How Can You Be Involved?

At Te Ōki Early Learning, we believe children thrive best when there’s a strong partnership between home and centre. When parents and kaiako work together, children feel more confident, secure, and connected—and this has a lasting impact on their learning.

In fact, New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, places strong emphasis on collaboration with families. It highlights the importance of whānau contributions in creating learning environments that reflect children’s lives, cultures, and identities.

So, how can you be involved? Here are some of the ways we welcome and value your presence, voice, and participation at Te Ōki.

1. Join Us for Special Events

Whether it’s a graduation ceremony, a Matariki celebration, or a special themed day, we love having families join us. These events are more than just fun—they’re moments that help your child feel proud of who they are and who they belong to.

When children see their parents involved in their ECE environment, it strengthens their sense of belonging, one of the key strands of Te Whāriki. They learn that their world is connected, and that the important people in their lives are working together to support them.

2. Come Along to Parent Workshops

We regularly offer parent workshops to share insights into child development, behaviour strategies, or learning through play. These evenings aren’t about giving lectures—they’re about learning together, strengthening home-centre connections, and making space for shared conversations.

When we understand each other’s perspectives, we can create consistent support systems for tamariki that help them flourish—at home and at the centre.

3. Stay Connected Through Kebudel

We use Kebudel, our digital platform, to keep you in the loop with photos, videos, and updates about your child’s day. But it’s not just a window into our world—we love when you use it to share yours too!

Telling us about your child’s interests, holidays, family events, or milestones gives us a richer picture of who they are. It allows us to weave home experiences into centre learning, which Te Whāriki recognises as crucial for building strong learning foundations.

4. Share What Matters on Our Whiteboards

You’ll often see whiteboards around the centre asking for input—things like your child’s recent interests, family traditions, or skills you’re happy to share. These prompts help us plan curriculum experiences that are culturally relevant, child-led, and meaningful.

By contributing your voice, you’re helping us co-construct learning opportunities, a practice that aligns with Te Whāriki’s emphasis on child and whānau-centred learning.

5. Share Your Skills and Passions

Do you love baking? Gardening? Woodwork? Reading stories? Whatever your strength, we value it.

When parents contribute their knowledge and skills—whether it’s fixing a fence, painting a wall, or planting a veggie patch—they're helping shape a learning environment that’s rich in real-life experience. These interactions model collaboration, generosity, and community involvement for our tamariki.

6. Invite Us Into Your World

Some of our favourite learning experiences happen outside the centre, when we visit family farms, businesses, or workplaces. These excursions help children make connections between their home life and the wider world, supporting their understanding of how things work, and building real-world knowledge.

If your workplace, farm, or whānau space could offer a safe learning experience, we’d love to hear about it!

7. Join the Sharing Shelf

Our sharing shelf is a simple way families support each other—whether it’s extra produce from your garden or items others might find useful. It's one of the many little ways we create a sense of community and kindness within our Te Ōki whānau.

8. Have a Say in What We Do

We invite and appreciate your feedback on things like policy reviews, our curriculum design, and even how the environment is set up. Your input helps guide our decision-making and ensures we’re truly reflecting the needs and values of our community.

This kind of collaboration is at the heart of Te Whāriki’s principles of Whānau Tangata (Family and Community) and Ngā Hononga (Relationships)—reminding us that strong relationships are the foundation for great learning.

Final Thoughts

Being involved in your child’s early learning doesn’t mean adding more to your to-do list. Sometimes it’s as simple as a quick comment on Kebudel, a contribution to the whiteboard, or popping in to say hi during an event.

Whatever works for your whānau, know that your involvement matters. When we work together, we create a learning journey that is richer, deeper, and more meaningful for your child.

At Te Ōki, we’re so grateful to be walking this journey alongside you.