Centre Manager’s Report January & February 2026
- Feb 23
- 5 min read
Kia ora koutou,
Happy new year everyone and welcome back. We hope you all had a wonderful holiday break.
We would like to welcome our new tamariki who have joined us this early year January 2026: Ahana, Johann and Eliana to our Karori Kids whānau. We look forward to getting to know you all. Additionally, we would like to say a heartfelt farewell to Maya who is now off to school. We wish her the best in her next learning journey.
BUSY TAMARIKI KARORI KIDS
1. Chinese New Year We celebrated Chinese New Year at the Centre through meaningful and engaging activities that introduced tamariki to the customs and traditions of the Lunar New Year. Children enjoyed culturally rich storytelling, art and craft activities, and a library visit focused on Lunar New Year stories. Shasha prepared dumplings and Chinese noodles, which the children enjoyed. The Centre was decorated with Chinese lanterns and festive ornaments, and music and movement activities featured traditional Chinese songs and dances.
| Learning Outcomes (Te Ara Whānui Whāriki and NELP) 1a. Making connections between people, places and things in their world | te waihanga hononga
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2. Sri Lankan Independence Day This was celebrated at the Centre with the support and involvement of our Sri Lankan families. Gina facilitated activities focused on the Sri Lankan flag, including colouring and other related learning experiences for the children. One of our Sri Lankan parents visited the Centre to share information about Sri Lankan Independence Day, providing valuable cultural insight. Cel also introduced traditional Sri Lankan dance, which the children enjoyed. Overall, the celebration offered a meaningful opportunity for tamariki to learn about Sri Lankan culture and heritage through family partnership and shared experiences.
| 2. Making connections between people, places and things in their world | te waihanga hononga
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3. Valentines Day. This celebration focused on art and craft activities. Children were engaged in creating love hearts through painting and collaging, and we also had discussions about love and kindness. With the support of Cel, tamariki prepared baked treats for parents to take home and enjoyed sharing cupcakes with their mums, dads, and siblings. The activities provided a fun and meaningful way for children to express creativity and celebrate caring relationship
| 3. He kōrero tuhituhi | Recognising print symbols and concepts and using them with enjoyment, meaning and purpose |
4. Transition to School Programme This month, our tamariki have been learning about sea creatures. Mercy provided a variety of activities to introduce sea creatures and explore the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates. Mathematics was also reinforced this month, with tamariki learning to count and write numbers from 11 to 20. Reena revisited the concept of Turangawaewae, helping children make meaningful connections to their place and environment.
| 4. Understanding how things work here and adapting to change/ te mārama ki te āhua o ngā whakahaere me te mōhio ki te panoni
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5.Water Play As we are still in summer seasons our tamariki have been engaging in a variety of stimulating activities that have fostered creativity sensory exploration. Water play has been a highlight activity throughout the month, providing endless opportunities for fun and learning. Pouring, scooping and splashing, experimenting, creating imaginative scenarios such as water tea and cooking. These activities have helped develop fine motor skills, problem solving activities or basic scientific concepts. | 5a. Making sense of their worlds by generating and refining working theories/ Te rangahau me te mātauranga
5b. Playing, imagining, inventing and experimenting | te whakaaro me te tūhurahura i te pūtaiao |
6.Pretend Play Over the past two months, we have observed a shared interest among our tamariki, particularly our toddlers. They have enjoyed engaging in family play, such as playing with dolls, preparing tea for their friends, and participating in cooking experiences. | 4a Te whakaaro me te tūhurahura i te pūtaiao | Playing, imagining, inventing and experimenting |
7. Going for walks We continue with our regular walks, as they offer endless opportunities for learning. These outings provide our tamariki with real-life experiences related to health and safety, as well as a chance to become familiar with their surroundings—an important part of connecting to the community. Some of the places we regularly visit include the library, Ben Burn Park, Botanical Garden and the nearby streets such as Campbell Street and Donald Street.
| 7a. Keep themselves healthy | te oranga nui 7b. Keeping themselves and others safe from harm/ te noho haumaru 7c. Make connections between people, places and things in their world| te waihanga hononga |
8. Building and Construction Our tamariki continue to express their creativity through building and construction activities. Magnetic tiles and LEGO are among the most popular resources, providing opportunities for imaginative play and problem-solving.
| 8a. Recognising mathematical symbols and concepts and using them with enjoyment, meaning and purpose | he kōrero pāngarau 8b. Playing, imagining, inventing and experimenting/Te whakaaro me te tūhurahura i te pūtaiao |
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New Internal Evaluation:
As we found the original focus to be broad, we decided to refine our internal evaluation. It has now been revised into this question:
Our new internal evaluation is focused on the question: “To what extent do our current assessment practices on social and emotional competence with an emphasis on te kare-a-roto me wairuatanga at Karori Kids align with the criteria and principles outlined in Kōwhiti Whakapae?”
There are three indicators we will be looking at:
To guide this evaluation, the following indicators will be used:
Learning stories show clear development and progression of children’s social and emotional competence, with explicit links to Kare-a-roto me wairuatanga (emotional awareness, regulation, and spiritual connectedness) learning descriptors and the Kōwhiti Whakapae progressions: Lay the Groundwork, Notice and Recognise, Respond, and Document.
Teachers demonstrate a clear understanding of Kōwhiti Whakapae in relation to Kare-a-roto me wairuatanga through the intentional inclusion of social and emotional goals in individual goals whether they are aligned to the phases: Lay the Groundwork, Notice and Recognise, Respond, and Document.
Whānau engagement and voice indicate that families feel supported by the centre to foster their children’s social and emotional development, particularly in Kare-a-roto me wairuatanga (emotional awareness, regulation, and spiritual connectedness).
The time frame will be this February, and we hope to finish by September.
Upcoming events
March
17th Monday- St. Patricks Day
20st Friday-World Syndrome Day
23-27th Friday -Kaupapa Moana/Kaitiakitanga Week
April
02nd- Teachers’ Only Day (tbc)
3rd- Easter Friday
6th- Easter Monday (Public Holiday)
7th-10th Monday-Friday-Teacher Parent Interview
13th- Thai New Year
17th Thursday- Teachers Only Day (The Centre is closed)
18th Friday- Good Friday (Public Holiday)
20-22nd Tuesday- Earth Day
27th Monday, Anzac Day (Public Holiday)
Notes: We will have additional events to include as we move forward into 2026.
Reminders:
Please ensure your children wear appropriate walking shoes for our regular walks.
As part of the enrolment agreement, please be reminded that your child is required to attend at least six (6) hours each day.
We continue to encourage you to bring/share any cultural items representing your language, culture and identity.
General
Another year has passed, and it feels as though time is moving faster than ever. As we step into 2026, we are excited for a year full of new learning opportunities for both our tamariki and kaiako. Our focus continues to be on creating a productive, enriching, and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
This year, we look forward to:
Strengthening social and emotional competence: Building on insights from Kōwhiri Whakapāe
Continuing to incorporate bicultural and multicultural practices, ensuring tamariki experience and embrace Te Ao Māori and cultural diversity in meaningful ways.
Providing equitable opportunities: Fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for all learners.
Supporting successful transitions to school: Equipping tamariki with the skills and confidence they need for the next stage of their journey.
Enhancing teaching and learning experiences: Making every day a chance for tamariki to grow, explore, and discover.
We are eager to embark on this journey together and look forward to an inspiring and fulfilling year ahead.
He waka eke noa
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