HeadStart Early Learning NZ

Plasticine play 🪐✨

We’ve been having lots of fun with plasticine lately! It’s a great way for children to build strength in their hands by rolling, squeezing, and shaping—helping get those little fingers ready for writing.

With space being a big interest right now, the children were challenged to create their own solar system 🌞
They made planets, talked about their shapes and sizes, and shared ideas about where they belong. It led to some awesome conversations and learning through play.

We also had a sweet moment when a teacher made a cat, which inspired a child to create their own 🐱
It was lovely to see their imagination come to life as they thought about what a cat looks like and how to build it.

So much learning, creativity, and fun all rolled into one activity 💛

Links to Te Whāriki
Communication | Mana Reo
• Children explore and use different symbols and tools to express ideas (he kōrero tuhituhi)
• Developing skills with a range of materials—such as art media, construction, and movement—to share their thinking, feelings, and understanding

Walking in the rain ☔️

This year so far has brought plenty of rainy days, but that doesn’t stop our tamariki from getting outside for some fresh air and fun!

With an umbrella in hand, the children take turns walking around the playground. What starts as a simple walk soon became a rich learning experience—children begin to enjoy the feeling of the rain, the sounds around them, and the sense of independence.

Before long, they wanted to share the experience with friends 💛
Walking together means learning to compromise—who would hold the umbrella, how fast to walk, and how to angle it to keep each other dry. These small moments turned into big opportunities for cooperation, communication, and problem-solving.

The smiles and giggles say it all—our tamariki truly embrace the joy and freedom of playing in the rain 🌧️

Links to Te Whāriki
Exploration | Mana Aotūroa
Children see themselves as capable explorers—thinking, problem-solving, and making sense of their world.

Holistic Development | Kotahitanga
Children learn and grow in a holistic way, where experiences are meaningful, connected, and greater than the sum of their parts.

Sensory play in action 💧🌿

We’ve been making the most of the warmer days by creating lots of opportunities for tamariki to cool down and explore through sensory play. Our “water stepping stones” have been a big hit, along with our river and water pump—giving children the freedom to collect and transport their own water as they play.

A special moment was hearing the beautiful kihikihi (cicada) in our tree 🌳
It was very well camouflaged and tricky to spot! We used a camera to help the children find it, turning it into a fun little investigation and sparking lots of curiosity about the natural world.

We’ve also been creating inviting play spaces by adding tents, chairs, and even a colourful tunnel. These have been used for everything from cosy quiet spaces to obstacle courses—encouraging movement, imagination, and lots of laughter as tamariki crawl, climb, and explore.

All of these experiences add rich sensory play to their day while supporting their growing confidence and curiosity ✨

Links to Te Whāriki
Exploration | Mana Aotūroa
• Children gain confidence in and control of their bodies through movement and physical challenges (te wero ā-tinana)
• Children develop strategies for exploration, thinking, and problem-solving (te hīraurau hopanga)

Our teachers love creating opportunities for tamariki to explore art in ways that spark their imagination and creativity 🎨

We offer a wide variety of art experiences, both child-led and teacher-guided, using all areas of our environment. Whether it’s chalk drawing, dye painting on rocks, or easel painting outdoors, children can choose how and where they feel most inspired to create—especially for those who thrive in our outdoor spaces.

Right now, space is a big interest in our centre 🚀
We’ve been exploring the wonders of the solar system—learning about the seven planets through music, stories, and discussion. Tamariki are engaging with non-fiction books, discovering fascinating facts, and sharing their ideas about what’s out there beyond our world.

One of our favourite projects has been designing rockets! Children begin by drawing their ideas (2D) and then bringing them to life using Duplo (3D). This not only supports creativity but also builds early thinking around design, problem-solving, and spatial awareness.

These experiences link closely to Te Whāriki:

Communication | Mana Reo
Children experience and create stories, recognise symbols, and use language with confidence and joy.

Exploration | Mana Aotūroa
Children develop strategies for thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving as they explore and make sense of the world around them.

