To honour Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), we set up a special collage experience using the koru as our focus.
We placed two large koru shapes made from DuraSeal on the table, inviting tamariki to work together to create our decorated koru.
Tamariki were encouraged to choose the collage pieces they wanted to use and experiment with placing, moving and sticking them onto the koru.
As we explored the different materials and colours, we talked with the tamariki using both English and te reo Māori, introducing simple kupu such as whero (red), kākāriki (green), mā (white), and kikorangi (blue).
This experience provided opportunities for tamariki to engage with a Māori symbol while exploring collage materials and making choices about how to place and stick the pieces. Hearing colour kupu alongside familiar English names helps support tamariki to listen, recognise and begin making connections between the two languages.
It also supports he kōrero ā-waha, as tamariki hear and begin to make meaning from oral language. The koru provided a meaningful connection to Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, while giving tamariki an opportunity to experience te reo Māori and Māori culture as a natural part of our everyday learning.
Just as the koru represents growth and the unfolding of new life, our tamariki are also beginning their own journeys of learning, communication and discovery.