Tuakana Teina Outdoors

There is no bad weather, just bad clothes.

Everyday is an outdoor day here. When others worry about being cooped up all day in Auckland rainy weather, if our tamariki want to go out in the rain, they do. All of our children (and kaitiaki) have full body wet weather gear and we play. Rain is science, sensory and the same place, but wet. Our world through a rain lens is interesting and at Nurturing Hearts we are about being interested. The same goes for wind, sun and if we had snow, we’d be there too. We wear protection for all.

Out in our all-weather garden, we have a space garnered with loose parts and interesting materials. Remember when blocks of all shapes and sizes, cogs, crates, cushions, blankets, rope, planks of wood and wheels were play things requiring imagination and team work to move and manipulate, before plastic, click into position and one purpose took over? Well, that’s what we have here.

We are an open ended loose parts environment for children’s exploration and creative play.

Our sandpit (also with loose parts), climbing ropes and garden are big part of our space too, as well as little nooks on our deck and steps where we can read, play with small parts and observe others as they play.

Both our Teina and Tuakana share the garden, and they also share in visiting each other’s home rooms as well.