Bream Bay Kindergarten

04/06/2026

There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing. Today, our kindergarten tamariki didn't let the wet weather stop them. Outdoor play in the rain deepens our children's connection to Papatūānuku, and offers incredible learning benefits, such as developing a sense of kaitiakitanga through learning to love and care for nature in every season, and learning to navigate slippery surfaces, building their core strength and balance, as they run, jump, swing and climb in and around the playground.
It also builds children's resilience through embracing change and finding joy in the elements. When we let children play in the rain, we teach them that they are part of nature, not separate from it. 🌿 Nga mihi nui to our lovely whānau for packing plenty of spare layers that make these messy, magical days possible.

29/04/2026

Our Whiringa-a-nuku whānau had such a wonderful day in the ngahere this morning! The sun was out, and the tamariki were rearing to go....
From the moment we stepped into the ngahere, curiosity took over. We spent our morning drawing and painting, searching for insects and mushrooms, swinging and climbing in the trees, racing pinecones down slide hill, while also taking time to pick up the rubbish in the surrounding area. After such an action packed morning the tamariki were glad to sit down to share some hot chocolate and have a quick kōrero to reflect on our incredible morning, before returning back to kindergarten.
These unhurried, child-led moments aren't just about fun; they are where our adventurers build resilience, problem-solving skills, and develop a deep sense of kaitiakitanga for our natural world.

Seeing their excitement when they spot a bird or find a flower or an insect reminds us why nature is the best classroom we could ask for.

21/04/2026

Over the past couple of months the tamariki here at Bream Bay Kindergarten have been busy diving into loose parts and the results are incredible. From heavy-duty crates and long planks to tyres and pipes, these "open-ended" treasures are the ultimate tools for learning.
Watching them work together is the best part. When children use large loose parts, they aren't just playing; they are:
Problem-solving: "How do we make this bridge steady?"
Collaborating: Communicating and negotiating to build epic forts and obstacle courses.
Developing Physical Strength: Lifting, hauling, and balancing to build those gross motor skills.
Being Creative: One minute it’s a fishing boat, the next it's a monster truck or an army tank.
There are no "right" ways to use these items—only endless possibilities. It is wonderful to see our tamariki so engaged, confident, and full of mahi tahi (teamwork).
Check out some of our master builders in action....

Calling all creators, builders, and backyard hoarders!
Our tamariki are on a mission to build, climb, and create, but we need your help to grow our 'Large Loose Parts' collection.
Loose parts aren't "toys" in the traditional sense—they are open-ended treasures like crates, planks, and tyres that let children lead their own learning. To keep the inspiration flowing, we are looking for donations of sturdy, safe items that have reached the end of their original life but are ready for a new adventure!
We are currently looking for:
Wooden items: Wooden crates (in good condition), log rounds, or large cable drums.
Industrial bits: PVC pipes, gutters, or large plastic conduits.
Containers: Bread crates or milk crates
Outdoor gear: Thick ropes, go cart tyres or burlap sacks.
If you have any of these items taking up space in your garage or worksite, we would love to take them off your hands! Please ensure items are clean and free of sharp edges, nails, or splinters.
We are more than happy to come and collect any items if needed. Please feel free to send us through some photos if you aren't sure whether it's what we need.

27/01/2026

This morning we were fortunate to have local oral health therapist Dale come in to kindergarten and have a kōrero with our tamariki around how to look after our teeth.
She discussed the importance of eating nutritious kai such as vegetables, cheese, yogurt, nuts, meats, sandwiches and some fruits, while limiting sugary foods such as lollies, roll ups/ fruit strings, chocolate, potato chips, muesli bars, biscuits, dried fruits, and jelly. Tamariki were also encouraged to choose water or milk over fruit juice and fizzy drinks, as these sugary drinks often lead to tooth decay in young children.
Dale also discussed the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day, both in the morning and at night. She enlisted the help of a brave volunteer, who allowed Dale to demonstrate on her the correct way to brush our teeth. During this process, Dale shared that both children and adults should be brushing their teeth for at least TWO minutes every time, and we should NOT be rinsing our mouths with water when finished.
This prompted some really good conversations among the tamariki around teeth brushing at home, and during morning tea the tamariki were discussing which foods are good for our teeth and which foods could be harmful.
We would like to express our gratitude to Ngareka from Marsden Cove Dental for arranging this visit, and for the incredible donation of toothbrushes for all of our tamariki to take home.
Developing dental hygiene in children is a crucial, teachable life skill that begins with the first tooth, fostering lifelong oral health, independence, and dexterity. Whānau, you can support your tamariki to grow and maintain strong healthy teeth through diligent dental hygiene practices, nutritional kai and regular dental check ups.

