Our Philosophy

At Kidlywinks, we view all children as capable, curious learners. We recognise and celebrate their unique strengths, interests and ways of exploring the world. Through responsive, intentional teaching, we support our tamariki to grow in confidence and take an active role in their own learning journey.
 

We support and encourage tamariki to explore, take risks, make decisions, and develop their independence. By encouraging children to try things for themselves, we help them build confidence, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
 

We respect children’s play as valuable, meaningful learning. Our routines remain flexible so tamariki have the time and space to follow their interests, stay deeply engaged, and bring their ideas to life without unnecessary interruption. Through this approach, children are able to explore, develop skills, and build relationships in ways that feel natural and authentic to them.
 

We value our natural environment and believe children should experience the world in all weather, exploring, observing, and engaging with the changing seasons and elements as a vital part of their learning and growth.
 

We believe that as kaiako, our role is to build strong, trusting relationships with tamariki, care for and nurture them, and model positive behaviours. We introduce new concepts and ideas, scaffold learning, challenge thinking, encourage exploration, and celebrate achievements, fostering each child’s sense of agency, creativity, and connection to others.
 

Tuakana–teina learning is a natural part of our mixed-age centre. Older children support and guide younger tamariki, while younger children are inspired by and learn alongside their older peers. This creates opportunities for empathy, leadership, collaboration, and strong, meaningful relationships across all ages.
 

Relationships sit at the heart of everything we do. We build strong, respectful connections with tamariki, work collaboratively with whānau, and foster supportive, relationships between kaiako. These connections create a sense of belonging, trust, and community where everyone can thrive.
 

We are proud to embrace Te Tiriti o Waitangi through authentic partnerships with Māori learners and by reciprocating knowledge of Tikanga and Te Reo Māori with our whānau and tamariki, as well as sharing and celebrating the many other wonderful cultures represented within our environment.

 

Our Key Learning Priorities Include:

Social learning and emotional wellbeing

Leadership and manaakitanga

Independence and self-help skills

Empathy and kindness

Peer-to-peer relationships and tuakana–teina learning

Collaboration and problem-solving

Inclusion and belonging