Feb/March 2026 | Kōrero from Curious Minds

Kia ora e te whānau,

Such a wonderful few weeks at Curious Minds Early Learning, from learning about our sea life, to painting murals, celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, Holi, and going for a hikoi up the mountains, we have been non-stop busy!

Have a great time reading all about what your tamariki have been up to.

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Island Bay

Over the last few weeks we have been busy bees here at CMEL Island Bay, learning about sea creatures, Lunar New Year, obstacle courses and Valentines Day! The tamariki were so lucky to have Cherry (Victoria's mum) come to the centre to make dumplings to celebrate Lunar New Year. Other activities included making a cardboard dragon, and dancing around the classrooms with it.

For Valentines Day the tamariki painted cards and got creative with their artistic skills. It's a wonderful opportunity to practice kindness and writing positive words about their fellow classmates. Sea creatures have been on the topic for the start of March, and our kaiako have set up wonderful stations to learn about the critters swimming around in the deep. The tamariki got to help keep Moa Point clean by brushing off their supplied animals! We also got a new mural painted by one of our employees, with 6 different native birds and a ton of native foliage, the focus of the painting is Taputeranga Island in the Island Bay bay. The tamariki were so curious when Sienna was painting it, and love learning about the names of the different flora and fauna.

All in all this year is flying by. We are sad to say goodbye to summer but welcoming autumn in.

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Johnsonville

Our tamariki have been exploring the world in so many wonderful ways recently! From celebrating the vibrant festival of Holi with colours of joy and love, to embarking on an inspiring hikoi up Mt Kau Kau where they navigated challenging terrain through our native ngahere, listening to birdlife and cicadas while enjoying stunning city views. Back in our māra, the Classroom harvested fresh rhubarb to create delicious crumbles, and our tamariki transformed into their favourite book characters, bringing stories to life through imaginative costumes and creative play. These diverse experiences, from cultural celebrations to outdoor adventures and literary explorations, enrich our learning journey in beautiful ways.

Each activity at CMEL Johnsonville offers unique opportunities for growth and connection. Last week's mountain hikoi showed just how strong and capable our tamariki's minds and bodies are as they persevered and problem-solved through the terrain, followed by playtime at the playground before catching the train back to Centre. Meanwhile, the simple joy of harvesting our own rhubarb and baking with it creates sweet memories that fill both our bellies and hearts. Whether we're celebrating festivals from around the world, exploring our local maunga, growing kai in our garden, or diving into stories through costumes, we're building a community that embraces diversity, nature, and the magic of childhood exploration every single day.

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Miramar

Our tamariki at Curious Minds Miramar have been busy celebrating creativity and culture! We're thrilled to announce that our children's stunning murals recently won an award, showcasing their artistic talents and collaborative spirit. This achievement follows our vibrant Holi celebration where everyone enjoyed creating colourful Rangoli art, dancing to joyful music, and embracing the festival's spirit of community and renewal. Our Fairy Tale day brought imagination to life as children built magnificent castles, crafted colourful crowns, and acted out their favourite stories, developing language skills and social confidence through play. We celebrated Chinese Lantern Day and St Patrick's with lots of great activities and cheer.

The excitement continued with our Big Heart Day celebration in support of the Heart Foundation, where everyone dressed in red, painted beautiful heart art, and enjoyed a wonderful outdoor adventure. Our group picnic at the park was followed by active playtime with ball games and rounds of "What's the time Mr Wolf," promoting physical health and teamwork. These diverse activities, from artistic achievements to cultural celebrations to physical adventures, demonstrate how Curious Minds Miramar provides rich, multifaceted learning experiences that nurture every aspect of your child's development in a joyful, supportive environment.

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Queenstown

Our Tui tamariki have been embracing outdoor exploration and developing important social skills through their hammock adventures. The gentle swaying has provided wonderful opportunities for children to practice turn-taking, relaxation, and discovering the simple joy of movement. Back inside, our fine motor skills have been put to good use as children engage in grouping and sorting activities, building cognitive development while having fun. The Chinese New Year brought cultural celebration to life with traditional stories and hands-on cooking of delicious Puff Pastry Dragons, introducing our tamariki to diverse traditions and flavours.

Sea Week has been a highlight of our recent programming, as children dive into ocean-themed learning experiences and provocations. Through engaging activities, our tamariki have discovered the fascinating creatures that inhabit our seas and learned about the importance of caring for these precious marine environments. The week culminated in creative expression as each child crafted their own fish puppets, bringing their ocean knowledge to life through art and imaginative play. These diverse experiences continue to nurture curiosity, cultural awareness, and environmental stewardship among our Queenstown tamariki.

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Ngā Mihi Nui from The Curious Minds Team!

‍Stay Connected: Island Bay, Johnsonville, Miramar, Queenstown