WildHeart ECE Rolleston

April has been full of exciting science exploration in WildHeart Tūtoke room! Our tamariki have been busy experimenting, discovering, and having lots of fun along the way.

From watching oil and water separate, exploring friction, creating sound waves with speakers, to making our volcano eruptions with baking soda and vinegar, there has been plenty of “wow” moments this month.

Through these hands-on experiences, children are developing curiosity, problem-solving skills, and confidence. They are learning to ask questions, test their ideas, and work alongside others.

“Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu.”
Adorn the bird with feathers so it may fly.

With the right support and opportunities, it has been wonderful to see our tamariki spread their wings, thinking, exploring, and discovering together like little scientists!

Golden skies over WildHeart - Makuru Mātā

A place where our WildHeart journey continues to grow, grounded in connection, belonging, and the beauty of our surroundings.

Every day here, our tamariki are exploring, discovering, and building meaningful relationships with each other, with nature, and with their world.

We feel so grateful to be part of this special community

Today we celebrated three wonderful years of WildHeart

Our centre was filled with laughter, memories, and connection as our tamariki, whānau, and kaiako came together to celebrate. From sharing special moments on our memory wall to the excitement and joy brought by Lou Lou the Clown, it was a beautiful reminder of the strong community that surrounds our centre.

Moments like these support tamariki to develop a strong sense of belonging and connection as they celebrate alongside their friends, kaiako, and whānau. Through shared experiences, humour, and storytelling, tamariki are also building confidence in communication and experiencing the joy that comes from being part of a vibrant learning community.

Thank you to all of our wonderful whānau for being part of the WildHeart journey over the past three years. We are so grateful to grow, learn, and create memories together.

A new year starts with open hearts,
Open minds and friendly starts.
Smiles Hello and hands held tight,
Learning together feels just right.

We try, we tumble, try once more,
With somone cheering from the floor.
Kind words, warm hugs, a listening ear-
Thats how we learn when you are near.

If days feel wobbly, that’s ok,
We help each other find our way.
We stick together, strong and true,
Because we know we matter too.

So here we grow, both me and you,
Laughing, learning, all year through.
With care and trust in all we do,
Together is how we care for you.

☀️ Te rā is finally shining! ☀️
Our under-twos have been absolutely loving the water play this week — splashing, pouring, tipping, and exploring with big smiles!

Water play isn’t just fun — it’s important for our pēpi and toddlers. Through simple water experiences they learn about cause and effect, develop hand–eye coordination, build fine motor skills, and gain early science and sensory understanding. It also supports language development as kaiako introduce new kupu like wai (water), mākū (wet), and rere (to flow).

In water play, tamariki are:
💧 Strengthening their sensory development
💧 Exploring early problem-solving
💧 Building confidence and curiosity
💧 Practising social skills as they play alongside others
💧 Experiencing calm, soothing learning moments

He wā pai mō te ako, he wā ngahau hoki!
(It's a great time for learning and a fun time too!)

✨ Natural Messy Play: Safe, Sensory, and Full of Learning ✨

We love creating opportunities for children to explore, experiment, and express themselves through natural, play-based sensory experiences. Our messy play sessions use simple, food-based ingredients such as flour, cornflour, salt, and beautifully vibrant non-toxic poster paints, dyes, and pastes. These materials support creativity, curiosity, and early science understanding—while remaining gentle, washable, and safe for young hands.

You may notice new setups that look delightfully messy yet intentionally designed. Each experience is planned with children’s wellbeing at the centre, ensuring that textures, colours, and sensory elements invite exploration without compromising safety.

🌿 A quick reassurance:
We discountinued the use kinetic sand in our under-five environments back in 2022. While it can be fun for older children, we reviewed its properties and determined that it’s not a safe or suitable product for our younger tamariki due to inhalation into the lungs with the glue binding it was made with back then. Our commitment is always to choose materials that uphold the highest standards of health, safety, and developmental appropriateness.

By using natural, familiar, and non-toxic resources, we can confidently support rich, hands-on learning while ensuring a safe environment for every child.

If you have any questions about our messy play ingredients or planning, we’re always happy to kōrero. 🌼

👩‍🍳 Happy International Chefs Day!

A big shout out to our amazing chef Heather and her wonderful kitchen team — Keri, Donna, and Kaye!

How lucky are our tamariki to be nourished each day with such fresh, healthy, and delicious kai! 🍆🥦🥕🌽🍅

This week the sunshine called, and we answered! From running barefoot through the grass and sand to building, climbing, and discovering, our outdoor play was full of joy and wonder!

These golden moments remind us that the best learning often happens under the open sky — where imagination grows wild and hearts grow happy!

In Mahuru (September) at WildHeart Tūtoke, our tamariki embraced Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with so much auahatanga (creativity), pākiki (curiosity), and koa (joy).

Together we created a beautiful korowai, explored the moana (ocean) with a sensory tray while learning the ingoa Māori (names) of kararehe moana (sea creatures), and read pūrākau (traditional stories) that inspired vibrant toi ataata (art) connected to ngā atua Māori (Māori gods).

Our preschoolers also discovered āhuarangi (weather) in te reo Māori, using loose parts for open-ended, weather-inspired creations. They practised tau (numbers) through tracing and counting in te reo Māori.I tēnei wiki, tamariki at WildHeart Tūtoke felt so much whakapehapeha (pride) in using te reo Māori, it is a beautiful way to celebrate our reo, ahurea, me te tuakiri (language, culture, and identity) together.
“Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori.”

The language is the essence of Māori identity.