Maniototo
Monday to Friday.
Our teaching team
In our beautiful, big backyard our sandpit is big enough to accommodate all of our tamariki at once and is often the first port of call in a day of play. Big agricultural projects like building dams, ploughing paddocks and sowing seed happen in the sandpit every day. Just like our rural surrounds, the mud pit transforms from a dry and dusty dirt mound during the summer to a muddy wonderland when we receive some much needed rain – it’s a great place for teaching and learning!
A cold, frosty morning is an invitation to put your hat and jacket on and get outside and enjoy our beautiful, natural playground. Our rustic Musterer’s Hut is unique to us, and sparks the imagination of tamariki who join together in dramatic play which often revolves around the seasonal activities of the farming calendar.
Inside, big windows let in lots of natural light from the big sky of the Maniototo Plains. A large wooden deck wraps around our building, providing us with a sheltered outside space all year round. Children can choose from a wide range of resources and equipment which inspire imaginations, promote collaboration and challenge the learning of tamariki. Ours is an adaptable space, responsive to the ever-changing interests of tamariki, who are encouraged to be mindful of and inspired by the world around them, and respectful of the environment they play and learn in. We make use of natural resources collected from and by our wider community.
Community and connectedness are at the heart of what we do - we place a strong focus on Whanaungatanga (family, relationships). This is a small community and relationships are important, with tamariki are often attending kindergarten alongside siblings, cousins and family friends.
You're always welcome here! Ūkaipōtanga (belonging and connection) is important and we value our partnerships with whānau, welcoming our parent’s voice, views and contributions to their children’s learning and bringing a richness to our programme.
We’re proud to be part of our community, and you’ll see us out and about exploring – at the school and Playcentre and beyond, supporting our tamariki to strengthen the connection and relationships they have within their local community in their role as caretakers (kaitiaki) of our environment. Strong links with our school help to support the transition to school for you and your child, as he/she moves on from kindergarten.
We would recommend that you enrol initially for at least two full days –building up to five days at your child's pace. This gives us, the teachers time to get to know your child and provides consistency around supporting their learning.
Nau mai, tauti mai - come in any time, we are very proud of our unique learning environment and would love to show you around. Kidsfirst Kindergartens Maniototo is the little kindergarten with a BIG heart!
