Papakura West Kindergarten

24/08/2026

A Celebration of Spring Through Art

A provocation was placed on our art table, featuring photographs of daffodils, a sign of spring, this sparked a week of creativity and exploration. Our tamariki spent the week creating and producing their own interpretations of these beautiful daffodils - each developing their own interpretation. Here are some of their little artistic masterpieces.

Through the arts, children can explore ideas, express themselves, experiment with materials, and share their unique ways of seeing the world.

“Every child is an artist.” — Pablo Picasso 🎨

23/08/2026

Spring is on its way at Papakura West!

Our Mānuka is bursting into bloom, and over the weekend our very first daffodil opened and came out! 💛

We’ve also been enjoying collecting the beautiful fallen blossoms and adding them to our water trough and listening to the cheerful tūī singing in the trees. 🐦🌸

A ladybug was found too. There’s something special about watching our kindergarten come alive as spring arrives!

10/08/2026

From Milk Cartons to Herb Planters!

Our tamariki have been getting creative by upcycling empty milk cartons, transforming them into their very own animal-shaped herb planters as part of our ongoing Enviroschools and Garden to Table programme.

Our next step is to plant our seedlings into their new little homes. Once they are established and growing stronger, we’ll move them out onto our verandah area where we can watch them grow, care for them, and eventually enjoy the herbs we have nurtured ourselves.

It has been wonderful watching this project grow—just like our seedlings! Creating, reusing, caring and growing together!

20/07/2026

Our tamariki have been enjoying opportunities to develop their self-help skills through meaningful everyday experiences. These activities build independence while strengthening fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and confidence.

During our Matariki celebrations, the children carefully peeled and chopped vegetables to help make soup for our whānau. More recently, on our pyjama day, they spread butter and toppings onto their toast with growing confidence and control.

These everyday experiences help our tamariki become capable, independent learners while developing important life skills they will use every day.

15/07/2026

15/07/2026

✨ Matariki at Papakura West Kindergarten ✨

Friday 3rd July 2026 - What a wonderful day of celebration we shared with our tamariki, whānau, and community as we came together to celebrate Matariki 2026 – Matariki Herenga Waka– the mooring place of many canoes – reminding us that Matariki is a time for people of all backgrounds to come together, celebrate, share stories, and strengthen the connections within our whānau and community.

Our tamariki shone with confidence as they performed the waiata they have been learning over the past few weeks. We are incredibly proud of their courage, enthusiasm, and the joy they brought to today's celebration.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our whānau who generously donated vegetables for our Friendship Soup. Your kindness gave our tamariki the opportunity to peel, chop, stir, and prepare a delicious soup together, learning the importance of manaakitanga, teamwork, and caring for others.

It was wonderful to finish our celebration by sharing warm bowls of homemade soup and freshly baked bread together—reflecting the true spirit of Matariki by connecting through aroha, kai, kōrero, and whanaungatanga.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made this such a special occasion. We hope the Matariki season brings you and your whānau happiness, good health, and many treasured moments together.

Mānawatia a Matariki!

09/07/2026

We are closed tomorrow for the Matariki Public Holiday, Friday 10 July. The theme for Matariki 2026 is Matariki Herenga Waka – the mooring place of many canoes – reminding us that Matariki is a time for people of all backgrounds to come together, celebrate, share stories, and strengthen the connections within our whānau and community.

He mihi mahana ki a koutou mō tēnei Matariki. May this season be filled with aroha, whānau, kai, and kōrero, and may it bring gratitude for the past, joy in the present, and hope for the year ahead.

06/07/2026

💙 Exciting News for Our Papakura West Kindergarten Whānau! 💙

Kia ora e te whānau,
We are so excited to share that every child at Papakura West Kindergarten will be receiving a brand-new pair of pyjamas through The PJ Project by The Kindness Collective.

A huge thank you to The Kindness Collective for their incredible generosity and for supporting the wellbeing of our tamariki and whānau. Having warm, comfortable pyjamas helps children stay cosy through the colder months and supports a good night's sleep, so they can arrive at kindergarten warm, well-rested, and ready for a day of learning and play.

We will be sending the pyjamas home with your child as we see them over the school holidays, and we hope they bring lots of warmth and comfort this winter.

We would also like to sincerely thank everyone in our wider community whose donations help make programmes like this possible. Your kindness is making a real difference for our tamariki and their whānau.

Ngā mihi nui,
The Papakura West Kindergarten Team 💙

22/06/2026

Tap, tap, tap! 🔨

Our tamariki have been busy all morning creating beautiful mosaic masterpieces using the hammer and nail boards. While they play, they are strengthening little hands, developing hand-eye coordination, exploring shapes, number and patterns, creating pictures and building concentration and perseverance.

There is something incredibly satisfying about the rhythm of hammering, carefully placing each piece, and watching an idea come to life. Best of all, the pride on their faces as they admire their finished creations says it all!