Outdoor Environment

We believe children need to experience an environment where they develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical and material worlds.

In late 2008 our centre (and all other preschool, primary and secondary schools) received a bequest from the Colin Baas Estate. It was originally stated that the funds were to be used for the phyiscal development of children in Golden Bay.

The Board of Trustees and staff agreed that we would use the donation to enhance our outdoor area.

A playground landscape plan was designed for our centre by John Allen from Christchurch, in consultation with teachers, children and whanau.

Stage One - The Under Two's outdoor environment 

The construction of a small deck beside the sandpit and a perspex and manuka pole fence.

Stage Two - River

Teachers realised the importance of providing an environment based on an understanding of the nature and properties of a range of substances such as sand, water, stones and shingle. The river channel was built by Theron Burgess over a two month period and was finished in February 2011. Our centre community provided a variety of local rocks and stones, shrubs and grasses to recreate a local natural landscape. One of the key features of our river is the reticulating water system, with a submersible pump that conserves the water that we harvest from the nearby playhouse roof. The children can see and hear when the pump comes on and refills the water tank, and also when the water is getting low and we have to conserve it's use.

Te Awa Iti (our little river) was offically opened in March 2011 with a naming ceremony.