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EduKids Queen
Dear Parents/Whānau
Centre News
Pukeko Room News
Kia ora to all our whānau!
Kia ora Whānau,
We have been having lots of positive
change within the environment. This is
mostly with all our new furniture and
resources arriving and we would like to
thank all our parents/whānau for their
patience during this time.
Please remember that it is really
important that you check your child’s
Storypark profile and comment regularly
as parent/teacher partnerships and trust
are powerful tools and the key to
unlocking you child’s full potential. We
can only achieve the best results for your
child through your contribution.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - RA WHĀNAU KIA
KOE

Kylie Leaf-Walker - 1

Marshal Foley - 3
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Taraki-Laze Watson - 3
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Thomas Price - 4

Kalais Dellow - 4

Indiana Davis-Brown - 5
IMPORTANT DATES

22nd July - Celebration of Cultures
Day

22nd August - Red Nose Day
A big welcome to our new friends Ezra and Hunter and their whānau. We look
forward to getting to know you all better and being part of your learning journey
here at EduKids Queen.
We have noticed that the tamariki in Pukeko Room have had a strong interest in
activities and experiences that involve tipping, pouring and mixing so the teachers
have been setting up a variety of activities and experiences to support and promote
this interest. Some of these activities have involved some messy fun. This included
containers that we used to tip and pour the slime and paint and used our hands for
mixing! Great concentration was needed to pour the water down the pipes in the
sandpit. Our fine motor skills were supported as we carefully scooped up glitter and
chalk dust, using a teaspoon and transporting it from one container and pouring it
onto a tray to mix around. Through these activities the children are learning about
maths and science concepts – colours, patterns, gravity, reactions. They are also
exploring and developing their senses, building relationships as they work alongside
their friends, developing their communication and turn taking skills.
Remember to have a look at the photos and art work displayed around the Pukeko
room to see what other fun we have been having. Also please remember to look at
Storypark to see learning stories and photos of your child. We would love it if you
would comment on the stories and share with us some of your adventures at
home, feel free to add your own photos too!! If you are unsure how to use
Storypark please see one of the teachers for some assistance.
We would also like to say a huge Thank You to Marley’s Nanny who spent some
time with us during Te Reo Māori language week teaching us how to make poi and
role modelling her Te Reo Māori. We really appreciate you sharing your skills and
your time with us.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW WHĀNAU

Ezra Eden

Hunter Todd

Meher Shergill

Ekampreet Kaur
July 2016
BestStart for happy, confident learners
Kiwi Room News
Karen’s (Centre cook) Column
Best Gingerbread in the world
(Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small)
Ingredients
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2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 ½ Tbl Powdered Ginger
½ tsp Mixed Spice
½ tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/3 Cup Golden Syrup
225gm Butter (roughly diced)
2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
250ml Milk
Method
Pre heat your oven to 150 degrees.
Grease and line two standard loaf tins
This month we welcome Meher and Ekampreet to our Kiwi room whānau. We
look forward to getting to know you and your family and building a strong
relationship with you to support your growth, learning and development.
We have had so much happening this month in Kiwi room. Our current
learning focus is on sensory play, construction and creative thinking. The
tamariki have been actively engaged in a variety of new and different learning
opportunities that have extended their interests and challenged them. The
teachers have provided a variety of resources and used a variety of different
teaching strategies to ensure that the tamariki are engaged and that
opportunities for further learning are recognised and responded to. Now that
the weather is getting better our weekly Wednesday library trips have
restarted.
The children’s current interests are; construction, creative thinking and
sensory play. The teachers have set up activities where the tamariki are
actively engaged in sensory play, such as finger-paint, play dough and gloop.
Construction activities have included carpentry, large wooden blocks, Duplo,
mobilo and lego. The tamariki have also had fun constructing huts using a
variety of open ended resources. Liz accessed an old lawn mower for the
tamariki to take apart and then reassemble. This has been a huge hit with a
lot of the tamariki and especially the older boys. The tamariki have used
creative thinking in all these different areas and activities. A small group of
tamariki took an interest in our local Maori legend “Te Mata O Rongokako;”
we were involved in a variety of activities relating to this to extend the
children’s thinking.
On the 22nd June we had a wig day to raise funds for the cancer society. The
different wigs and creations were amazing, check out the photos Tash put up
on the wall. This month we also said fare well to Louise and wish her all the
best with her new role as centre manager at another centre.
with baking paper.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, brown
sugar, baking soda, baking powder,
ginger, mixed spice, nutmeg and
cinnamon.
In a small saucepan add the golden
syrup and butter. Melt over low heat. Add
the golden syrup and butter mix, followed
by the lightly beaten eggs and milk, to
the sifted ingredients. Whisk to combine,
then pour into your prepared loaf tins.
Cook the gingerbread for 1 hour and 10
minutes, or until a skewer comes out
clean. Remove from the oven and leave
to cool in the tins for 30 minutes before
turning out.
BestStart for happy, confident learners