We had a super turn out for our Matariki Whanau Celebration!
Thank you to everyone who came along and helped us to celebrate the Maori New Year at our centre. What a special family time it was.
At First Class Education and Care we have been learning about what Matariki means, the legends and about the 7 stars that make up the Matariki constellation.
Our Kai | Made With Aroha by Little Hands
Matariki is about sharing and making something for someone else that is handmade (not bought) and is made with love.
We thought that the children making our kai for their whanau/families would be a wonderful way of bringing everyone together and showing our aroha.
The children got right into the preparations which involved making two lots of soup – pumpkin and chicken vegetable – and homemade bread in our bread makers.
Everywhere you looked you could see excited and very busy children making our kai with lots of aroha/love for our families. It was special to eat dinner by candlelight and fairy lights!
Performing The Legend of Mauao and Matariki for Whanau
During our Whanau evening the tamaraki put on a performance/play of the Legend of Matariki and of our very own Mauao.
The children used colourful and creative props in the performance which we had all made together. They had so much fun!
Throughout the week we have been exploring the themes of Matariki in many creative ways:
- Singing waiata in both Te Reo and English.
- Making birdseed feeders with pinecones and special bird seed ingredient.
- Kite-making and star making.
- Making Taniwha – We made a big one together, and then each child made their own individual small taniwha which involved collage, sewing, crafting and painting.
All in all we have had a wonderful week!
The First Class Education and Care Team
At First Class Education and Care preschool and childcare centre in Bethlehem, Tauranga, you’ll find happy children in a nurturing environment, enjoying genuine relationships with caring teachers who facilitate creative play and quality learning experiences.
