Rural Scholars Early Learning Centre

04/09/2026

🌼 Kiwi Room 🌼

Over the past few months, the Kiwi Room tamariki have been exploring the topic ‘Learning Through Movement’. We have been discovering all the different ways our bodies can move, helping to build confidence, coordination, strength and a sense of physical wellbeing.

The tamariki have had lots of fun trying out sports inspired by the Commonwealth Games, enjoying music and movement experiences, challenging themselves through obstacle courses, getting stuck into messy and sensory play and spending plenty of time exploring and moving outdoors. Through these experiences, the tamariki have been encouraged to move in different ways, try new challenges, develop their physical skills and most importantly, have fun while learning!

We have just started a new topic of ‘Little Helpers’ where we will be focusing on developing self-help skills and independence, encouraging our tamariki to have a go at doing things for themselves and taking responsibility for their environment. We will also be supporting them to practice being kind, caring and respectful friends, learning how we can help, care for and look out for one another.

We hope you all have a wonderful weekend with your whānau and Happy Fathers Day to all the dads, grandads and father figures❤️

29/08/2026

📖 📕 Coming up is book character week 📖 📕

28/08/2026

The Preschool Room has had lots of fun this week- in all weather! We enjoyed some fun in the sun earlier in the week, then enjoyed some muddy puddles after the rain. We also kept busy inside with lots of dancing, some chalk art and even some bubbles. 🫧

28/08/2026

27/08/2026

Tomorrow at Rural Scholars is YELLOW DAY. Come with anything yellow! Clothes, accessories, or anything you can think of. A gold coin donation for the South Canterbury Cancer Society would be appreciated.

20/08/2026

This Monite (Monday) we kicked off Tongan Language Week with a tau’olunga (dance) from past Rural Scholars fanau, with a group of past and present tamasi’i (boys) joining to tulafale for them 🇹🇴.

It was a delight to see the children’s cultural pride, dressed up beautifully and sharing their culture with our community.

Some of our fanau enjoyed learning some moves afterwards, and joining our Tongan learners on the fale. Malo aupito (thank you very much) to our special guests who supported our Rural Scholars fanau to feel confident and proud to be up on stage. A strong sense of community and famili made for a magical morning 🥰❤️

20/08/2026

Preschool Room Learning!
Last week we finished our learning topic Caring For Me, Caring For You. During this topic we focussed on:
Mana atua - Wellbeing: Caring for themselves, including hygiene and managing their emotions.
Mana whenua - Belonging: Caring for this place. Tamariki held a chores day and they ticked off a list of jobs across the centre. They worked well as a team. and also demonstrated care for animals with a trip to the farm to feed the animals some freshly chopped vegetables and collect some eggs. Tamariki showed care for their teachers by working together to bake and deliver some goodies to the staff. Of course they also got to sample their own baking! Mana tangata - Contribution: Treating others fairly and including them in play. We played many team games and set up collaborative play opportunities to facilitate sharing and turn taking. We created a friendship tree to celebrate small acts of kindness.

31/07/2026

Preschool Room Learning 🌈🌟
Our new topic is Caring For Me, Caring For You.
Contribution | Mana Tangata:
We have been focussing on being kind friends, through the use of gentle hands, sharing, cooperating, kind words and encouragement. We have played some team games that require cooperation and communication, as well as cheering on our team mates. We have started a kindness tree, and kaiako are on the lookout for examples of kindness that we can celebrate. Tamariki get to put a named leaf on the tree.
Well-Being | Mana Atua: Tamariki have had lessons in toilet etiquette and the importance of handwashing. We have made jelly soaps, and they got to take some home. Tamariki have been practising putting on and zipping up their own jacket. Here are some moments from the last week.