Mt Wellies ELC

Today marks 8 years since I became Manager at Mt Wellies Childcare! ❤️💚

What an incredible journey it’s been—so many laughs, messy moments, milestones, and memories. I’ve had the privilege of watching so many of our children learn, grow, and then head off to big school, and it’s been so special to be part of their journey.

Here’s to the amazing children, whānau, and team who’ve made these 8 years so amazing… and to many more fun adventures ahead! 🥰

Arohanui
Kim Dawson ❤️💚

Mānawatia a Matariki ⭐

Our tamariki have had so much fun learning about the stories behind Matariki, what the stars represent, and why this time of year is all about remembering the past, celebrating the present, and looking forward to the future with hope.

Our classrooms were busy all week with lots of Matariki-inspired projects and play. It was amazing to see everyone's creativity shine and to hear the wonderful conversations happening as we explored this special celebration.

One of the highlights of the week was welcoming our whānau into our classrooms. Thank you to everyone who came along to share a delicious winter warmer soup, spend time exploring with the tamariki, and simply enjoy being together. Those moments of whanaungatanga (connection) are what make our Mt Wellies community so special. ❤️

Matariki is a beautiful reminder to slow down, spend time with the people who matter most, show manaakitanga (kindness and care), and celebrate new beginnings.

Mānawatia a Matariki! ⭐

Looking for the perfect place for your little one to learn, grow, and thrive?

We warmly welcome whānau to come and book a centre tour to see what makes our Centre so special.

❤ Explore our nurturing learning spaces
❤ Meet our caring and passionate teachers
❤ Discover our fun, play-based learning programmes
❤ See how we support every child’s culture, language and identity
❤ Experience our welcoming family atmosphere and strong sense of community

📞 Book your tour today — we would love to meet you and your little one. Nau mai, haere mai!

09 573 1293
[email protected]
31-35 Carbine Road, Mt Wellington, Auckland

We have a very special milestone to celebrate!

A huge congratulations to Nikkita in our Rata (preschool) classroom, who has officially completed and successfully passed her Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) degree! 🎓

After three years of hard mahi, dedication, assignments, practicum placements, and perseverance, she is now a fully qualified Early Childhood Education teacher. We are incredibly proud of you Nikkita and can't wait to see you continue inspiring, nurturing, and supporting our tamariki every day. Congratulations, you're a superstar!

💚 A Heartfelt Thank You from Our Rata (Preschool) Room Whānau 💚

Our hearts are so full of gratitude.

To every family who supported our fundraising, bought raffle tickets, donated, shared our fundraiser, volunteered their time, or joined us on our amazing zoo adventure—thank you.

Because of your kindness, generosity, and unwavering support, we achieved our goal and gave our tamariki a truly unforgettable day at the zoo. The smiles, laughter, excitement, and precious learning experiences they enjoyed are memories that will stay with them for years to come.

To our incredible parent helpers and whānau who came along on the trip, thank you for walking beside us, caring for our tamariki, and helping make the day safe, fun, and full of joy. We simply couldn’t have done it without you.

It truly takes a village to nurture our children, and we feel so fortunate to be part of such a caring, supportive, and generous community.

From all of us in the Rata Room, ngā mihi nui. Thank you for believing in our tamariki and for helping make this dream become a reality.

With heartfelt appreciation,

💚 The Rata Team

Auckland Zoo

At Mt Wellies, we use all of our senses to explore. From feeling different textures to mixing colours and making their own creations, they are learning through play every step of the way.

These experiences support our curriculum Te Whāriki by encouraging children to explore, experiment, and express themselves with confidence. They also nurture mana aotūroa as tamariki discover, question, and make sense of the world around them.

Through sensory and creative play, tamariki are learning to:
-Strengthen their fine motor skills.
-Build confidence to explore and try new ideas.
-Develop problem-solving skills as they experiment and create.

We love seeing each child's imagination shine and watching their confidence grow as they create in their own unique way!

"Ko te ataata he tohu aroha."
A smile is a sign of kindness/love.

Even with the yucky weather and winter bugs - we are still smiling 😁❤

Don't forget whānau - pack those jackets and gumboots, there are lots of puddles to be jumped in!

Happy FriYAY! We made it!

We hope all of our whanau have a wonderful weekend ahead and enjoy some adventures with your beautiful tamariki.

❤

Calling all Mum's, Dad's and whānau!

If you're pregnant or starting to plan your return to work, now's a great time to check out your childcare options for 2027. Or perhaps you're already looking for the perfect place for your little one to learn, play, and thrive?

Now is the time to secure your spot at Mt Wellies Childcare!

Our spaces for 2027 are filling quickly, and we'd love to welcome your whānau into our caring learning community.

At Mt Wellies Childcare, your child will enjoy:
🌱 A nurturing, home-like environment
🌞 Exciting adventures and fun
🎨 Learning through exploration, play and meaningful experiences
🤝 Caring teachers who build strong relationships with children and families

Whether you're planning ahead for maternity leave or exploring your childcare options, we invite you to come and see what makes Mt Wellies so special!

Book a tour today and secure your 2027 enrolment before spaces are gone!

09 573 1293
[email protected]
www.mtwellies.co.nz

Does your child come home from Mt Wellies looking extra colourful with paint, felts, or crayon on their clothes? A bit of glue stuck to their shirt? Perhaps they have a hidden stash of sand in their pockets or shoes? Or maybe the classic green and brown smudges from rolling down the hill or running through the garden?

While the washing pile might seem endless, we encourage you to change your lens and look a little deeper behind the mess.

These experiences are an important part of our curriculum, Te Whāriki (New Zealand's early childhood curriculum), and are often signs of a very busy day spent exploring, investigating, experimenting, making discoveries, and engaging in hands-on learning.

When children are deeply engaged in their play and learning, staying clean is rarely their focus—and that's okay! We would much rather see tamariki fully immersed in meaningful learning experiences than worried about keeping their clothes spotless.

As children paint, dig, create, build, climb, mix, and explore, they are developing confidence as capable learners, strengthening their creativity and problem-solving skills, building resilience, and learning about the world around them through all of their senses.

To help support these rich learning opportunities, we kindly ask whānau to:

• Dress children in clothes that can get messy.
• Keep a set of "daycare clothes" specifically for their days at Mt Wellies.
• Ensure at least two full, named changes of clothes are packed each day.
• Send weather-appropriate clothing so tamariki can confidently participate in both indoor and outdoor learning experiences.

The paint on their sleeves, the dirt under their fingernails, the sand in their shoes, and the muddy footprints are all signs of a day filled with fun, discovery, creativity, and learning 😉/