HeadStart Early Learning NZ

1 day ago

Sensory Play
Sensory exploration is a important part of play, learning to use all the muscles in our hands and arms supports fine motor skill development. We have fun using fingerpaint, gloop, creating with autumn leaves, painting in sand and watching it move and change.

The children’s smiles and joy as they discover if the material is smooth, rough, slimy or soft, develops knowledge about the world and how textures can change and be manipulated.
Exploration – Mana aotūroa: They gain confidence in and control of their bodies: Curiosity about the world and the ability and inclination to share interest with others.
Use of all the senses and physical abilities to make sense of the world. ... See MoreSee Less

+7

HeadStart Early Learning NZ

5 days ago

Caring and maakitangi
Headstart has a strong focus on caring for our environment and being sustainable. We are participating in a city to farm project to help grow bananas. We collect our scrap food from our meals and place them in a special bucket with ‘Zing’(a natural compost starter) on the top. Every 2 weeks the truck comes and collects our scrap buckets. The children love helping collect the scraps and using the masher to squish the food down and sprinkle on the Zing. Sam, from City to Farm, came to our centre at a mat time to explain the processes.
We are still looking after our worm farm as well, and make sure they get some broccoli and banana skins too.
Now our sunflowers are finished we have planted some winter growing seeds in our garden including carrots, spinach, and beans we are keeping an eye on them to see if they are sprouting.
We have also been busy putting our rock garden back together now the new umbrella is in, we put some weed mat down, and put the rocks on the top, as with all the rain the dirt was getting too waterlogged and muddy. We all had to work together as we had to move so many stones!!
Links to Te Whariki: Kotahitanga - holistic development:
Exploration – Mana aotūroa : They develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical and material worlds.
Recognition of different domains of knowledge and how they relate to understanding people places and things.
A sense of responsibility of the living world and knowledge about how to care for it.
Mana whenua Belonging: Children are encouraged to take up opportunities to fix things, clean garden and care for the environment and the people in it. They can help arrange things and put them away in the right place. ... See MoreSee Less

+7

HeadStart Early Learning NZ

6 days ago

May was New Zealand Music Month, and we’re celebrated in style at HeadStart!
Our tamariki have been moving, grooving, and bouncing to the rhythm with a special outdoor music festival set up right in our playground! 🥁
We even had a bouncy stage where little feet could jump, dance, and feel the beat — pure joy in every hop!
And for our sweet-toothed music lovers? An ice-cream booth made the sunny day even sweeter! Music, sunshine, and ice cream — what more could you ask for?
We also embraced the beauty of te reo Māori by introducing tī rākau, the traditional Māori stick game. Our tamariki learned to sing E Papa Waiari and even made their own tī rākau sticks from rolled-up magazines — perfect for taking home and sharing the fun with whānau!
At HeadStart, it’s more than music — it’s joy in every beat! ... See MoreSee Less

+4

HeadStart Early Learning NZ

1 month ago

Weaving Wonders at HeadStart
Our creative tamariki have been busy exploring the art of paper weaving — turning colourful paper strips into beautiful woven patterns.
This hands-on activity is more than just a craft. It’s a great way to explore spatial concepts like “over” and “under,” develop fine motor skills, encourage problem-solving, and spark creative thinking.
Each woven masterpiece is now proudly displayed on our door, creating a vibrant and eye-catching gallery that celebrates our tamariki’s focus, persistence, and creativity.
Tamariki are drawn to our weaving display, proud to see their work showcased. ... See MoreSee Less

+4

HeadStart Early Learning NZ

1 month ago

Happy Mother's Day to all our mothers, grandmothers, aunties and all the wonderful females who love and support our tamariki.
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for our special morning tea on Friday morning - it is always so special having you join us in the centre.
We hope you all enjoy the special candles made by your tamaiti with all their love ❤️💝💖 ... See MoreSee Less

+7