Kindergartens Ready And Willing To Return

Kindergartens Aotearoa welcomes the announcement that all early childhood services will open under Covid-19 Level 2, and will be ready to welcome children back.

Kindergartens have already been open for those children who needed to attend, and children at home have been supported with distance learning.

We encourage everyone to come back at Level 2, whenever that occurs, and we are ready to provide a safe environment for children and families, following all relevant health advice.

Kindergartens Aotearoa is a collective of eight regional kindergarten associations around the country that operate 365 kindergartens and other early childhood education services catering for 18,500 children and employing 2,300 teaching, advisory and support staff.

Spokesperson Amanda Coulston says kindergartens know that the past few weeks have been stressful for many families, and that returning to regular routines is important for children’s learning.

Families have done an amazing job of providing their children with rich learning experiences at home, often under difficult circumstances, and without the chance to meet up with friends or visit attractions such as playgrounds.

Throughout Covid-19 Levels 3 and 4, our kindergartens have remained in touch with their families, either online or on the phone, and many teachers have dropped off learning packs to support learning in the home. Similarly, many families have been able to share their children’s learning and experiences during this time. A number of children have physically attended kindergarten under Level 3.

We will continue to offer a programme to those children who cannot return under Level 2, for health or other reasons.

We recognised that some children may take a while to settle back in, and some things may have changed during the rāhui or lockdown period.

Teachers understand the extra needs of children and families and are ready to respond to those needs.

“We are very keen to support New Zealand as we move into the recovery phase from Covid-19, while remaining alert to the need to safeguard health by taking extra precautions.”

The kindergarten movement has a proud history of serving children, families and society and we are keen to continue our work.

© Scoop Media