There’s always a lot going on at kindy
So much happens at our Canterbury, West Coast and Central Otago kindergartens every day, and you can read about it on our kindergarten news pages. Our Kindergarten Daily section is a great place to see the day-to-day happens across out network.
Step inside the world of learning, our great big backyard and take a look at what our tamariki and kaiako have been getting up to.
Latest News Feed
All about Robots at Rutland
At kindy, tamariki learn at their own pace through their own interests, and every day brings something new. Kidsfirst Rutland Street explored the world of robots recently thanks to the inspiration provided by a child’s t-shirt. That simple visual cue led to robots being built from boxes and artwork created from all things shiny, including tin cans and magnets. The outputs were the source of much pride, but as Kaiako Matua Jo explains, tamariki went away with so much more. “They showed curiosity, intrigue, imagination, and were able to articulate their ideas through their creativity. We researched robots online and were able to extend children’s ideas and thoughts about what robots could achieve. Over time and with guidance and encouragement, tamariki became increasingly capable of making sense of their world by generating and refining their own working theories.” So much happens at te ao kindy every day – ka pai, Rutland Street, we can’t wait to see what you come up with next 🤖❤️
Air Force Museum adventures
Aviation is full of opportunities to turn wonder into learning and our Kidsfirst Hawthornden tamariki had a blast exploring the Air Force Museum of New Zealand this week. They jumped out of a stationary helicopter, climbed inside a life raft, and set off on a treasure hunt full of surprises. Ngā mihi to our awesome kindy whānau helpers — your kotahitanga made this adventure take flight. We really are so much better together 💙✈️
It’s the Year of the Horse
There were a whole lot of busy little hands at Kidsfirst Hawthornden’s Lunar New Year celebrations. Tamariki created Yuanbao (元宝) – gold ingots that symbolise prosperity and good luck in Chinese culture. The zodiac animals sparked plenty of curiosity too, with tamariki learning about each one and practising some Chinese language and calligraphy along the way. What a wonderful way to bring cultural traditions to life and celebrate together 🧧❤️
Tamariki mark the holiday season
As term four drew to a close last week, tamariki across our regions marked the holiday season in true kindy style. There was creativity, kai and plenty of shared celebration – as well as musical favourites like this gem from Kidsfirst Cromwell.
Avonhead sweet treats and disco
There were big smiles all round at Kidsfirst Avonhead when the One Scoop or Two ice cream truck rolled up to kindy for a special end-of-term treat. The generous koha was part of a celebration of kindy whānau, and was complete with a disco filled with whakamanamana that had everyone on their feet. Ngā mihi nui to One Scoop or Two for sharing the manaakitanga — moments like these are what make te ao kindy so special 🍦🪩
Kai, colour & ice-cream at The Bays
Raumati has brought a feast of activity to Kidsfirst The Bays in the last weeks of term. Tamariki have been harvesting and tasting fresh kai from the kindy māra after months of patient kaitiakitanga, while inside, a bustling ice cream shop has served up scoops to eager customers. There’s been plenty of colour mixing, flavour matching and creative kōrero at the counter – and when the play inspired some real homemade ice cream making, that was the sweetest part of all. Ka rawe, Kidsfirst The Bays 🍦❤️
Hawthornden hits the airport
There’s a whole world of te ao kindy wonder beyond the kindergarten gates, and Kidsfirst Hawthornden tamariki got to experience a new world with a trip to Ōtautahi Airport. Using their best plane spotting skills and the Flight Radar app, tamariki tracked planes live as they came to land, watching excitedly as a Singapore Airlines flight touched down and taxied to the gate. Fluffies delivered by a robot at Novotel Christchurch Airport provided the ultimate treat, and there was an unexpected highlight on the way out — the chance to explore an electric fire truck with Christchurch Airport Fire Service. Ngā mihi to the parent helpers who made this adventure possible, ka rawe Kidsfirst Hawthornden — what a way to bring the learning to life ✈️😊
A show to remember at Hāwea
Kidsfirst Hāwea were absolutely captivated by touring theatre company Birdlife Productions‘ puppet show. Creativity comes to life at kindy, and opens up new worlds of wonder for tamariki. Ngā mihi to Queenstown Lakes District Council Libraries for helping make this special event happen. Kei runga noa atu, Kidsfirst Hāwea – moments like these remind us kindy is all about the whakamanamana 🦋❤️
Growing tall at Bush Street
The sunflower journey at Kidsfirst Bush Street has been filled with planning, patience, and plenty of kaitiakitanga. Tamariki started by having conversations about what would help their sunflowers to thrive — then prepped the garden and planted. Learning about the importance of giving the seeds just the right amount of water and soil to grow in, tamariki made predictions about how tall they’d get. Today, their tallest sunflower stands at 142cm, and it still has a way to go. Ngā mihi to everyone involved for sharing the whakamanamana — Daltons Sunflowers in Kindergartens, Kings Seeds, The Warehouse and Gardena — your help makes this hands-on learning possible. And ka pai, Kidsfirst Bush Street – this awesome mahi in your Big Backyard helps to bring te ao kindy to life 🌻❤️
Exploring te ao Māori at Wigram
Te kōrero tawhito — ancient stories — came to life at Kidsfirst Wigram when tamariki explored the legend of Ranginui and Papatūānuku through art and stories. Tamariki illustrated the tales in visual form, providing a backdrop for the stories to be told and retold, and one young storyteller gained so much knowledge he became a skilled narrator, with kaiako signing alongside him in NZSL. Kua rārangi tahi tātou he whākiri mātauranga mō ngā rangatira o āpōpō — together we are weaving an education mat for our leaders of tomorrow. Koia kei a koutou Kidsfirst Wigram ⭐️❤️
A proudly New Zealand owned and operated not-for-profit kindergarten association with over 110 years of kiwi heritage
