At BestStart Elles Road, we celebrated Matariki alongside our tamariki, whānau, and wider community—strengthening the value of whanaungatanga.
Our celebration included a starry disco and the sharing of warm vegetable and pumpkin soup, lovingly made with produce gathered by our community.
Tamariki explored the meaning and values of Matariki through creative activities, supporting their understanding of tikanga Māori (Contribution | Mana Tangata, Goal 4).
The children planted vegetable seeds, symbolising growth and renewal, reflecting our centre’s priority of sustainability and fostering a connection to the natural world (Exploration | Mana Aotūroa, Goal 2).
We collaborated on a vibrant community art project of a whale tail that relates to our localised curriculum - using recycled bottle tops—generously donated by some whanau and also our local New World, Night ’n Day, and our local coffee lady—promoting kaitiakitanga and reinforcing our localised curriculum (Belonging | Mana Whenua, Goal 2).
When this is finished, we can't wait to display it in our centre for all to see. Throughout the celebrations, we nurtured communication by encouraging tamariki to express their ideas, stories, and reflections (Communication | Mana Reo, Goal 3).
Together, we enjoyed each other’s company and deepened our relationships, embodying the spirit of Te Ao Māori and our centre’s priorities of whanaungatanga, sustainability, and communication.