Tipu Room

Nau Mai Haere Mai

Kia ora and welcome to the Tipu room (Infant & Toddlers). We provide a space for Infant and toddlers within an intimate small group size. Their transition from home or the Kakano room to Tipu room becomes a positive step in their learning journey. Our Tipu teachers provide fun and stimulating learning experiences that ignite curiosity, imagination and a love of learning through discovery within a safe and nurturing environment.

Our ratios provide a cosy place for toddlers to explore their unique nature. We support their learning with a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate and supportive of all children during this age of discovery and wonder.

Curriculum planning: Our planning focuses on Te Whariki, the Early Childhood Education curriculum of New Zealand. We recognise a child's interest and use this as a catalyst for supporting children to develop learning dispositions along with new skills and knowledge. Social competence is a key focus within the curriculum and promoting independence and self-help skills forms the foundation for preparing children to become life-long learners.

Buddy teacher: Assigning each child with a buddy teacher, whose focus is to work alongside your child as they learn new routines and assist them with feeling a sense of belonging in their new environment. The buddy teacher will also communicate with parents, develop a secure relationship with your child and ensure parents and tamariki feel welcome and supported. We respond to children's interest and development to cater for their diverse needs.

Portfolio: Every child has their own portfolio to document their learning and experiences while at Active Explores. In the book we document the child's journey of exploration and discovery, special interests and strengths. We look at the child's individual skills and abilities of development as we are providing support and practice these as many times as necessary to allow children time to develop their own theories about the world around them and their interactions with it. The child's portfolio can be taken home so they can read it with their extended family however we do like them to bring it back so we can continue to add to the portfolio.

The child's learning stories are also available on Storypark. We encourage our parents/caregivers to contribute to your child's individual book, as well as the group project, to enrich our shared understanding of children's learning and development both at the centre and at home.

Family Photos: Please bring a family photo/ photos, upload yours to story park, or we could take pictures while you are here at the centre. We aim to support children to develop a sense of belonging and be confident about their identities.

Appropriate clothing: Access to water play, different art activities and messy play, means that your child needs at least three-four extra sets of clothing in their bag. Please keep a wet bag for dirty cloth in your child's school bag. All clothes must be practical, weather- appropriate, e.g. Sunhats in summer, and comfortable to allow for freedom of movement which also serves to support the fostering of children's independence; by strengthening their self-help skills as they are motivated to help themselves if and when they can achieve a positive outcome.

Birthday Celebrations: Please feel free to talk to teachers for healthy birthday party options if you would like to bring food to celebrate your child's birthday at Tipu room. *Weare a nut-free centre.

Water Bottles: To promote and foster healthy eating practices and habits we ensure that drinking water is available to children throughout the day. Your child will need a named water bottle that they can open and close with ease.

Breakfast: If your child arrives before 8:20am we can serve them breakfast that you will provide. Please feel free to bring in your child's breakfast cereal to store here at the centre or you can bring it in daily if you prefer. If your child arrives after this time, we ask that you give them breakfast at home.

Sleep: Please ask for a sleep agreement if your child needs to sleep, and sleep ecords are available daily.

Nappies: Nappies are checked and changed if necessary every two-three hours in the Tipu Room. Please bring at least four nappies or pull-ups daily for your child along with any creams or special wipes that they may need. Alternatively, you may bring in a bag of nappies that we will keep here. We will let you know when the supply is running low.

Partnership with whanau: We strive to work in collaboration with whanau to ensure parent's aspirations for their child's on-going learning are met and recognise the importance of celebrating the unique cultures and contributions of Tipu room.

We hope that this information helps you and your family prepare for this next step in your child's play and learning adventures. We look forward to sharing this with you! Please feel free to contact us with any questions or queries that you may have.

Tipu Room Routine

7:30am	Welcome whanau and tamariki/breakfast ritual/settling in nga tamariki with calming morning activities (Mahuri, Tipu and Pohutukawa combine in the morning. The tuakana-teina relationship is fostered)
8:30am	Care moments as per individual needs/inside and outside flow/meaningful conversations/social play, free movement (child's preference)
9:10am	Morena Hui (Morena waiata, count the tamariki, waiata & Kaiako News and Farewell waiata)
9:20am	Morning Tea (Kai Ritual) Tamariki washing hands and feeding their taste buds
10:00am	Investigations- Experimental and inquiry based learning/Provocations set up by Kaiako to extend Tamariki interest
11:00am	Tipu hui: Greeting - Waiata & pukapuka and Farewell waiata
11:20am	Lunch begins (Kai Ritual)/Washing hands & having a peaceful unhurried meal time
11:50pm	Nap time as required, quiet activities are planned for non-sleepers
2:20pm	Afternoon tea (Kai Ritual) Tamariki washing hands and feeding their taste buds
2:40pm	Planned learning experience to further extend and challenge tamariki learning (Provocation and questions). Inside and outside flow, free movement (child'spreference)
4:00pm	(Tipu, Pohutukawa combine with Mahuri. The tuakana-teina relationship is fostered) Care moments as per individual needs/spontaneousactivities and learning experiences/Restful reading/Inside outside flow/whanau engagement with sharing information
5:15pm	Late snack for Tamariki still in attendance at the Centre
5:30pm	Quiet exploration and learning experiences/getting prepared for next day/resetting/informative  chats with parents/Farewell
6:00pm	Centre closing