Airdmhor Montessori

He mihi mahana ki ā tātou whānau / a warm welcome back to all our families after the school holiday break. It has been such a joy hearing the adventures our tamariki have been on and seeing their excitement as they returned to the preschool.

This week our learning has taken us to the Antarctic and Arctic continents, exploring snow, ice, and freezing environments. The tamariki have been deeply engaged in discussions, stories, arts and crafts, and hands‑on activities that help them understand these incredible parts of our world.

“The child becomes a person through work.” Dr Maria Montessori
Our tamariki certainly embodied this as they created penguins, polar bears, icy landscapes, and explored maps with curiosity and determination.

Fun facts the tamariki loved:
• Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth, with temperatures dropping below –80°C.
• Polar bears live in the Arctic, not Antarctica, but penguins live in Antarctica, not the Arctic.
• The Antarctic ice sheet holds about 70% of the world’s fresh water.
• The Arctic isn’t a continent, it’s a frozen ocean surrounded by land.

We can’t wait to see where our learning journey takes us next. He taonga te tamaiti / every child is a treasure.

🌟 Mānawatia a Matariki 🌟

This week our tamariki have been joyfully exploring the meaning of Matariki — the Māori New Year — through storytelling, waiata, practical life activities, board games, arts and crafts, discussions, and hands‑on experiences.

Each moment has been filled with curiosity and connection as we learn about the stars that guide us and the values of reflection, renewal, and community.

“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.” Dr Maria Montessori.

We are so proud of the way our tamariki have embraced these experiences, shining bright like the Matariki stars themselves. 🌟

✨ This week our tamariki have been diving into the wonders of space, planets, and the rhythm of day and night. They have shown such curiosity and excitement as they explored this kaupapa through group discussions, books, waiata, hands‑on activities, board games, arts and crafts.

From creating their own solar systems to sorting day‑and‑night objects, their learning has been filled with discovery and joy. “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” Dr Maria Montessori.

“Tūwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitū” / Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Our tamariki certainly embraced this spirit as they asked big questions, made connections, and explored the universe in their own child‑led way. ✨

🌎 South America Exploration at Airdmhor Montessori

This week our tamariki have been diving into the vibrant world of South America. They have loved exploring our topic books, bursting with colourful photos, fascinating creatures, and rich knowledge and have been confidently sharing what they have learnt with their friends and kaiako.

Their learning has come alive through art activities, practical life work, and hands-on games inspired by the continent. From colouring maps to creating animal art, their curiosity has been shining.

✨ Fun facts the tamariki have enjoyed:
• Toucans live high in the trees and often roost together, tucking their big bills under their bodies to save space
• Red‑eyed tree frogs flash their bright red eyes to startle predators
• South America is home to the Amazon Rainforest, the largest rainforest on Earth
• The Andes Mountains are the longest mountain range in the world

“The child who has felt a strong love for his surroundings and for all living creatures… gives us hope for the future of mankind.” Dr Maria Montessori

“He taonga te ako.” / Learning is a treasure.

Our journey through South America has truly been a taonga, full of wonder, discovery, and joyful learning.

As winter settles in, our tamariki have been engaging deeply with the themes of seasonal change and the importance of hand washing. Through thoughtful discussions, practical life experiences, and creative expression, they are building understanding, independence, and care for their own wellbeing.

Fun facts we explored:
• Winter happens because the Earth tilts away from the sun.
• Winter is the shortest day and longest night of the year.
• Snowflakes always have six sides.
• Using warm water doesn’t kill more germs, it’s the soap and scrubbing that do the mahi.
• Washing your hands for 20 seconds removes most germs, that’s the same as singing a short waiata.
• Hand washing can reduce winter bugs by up to 40%.

We have been encouraging the phrase “Horoi ō ringa” as part of their self‑care routines.

“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.” Dr Maria Montessori.

Today the tamariki explored Montessori land and water formations, using hands‑on materials to discover the differences between bays, capes, islands, lakes, peninsulas, gulfs, straits and isthmus. Their curiosity was beautiful to watch as they looked at shapes, compared forms, and connected what they saw to the natural world around them.

He taonga te ako / learning is a treasure.

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.” Dr Maria Montessori

Our learning space was filled with wonder as the tamariki engaged through touch, movement, and observation / the true heart of Montessori learning.