We celebrated Big Heart Day as I completed my Professional Growth Cycle (PGC) goal by achieving the Healthy Heart Award. This is a big achievement for BestStart Everglade Babies, as we endeavour to provide our pēpi and tamariki with nutritious meals and experiences that promote their hauora and overall wellbeing.
A big thank you to our Centre Manager Candice and Tina Buch from the Healthy Heart Foundation NZ for their guidance and support throughout this journey.
To celebrate this milestone, kaiako and tamariki took part in a variety of learning experiences and activities throughout the day.
Together we prepared and explored healthy foods, including cooking lamb tomato pasta and vegetarian pasta, making an oats and beetroot salad, and mixing beetroot muffins with the help of tamariki.
Kaiako also shared simple learning about the circulatory system so children could begin to understand how the heart works in our bodies.
Tamariki enjoyed a range of active and sensory experiences, including heart-shaped water sensory play, dancing, painting hearts, and creating decorations. They also took part in jumping activities, yoga practice, and breathing exercises that support their growth and development.
Through interactive activities, tamariki learned to recognise foods that are healthy for the heart and practised sorting healthy foods and less healthy options.
I appreciate my team for their valued collaboration and thank our whānau for their involvement in this celebration. Together, we achieve the best positive outcomes for our tamariki.
Ngā mihi,
Dikshika Aggarwal