Onslow Kindergarten

26/08/2026

🌻💛 Our Sunflowers Are Growing! 💛🌻

We are continuing to care for our sunflowers, and they have just been repotted into bigger homes! Ngā tamariki have been busy watering them and helping them grow.

Along the way, we've had lots of conversations about what plants need to stay healthy and how we can take care of living things. The tamariki are taking great pride in looking after them and are very excited about selling them at our upcoming gala!

We can't wait to see how much they grow over the coming weeks.

20/08/2026

Kia ora to our wonderful Onslow Kindergarten community 💜

This is a bit of a long post but could you please take some time to read about the proposed changes to Early Childhood Education (ECE) funding and how you can support and make a difference for the future of our tamariki.
The proposed changes are particularly concerning for not-for-profit centres such as kindergartens, and for services that intentionally employ 100% qualified, registered teachers. What is clear is that education is not valued by the current government, and the planned changes will change the landscape of ECE in Aotearoa.

As fully qualified and registered teachers, we have worked hard for our degrees, registrations and experience. We know the difference that skilled, knowledgeable and experienced teachers make in the lives of young children. Yet these proposed funding changes could see some qualified teachers lose their positions, while others could face significant reductions in pay, including the removal of pay parity. This isn't simply about teachers' wages. It is about the kind of early childhood education we want for our tamariki.

Aotearoa is incredibly fortunate to have Te Whāriki, our world-leading early childhood curriculum. We know from years of research that the early years are fundamental in shaping children's learning, confidence, relationships, wellbeing and lifelong learning. Quality ECE requires qualified teachers who understand how children learn, who can intentionally support their development, and who build strong, meaningful relationships with tamariki and whānau.

At Onslow Kindergarten, we love what we do. We love teaching your tamariki, supporting their growth, nurturing their confidence and capabilities, and building a strong community of learners. We are incredibly proud to be qualified, registered teachers and to provide the quality education that your children deserve.
We are concerned that these funding changes will significantly alter the ECE landscape and make it increasingly difficult for kindergartens and other services to maintain a fully qualified teaching workforce.

Our message is about encouraging our community to be informed and to understand what these changes could mean for our tamariki, our whānau and the future of ECE.
Please enrol to vote if you haven't already, ask questions, seek out information and talk with others about what these proposed changes could mean for your whānau, your community and the future of ECE.

Please join us in standing up for Early Childhood Education, for qualified ECE teachers, and most importantly, for the tamariki of Aotearoa. They deserve quality. They deserve qualified teachers.They deserve to be valued. 💜

19/08/2026

13/08/2026

🌻 Growing Sunflowers for Our Mini Gala! 🌻
Our tamariki have been busy getting their hands in the soil and planting sunflower seeds, ready to grow beautiful sunflowers for our upcoming Onslow Mini Gala!
The children are excited to care for their plants, watch them grow, and eventually share them with our kindergarten community to take home.

07/08/2026

This week at kindy, our tamariki embraced wonder and curiosity as they explored, discovered, and learned alongside one another.

Through play, they shared ideas, solved problems, and supported each other, demonstrating the beautiful spirit of tuakana-teina, where children learn from and care for one another. Whether leading, helping, or learning, every child had something valuable to contribute.

We also took pride in looking after our kindy environment, working together to care for the spaces and resources we enjoy each day. These moments of cooperation, responsibility, and kindness help build a strong sense of belonging and community.

Through wonder, exploration, and meaningful relationships, rich learning opportunities continue to grow every day.

02/08/2026

🍞Little Bakers at Work! 🍞

Ngā tamariki have been busy this week putting on their baker's hats and making homemade bread! They loved exploring the dough, mixing ingredients, kneading, squishing, and watching the bread come together.

What a wonderful hands-on learning experience, and the delicious smell of fresh bread was an added bonus!

28/07/2026

Kia Ora e te whānau!

Our tamariki had a great time exploring pom-poms in water today. This sparked lots of conversations as we wondered together whether they would float or sink.

Using a variety of pots and pans, the children scooped, poured, and transported the pom-poms while working together to share ideas and make discoveries.

Through play, our tamariki were developing their curiosity, communication, and problem-solving skills, embracing the exploration strand of Te Whāriki 💛

24/07/2026

Throughout the week, we have noticed a growing interest in puzzles, with tamariki enthusiastically taking agency over their learning and leading their own discovery and exploration. As they engaged with puzzles and problem-solving experiences, they demonstrated persistence, critical thinking, and a willingness to challenge themselves.
Through these experiences, children are developing early mathematical concepts, spatial awareness, reasoning skills, and the ability to think creatively to find solutions. Puzzle play supports the learning outcomes that focus on using strategies for reasoning and problem solving. It also fosters confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of competence as tamariki experience the satisfaction of overcoming challenges and achieving their goals independently and alongside their peers.

19/07/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

Pop it in your calendars and join us for the Onslow Kindergarten Mini Gala!

🗓️ Sunday 27 September
⏰ 10:00am - 1:00pm
☔ Rain or shine!

Come along for a fun community day and help support your local kindy as we fundraise for new outdoor blinds for our tamariki.

We'd love to see you there! 💛🌟