Rākau Learning, Growing, and Preparing for School – Hamilton Preschool & Kindy
In our Rākau room, tamariki are supported to become confident, capable, and curious learners as they prepare for their transition to school. Through meaningful relationships, play-based learning, and rich opportunities for exploration, children are encouraged to develop independence, resilience, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning. We strive to create a space where tamariki feel valued, capable, and excited to take on new challenges alongside their peers.
Our Rākau room caters for preschool-aged children from approximately three and a half years until they leave for school.
Building Confident Learners Through Play – Hamilton Preschool Programme
Learning Through Play
We believe in play-based learning, where children take the lead. As teachers, we follow children’s interests, encourage them to try new things, and intentionally extend their learning through thoughtful planning and documentation.
Our environment has opportunities for:
- dramatic play
- physical exploration
- building and construction
- manipulative and fine motor play
- problem solving
- cognitive thinking
- language development
- sensory play
Our environment is consistently set up with engaging experiences that children can explore independently, alongside peers or in groups.
School Readiness
Children are supported to learn skills and dispositions that aid them in their transition to school. We actively foster self-help skills (like dressing and looking after their belongings), independence, and communication skills.
Early literacy and numeracy concepts are woven naturally throughout our programme in meaningful and engaging ways. Building LEGO creations strengthens the hand muscles needed for writing, while mark making supports hand-eye coordination and early understandings of drawing and written language. Reading aloud and having books consistently available encourages a love of storytelling, language, and print. Everyday experiences such as tipping, pouring, comparing sizes, and problem-solving introduce foundational mathematical concepts through play.
Children are encouraged to join group times to start seeing themselves as a collective, learn from their peers and practice skills needed for school.
Every week, our children are invited to participate in our ‘Born to Move’ programme run by our teachers. These short instructional videos are fully choreographed songs, aimed at 3-5 year olds, to encourage movement through fun storylines.
In partnership with the Department of Conservation (DoC), children have opportunities to explore our local ngahere (forest) and develop a growing sense of kaitiakitanga, curiosity, and connection to the natural world. We believe frequent positive experiences in a natural environment can have a major impact on the healthy growth and development of children.
Commitment to Te Tiriti
Te reo Māori and te ao Māori are woven naturally throughout our daily programme. Teachers incorporate te reo within conversations, routines, mat times, waiata, and learning experiences, supporting children to develop a sense of belonging and connection to the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa.
Relationships and Wellbeing
Our children are encouraged to develop social skills and build reciprocal relationships that value and respect their peers and teachers. Through these safe and reciprocal relationships, children develop resilience, empathy, problem-solving skills, and strategies for navigating social challenges.
Our Rākau room is a vibrant and welcoming space where tamariki are empowered to explore their interests, strengthen relationships, and grow into confident learners ready for the next stage of their journey.
We would love to welcome you into our Rākau room and share our preschool programme with your whānau. Book a visit to see our learning environment in action.
Meet the Teachers
ABBEY
Team Leader & Qualified Kaiako
Abbey has her Bachelor of Early Childhood Education from The University of Waikato and has been teaching since 2017. She is passionate about ensuring tamariki are seen, heard, and respected. Abbey enjoys following each tamaiti on their own learning pathway and providing support and encouragement where needed. She finds it most rewarding when tamariki reach their own goals and feel a sense of mana (pride) within themselves.
JASON
Kaiako
Jason is a very caring and fun kaiako who is loved by all the tamariki. He has worked throughout the Centre with all three age-groups, and is currently a kaiako in Rākau where the older tamariki really enjoy having a male role model around. Jason is passionate about Nature and continues to provide lots of amazing opportunities for the tamariki with the incredible creatures he brings to live at Midcity. He is also a wonderful encourager of gross motor development and is often found extending the tamariki in this valuable area of our curriculum.
CLAUDIA
Qualified Kaiako
Claudia has a bachelor in Social Science where she majored in Psychology and minored in Human Development, as well as a Graduate Diploma of Teaching in Early Childhood. Claudia loves working with children, but her favourite part about teaching is watching them develop and grow. Working alongside them while their language, gross and fine motor skills, and personalities develop and flourish is fascinating and to be a part of it is even greater.