It’s amazing to see where children’s interests can take us 🌌

The water pump and river is always a big hit with the kids! The tamariki are always excited to explore how the pump works, taking turns pumping water and watching it flow. This hands-on experience encourages teamwork, curiosity, and problem-solving, while also strengthening their coordination. When the weather is hot, playing in the river is always a relief and so much fun!

Sandpit play offers rich learning experiences for children at HeadStart. Through sensory play, children explore the texture of sand by digging, pouring, building, and engaging in messy play. Activities such as creating sand structures, pretending the sandpit is a campsite, or enjoying a “sand bath” similar to a beach experience support imagination and creativity. Sand play also encourages social interaction as children share tools, cooperate, and lead their own imaginative games. Conversations naturally develop as children express ideas, describe experiences, and relate play to family outings. These interactions support language development, problem-solving, and teamwork. Sandpit play promotes fine and gross motor skills, sensory awareness, and emotional regulation while providing a relaxed environment for children to explore, collaborate, and learn through hands-on experiences.

What a perfect way to enjoy hot days at HeadStart! The water slide brought so much excitement and joy to the children. Using our large mat as a slide and adding a gentle mist of water made the experience even more refreshing. Children eagerly took turns sliding down as fast as they could, exploring different ways to enjoy the slide—on their tummies, backwards, or together with friends. The air was filled with laughter, giggles, and pure delight as they splashed and raced down. This playful experience encouraged confidence, creativity, and social connection, while keeping everyone cool and active. It was wonderful to see the children so engaged, happy, and adventurous, making lasting memories on such a beautiful day.

Summer fun!
The water pump and river is always a big hit with the kids! The tamriki are always excited to explore how the pump works, taking turns pumping water and watching it flow. This hands-on experience encourages teamwork, curiosity, and problem-solving, while also strengthening their coordination. When the weather is hot, playing in the river is always a relief and so much fun!

Christmas Magic at HeadStart— December
As the year came to a joyful close, our space was filled with holiday cheer and happy Christmas vibes. Our cheeky elves, Zippy and Noelle, made December extra special by surprising us every single day with fun and festive activities that kept everyone smiling right through to the end of the year.
From decorating our Christmas tree and creating beautiful ornaments, to painting our nails, growing candy canes in the sandpit, dancing the day away at a disco party, dressing up in festive outfits, and even playing in the snow, there was always something exciting to look forward to.
We were delighted to welcome our families to our HeadStart Christmas Party, where we proudly shared our special performance, enjoyed yummy shared kai, watched a fun entertainment show, and experienced the highlight of the day — receiving a present from Santa.
Thank you to our wonderful families for celebrating this magical time with us. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, filled with joy, laughter, and warm holiday memories.

Water Play

Summer is on its way! As the weather has warmed up, we have been enjoying different ways to play with water. One afternoon, we filled up the lazy river in the sandpit so we could splash around in the water. We used sand to block up the waterfall and keep the river full. Another day, we used red and blue dye to make the water in the water trough purple! We added some bubble mixture and then used the hose to fizz up lots of bubbles. Water is great to help us cool off on hot days, and it adds a lot of enrichment to the children’s play. The tamariki can experiment with concepts such as weight, volume, and buoyancy. Changing the colours, adding sand or bubbles, changes how the children interact with and play with the water. We love water play on hot days!

New Zealand Clean up week
At the end of September was NZ clean up week! Our 3 year old tamariki were amazing tidy kiwis. We went to the public footpath that runs along our HeadStart fence line to clean up the leaves and rubbish.
It was very hard work, but we know how important it is to keep our environment clean. Not only does it make our country and land beautiful, but it also helps to protect the wildlife. Tamariki thought about the native tūī who visit the trees around our centre most days. We found lots of small pieces of rubbish that might blow into our water ways or end up being eaten by a bird. Tamariki talked about how sad they feel if animal eats rubbish and gets sick.
Thank you tamariki ma for helping us keep NZ clean and beautiful!