Early Explorers Childcare Centre

This week in our Early Explorers garden, the children enjoyed planting broccoli and parsley seedlings 🌱

The tamariki carefully dug holes in the soil, gently handled each plant, and worked together to tuck them safely into the garden beds. Along the way, there was great excitement as they discovered worms hiding in the earth! The children observed them closely watching them wiggle and squirm about in the soil. 🪱

Gardening provides such wonderful opportunities for hands-on learning, teamwork, curiosity, and caring for our environment. We can’t wait to watch our broccoli and parsley grow! 💚

“Ready, set, SHARK! 🦈 These little racers were off across an ocean of fun 🌊🦈 🏃‍♂️

💚 What a lovely evening we shared together at our recent Family Evening 💚

We created a beautiful fingerprint tree, with each unique fingerprint becoming a leaf on the tree — a reminder that everyone brings something special to our centre community. 🌳

🕷️An interest in bugs and insects has provided the perfect platform for learning lately! Nearly every day, children are embarking on exciting hunts to discover where these tiny creatures are hiding and whether they are still in the same places they were found the day before.

One of the spiders the children discovered sparked lots of curiosity, so we printed a photo of it and placed it on the table alongside some clay and play spiders. We wondered… who could create a spider using the clay?

The children eagerly got to work, each bringing their own ideas and creativity to the experience. Some chose to create worms, some made bugs, and others carefully crafted spiders. 🕸️

We continue to marvel at the different ways children create, explore, and express their understanding of the world around them. What wonderful learning can grow from simple moments of curiosity! ✨

In gentle autumn sunshine bright,
Our tamariki play with pure delight ☀️🍂

In sandpit kitchens, meals are made,
With scoops and smiles in golden shade.

Gloop squishes softly through each hand,
A sensory world to touch and understand.

Across the plank, step by step,
Brave feet balance, strong and adept.

Out on the grass, with nets in tow,
A soccer game begins to grow.

Through play and laughter, skills take flight,
Learning together in warm autumn light.

We often talk with our children about what it means to be respectful and kind to others, and create opportunities for them to explore this in meaningful, everyday ways. 💛

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud shares an inspiring message—showing just how rewarding it can be to show kindness, appreciation, and love to those around us.

Whether it’s sharing a smile, offering a helping hand, or saying something kind, these small actions can make a big difference in someone’s day. 🪣✨.

🎃 Pumpkin fun in full swing! 🎃

Our pumpkin and gourd investigations have had us getting up close and personal with these quirky members of the Cucurbit family!

We lifted, guessed, and compared the weights of our pumpkins—some were surprisingly heavy, others nice and light! We put them to the test on the scales… lots of excitement and a few surprises along the way!

Our little artists carefully observed all the bumps, shapes, and colours as they created their own still life masterpieces of pumpkins and gourds. So much focus, imagination, and pride in their work!

Who knew pumpkins could teach us so much and inspire such creativity? 🍂

There’s something truly special about moments like this 🌻

Two children, surrounded by the beauty of nature, quietly painting a sunflower growing right in centre garden.

We love creating spaces where children can slow down, connect with nature, and let it inspire and teach them. ♥️

A simple, yet joyful outdoor art experience of painting on a vertical surface 🎨🌿. Vibrant colours emerged on the vertical surfaces as our children stretched out to create their artwork. A lovely way to relax while enjoying the fresh air and space around them.

A very Meri Kirihimete from Early Explorers Childcare to you all 🎄 ⭐️