Teachers at Waimea kindergarten in Nelson had a special surprise for the children returning to kindergarten in Alert
Level 3.
They created a magical fairy garden in the front entrance, so it was the first thing that tamariki saw when they
arrived.
“We recognise that after five weeks at home, the children might’ve been feeling a little anxious about their return, and
we wanted to provide something special to welcome them back,” said Head Teacher Rebekah Senior.
“The children have been exploring the fairy garden further and discovered something different each time.Our tamariki
have been adding their own creations to the fairy garden too. They’ve made picnic rugs, tables and rainbows for the
fairies using scissors, pens and paper.”
“We’ve missed having these conversations and seeing the children, and it’s so lovely to be back at kindergarten with
them. The tamariki are also very happy to be back and to see each other again.”
Nelson Tasman Kindergarten Association CEO Craig Vercoe says that it’s been fantastic to be able to support whānau as
they returned to work in Alert Level 3.
“We have provided a fun, safe and familiar environment for our tamariki to play and learn with and alongside their
friends. We were able to design and plan our curriculum which enabled us to follow the tamariki’s interests while
protecting and nurturing their health and well-being at this level. Our strong relationships with our tamariki
andwhānauhave supported their smooth transitions back to kindergarten.”
“Our Kaiako who are working from home are continuing to support tamariki andwhānauat home with distance learning on
Storypark.”
NZK CEO Jill Bond says right around the country children are loving being back at their kindergartens.
“This is what the kindergarten movement is all about, a partnership between us and our communities and supporting and
helping each other.”
“We’ve had very small numbers of children across the country return, but we are hoping that more will start coming. The
ones who have come back have loved getting back to normal and our teachers have been wonderful in making sure all the
health and hygiene protocols are followed.”
“Kindergartens are wonderful places to support parents and care-givers right now, especially when times are tough and
it’s important our communities know we will care for their children and keep them safe.”