Busy Bees Ngongotahā

Playdough!

Playdough has been a big hit this week here at Busy Bees Ngongotaha. The tamariki love squishing and squashing it through their fingers and making cool shapes using the different shaped cookie cutters.
Te Whariki Link | Communication - Playdough lets children discover and develop differnt ways to be creative and expressive.

Last week, as we continued our Matariki celebrations, we painted and created our own kites to represent Ururangi, helping us connect with the different winds and weather patterns.

We also painted paper plates and transformed them into sharks to represent Waitā, the star associated with the ocean and all the life within it. To further explore this theme, tamariki enjoyed a sea-themed sensory experience in the trough, where they investigated and discovered different aspects of the ocean environment through play.

Over the past two weeks, we have been preparing for Matariki by engaging in meaningful activities that represent different stars within the Matariki cluster.

Firstly, tamariki created umbrellas to represent Waipunarangi, the star associated with the many forms of rain we experience throughout the year. Rain falls from the sky and washes over the earth, nourishing all living things and supporting growth and renewal.

We then explored the light table, creating a special space to reflect, share hopes, gather with our peers, and connect with our health and wellbeing. This activity represented Matariki, who is widely known as the mother of the eight stars in the Matariki cluster. She watches over, supports, and encourages her children.

Most recently, we recreated our own roto (lake) in the water trough to represent Waitī, the star connected to freshwater environments and the food sources sustained by rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands.

Through these experiences, tamariki have been learning about the significance of Matariki, strengthening their connection to te taiao (the natural world), and celebrating the values of reflection, gratitude, and togetherness.

In our over two years we have been exploring puzzles. The tamariki looked at a picture of what the puzzle looks like all finished before tipping it on the table to try and figure it out themselves. Puzzle play can help children learn to persevere and be patient. Also involves thinking out problems and using hands and fingers for coordination.

Te Whariki - Exploration | Mana Aoturoa, Tamariki develop working theories about spatial understanding and they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning.

Spaces are now available in our Under 2s room!

Give your little one the best start in a warm, nurturing environment where caring teachers support every step of their learning and development journey. 💛

Enquire now to join our whānau.

Brrr... winter is here!

To celebrate the colder weather, we had a fun Pyjama Day! The children came dressed in their favourite pyjamas, fluffy slippers, and cosy outfits, ready for a day full of smiles and laughter.

We enjoyed staying warm, playing with our friends, and sharing lots of winter fun together. It was wonderful to see everyone's colourful and comfy pyjamas brighten up the day!

What a great way to welcome the winter season and make special memories with our friends.

As we lead up to winter, we have been exploring all things cold and snowy! The tamariki have loved playing with ice, painting beautiful snowflakes, and diving into our Ice Age sensory play using rice as snow alongside penguins. Such a fun way to spark creativity, curiosity, and hands-on learning as the seasons change!

Reminder: We are closed on Monday 1st June as it Kings Birthday weekend. Have a super long weekend and we look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday .

We’re so thankful for the positive and warm feedback shared by our wonderful whānau. Your support means everything to our team. 💛

At Busy Bees Ngongotahā, building strong connections between kaiako and tamariki is an important part of our everyday practice. ❤️

When children feel safe, valued, and connected, they grow in confidence to explore, learn, and build relationships with others. Through caring interactions and meaningful relationships, our kaiako help create a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing for every child.

This reflects the principles of Te Whāriki, especially Belonging | Mana Whenua and Wellbeing | Mana Atua, as tamariki learn best when they feel secure, supported, and connected within their environment.

By fostering genuine connections each day, we help our tamariki grow into confident, capable learners who know they are valued members of our centre whānau. 💛