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Circle Time at BestStart St Andrews!
Our Pūkeko room has been focused on creating engaging circle time with our pepe and tamariki. As a team we looked at different ways we could support the cognitive and physical development of the children in our room. We wanted to incorporate te reo Maaori, visual cues, physical actions, and a space where tamariki and pepe could express themselves in a safe and secure environment.
Through brainstorming and observing, we noticed our children responded best to visual cues when we sang to them. Their language has developed through repetition and making connections between words, people, places, and things in their environment. This week is te wiki o te reo Maaori and our wonderful kaiako Rima has been singing different waiata with our children and we are now learning 5 little ducks in te reo Maaori! How amazing!
Our centre learning priorities are communication/mana reo, developing social and emotional competence, and supporting our tamariki to reach their full potential. Through these circle times, we are able to support children in developing their communication skills by adding words to their vocabulary, ensuring te reo Maaori is accessible and that our tamariki hear the languages of their culture.
We are promoting social and emotional competence through social interaction, and music + waiata are soothing for our children to support their regulation through transitional periods in our day.