This week, the tamariki in Te Manga and Te Awa enjoyed a variety of exciting, hands-on learning experiences that encouraged curiosity, creativity, and skill development.
Our first experience was a fizzing bubble science experiment. The children mixed baking soda, vinegar, and food colouring to create colourful, fizzy bubbles. They watched with excitement as the ingredients reacted and bubbled up.
The tamariki were eager to observe the changes and shared their wonder and curiosity about what was happening. This activity supported early scientific thinking, observation skills, and sensory exploration.
The children also participated in a fine motor peg activity, where they carefully inserted pegs into a plate. They showed excellent concentration and focus while completing the task.
Many children persisted even when it was challenging, demonstrating determination and problem-solving skills. This experience helped strengthen their fine motor development, hand-eye coordination, and finger strength, which are important foundations for future writing and self-help skills.
Another popular experience was our water play with sea creatures. The tamariki explored water using droppers and syringes while interacting with a variety of sea animals.
They enjoyed squeezing, filling, and transferring water while engaging in imaginative play. This sensory experience promoted hand-eye coordination, fine motor control, and an early understanding of cause and effect.
Through these engaging experiences, the tamariki were active learners, developing confidence, coordination, curiosity, and a love for exploring the world around them.
It was wonderful to see them working together, experimenting, and having fun while learning.