Celebrating Christmas Together as One BestStart Te Whariki Community!
As the festive season arrived, our centre came alive with excitement as we welcomed tamariki and whānau from across the whole centre Kiwi, Pīwakawaka, Kea, and Tūī to celebrate Christmas together.
This special day was all about bringing our community closer, sharing joy, and creating meaningful memories as one whānau. The day was filled with fun and laughter. Tamariki moved between festive experiences set up by our kaiako, including reindeer food making, Christmas cookie decorating, and a range of creative crafts. Face painting added colour and excitement, while a magician captured everyone’s attention with moments of surprise and delight.
Our families gathered around a sausage sizzle, sharing kai, kōrero, and time together. In the weeks leading up to the celebration, tamariki and kaiako worked hard to practise two Christmas waiata. Tamariki showed confidence and pride as they performed for their whānau, demonstrating perseverance, communication, and a strong sense of belonging.
These moments reflected Te Whāriki’s vision of children as capable and confident learners, supported through Whakamana and Mana Tangata. This celebration strongly reflected the Te Whāriki principle of Family and Community | Whānau Tangata, highlighting the importance of genuine partnerships with whānau. Our local curriculum values whanaungatanga and connection, and this day provided a meaningful opportunity to strengthen relationships beyond the classroom.
Seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter, and feeling the warmth of our community reminded us of the power of coming together. We are grateful to our whānau for celebrating alongside us and to our dedicated kaiako who made this day so special. Together, we truly celebrated the spirit of Christmas.