Growing Together

We are so grateful for plants gifted to us from the Waipahihi Botanical Reserve that are ready to be put in the ground this season. The little and not so little seedlings were needing some repotting. The little and very helpful hands from BestStart Educare Motutaiko were able to transfer all the kōwhai into pots to grow further before planting them in a local planting site. This is a great way to have the community work together.

The tama below will one day grow to be as strong as the tōtara tree he just planted! He has shown great strength connecting with the nature lessons that our coordinators have brought to his centre. Today he was able to show his leadership skills with his peers as they added native plants to their young ngahere. A thank you goes out to Waipahihi Botanical Reserve for gifting the trees and to the kaiako of Busy Bees Taupō for supporting the tamariki while they explore nature in and out of the centre even if it a bit wet.

It was great to get back into the reserve with Central Kids Waipāhīhī recently and do some restoration work. The children were so productive. They pulled weeds, cut’n pasted broom, wild cherry trees, and cotoneaster, plus caught a rat and a hedgehog.

Central Kids Northwood Kindergarten tamariki recently had fun infill planting in the native garden that they planted with First Credit Union last year. We are so lucky to have the support of local businesses to provide plants for our local ECE centres and schools.