16/01/2026

Bold and adventurous tamariki, out in the wild!

Our local area is a wonderland waiting to be explored. Wild, rugged, beautiful! A tapestry of new adventures just waiting to be experienc...

27/11/2025

Today we emptied out the worm farm onto a tarpaulin sheet so we could have a closer look at the worms and the vermicast (the nutrient-rich, organic soil amendment created when earthworms digest organic waste).
This provided tamariki with a unique opportunity to explore the natural environment with their senses as they delicately scooped the vermicast up with their fingers, allowing the worms to wriggle around in their palms.
Through careful observations the tamariki were quick to notice that there were a few objects among the worm castings that did not belong, including some rubbish (food wrappers), some avocado stones and some slugs. "Rubbish can kill them" one of our tamariki explained (talking about the worms).
This prompted some interesting discussion around the role of the worm farm and the nutritional benefits it provides for the mara kai.
The tamariki shared their thoughts and observations with their fellow peers...

"We feed them scraps, the fruit and the veges."

"They eat our scraps and they make worm tea."

"Someone put rubbish in there... they can't do that."

"Look it's a slug, I think it's poisonous."

"Look, broccoli! Oh there's even eggshell!"

"It's soft, it's wriggly."

"It's a mum and two babies."

"Oh it's so cute!"

Listening to the tamariki share their knowledge, understanding and ideas of sustainable practice has been incredible! We are very lucky to have such promising young kaitiaki in our kindergarten community.

29/10/2025

Spring has arrived and over the past few weeks our bush whānau have been thoroughly enjoying the warmer days, and noticing the seasonal changes happening within the bush environment, such as new growth of the grass and on the trees, the flowers that are in bloom, and the increased presence of insects such as butterflies an dragonflies.
These on-going observations have ignited the thinking of our tamariki, which over the past few weeks has prompted some really wonderful conversations and learning. This certainly is a hot topic among our whiringa-a-nuku peers and we are excited to extend on this learning further.

10/09/2025

We have been so lucky to have been spending our Friday mornings sharing lamb watching with the tamariki here at Bream Bay Kindergarten.

Here at Bream Bay Kindergarten we love an opportunity for learning and fun. When one of our whanau mentioned that they were soon to be looki...

21/07/2025

Over the course of the year our tamariki here at kindergarten have expressed an on-going interest in bugs. Digging in the mud pit for worms and various other insects has become a favourite past time for many of our children. This prompted the question… how can we extend on this learning around insects and their ecological role within our natural environment? After some consultation with the tamariki, we decided to introduce a worm farm into kindergarten.
There has been a lot of excitement around starting the worm farm, and many of our tamariki are eager to take on a kaitiakitanga role within the kindergarten through jobs such as collecting up the scrap fruit and vegetables during kai times, while others are keen to collect the worm tea for fertilizing our mara kai. We are excited to get the worm farm up and running over the coming weeks! Watch this space….

02/07/2025

Join our waiting list, spaces coming up
Bream Bay Kindergarten is...
- Fees free
- Community based
- Not for profit
- Licensed for children between 2 and 6 years old
- Open between 8:15am to 2:15pm
- Open 48 weeks of the year
- Fully trained and registered teachers
Taking enrolments now...
Interested? We'd love to hear from you.
Know others that might be interested?
Let them know about us too.
Call us on 4328096 or email [email protected]
or check out our blog

Several weeks ago some of our tamariki noticed that we had caterpillars on our swan plant here at kindergarten. This emerging interest among the tamariki sparked the idea of carrying out an inquiry into the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly.