Petone Kindergarten

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🟠We have enrolment forms available at kindergarten.
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🟠Everyone must be enrolled by October 25th if you want to vote.

Enrol early so you’re ready to vote!

At Petone Kindergarten it is important for us to keep the history of this place alive and include aspects of it within our daily programme. We recently connected with Alison Barker (a former Kaiako) and Hine Amoamo (a member of the Māori women's league) and they updated the information we have on this precious Taonga gifted to Petone Kindergarten in 1983.

THE TUKUTUKU PANEL

The tukutuku panel was gifted to the new Petone Kindergarten building in 1983 by the Petone Branch of the Māori Women’s Welfare League - Te Rōpu Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora i Pito-one.

Two patterns were chosen: pātiki (flounder) which is the design in the centre of the panel and purapura whetū (myriad of stars) the design above and below it. Purapura whetū was chosen to represent all the many mokopuna who would pass through the kindergarten. Pātiki, which normally represents an abundance of food, was chosen to represent the abundance of knowledge available to the mokopuna.

Many of the League members of that time, had current or past connections with the kindergarten. Also from the end of 1979 to the mid 1980s Te Ataarangi Māori language classes were taking place first in the old Petone Kindergarten building and continued in the new building. Many of the same women were involved in both the League and Te Ataarangi.

This information was provided by two of the weavers and League members

Liz Hunkin, Rakaipāka, Ngāti Kahungunu

and

Alison Barker, a teacher at Petone Kindergarten 1977-80

Ngā mihi nui to the Pelorus Trust for a grant to replenish our spare wet weather gear, helping keep our tamariki dry and warm in this winter weather.

Baking Banana Cake at Kindergarten, a great way to work together, build on early mathematical skills when measuring ingredients and enjoy yummy kai!

Utilising wheelbarrows is an awesome way to build on our large motor skills, work together and participate in te manaaki i te taiao - taking part in caring for this place. We have been tidying the falling cabbage leaves, transporting wooden blocks and spreading mulch around the māra. Can you spot our resident Piwakawaka, they like to look for bugs when we are digging in the mulch pile!

Play based exploration using crates, gutters and tennis balls is a great way to support tamariki to work together, take turns and develop their understandings of early scientific concepts such as velocity, speed and momentum.

We enjoyed drawing alongside each other this week on a large piece of paper. Being creative and building on our developing fine motor skills. Mānawatia a Matariki!

Great weather for ducks! Together we sang 'Five little ducks went out one day' and had fun swimming the ducks around in the water.

Encouraging tamariki to engage in woodwork supports the development of perseverance, problem solving, fine motor skills and creativity.