Babies and Toddlers Place

Learning and development often looks so different than we expect it to.

It's reflections like these that reminds me how important the work of being a parent is.

We're all starting from our own context of family environment and upbringing. And yes, in the recent past, our Western culture children were 'seen not heard'. This is so different in mindset to Dr. Emmi Pikler's belief that each baby is a free and equal human being.

It's a journey for the generations and requires us as parents to unpack our own values and examine the way we relate to our pēpi.

If this resonates, join us for our next Baby's Place where we gently explore what it means to parent in a way that supports our littlest ones from their earliest days and months.

✨ Email [email protected] for information. Bookings are essential.

Have you ever noticed how our little ones love playing with the simplest of items? Wooden pegs? Pots and pans? A silky scarf? In this photo our tamaiti is exploring a small sieve.

What if the *best* toys weren't the ones that were specially made, with flashing lights, sounds and colours. What if they don't even cost anything at all?!

At Baby's Place we set out treasures from our treasure basket. These are often natural, simple items that are not fancy at all, but they allow our pēpi to explore texture, weight, movement and engage in true play, investigation, exploration - the very early building blocks of learning.

If you're the parent of a pēpi aged 4 months to 10 months old, we're currently accepting enrolments for our next Baby's Place course. Starts Thursday July 23rd.

🌿Email [email protected] for more information. Bookings essential.

Registrations for Baby's Place term 3 are open.

This is an invitation for parents and pēpi to join a warm, welcoming weekly space.

Hosted by experienced facilitator Bronwen Olds (M.Soc.Sc), Baby's Place is about learning how to partner with your baby and support their natural development.

Term 3 details:
23rd July - 24th September 2026
Each Thursday 10am - 11.30am
Wesley Rātā Village, Naenae
Investment: $200 which includes resource book, home baked morning tea and graduation gift. Payment options available.

✨For any enquiries or bookings email [email protected]. or share with any whānau and friends with little ones.

These are some highlights from whānau who joined us for term one ✨

We feel so honoured to walk alongside parents and pēpi over 10 weeks.

Our next course starts April 30th and there's a just few spots available.

Sign up through our website or by emailing [email protected] / brothersandsisters.org.nz/workshops/babys-place

Dance with me in the Heart Babies
19-22 Oct 2026
With Bronwen Olds and Suzi Rea

Bronwen and Suzi are back with another 4-day Intensive 'Dance with me in the Heart Babies' course!
Held at October at Kapiti Coast, Aotearoa New Zealand.

To register, email [email protected] today!

Brothers & Sisters Suzanne Rea, M.Ed.

We're approaching the end of our first Baby's Place for the year, which means registrations are now open for term 2!

We love offering this course to whānau in the Hutt Valley. It's a warm, welcoming space to support whānau navigate that first big year - meeting and getting to know your baby, yourself as a parent and setting the foundation of your parenting partnership.

We talk about:
🌱 Free play
🌱 Free movement
🌱 The way we speak to and about our babies

What you can expect:
🌼Grow understanding and trust in your baby’s natural development.
🌼Learn practices that support bonding and a loving partnership.
🌼How to be an observer and read baby’s cues.
🌼A calm, relaxed and supportive group to share the joys and challenges of parenting.
🌼Morning tea served to YOU because you deserve to be cared for too.

Register online or by emailing facilitator Bronwen Olds at [email protected] / https://www.brothersandsisters.org.nz/workshops/babys-place

There are just 2 spots left on our next Toddler Place course.

We start next week, and we're so looking forward to meeting the whānau who are stepping into the next phase of partnership with their toddlers.

If you know a whānau who might like to join us, please share this with them. DM or email [email protected] to register.

Has your little one been upskilling into toddlerhood? This is for you.

We learnt how to partner and care for our infants with respect in Baby's Place. But what happens when they learn the word 'no'? Discover the urge to throw? That's when it's time for us as parents to upskill too.

Our next Toddler's Place course starts in March. We've already had interest in this course, so (as always) there's limited availability. Get in touch now to book your place by sending us a DM or emailing [email protected].

Because what society is terrible at telling parents is that toddlerhood can be a joy. ✨