Reunion Play Date 2022
We had the immense pleasure of catching up with old kindergarten friends at our 'Reunion Play Date'.
The heart could hardly take it, there were so many friends to reconnect with, it was such a feel good overload!
To have children return to this space and display such confidence and respect as they eloquently blessed the kai and those present was amazing. The two year old watching the older tamariki in this photograph so precious.
Knowing that tamariki would be interested in seeing if kindergarten was as they remembered, we set up a few play stations for them to revisit their experience.
The usual suspects such as the climbing tree and the swings still proved popular.
As children revisited the environment we heard comments to warm the heart "kindergarten was the best time ever...I miss kindy...hey the tree is still here...I used to love doing painting and drawing...I remember..."
Funny...the monkey bars seemed so much taller way back when!
It was such a blast watching children revisit favourite play activities, rediscovering the joy that being with friends in playful pursuit offers.
Teachers noticed that children were still drawn to the same things!
Imaginative play, all about dragons.
...dressing the babies
Our absolute favourite thing about this event was seeing the progress and growth of tamariki shining, confident, capable, happy and thriving.
As kindergarten teachers our time with our youngest friends is sometimes fleeting as they progress to school, and the knowledge that inevitably memories of early childhood fade.
As teachers we aspire to make a positive and lasting impact in the lives of children and families...this day was magical for us as we saw, felt and heard children's accounts of a well loved and joyous kindergarten experience.
Be still our beating hearts, what more could we ask for!
To our good friends; past and present tamariki and whanau of Bream Bay Kindergarten we say thank you. You've made and continue to make it easy to come to work, a live worth living.
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to come along and spend time with us, you truly made our hearts glow!