Today our tamariki experienced a truly heartwarming morning visiting Moana House Retirement Village here in Whangamatā.
It was such a special opportunity to connect with members of our local community and share moments of joy, laughter, and aroha together.
From the moment we arrived, the room was filled with smiles and excitement. Our tamariki proudly sang songs in both te reo Māori and English, with residents joining in on the singing, actions, and clapping along.
Watching the different generations come together through music was incredibly special and created such a beautiful sense of belonging and connection for everyone involved. We brought along some playdough for collaborative play, and it quickly became a wonderful way for tamariki and residents to connect with one another. Together they created snowmen, dogs, snails, and even little family members, all while sharing stories, laughter, and conversation.
It was lovely to see the tamariki confidently engaging with the residents and enjoying these shared moments of creativity. The residents also kindly brought out colouring activities for us to join in with, creating calm and meaningful moments side by side. There was such a lovely feeling of warmth in the room, with everyone taking the time to chat, laugh, encourage one another, and simply enjoy being together.
One of the highlights of the morning was a visit from Denver the support dog, who brought so much happiness to both the tamariki and residents. There were plenty of gentle pats, cuddles, giggles, and excited smiles as Dever made his way around the room sharing comfort and joy with everyone. We were also incredibly lucky to meet Mackenzie’s great-grandmother during our visit, which made the morning feel even more special and personal.
Seeing those precious family and community connections come together was truly heartwarming. Experiences like this remind us just how important community connections are for our tamariki. These moments help foster empathy, confidence, kindness, and a strong sense of belonging, while also bringing so much happiness to those around us.
This is something we hope to continue monthly, as today was filled with so much warmth, love, laughter, and connection. We are so grateful to the wonderful residents and staff at Moana House for welcoming us so openly into their space.
We left with full hearts and many beautiful memories, and we are already looking forward to our next visit.