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
Lion Dancing for Lunar New Year
As they have for many years now, Kidsfirst Hei Hei played host to vibrant and exciting lion dancing to celebrate the Lunar New Year, enthralling tamariki. Along with special creative projects for the Year of the Snake, tamariki have also been practising their Chinese calligraphy, and loved sharing the experience with whānau 🐍❤️
Recognising the Year of the Snake
Kidsfirst Hawthornden tamariki have been marking the Lunar New Year by making colourful snakes (it’s the Year of the Snake 🐍), along with lion dancing and reading stories. Kindy mum, Summer also joined in, sharing some traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebrations 🥳❤️
Back to Kindy for 2025
Tamariki at all our kindergartens, including Kidsfirst Cromwell, were back yesterday – and it didn’t take long for the smiles to appear. Here’s to a full year of fun and learning at Kidsfirst. Nau mai hoki mai, welcome back 😊❤️
Mural gift from high school
It will be a colourful start to the new kindy year when tamariki at Kidsfirst Northcote return to their play in a few weeks time. Last year, kaiako received an offer from Papanui High School art students who wished to take on the project of painting a new mural to reflect the kindy’s bicultural commitment, and display their connection to Aotearoa. After months of planning and painting, the students and their teachers delivered the kindergarten’s new taonga, complete with performances of waiata and a karakia from tamariki to welcome their new painting. What a fabulous way to show he whānau kotahi tatou – we’re all one big family at Kidsfirst ❤️😊
A special tractor delivery
Things will be off to a roaring start this new year with a brand new pedal tractor at Kidsfirst West Rolleston. At the end of last year, the tractor was delivered by a kindy dad in a life-sized Deutz-Fahr tractor after the West Rolleston name was selected out of a prize draw. Tamariki excitedly watched the humungous tractor roll on in, and took turns having a go with their new kindy equipment. The kindy would like to share a huge thanks to Power Farming New Zealand and Kramp New Zealand for their generosity 🚜❤️
Spreading aroha this Kirihimete
During the last week of kindy, Kidsfirst Avonhead tamariki, kaiako and whānau visited their local rest home, Elms Court. Singing Christmas songs and giving out fresh bunches of flowers was such a great way to share whanaungatanga and aroha at this time of year – koia kei a koutou, Kidsfirst Avonhead, that’s some awesome mahi 🎄💐❤️
Sharing some Christmas cheer
Christmas has well and truly come to Kidsfirst Cromwell, where everyone’s in a happy holiday mood, spreading aroha and wishing a big Meri Kirihimete 🎄❤️
NZ Army band brings Xmas to kindy
Right now, our kindergartens are brimming with Christmas cheer, and Kidsfirst Riccarton was no exception when the New Zealand Army Band stopped by and filled the air with festive music. Tamariki, whānau and kaiako watched, sang, and danced along. What a fantastic way to help bring the kindy year to a close. Kia ora – thank you 🎄🎺
Wakatipu kindy beats the noise
Anyone who’s lived through construction on a neighbouring building site knows just how bad all that hammering, sawing, and bulldozing can get. Add in some blasting, jackhammering, multiple sites and two years’ worth of disruption to vehicles and pedestrians, and you’ll have some idea of just how much the Kidsfirst Wakatipu teaching team, whānau, and tamariki have been through over the past two years. The team was recognised as Ngā Whetū at Kidsfirst’s AGM this year for their positive attitude and creative approach, and also for their whakamanamana under trying circumstances.
Two hens make kindy crew complete
The kindy experience is so much about sharing manaakitanga and aroha for one another and all beings. Kidsfirst Cotswold Ave tamariki found a new way to practise both this year when they welcomed two new chickens to their kindy whānau. Oreo and Speedy – named after a tamariki vote – fast became very close feathered friends, as tamariki learned what their hei hei need, and how to care for them. Ka mau te wehi, Kidsfirst Cotswold Ave, koia kei a koe – you’re the best chicken whānau ever 🐓❤️
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