Learning Through Exploration: Science and Nature in Play. Welcome again to BestStart Tauranga Central!
At our early childhood centre, we embrace the wonder of learning through exploration. Sensory play experiences such as making fairy soup with plants and water, creating sand mandalas with wood, stones, and shells, or building rockpools in the sandpit spark curiosity and deepen children’s understanding of the natural world.
When children recreate a polar world with pretend snow and ice, they engage in imaginative thinking while developing scientific concepts such as temperature, texture, and change.
These hands-on experiences align with Te Whāriki, fostering Exploration – Mana Aotūroa, where children learn through active engagement with their environment. They also connect to the 16 Areas of Play, including small world play, sensory play, and construction, building skills in problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration.
Through these activities, children develop fine motor skills, language, and social connections as they work together, ask questions, and share discoveries. Our nurturing environment encourages them to investigate, experiment, and express their ideas in meaningful ways.
We invite parents to visit our centre and see the joy of learning in action. Come and explore with us—where curiosity leads to discovery, and every child’s unique learning journey is celebrated!