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BestStart Havelock North's New Playground

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There was a lot of anticipation and excitement as the tamariki watched the transformation of their playground through the windows. We watched as a digger removed all the old astroturf and lots of bushes to make way for new surfaces and new plantings. We watched as different machines flattened the ground to make way for a new improved bike track. We watched as turf and grass was laid. We watched as a new whare was lifted onto the deck next to the sandpit. We watched as wooden poles and beams were placed to make a new climbing and balancing resource. We watched as a fale was erected with a platform to sit and read. 

We watched all this activity over a few weeks as our playground was transformed into a new and exciting place for our tamariki to explore and play. Then, when it was finally completed, the tamariki went excitedly out to investigate, explore, and have fun in our new playground. One of the strands of Te Whāriki, our Early Childhood Curriculum, is Exploration/Mana aotūroa, and this states that children learn through active exploration of the environment. With places to play, sit, read, build, swing, dig, run, dance and work with and alongside their friends our new playground will be the place to be in the coming years as children develop their skills and learn to be kaitiaki of their place of learning. 

Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, haere whakamua. Care for the land, care for people, go forward.