March has been a vibrant and joyful month here at BestStart Pipiwai Road, filled with meaningful learning experiences and cultural celebrations for our tamariki.
We began the month with a wonderful Lunar New Year celebration, which brought excitement and curiosity into our learning environment. Tamariki had the opportunity to explore and engage with Chinese traditions in a hands-on and meaningful way. One of the highlights was learning about ang bao (red envelopes), where children discovered the significance of giving and receiving as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
Another favourite activity was participating in lo hei, where tamariki enthusiastically joined in tossing the ingredients, sharing laughter while learning about the importance of togetherness and well-wishing for the year ahead. The celebration continued with a lively dragon dance, where children used drums, along with pots and pans from the sandpit area, to create their own rhythmic performance. This was a fantastic way to encourage creativity, teamwork, and self-expression.
Food exploration was also part of the experience, as tamariki had the chance to try dim sum. This introduced them to new tastes and textures, supporting their willingness to explore different cultures through food.
Language learning was naturally woven into the celebration, with children practising phrases such as “Gong Xi Fa Cai,” meaning Happy New Year, and “Xie Xie,” meaning thank you. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm in learning new words and understanding their meanings.
At the end of the month, we proudly participated in the Butterfly Appeal. Tamariki came dressed in blue to show their support and took part in creative activities such as painting butterfly templates, which were then shared and sold to whānau. We also held a bake sale, with delicious contributions from both our wonderful whānau and baked goods from the BestStart Pipiwai Road team.
This was a meaningful way for our community to come together, support a great cause, and encourage kindness, generosity, and teamwork among our tamariki.
Overall, March has been full of rich opportunities for cultural awareness, creativity, and community connection. We look forward to continuing to build on these experiences in the months ahead.