LATEST STORIES
Creating fun & Adventure
June has seen us busy continuing to explore our environment and how we can use resources to create fun and adventure. Our tamariki have been enjoying making obstacle courses and towers with the milk crates and giant shapes. This has continued to develop problem-solving as they work together to make their dreams come true. Communication skills continue to develop through the conversations tamariki have when building as all make sure they are heard and are understood. The team work that goes on during these experiences is wonderful and we are so proud of our tamariki as they are kind and considerate towards all who want to join in.
Being able to use resources in different ways continues to open up the creativity in our tamairki and this is having benefits in other areas of play. Being able to use open ended resources in different ways opens up many opportunities for conversation, creativity and imagination to take flight as tamariki design and develop their ideas, thoughts and desires for their play. Having the opportunity to experience an environment where tamariki are learning strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning gives them the chance to feel secure that their learning is valued, respected and that spontaneous play is recognized as important.
Our whanau are continuing to support us in our programme and are continually a valued part of that programme. We have whanau who love to bring in fruit and vegetables for our Kai Pantry and this is always stocked with delicious fresh fruit, vegetables or pantry items. Parents are enjoying being able to stay for a while when dropping off or collecting their child and so have been able to read stories to many children, be part of their play by chasing the tamariki as the designated monster or simply having a lovely conversation with their child’s friends.
We love having the Whangarei Central Library Bus turn up once a month and the drivers/libarians are always met with a warm welcome. Before we head to the library bus the drivers pop in for a chat with the tamariki and kaiako, occasionally stopping for a moment in the sandpit to help make something. Once in the bus we love to select books and if the tamariki had the opportunity they would take all the books and so after careful consideration we narrow down the list of books to 15-20. These books then are part of our library and are treasured until next month when we get to renew them or change them depending on the interests of the tamariki.
Getting creative here at BestStart Pipiwai Kindy is a favourite of our kaiako and we love to find many different ways to be creative and so develop a good base understanding of visual art for our tamariki, which supports them in all areas of play. Our gluing table is always in use as this has a variety of resources donated and recycled and this has opened up many creative creations that parents love taking home to share and display.
We are looking forward to Matariki and have been preparing for this important national celebration by practicing our waiata and planning an evening for whanau. With the cold weather upon us we have been talking with our tamariki about the garden having a rest during this time and making sure that we just weed and nurture the garden before planting towards the end of winter. Our garden is also having a rest from the chickens as we are now locking them in their run over night to keep them warm, which has flowed on to help our garden not get munched on overnight.