Willowsong Tairawhiti

Due to illness we have had to postpone till a later date ❤️

Book online -
https://www.willowsongtairawhiti.co.nz/store/p/conscious-first-aid

Postponed!

First Aid for the Child-
Anthroposophical Perspective ❤️

Learn practical first aid skills alongside anthroposophical insights that foster calm, presence, and holistic care.
Saturday 22nd August 2026 — time to be confirmed.
Limited to 20 spots.

Book online-

https://www.willowsongtairawhiti.co.nz/store/p/conscious-first-aid

Traces of Play

Sometimes, after the children have moved on to the next part of their day, we pause before packing anything away.

A castle stands beside a lake.

Animals gather at the water's edge.

A bridge has been built, a boat waits nearby, and trees have found their place within the landscape.

The children are no longer here, yet their play remains.

These moments remind us that play leaves something behind. Not only the blocks and the animals, but the story that unfolded between them. The careful choices, the moments of cooperation, the problems solved, the imagination that transformed simple materials into an entire world.

We may never know exactly who lived in the castle, where the boat was travelling, or why the animals gathered by the lake.

Perhaps that isn't important.

The value of play is found in the doing. It lives in the freedom to imagine, to create, to change direction, to solve problems and to discover. Long after the play has ended, something of the child remains in what they have created.

For a little while, the room holds the story of the morning.

Then, gently, it is packed away, ready for another story to begin tomorrow.

Intention & Loving Care ❤️

What does it mean to act with intention?

In a world that often values speed and productivity, intention asks something quite different of us. It asks us to slow down, to become present, and to bring conscious thought to even the simplest tasks.

Within a Steiner kindergarten and at Willowsong intention is not found only in the larger decisions. It lives in the everyday moments: the way a room is prepared before the children arrive, the care taken in setting the table for kai, the tending of a garden, the mending of something rather than replacing it, or the rhythm that carries the day.

These actions could be viewed as just tasks to be done, but when the lens of intention is used at willowsong they become and are expressions of care.

When we approach our work with intention, we create an environment that reflects respect for the child, for one another, and for the world around us.

Our tamariki experience this long before they can explain it.

They come to know a place where things are cared for, where the rhythms of the day are dependable, and where the adults around them strive to act with purpose rather than haste. From this, a sense of security and belonging blossom.

Perhaps intention also asks something of us as adults.

It invites us to remain awake to our own actions, to consider not only what we do, but how we do it. It reminds us that the way we meet the world becomes part of the world the child comes to know.

In this sense, intention is not about perfection. It is about presence.

And from presence, loving care naturally follows.

"Where is the book in which the teacher can read about what teaching is? The children themselves are this book."
— Rudolf Steiner

Our beautiful new website is looking wonderful thanks to Anya! Pop over and have a little browse ✨✨

Beautiful snaps by Nelly at Wildearth photography x

WILLOWSONG TAIRAWHITI Where each child is celebrated, and the beauty of childhood is held. Willowsong is proudly fee-free. We have chosen this path with intention, believing that every child deserves the opportunity to experience the beauty and nourishment of a Steiner early childhood education, regardless of their famil...

Frost covered the ground, and she was certain Jack Frost had visited overnight, so we let her be certain. ❄️❄️
It turned into what she called 'a beautiful winter's day,' and mostly she just wanted to watch her own breath turn to smoke. 🌬️🌬️
We could have explained the science. We didn't. At this age, a child's understanding of the
world is built through wonder and imagination, long before it's built through fact. That's not whimsy, it's real Steiner philosophy, and it's what we're unpacking this month, one idea a week.
❄️🌬️

Join the Willowsong whānau! ✨

Registered ECE Teachers – Casual Relief Pool

Willowsong Kindergarten is seeking registered Early Childhood teachers to join our casual relief pool.

We are looking for teachers who are warm, nurturing, and enjoy working in a calm, rhythmical environment. An interest in Steiner/Waldorf education is highly valued, and we welcome educators who are curious to deepen their understanding of this approach.

We're looking for people who:

Hold current New Zealand ECE teacher registration and a current practising certificate.
Have a recognised Early Childhood Education qualification.
Value respectful, relationship-based practice.
Enjoy spending time outdoors and working with natural materials.
Can step into the rhythm of our kindergarten with warmth, flexibility, and initiative.

What we offer:

A welcoming and supportive team.
Opportunities to access Steiner/Waldorf professional development.
Nourishing, home-cooked meals provided while you're at mahi.
A beautiful kindergarten environment where childhood is honoured through rhythm, play, creativity, and connection.

Whether you're looking for occasional relief work or hoping to become part of our wider community, we'd love to hear from you.

Position is for our kindergarten in Patutahi, Gisborne NZ.

Friends, we are on the search for our next Forest Playgroup facilitator !
🌳🌲🌳
Our playgroup currently runs one morning each week, it has been Friday morning during term time but we are open to it moving to another day mid week.

Please email [email protected] if you are interested.

AGM~ it’s that time of year again!
Thursday July 23rd at Tahu ~ 6-8pm

Hope to see you there xx