July 2026 | Kōrero from Curious Minds

Kia ora e te whānau,

It has been fantastic to see so much enthusiasm, creativity and teamwork across the centres. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in your children's learning. We look forward to another exciting month ahead filled with new discoveries, adventures and opportunities.

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Island Bay

Over the past few weeks we have been celebrating Matariki throughout all of our rooms, with the children exploring the significance of this important time in Aotearoa. Through stories, art experiences, music, conversations and shared learning, we have been discovering how Matariki encourages us to reflect on the past, appreciate the present and think about the hopes and aspirations we have for the future. The children have enjoyed learning about the stars of the Matariki cluster, sharing what they are thankful for, and talking about the people, places and experiences that are important to them. It has been wonderful to see these conversations continue throughout the day as children made connections between their own experiences, their whānau and the wider community.

On Wednesday 9 July we were delighted to welcome our whānau into the centre for a special Matariki afternoon tea. It was a lovely opportunity to slow down and spend time together, sharing kai, conversations and celebrating as a community. Families joined the children in setting goals and aspirations for the months ahead, before planting seeds together as a symbol of growth, care and the journey of nurturing something over time. It was fantastic to see so many families involved, and we would like to thank everyone who came along and helped create such a warm and meaningful afternoon. Moments like these remind us how valuable the partnership between home and centre is in supporting our children's learning and strengthening the sense of belonging within our Curious Minds community.

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Miramar

It's been a busy and exciting few weeks here at Curious Minds Miramar, with lots of opportunities for our tamariki to learn, celebrate and have fun together. We began the month by celebrating the 4th of July with a range of themed activities, giving the children the chance to explore another culture through creative experiences, games and shared discussions. It was wonderful to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they learned about traditions from around the world.

We also enjoyed celebrating Matariki with our whānau, taking time to reflect on the values of togetherness, gratitude and looking ahead to the future. Thank you to all of the families who joined us and helped make this celebration so special. Sharing these moments together strengthens the connections between our centre, our children and our wider community.

One of the children's favourite days this month was our Teddy Bear Picnic! There were plenty of cuddly friends visiting the centre as the children enjoyed stories, songs, picnic games and shared kai with their favourite teddy bears. It was a day filled with smiles, laughter and lots of imaginative play.

To finish off the month, we've embraced the colder weather with some cosy celebrations. We enjoyed a fun PJ Day, where everyone came dressed in their warm pyjamas, and we ended the week with our Mid-Winter Christmas celebration on Friday. These special events create wonderful memories for the children and bring plenty of excitement to our days at Curious Minds Miramar.

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Johnsonville

It's been a wonderful few weeks at Curious Minds Johnsonville as we've come together to celebrate Matariki through a range of meaningful experiences. A huge thank you to all of our whānau who generously donated vegetables for our Matariki kete. The tamariki have loved helping to wash, peel and chop the vegetables as they prepared our delicious huawhenua (vegetable) soup to be shared with families after our Matariki concert. It has been a fantastic way for the children to contribute, learn about working together, and experience the importance of sharing kai with our community. As part of our Matariki celebrations, we have also been reflecting on the special connections between generations and the stories that make each whānau unique. Just as the stars of Matariki remind us to reflect on our past, appreciate the present and look towards the future, these treasured family connections help our tamariki develop a strong sense of belonging and identity.

We would like to give a very warm welcome to Beth, who has recently joined our Nursery team. Beth is a native Mandarin speaker, fluent in English, and also enjoys speaking a little French and Russian. She is passionate about creating a warm, inclusive and play-based environment where every child feels safe, valued and confident to explore. Beth loves spending time with tamariki through play, stories, music, art and outdoor adventures, and we are thrilled to have her as part of our team. July also brought a bittersweet farewell as we said goodbye to our much-loved kaiako, Inna, after four wonderful years with CMEL Johnsonville. Inna has brought so much love, kindness, creativity, and positivity to our centre, and she has made a lasting impact on the lives of our tamariki, whānau, and teaching team. While we are sad to see her go, we are incredibly grateful for everything she has contributed and know she will do amazing things in her next chapter. Thank you, Inna, for being such an important part of our CMEL family. It's not goodbye, just see you later. We wish you nothing but the very best for the future.

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Queenstown

It's been another busy and rewarding few weeks at Curious Minds Queenstown, with our tamariki enjoying a wide range of experiences that support their learning, development and sense of community. As part of our Matariki celebrations, we'd like to say a huge thank you to all of our whānau who contributed vegetables for our Matariki soup. The soup was proudly donated to Baskets of Blessing, giving the children a meaningful opportunity to learn about generosity and caring for others. Along the way, our tamariki explored the different vegetables, shared their opinions (with brussels sprouts proving to be a little unpopular!), and developed valuable life skills as they practised peeling and safely chopping vegetables with bread and butter knives.

Across all of our learning spaces, the children have continued to explore, create and challenge themselves through play. In the Tui Room, climbing and sliding on the wooden structures has been a firm favourite, helping children build confidence, develop gross motor skills and learn the importance of waiting patiently, taking turns and encouraging their friends. Our Pūkeko tamariki have been busy exploring a wide variety of creative experiences, including painting with brushes, fingers, cotton buds and even marbles. They also enjoyed feather painting, ice painting, playdough and felt board activities, all of which encouraged creativity while strengthening fine motor skills, concentration and hand-eye coordination. Alongside these experiences, the children have shown great care for their environment by helping to water our indoor plants and have begun exploring the concept of manaakitanga as we prepare to celebrate International Friendship Day. In the Kiwi Room, learning through play has continued with plenty of opportunities for problem-solving, collaboration and outdoor exploration. The children have been challenging themselves with puzzles, supporting one another as they worked through solutions and celebrating each other's achievements.

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Ngā Mihi Nui from The Curious Minds Team!

‍Stay Connected: Island Bay, Johnsonville, Miramar, Queenstown