Little Village Preschool

Mālō e lelei!

This week we celebrated Tongan Language Week 🇹🇴. Our tamariki practised the Tongan greeting “Mālō e lelei”, learned to count 1–10 in Tongan, and enjoyed learning Tongan songs together.

We explored Tongan culture by creating our own kiekie, a traditional Tongan adornment. Tamariki enjoyed designing and wearing their kiekie, creating their own Tongan-inspired patterns and Tongan National Flag.

We also explored delicious fruits that grow in the islands, learning about, preparing and tasting them together.

Te Whāriki connection: Mana Whenua – Belonging and Mana Tangata – Contribution, as tamariki developed a sense of belonging, cultural identity, confidence and participation through shared cultural experiences.

A beautiful week of culture, creativity, exploration and learning!

📚✨ Happy Book Week! ✨📚

Tamariki enjoyed a wonderful storytelling session with Evelyn from Storytelling Threads, sharing the story “Oi! Give My Diamond Back!”

Tamariki were captivated by the storytelling, using their imaginations, listening closely, and joining in with the fun. It was a beautiful opportunity to experience the joy of stories while building connection, language, confidence and a love for books and storytelling.

Thank you, Evelyn, for bringing the story to life and making our Books Week celebration so special!

🌟 Mānawatia a Matariki! 🌟✨

Happy Matariki from everyone at Little Village Preschool.

Wishing our tamariki, whānau, and community a joyful Māori New Year filled with aroha, happiness, and new beginnings.

Ngā mihi o Matariki ki a koutou katoa!

Exploring Letters Through Sand Play.

Tamariki enjoyed exploring letters through sensory sand play. As they traced, uncovered, and recognised different letters, they were developing their early literacy skills, fine motor coordination, and curiosity through hands-on learning.

This playful experience supports Te Whāriki – Communication | Mana Reo, as children begin to recognise symbols and understand that print and letters have meaning.

Painting Portraits

Our tamariki enjoyed painting on photo frames wrapped in plastic, creating colourful portraits while exploring creativity and developing fine motor skills.

Turning twigs into art with playdough! Our tamariki used their imagination and creativity to create unique nature sculptures while strengthening their fine motor skills and exploring the natural world.

🦖 Dinosaur Hunt Adventure for Our Pepi! 🦕

Our curious pepi had a wonderful time exploring a dinosaur sensory hunt! Hidden amongst natural materials, shredded paper, and toy dinosaurs, the children eagerly searched, touched, discovered, and investigated with excitement. There were lots of smiles, laughter, and moments of wonder as they used their senses to explore different textures and uncover the dinosaurs.

Sensory play like this supports curiosity, fine motor development, language, and early problem-solving skills while encouraging children to learn through hands-on exploration.

Te Whāriki Links:
Exploration | Mana Aotūroa: Children learn through active exploration, using their senses to investigate and make discoveries.
Wellbeing | Mana Atua: Children develop confidence as they engage in a safe and stimulating learning environment.

What a fun prehistoric adventure for our little explorers! 💚🦕