Peel Forest Preschool

24/08/2026

2026 Peel Forest Preschool Games🏅

23/06/2026

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Madison Coulter Fine Arts for her incredibly generous donation of these beautiful farm-life learning posters and flash cards.

As a rural preschool, these resources are such a wonderful fit for our learning environment and reflect the world that many of our tamariki know and experience every day. The stunning artwork has already captured everyone's attention and sparked many conversations about farm animals, life on the farm, letters, sounds, and numbers 🚜

Our teachers have been using the posters and flash cards throughout the day, including during mat times, to support letter and number recognition, and to introduce phonics. The familiar farm-themed images help make learning meaningful, engaging, and relevant for our tamariki.

Thanks again to Madison and to Sophie's family for organising! 💚

19/06/2026

Did you see us at the Raukapuka Waiata Festival in Geraldine?

Our tamariki worked incredibly hard to learn three waiata to perform for everyone. We took the whole preschool with us and had 24 tamariki, aged 2-5, join us on stage. We started with poi then had some of our 'big kids' play the ukelele and finished with a rākau performance.

We then stayed to watch all the other preschools and schools perform - we were so impressed!

Thanks to everyone who came along to support us, we are so proud of how brave and confident everyone was on stage in front of such a large crowd! ❤️

05/06/2026

We are advertising for qualified kaiako to join our team as a reliever or in a part time role. Please see listing below and get in touch if you would like more information 🌳

https://nz.seek.com/job/92311773?tracking=SHR-WEB-SharedJob-anz-2&fbclid=IwY2xjawSPOp1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFyN3pFQU9NTGV3OWc3NWxyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhsvw2xj65SlqhXUJuEOqq7jSKBjWxnXd_u_g-0vy4IbzQdklj5J_ITNFYlj_aem_YWdncwDY6oRESUn-O7u6UBuTPTUv&brid=YWdncwELHkKHkqi4WkwxCN3b63sS

05/06/2026

17/03/2026

Did you see our set up at the Mayfield Show? 🚜

Our tamariki worked incredibly hard to create a huge paper mache model of Tarahaoa and Huatekerekere (Big and Little Mount Peel) along with some of the forest, animals and birds that surround us. We have been BUSY!

To read more about what we created, check out our most recent article in the 4 Peaks Gazette (Page 42-43).

https://mcusercontent.com/004775c6aa0c63ee6faf15371/files/6f7580cf-2b64-80ca-fafc-7e3cf3d52e65/Four_Peaks_Gazette_March_2026.pdf

And don't worry if you missed it, we will be putting everything on show again this weekend at the Methven A&P Show 😃

28/01/2026

Kia ora everyone, and Happy New Year from Peel Forest Preschool 🌳

We are on the hunt for qualified ECE relievers to join our relieving pool on a casual basis. Feel free to share the below link with any qualified teachers who may be interested in joining us!

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/jobs/education/early-childhood/canterbury/timaru/part-time/listing/5755887417

23/12/2025

Did you see us at the Geraldine Santa Parade? Our little farmyard animals had a lot of fun waving to everyone as we drove through Geraldine wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! 🎄

We would like to say a big THANK YOU to Rooney's for once again letting us use their truck and driver, Chris 🛻

18/11/2025

Hatching Chicks! 🐣

Following our Spring theme, one of our preschool mums brought her egg incubator and hen eggs from the North Island for us to tend, hatch and rear. The incubator was set up, and our tamariki were fascinated to learn how it worked—every 45 minutes it turned the eggs, just like a real hen.

We checked the eggs daily, watching closely for any changes. Each week, one of our mums 'candled' the eggs in a dark room, revealing tiny veins that showed chicks were growing. After three weeks, the first egg began pipping, and soon more followed. Our tamariki (and kaiako & whānau!) excitedly watched the chicks slowly crack their shells, rest, and eventually push their way out—wet, tired, and floppy at first, then gradually fluffing up.

By Monday, eight chicks had hatched, and by Tuesday all but one were out, dry, and chirpy. They remained in the incubator feeding on the yolk until Wednesday, when we transferred them into a warm box with a heat pad, wood shavings, water and chick food.

We counted 10 little chicks in total, and our tamariki each had a cuddle before settling them into their new home.

Each day our tamariki have enjoyed checking, holding, feeding, and caring for the chicks. This hands-on experience has beautifully supported our core values — Kaitiakitanga (guardianship), Manaakitanga (care), and Whanaungatanga (relationships and connection) 🥰

18/11/2025

Anyone need pea straw for the garden? Get in touch! 🚜