At BestStart Abacus, our tamariki had a special opportunity to step outside of the centre and connect with their wider community.
We took 6 children to our local park, not far from our centre. The walk there took about 15 minutes, walking on lots of bumpy roots and crossing busy roads.
Once we arrived, everyone ran towards the playground, walking all the way up the stairs with the support of one of their kaiako, while the other waited at the bottom as they came down the big slide.
They also got the opportunity to explore the swings and the sandpit that were there. After a quick morning tea stop it was time to collect some natural resources to bring back to the centre and explore their environment.
The tamariki really enjoyed collecting these resources. We collected big pinecones, small pinecones, leaves and also managed to find some bugs along the way too, which supports our project plan of "the natural world".
From talking about where they were going, to noticing things in their environment, children had plenty of opportunities to expand their vocabulary and express their ideas. The children showed great teamwork as they stood together, waiting patiently and supporting one another when needed.
Being in a new environment often brings excitement and curiosity, and we could see the joy on their faces as they prepared for what was ahead.