Paeroa Early Learning centre

💚 IT'S THE LITTLE MOMENTS.💚

Sometimes the best days at Paeroa Early Learning Centre aren't the ones with a big event planned!

Sometimes they're the random moments that make us stop, smile, and think. Yep...this is why we love what we do.🥹

Over the last couple of weeks our camera roll has been filling up with all the little things that make PELC... well... PELC.

As we begin celebrating Matariki, it's also a lovely time to pause and reflect on how much our tamariki have grown already this year. Matariki reminds us to celebrate where we've come from, appreciate the people around us, and look forward to all the exciting learning still to come. Those values are something we try to live every day here at PELC.

A huge thank you to our incredible whānau for trusting us to be part of your children's learning journey. We honestly couldn't do what we do without such an amazing community behind us.

And if you've been quietly following along and wondering what makes Paeroa Early Learning Centre a little different... these photos are probably the best answer we can give!

Ngā mihi,
The Paeroa Early Learning Centre Team 💚

🚒🔥 SOUND THE ALARM… THE FIRE TRUCK CAME TO PELC! 🔥🚒

As part of our emergency services learning, we had another VERY exciting visitor pull into Paeroa Early Learning Centre this week… and this one was hard to miss! 🚒

The Paeroa Volunteer Fire Brigade came to visit us, and safe to say there were some VERY excited tamariki (and kaiako!) waiting to see the big red truck arrive

The firefighters were absolutely amazing and brought a whole crew along to share their knowledge with us. They talked to us about what firefighters do, how they help keep our community safe, and why fire safety is so important both at home and here at the centre.

The crew opened up all the compartments for us to explore, and there was SO much to see. We checked out the hoses, nozzles, connections, foam tank, uniforms, tools, buttons, gauges, and all sorts of equipment that helps firefighters do their jobs.

One of our tamariki, Franek, was especially excited as he had brought along his favourite firefighter book from home, written in Polish! ❤️ He loved comparing the pictures in his book to the real-life fire truck and equipment in front of him. It was such a special moment to see his interests and home experiences connecting with his learning at PELC.

The firefighters also sent us home with stickers and fire safety books, which the children were absolutely thrilled about. In fact, the excitement continued long after the truck had driven away! The visit became a hot topic at mat time, and we have loved revisiting the big fire safety book they kindly gifted us and hearing all the children's thoughts, questions, and stories.

At PELC, experiences like this are about so much more than just seeing a cool truck, they help children build confidence, understanding, and trust in the people who help keep us safe. By meeting firefighters face-to-face, asking questions, and exploring their equipment, children learn that these are friendly people who are here to help when we need them.

We especially loved seeing Marley's dad Matt there with the crew and making those connections between home, centre, and our wider community. Moments like these remind us just how lucky we are to live in a community where people are willing to give up their time to support and inspire our tamariki 💚

A HUGE thank you to the incredible Paeroa Volunteer Fire Brigade for taking time out of your day to visit us. The children absolutely loved every minute of it, and it sparked conversations, learning, and imaginative play.

We think there might be a few future firefighters walking around PELC now. 👨‍🚒👩‍🚒🚒❤️

Ngā mihi nui,
The Paeroa Early Learning Centre Team 💚

🚓✨ PELC POLICE VISIT ✨🚓

Last week at Paeroa Early Learning Centre we had a very special visitor! Police Officer Rachel came to spend time with us AND brought along her police car! 👀🚔

The tamariki were SO excited from the moment she arrived, and it only got better from there 😄

We got to:
Try on real police vests
Have a go at the handcuffs (Shannon even volunteered… sort of 😂🚓)
Sit in and explore the police car
See the flashing lights and hear all about how they work
Learn about the special police radio used to communicate and check in with other officers
Practice what to do in an emergency and recap the important number to call 📞

Rachel also talked with us about the important role of the police in our community, not just responding to emergencies or catching “bad guys”, but also things like:
helping people who are lost or need support
keeping our roads and community safe
helping after accidents
supporting families and children
working with other services to look after people

It was such a fun and hands-on way to learn about people who help keep us safe in our everyday lives 💙

The best part? The learning hasn’t stopped! The tamariki have been role-playing police officers, talking about the car, the lights, and even reminding each other about the emergency number in their play 😄🚨

A huge thank you to Rachel and Waikato Police for taking the time to visit us, share her knowledge, and make learning so engaging and memorable for our tamariki. We are very lucky to have such strong community connections here at PELC 💚

Ngā mihi,
Paeroa Early Learning Centre Team 💚

We have space for more tamariki to join our whānau, get in touch to hear more about deals we offer.

🌸💐 A very special afternoon tea!

