From first steps to first words, the Tui Room is full of milestones and joyful moments. With cultural celebrations, sensory play, outdoor adventures, and nurturing kaiako, our babies are supported to grow with confidence, curiosity, and connection.
The months of July and August have been an exciting time in the Tui Room as our babies continued to grow, explore, and build strong connections with their kaiako and peers. We have enjoyed watching our tamariki achieve new milestones, from crawling and pulling themselves up to taking first steps and expressing themselves through babbling, laughter, and gestures. These moments of development fill our room with joy and pride.
Cultural celebrations have been a highlight during this time. We celebrated Cook Islands Language Week and Tongan Language Week, where the babies explored music, movement, and creative activities. They engaged in painting turtles, making flowers, and enjoying the sounds of traditional songs and rhythms. These celebrations allowed our tamariki to experience cultural diversity and strengthened their sense of belonging.
Indoors, sensory activities such as playdough, water play, and textured resources have been favourites, offering opportunities to discover through touch and exploration. Outdoors, the children have loved crawling, climbing, and investigating the sandpit, which supports their gross motor development and curiosity about nature.
Strong relationships have been at the heart of our teaching practice, with kaiako providing cuddles, comfort, and encouragement, helping our babies feel safe, secure, and confident in their learning journey.