Omaka Early Learning Centre

We want to say an enormous thanks to Marlborough Boys College First XV Rugby team and their coaches, along with Springlands Sea Scouts. They worked tirelessly over the weekend to dig out all of our bark areas by hand and barrow the old bark / mulch to the carpark. I was doubtful that it could happen in the weekend but it happened in ONE DAY!

This meant that Sunday was only a couple of hours work for the crew to bring all the new bark in. This is the first time we have done such a massive refresh and we can't thank these two groups enough. Their mahi means that we are making a substantial donation to them.

I am telling everyone we know that we are so impressed with the work ethic these young people showed, including the children of one of our kaiako, who worked as hard as the big boys on her ninth birthday! The future is looking bright for Blenheim!

Wow! There is some hard mahi going on today in our outdoor spaces!

We want to say a massive thanks to the Sea Scouts and the MBC rugby teams and all their parents for jumping straight in to the challenge of digging out the old bark and mulch. 💪 This is a fundraising event for them.

We are gobsmacked at how fast the work is happening! Today is concentrating on excavation, then tomorrow we will be putting all our new bark in.

We've had so many shovels and wheelbarrow loaned by parents, so asked big thanks to them too!

If you are keen for some mulch for your garden, please come down tomorrow (late morning or in the afternoon) with your trailer (or car boot). A donation will be appreciated 👏

We want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Westpac for the māra kai (food garden) Ngā Māra Kai o Matariki grants we won. Thank you to Katherine Daly for nominating us. ❤️
We look forward to sprucing up our Rongo-ma-tane garden for the spring with plants and seeds from Mitre10. 🌱🌿🌾🍓🥕🥒🫑🌞

Happy birthday to us! 6 years ago we walked into the centre as very proud new owners. Today we couldn't be prouder of the team and the whānau we have created. Every day is filled with aroha, manaakitanga and mahitahi. It is everything we dreamed of and more. Thank you to all those who have supported us on our journey and shaped Omaka to be what it is today. 🥰

There was much excitement today in the Rongo-ma-tane garden when the Awatere tamariki turned over one of our logs and discovered two friendly slugs. The slugs were very active, moving about the log, which generated lots of discussion and questions, including,
"Do slugs have ears?"
"I think he wants to give his friend a cuddle"
"Is he finding his home?"
"Where's his legs?"
"Oh he's curled up for a sleep!"
Exploring the natural world with our tamariki is an important part of our curriculum and encourages, slowing down, patience and respect for all living things. 🥰🌏

We are so proud of a small crew of Wairau tamariki. They have created an amazing piece of art for this year's A&P show "Ways with Wool" competition. 🐑 They displayed so much creativity and perseverance and mahi tahi in its creation.

Best of luck to our tamariki in the competition!

Wishing a happy Father's Day to every Dad, Daddy, Papa, Poppa, Granddad, Uncle and other special man in the lives of our tamariki.

And of course a special mention to Matt, who is not a Dad but is so loved by all our tamariki!

We hope your day has been relaxing and full of aroha. 🥰

❤️