Te Papapa Preschool

03/02/2026

Nevaeh, what a pleasure it has been having you as part of our preschool whānau 🌸

You are a quiet, thoughtful girl who finds joy in playing with your animals and engaging in beautiful imaginary play. Your gentle nature, creativity, and calm presence have brought a special sense of peace to our days, and it has been lovely watching your imagination come to life through your play.

As you begin your journey into primary school, we wish you and your whānau all the very best. Nevaeh, we know you will continue to grow, learn, and shine in your own wonderful way. Enjoy every moment of this exciting new chapter ✨🎒

03/02/2026

03/02/2026

Nelia, what a truly special journey it has been watching you grow 🌸

From the time you were a baby, you have been part of our Te Papapa Preschool whānau, and over the years we have had the absolute joy of watching you blossom into the bright, bubbly girl you are today. Your beautiful personality shines through in everything you do, full of sass, confidence, affection, and so much warmth.

You have a wonderful way of filling the room with laughter, sharing kindness with others, and forming strong, caring connections with both children and teachers. Your hugs, smiles, and big heart will be deeply missed by everyone here.

As you begin your journey into primary school, we wish you and your whānau all the very best. Nelia, we know you are going to shine, make new friends, and continue to grow into the amazing young girl you already are. Go confidently and enjoy every moment of this exciting new chapter 🌈✨🎒

03/02/2026

Caelius, what a force of energy you are! ⚡️

Our boisterous boy, always on the go with your mind, body, and spirit racing full speed ahead. Your curiosity, enthusiasm, and big personality have brought so much life and laughter to our days.

Primary school is very lucky to have you, our little friend. We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll do on this next adventure. Keep shining and keep being you, Caelius! 🌟🎒

03/02/2026

Harika, you have such a kind and gentle soul 🌟
You are a wonderful little helper, always willing to lend a hand and support everyone along the way. Your caring nature and quiet kindness have meant so much to us, and you will be deeply missed.
We wish you and your whānau all the very best as you head into this next chapter. Harika, keep being the thoughtful, caring person you are, you are truly special 💖🎒

03/02/2026

Bobby, what an absolute journey it has been watching you grow 🌱

From starting with us at just 1 year old, you have grown and blossomed into such a confident, capable young boy. Watching your personality shine and your confidence build over the years has made us all incredibly proud.

Te Papapa Preschool wishes you and your whānau all the very best as you head off to primary school. Keep being you, little buddy, you are going to do amazing things! ⭐🎒

03/02/2026

What an exciting milestone for Meliame as she begins her journey into primary school! 🌟

We are so proud of the confident, kind, and capable girl you are becoming. A whole new adventure awaits, filled with learning, new friendships, and wonderful opportunities.

Wishing Meliame and her beautiful whānau all the very best as you start this special new chapter. We know you are going to shine! 💖✨

17/12/2025

Our big beautiful Pohutukawa tree lost one of her limbs today 😥 Our preschool is on Emergency Closure while we remove the branch that has come away and examine our tree to make sure she is safe for our tamariki to return. Please contact Liz if you have any queries on 02102616206.

11/12/2025

✨ Let the magic begin! ✨
Today our tamariki explored the wonderful world of potion making, where play, imagination, and science come together!

With curious minds and excited hands, Daisy, Nelia, Union, Bobby, Nevaeh, Meliame and Kinsley mixed different ingredients to see what would happen. And just like magic… when two ingredients react, something new is created! 💥🧪

From bubbling mixtures to colourful swirls, the children discovered that science is all around us and it’s pretty magical too.

🌟 The magic is in the air! 🌟
We love watching our young scientists explore, experiment, and learn through play.

17/11/2025

UPDATE📣
OUR KENETIC SAND TESTED NEGATIVE FOR ASBESTOS.

URGENT NOTICE Monday 17th November❗️

Kia ora whānau,

As you may be aware, there have been recent reports from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) regarding recalled play sand products. We want to let you know that the Kmart 14-Piece Sand Castle Building Set used at our preschool is included in this recall due to possible asbestos contamination.

This sand set was used only a limited number of times, always during supervised play. We understand this news may be concerning, and we want to reassure you that your children’s safety is our top priority.

MBIE has stated: “Importantly, respirable asbestos has not been detected in any of the tested samples. The release of respirable asbestos fibres is unlikely to occur in its current state, unless the sand is processed by mechanical means such as crushing or pulverising. The risk that any asbestos found, that is likely to be airborne or fine enough for inhalation, is low.”

Based on how it was used here, the current risk to children is low.

We are following all MBIE and Ministry of Education (MOE) guidelines for securing, testing, and arranging professional removal of the product.

As a precaution, we will close the preschool temporarily while these steps are carried out. We will keep all families fully informed and updated regarding testing results and next steps.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we manage this situation. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Ngā mihi nui,
Liz & The Team @ Te Papapa Preschool.

Information links:
MBIE recall information: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/news/
Product Safety NZ recall notice: https://www.productsafety.govt.nz/recalls/14-piece-sand-castle-building-set-and-blue-green-and-pink-magic-sand-sold-at-kmart
MOE early learning bulletin updates: https://www.education.govt.nz/bulletins/

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13/11/2025

🌱 Taiao Environment & Kūmara Planting at Preschool 🌱

Today our tamariki had a beautiful hands-on learning experience as we explored te taiao and planted our very own kūmara. With Liz guiding us, we learned how to be gentle, patient, and kind as we care for our plants and the environment around us.

The children loved getting their hands in the soil, learning about how things grow, and understanding the importance of looking after Papatūānuku. 🌍💚

We can’t wait to watch our kūmara grow, and to see the pride in our tamariki as they nurture something they planted themselves.

He taonga te taiao, our environment is a treasure, and today our tamariki took another beautiful step in learning how to care for it. 🌿✨