Waikato Kindergarten Association

At Rotokauri Early Education Centre we have been excited that our Super 12 Rugby team the Gallagher Chiefs are in the finals this Saturday!

To support them we had a dress up Chiefs Day. We made flags to wave and rang our cow bells so all the people in the cars passing by can get excited to support the Chiefs too!

Go the Chiefs!

Find out more about Rotokauri Early Education Centre on our website eew.nz/rotokauri

Celebrating Samoa Language Week at Peachgrove Kindergarten - the theme for this year was "E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le ’nu’u" – From the high mountains are the blessings of the village!

During the week, we practised our Gagana Samoa through siva (dance), arts, and musika (music). Our tamariki (children) and faiaoga (teachers) also enjoyed the Pasifika performances that visited us.

On Tuesday, the wonderful Miss Amy from ConnectEd Dance taught us some new Samoan words, songs, and dances. On Wednesday, our tamariki were thrilled to see a Samoan siva afi (fire dance) performed by Vandross, the 2026 Aotearoa Intermediate Siva Afi Champion.

On Thursday, we were so lucky to have the Gracefully Pasifika dance group perform for us again this year. To conclude our week, one of our aiga (family), Oliana and her mum, Violet, showed and performed another Samoan siva (dance) for us. This was followed by a shared morning tea, during which the children and kaiako tried Samoan panikeke (pancakes) and fresh fruit.

I manuia le Vaiaso ole Gagana Samoa – Happy Samoa Language Week.

Find out more about Peachgrove Kindergarten on our website kindy.nz/peachgrove

Our tamariki (children) enjoyed their whiko (walk) to Waipa School, engaging confidently in hands-on maths learning while showing mahitahi (working together), maaramatanga (growing understanding) and perseverance as they explored new ways to problem-solve, count and learn!

These transition experiences support important school-ready skills like communication, independence, listening and confidence.

Through everyday learning at Galbraith Kindergarten our tamariki continue to strengthen manaakitanga, resilience and curiosity, helping them feel capable and prepared for their next learning journey.

Find out more about Galbraith Kindergarten on our website kindy.nz/galbraith

At Claudelands Early Education Centre we currently have a limited number of spaces available in Waahi te Rito – our Toddler Room for 2-3 year-olds.

In this space, our learning is through play. Kaiako (teachers) provide tamariki (children) with learning experiences that are designed around children's strengths and interests.

These learning experiences aim to strengthen literacy, numeracy, foundation skills, science, and our commitment to te reo and tikanga Māori.

We also foster independence, self-help skills, and value the importance of whanaungatanga.

If you would like a tour of our Centre, head over to our website, send us an email, or give us a call, and we can book it in for you eew.nz/claudelands

Here at Cambridge Kindergarten we have embedded the values of kindness into curriculum, weaving these acts throughout our daily interactions as we have others in mind, helping each other feel heard, seen and valued!

We advocate for tuakana teina relationships where by the older and younger tamariki (children) learn from each other, fostering a sense of belonging and care. We also have a kindness bowl where these acts get written and placed into, and once a week there is a winner who gets to take the kindness trophy home to share with their whaanau (family).

This ritual is always meet with smiles and excitement, and tamariki eagerly tell us their acts of kindness, knowing that this is what we are all about.

"Manaaki te katoa - Be kind to all".

Find out more about Cambridge Kindergarten on our website kindy/nz/cambridge

For ANZAC Day this year, our Rototuna Early Education Centre kindergarten room tamariki (children) had a wonderful time creating poppies to display.

Through this experience, we learnt more about ANZAC Day, remembering the soldiers and understanding why poppies are a symbol of respect.

It was a meaningful opportunity to encourage creativity, teamwork, and thoughtful conversations as we learnt together.

Find out more about Rototuna Early Education Centre on our website eew.nz/rototuna

At Frankton Kindergarten our orchard is a special place to explore in all seasons!

It is filled with things to inspire curiosity, discovery and adventure. Tamariki (children) love to feed the noke (worms), harvest fruit, climb trees, hunt for bugs, and play in the leaves.

Te taiao (nature) provides a bountiful curriculum for tamariki (children) to develop their scientific working theories, practice kaitiakitanga, expand their vocabulary, practice problem solving and more!

Find out more about Frankton Kindergarten on our website kindy.nz/frankton

At Newcastle Kindergarten, we love building connections within our community to support tamariki (children) as they prepare for school!

As part of our Cool for School programme, we enjoy visiting Ngā Art and sometimes welcoming them to kindergarten too.

This term, tamariki have been working collaboratively and creatively to design their own Matariki manu tukutuku, while listening to stories and waiata about Matariki. Through these experiences, children are building confidence, creativity, communication skills, and an appreciation for culture and connection.

“Matariki ahunga nui”Matariki, the bringer of wellbeing and aspiration.

Find out more about Newcastle Kindergarten on our website kindy.nz/newcastle

The children at Hamilton West Kindergarten, put a lot of love, thought and care into decorating their pot and creating a unique flower arrangement for their Mum for Mother’s Day!

We wanted to make our Mums feel very special - mission accomplished!

Find out more about Hamilton West Kindergarten on our website kindy.nz/hamiltonwest

Kei te ora, kei te whakatipu te tamaiti kei waeganui I toona ake whaanau- a child lives and grows within the context of family and community!

The sun stretched wide across the Hamilton sky—warm, golden, and full of promise—as our Miropiko tamariki, kaiako, and parent helpers made their way to the bus. Backpacks bounced with excitement as everyone found their seats, and with a cheerful “Monkey!” on the count of three (thanks to Steven our bus driver!), we were off!

The journey was full of curious chatter—spotting landmarks, naming streets, and sharing ideas about what we might see at the zoo. Once we arrived, we made a beeline for the playground for some kai and a quick play before beginning our big adventure. From there, we explored all the zoo had to offer—walking, observing, and discovering together.

We are so proud of every single tamaiti for their incredible stamina—there was a lot of walking, and they showed such resilience throughout the day! 💪 A huge thank you to our amazing parent helpers—this trip wouldn’t have been possible without your support. We appreciate you so much! 💛

Find out more about Miropiko Kindergarten on our website kindy.nz/miropiko