Kia ora and welcome to the Māhuri room!
In the Māhuri room, our focus is on providing a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for children aged 2 to 3.5 years old. We believe in igniting curiosity, imagination, and a love for learning through discovery within a natural environment.
To ensure a smooth transition for your child, we assign them a buddy teacher who will work closely with them. The buddy teacher's role is to help your child learn new routines, feel a sense of belonging, and develop a secure relationship. They will also communicate with you, the parents, to ensure your child feels welcome and supported.
In the Māhuri room, we emphasize the development of a sense of self and belonging. When children feel like they belong, they gain the confidence to engage in new experiences, build social skills, and develop their independence. We encourage self-help skills such as using the toilet, washing hands, dressing themselves, and even serving their own meals.
Our learning environment is carefully designed with natural and recycled materials, as well as open-ended resources that provoke wonder and curiosity. We maintain a clean, organized, and efficient space to inspire and empower children to express themselves and explore using all their senses. Our outdoor environment is spacious, allowing children to explore at their own pace, get dirty, climb, and create lasting memories with their friends and families.
At Active Explorers St Lukes, we document your child's learning journey through My Learning Journey, both in hard copy and through Storypark. These records capture their achievements, successes, and development, linking them to the principles and practices of Te Whāriki, Reggio Emilia, and The Curiosity Approach. We welcome and encourage contributions from home to strengthen the connection between the home and centre environment.
During the settling process, we recommend three short pre-visits to help you and your child transition smoothly to our centre. These visits gradually introduce your child to the environment and allow them to become familiar with our routines and teachers.
We provide a supportive settling process to ensure a positive start for your child.
1st Visit: 30 minutes to 1 hour with you in the centre.
Updated: June 2023
2nd Visit: 20 to 30 minutes in the centre with you, followed by 20 – 30 minutes without you.
Your child will be in our responsible care. You will need to sign them in and return all your completed enrolment forms. However, you will also need to remain in the centre.
3rd Visit: 1 hour in the centre without you. As with the second visit, your child will be in our responsible care. You will need to sign your child in and ensure all of your enrolment forms are completed and returned to us before you leave.
When preparing for each day at the centre, please dress your child in play clothes suitable for fun and exploration. Please bring a couple of changes of clothes and a bag for wet clothes, as we engage in messy and creative activities. During the winter months, gumboots and a jacket are recommended for outdoor play, while sun-smart hats are required during the summer months to ensure sun protection.
If your child is in nappies, please provide at least four nappies or pull-ups daily, along with any necessary creams or special wipes. If your child has a special attachment like a cuddly toy or blanket, feel free to bring it along to help them settle. We can serve breakfast if your child arrives before 8:20 am, and we encourage you to provide a drink bottle for hydration.
Please ensure all belongings are clearly named to prevent any mix-ups.
You are more than welcome to visit Active Explorers St Lukes and speak with our Kaiako to learn more about what we can offer you and your child. We encourage you to bring your child along so they can experience and enjoy the learning environment in the Māhuri room.
We are excited to get to know you and your child. If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Warm regards,
Māhuri Team
