Little Lights Early Learning Centre

Last week was Karen’s last week with us. We would like to thank Karen for her service to Little Lights. For the last three years, she has been the welcoming smile here, and we appreciate all she has contributed. We wish her all the best for the future.
For all accounts inquiries please see Fiona and I will be able help you out or find the answer for you.
Leanne Ellis is going to take over the admin job from the 17th of August. We are excited to have a familiar face in the office. Leanne has had years of experience in admin so I'm sure she won't take long to get up to speed.

Today we practised our earthquake drill with all of our tamariki. With the recent spate of earthquakes around Aotearoa, it’s a timely reminder of how important it is to regularly practise what to do in an emergency.

Before we began our drill, our pēpi sang Old MacDonald Had a Farm while practising how to be “turtles.” 🐢 As they sang, they tucked themselves down low, covered their heads, and learnt what their turtle position looks like. Using a familiar song makes learning these important safety skills fun, engaging, and easy for our youngest learners to remember.

When it was time for the drill, our tamariki did an amazing job listening, staying calm, and showing us their fantastic turtle positions. Regular practice helps build confidence and ensures everyone knows what to do if an earthquake happens.

Ka mau te wehi, tamariki! We are so proud of you all.

🌟 Matariki Bag Reminder 🌟

Kia ora whānau,

Just a friendly reminder to please collect your child’s Matariki activity bag if you haven’t already.

Inside you’ll find some special activities to enjoy together at home, including opportunities to celebrate Matariki through creativity, learning, waiata, and whānau time. We can’t wait to see the wonderful creations that come back to kindy to be displayed!

Ngā mihi,
Ngā Kaiako o Little Lights 💙

A beautiful day up on the maunga today! Slightly foggy, beautifully sunny but also frosty. Be careful coming up Mountain Road as it can get quite icy. Have a lovely day ☀️

Scholastic book club catalogues available in the foyer. Some great books at low prices. All orders help us get books too. So it is a win/win for everyone.

HOME Book Club provides families with an affordable and convenient way to bring the best in children's literature into their homes. Each issue contains curated, age-appropriate titles that have been carefully selected and levelled by a dedicated team of professional book lovers.Scholastic operates on a u...

On Friday our Kereru and Tui tamariki enjoyed an exciting adventure exploring the paddocks beside the Tui Room playground. 🌿

There was so much to discover as we wandered together, observing the changing winter landscape, listening to the birds, spotting animals, and taking in God’s beautiful creation. These moments encourage curiosity, conversation, and a sense of wonder as our tamariki connect with the natural world around them.

At Little Lights, we believe that some of the richest learning happens beyond the classroom. Exploring our local environment helps children build confidence, strengthen relationships, develop gross motor skills, and grow an appreciation for the unique place God has blessed us with.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” — Psalm 19:1 💚

What a wonderful afternoon of adventure, discovery, and joyful learning together!

Space and nature is something that we have loads of here at Little Lights! Today a couple of our older boys came running up to me to tell me all about their camp site. Their play showed how children build learning through imagination, teamwork, and care for the environment, and they had a great mud kitchen going on under the bushes but no fire, so while they were away gathering their fire materials I captured a few photos.
The children are learning to have an appreciation and respect of the natural world. They are also learning about planning and preparation as they use the material that are available.

✨ Mānawatia a Matariki ✨

As Matariki rises in the sky, we are reminded of the beauty of God’s creation and the many blessings He has given us.

Matariki is a special time to remember those who have gone before us, give thanks for the blessings of the present, gather together with whānau, and look forward to the future with hope.

Just as the stars shine brightly in the night sky, may we remember that God’s love and light are always with us, guiding us through every season. 💛

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” Psalm 147:4

Mānawatia a Matariki! May this season be filled with aroha, gratitude, hope, and the light of God’s love.

Yesterday afternoon we had Annette from Hato Hone St John come to visit us. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to learn how to be a lifesaver in an emergency, and how to keep yourself and others safe from injury. First, Annette showed the tamariki a helmet that an ambulance officer wears to protect their head in some emergency situations. Next, the tamariki were shown images of the following: an ambulance, police car and fire truck. Then Annette asked the children what they thought each of the images were and what each service did. Then a story called 'Trouble in the Backyard' was read to the tamariki. There was then a discussion on who you should tell if you or someone else has hurt themselves. It was acknowledged that mum, dad or an adult needed to know what had happened and then you needed to call 111. Then everybody was shown an image of what the inside of an ambulance looked like and the different things you would find in the ambulance. Following on from this, two oxygen masks were shown, an adult and a child-sized one. Annette then demonstrated how they are supposed to be worn and why you might need to wear one. Two volunteers were then needed to demonstrate how the hi-vis vest and helmet should be worn. During this time, Annette then showed everyone a stethoscope then the children had an opportunity to put the stethoscope on and listen to one of their peers' heartbeat. During this time, everyone also had the opportunity to have a turn at wearing the hi-vis vest and helmet.
This was a big learning experience for the tamariki, and they have learnt vital information and skills that will not only save their lives but also the lives of others in the event of an emergency. The most valuable information was that when someone is hurt, you must get help by telling an adult and calling 111.
Thanks for you visit Annette we hope that you will come again.