June 2026 | Kōrero from Curious Minds

Island Bay

It has been a significant time for our Island Bay community. While we have navigated the challenges of recent flooding, we have also celebrated vibrant cultural milestones and the simple joys of childhood exploration. With the madness of the floods impacting our local area, it has been vital to remember the beauty of our home. We took a moment to experience a beautiful day where our Pūkeko tamariki went out into the community, taking in all the magic Taputeranga has to offer. These moments of outdoor exploration remind us of the strength and joy that exists within our neighbourhood. A tamariki favourite is the supermarket! Recently, kaiako Abby took a group to get lemons to make lemonade, turning a simple shopping trip into a hands-on learning experience about food, preparation, and community resources.

We celebrated Philippines Independence Day, with even our youngest tamariki learning all about Filipino culture. These celebrations are a key part of our curriculum, helping children understand and respect the diverse backgrounds that make up our whānau. Our tamariki spend a lot of time flipping through their profile books. Physical and risky play is a huge part of our curriculum. Our tamariki love to move and try new skills, building confidence and physical literacy through challenge. Finally, painting has been a great way to get the creative juices flowing! The tamariki are learning about colour, textures, and using their imaginations, resulting in beautiful displays of artistic expression.

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Miramar

It has been a vibrant and meaningful month at our centre, filled with community connection, cultural celebration, and important learning moments. We started with a powerful display of solidarity, thanking our whānau who stayed for a cuppa and kai to help raise awareness for breast cancer in NZ, a spirit of support that continued as we celebrated Pink Shirt Day with the heartfelt reminder, He tino tangata koe.

Our days have also been bright with outdoor joy, from tamariki enjoying a sunny picnic outside (thanks to Teryn for the delicious kai) to the pure fun of our Thai New Year celebrations, where we had a blast with a morning water fight. Sawasdee pee Mai to everyone who joined in!

Alongside these celebrations, we remain focused on safety and learning, with Teacher Chloe discussing Road Safety with the tamariki before their trip to the Airport, ensuring they are prepared and aware as they explore our community. We also had loads of fun on International Bee Day, celebrating those vital pollinators that keep our fruits and veggies growing!

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Johnsonville

We've had the privilege of honoring diverse traditions and the special relationships that make our community so strong. We are so blessed to have kaiako Lesina share her culture with us, diving deep into the beautiful Samoan heritage. The official theme for Samoan Language Week 2026 is "E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le nu'u," which translates to "From the high mountains are the blessings of the village." This powerful theme highlights the importance of strong foundations, honoring the wisdom, strength, and blessings passed down through generations. It was a joy to see the children engaging with the language and traditions. Manuia le Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa!

Our tiny hands were busy creating beautiful Mother's Day crafts. Each piece was filled with so much aroha for the special mums in their lives. It was heartwarming to see the care and thought each child put into their gifts, celebrating the mothers and mother figures who support them every day. Āyubōwan whānau! We also looked back at how we celebrated the Sri Lankan New Year at our centre. The day was filled with excitement as we made Kiribath (coconut milk rice), played the raban (Sri Lankan drums), and dressed up in traditional red. It was so much fun to experience the music, food, and festive spirit together. Thank you for sharing your cultures and celebrations with us. We look forward to another wonderful month ahead.

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Queenstown

This month has been a vibrant journey of discovery, where our tamariki have been deeply engaged in nurturing their natural curiosity through careful observation, bold hypothesising, and a lot of colourful fun. We have watched them thrive as they explore the world around them, turning everyday moments into rich learning opportunities. A particular highlight has been seeing the children understand gradients and angles through hands-on play, physically experiencing how steepness and slope affect movement and balance in a way that books simply cannot convey.

In our water and sand areas, activities like scooping and pouring have become powerful tools for introducing foundational mathematical concepts. The tamariki are naturally grappling with volume, capacity, estimation, and measurement, using language such as "empty," "full," "more," and "less" to describe their experiments. This playful experimentation allows them to build an intuitive understanding of quantity and space. Perhaps the most magical moments have arisen from the simple combination of loose parts and water, which together create pure magic and endless possibilities for creative problem-solving and sensory exploration. Beyond the active play, we have also cherished the quieter, reflective moments. Our cosy spaces, particularly the outdoor tent forts, have created magical moments for connection and imagination, offering the tamariki a sense of security and autonomy as they build their own little worlds. It has been a joy to witness such a balanced month of dynamic physical learning and gentle, imaginative rest.

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Ngā Mihi Nui from the Curious Minds Team!

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