Confidence builder grows community connection

Some of the very best kindergarten activities turn out not only to be great experiences for the children, but to be real community builders for whānau, too. That was certainly the case when Kidsfirst Sumner accepted an offer from a High Ropes Instructor parent to set up a 10-12 metre high Flying Fox at the kindergarten - it proved to be a winner with parents and tamariki alike.

Like all good things, a lot of planning and a bit of paperwork was involved.

“We got permission from our Professional Leader,” Sumner teacher Nicola Goodman says. “Then we had a Safe Work Method Statement plan written by the Dad (Dan Smith) that all the parents had to read. Consent forms went out that families had to sign to confirm they had read and understood the plan and what it meant for them.

For tamariki, the anticipation was almost as exciting as the event itself.

“They were absolutely thrilled at the idea of it and counted down the sleeps until the day. On the day, Dan’s son and his friends wanted to go first. Everyone was very eager to go out and watch. Some just wanted to sit back and watch before they had their turn. Others got straight in, and a few watched for a bit longer. We said to those tamariki ‘you let us know when you’re comfortable’, and a couple of hours later most came and said ‘we’re ready for our turn now’, which was huge. About 90% of the children gave it a go. Some weren’t sure, and that was OK.”

There was a little bit of settling down to do once the children were back on the ground.

“There was a lot of laughing, a lot of happy, smiling faces and a lot of adrenaline afterwards. They got back to the ground and they had all this energy - as I imagine adults would, from doing something similar. There was a lot of joy, a lot of cheering.”

As well as giving the children the opportunity to try something new, scary, and succeed, the event brought whānau into the kindergarten - something that is not always an easy thing to achieve, with parents being so busy nowadays.

“Everyone was really keen to be a part of it and it built a huge sense of whanaungatanga (community) - we had a lot of families come in who weren’t usually there on a Tuesday just to join in. A lot of parents turned up to watch - either from the morning drop off, and a couple of dads and mums popped in during their morning tea or lunch break to watch their child have a turn. Parents were cheering and supporting. It was a really joyful community event.”

The event was also a great example of how parent contributions come in all different ways - and how valuable they are.

“Dan so generously gifted his time to us, as did his wife, who took some beautiful photos. We had an amazing morning. As we said to him, the children will never forget this. That’s one of those kindergarten memories that you always remember.”

Nicola says the children had fun - but also got so much out of the event.

"This experience gave ngā tamariki the opportunity to develop their confidence, trust and build manawanui (bravery) through taking responsible risks and trying new things."