkey came to visit preschool this week and made quite a mess of our toys and learning spaces! Milo Monkey is one of the fun teaching tools we use to help children learn important skills and values through playful experiences. The tamariki worked together to tidy up, showing manaakitanga and rangatiratanga as they cared for their environment and took responsibility for their preschool space.

One of the exciting weekly events at preschool is the arrival of the groceries! The tamariki are always eager to help carry, unpack, and sort the food, building teamwork, responsibility, and practical life skills through these everyday experiences.

The children loved watching the arborist at work this week! After he finished trimming the trees, the tamariki helped gather up the leaves and branches, proudly working together to help tidy the playground. This was a wonderful opportunity to show manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga as the children cared for their environment and worked together as a team.

A small group of our older tamariki enjoyed a trip to a local coffee shop and bookshop. It was a delight to see such rangatiratanga as they explored the bookshop respectfully and made thoughtful and colloborative thinking, chosing a wonderful book to bring back and share with everyone at preschool. We enjoyed some morning tea together and played on the grass before returning to preschool.