At BestStart Māngere East, carpentry is more than just play—it’s a fun, hands-on way for tamariki to develop confidence, creativity, and essential life skills, all while using real tools under careful supervision.
At BestStart Māngere East, we believe in nurturing life skills through meaningful, hands-on experiences. One of the 16 key areas of play we focus on is carpentry!
In our carpentry corner, children are encouraged to safely explore and use real tools under careful supervision. With items like hammers, nails, measuring tapes, rulers, wood glue, and different types of wood, our tamariki develop:
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Hand-eye coordination
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Fine and gross motor skills
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Problem-solving abilities
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Basic maths and measurement understanding
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Creativity and design thinking
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Patience, focus, and independence
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Social skills and teamwork with peers
We’ve also been fortunate to have wonderful support from our whānau and community, who have generously donated materials to enrich our carpentry area. Thanks to these donations, we now include bottle caps, pine cones, cardboard, paper, bottles, yoghurt pots, and many other loose parts.
There are so many benefits to carpentry—it’s not just about building objects but about building skills, confidence, and awareness. Our tamariki take pride in what their little hands create.
Carpentry at BestStart Māngere East is more than just a play area; it’s a space where life skills grow, one tap of the hammer at a time.