Last week at PELC we opened our doors for a very special Mother’s Day afternoon tea with all the amazing mums, grandmothers, aunties, special people, and whānau who help love and care for our tamariki 💚

The shared kai was definitely a highlight!
The club sandwiches and sweet treats disappeared very quickly, and our little high tea setup made for such a lovely afternoon together ☕🍰

But the best part? Watching the tamariki proudly show their special people around their centre!

We spent the afternoon reading books together, dancing, painting outside, introducing mums to friends, showing off favourite toys and favourite places to play, and just simply enjoying being together as one big PELC whānau 🌿✨

The tamariki were SO excited to finally gift the Mother’s Day treasures they had worked so hard on. Safe to say there were some very proud little faces handing those over 💛

At PELC, moments like these are about so much more than just a celebration day. They’re about building strong relationships between home and centre, creating connection, and making sure our tamariki know the important people in their lives are valued here too.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along, shared kai, had a laugh with us, and made the afternoon feel so special. We truly wouldn’t be the little community we are without our amazing whānau and all the love and support you bring into our centre every day 💚

We had the BEST time and already can’t wait for the next one ❤️

Ngā mihi nui,
The Paeroa Early Learning Centre Team 💚

🚑✨ SPECIAL VISIT AT PELC! ✨🚑

we had some VERY exciting visitors pull into our driveway… 👀🚨

As part of our emergency services interest and learning happening within the centre, Isla’s mum Kate, who is an EMA with the Paeroa St John Ambulance crew, very kindly brought the ambulance in for us to explore and learn all about 🚑💚

And wow… safe to say the tamariki were OBSESSED 😆

From the moment the lights flashed and the sirens went, there were some very excited little faces around PELC! But what made this experience so special wasn’t just how cool the ambulance was , although the robotic stretcher legs definitely stole the show 😂 it was the learning, conversations, and confidence building that came with it too.

One of the biggest things we hope children take away from experiences like this is understanding that emergency service workers are here to help us, keep us safe, and look after our community. Ambulances and paramedics can sometimes feel a little scary to young children, especially in emergencies, so giving them positive, hands-on experiences like this helps build familiarity, confidence, and trust.

It’s also sparked SO much ongoing learning. Days later the children were still talking about “Kate and the ambulance”, pretending to be drive the ambulance in their play, bandaging each other up, checking heartbeats, and rescuing patients all around the centre and asking when the Ambulance is coming back already 🤣

At PELC we absolutely love learning that comes from real people, real experiences, and our local community.

A HUGE thank you to Kate for taking the time to come in and share such an important job with us , and to the amazing St John Paeroa ambulance crew for allowing us this opportunity. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our community willing to share their knowledge and experiences with our tamariki 💚

We think there may be a few future paramedics in the making around here now!

Mother’s Day❤️🌹💐🌺
Today we celebrate all the amazing people who love, nurture, guide and support our tamariki every day 💛

To all our mums, māmā, nanas, caregivers, aunties, whānau and special people in our children’s lives. thank you for the aroha, patience and care you give so freely.

We hope your day was filled with love, cuddles, laughter and a little bit of time for yourselves too 🌿

Hari Rā Whaea from all of us at Paeroa Learning Centre ❤️

🌺 Lest We Forget: ANZAC Day at PELC🌺

A very special moment for us here at Paeroa Early Learning Centre💚

Over the week leading up to ANZAC Day, our tamariki worked together to create a beautiful wreath, carefully painting poppies, sharing stories, and even making some to take home for their whānau. It was such a meaningful way for them to connect with the day in their own way ❤️

On ANZAC Day, a small group of our PELC kaiako Kirsty, Grace, Shannon, attended the local service to proudly represent our centre. We were also joined by Harper, Eden, and Harper who stood so bravely in front of the crowd and helped lay our wreath alongside others 🌿

It was a lovely and reflective service. It was so nice seeing familiar faces in the crowd too including Lukas and Paul (Chloe’s dad) and Carson was also there, joining the service alongside St Joseph’s with his children who are some of our past PELC tamariki 💛

ANZAC Day is an important time for us to remember and reflect. Many of us have connections, through whānau, friends, or stories passed down, to those who served, sacrificed, or were affected by war. It’s something we carry with us, and something we gently begin to share with our tamariki in age-appropriate ways.

We were incredibly proud of our children for the way they participated, showing respect, courage, and a real sense of understanding in such a special community moment 🤍

A big thank you to the Paeroa RSA and Citizens Club Inc, Kerepehi Brass Band Hauraki District Council, and all those involved in organising such a special service for our community.
We will remember them ❤️
Ngā mihi nui,
Paeroa Early Learning Centre Team 💚

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