At BestStart Māngere East, our vision “Growing Little Mountain Climbers” shapes every learning journey. By connecting with the local maunga, our tamariki are empowered to explore growth through creativity, culture, and meaningful play.
At BestStart Māngere East, our centre vision – “Growing Little Mountain Climbers” – guides everything we do. It symbolises each child’s unique journey of growth, where every step they take helps them climb their own mountain of development.
Whether it's physical growth, emotional resilience, mental development, cognitive thinking, or social interaction, our tamariki are constantly learning, growing, and reaching new milestones.
We are fortunate to be located near Māngere Mountain, a significant and historic volcanic landmark. We’ve visited the maunga with our tamariki to explore its rich history, using it as a real-life anchor to connect with our vision. The mountain is not just a place; it represents challenges, achievements, and the strength it takes to climb higher and higher.
Lately, we’ve been finding creative and engaging ways to bring our vision into daily learning experiences and play setups. Today, Kaiako Evlyn brought this vision to life in the sandpit with our tamariki in Te Whare Hana, helping them build their own mountain symbolising their learning and growth.
Inspired by Māngere Mountain's volcanic nature, the tamariki decided to create a volcano, weaving together science, storytelling, and cultural connection into one meaningful activity.
Moments like these show how our vision is more than just words – it’s brought to life through the planned learning experiences created by our amazing kaiako.