Daily Routine

Kaiako arrives, opening jobs commence.

Children begin to arrive with parents/caregivers. Children hang up their bags, find their name tags and begin to unpack their bags. The two and three-year-old children put their lunchboxes on the trolley and drink bottles on the drink station located next to the sign-in chart. Four-year-olds keep their lunch boxes in their bags and get them out at morning teatime. Children who require nappies put their nappies in their cubby hole located in the bathroom. Kaiako support children to settle into the morning routine and encourage children to follow out on morning tasks. Children have free choice of play before they get ready for morning tea.

Rolling morning tea begins. Children are asked if they would like kai. Then they are supported to wash their hands and guided to take their lunch boxes and drink bottles before sitting at the table. Karakia is said when the first group of children are seated. We encourage healthy food options, and parents are asked to provide enough food for morning tea and lunch.

Children who are toilet training are encouraged to go to the toilet and children who wear nappies are encouraged to come to the bathroom and get changed. Nappies are provided by the parent. Free play continues.

Class tidy up, all children help tidy up and prepare for lunchtime before sitting on the mat.

All tamariki are encouraged to sit on the mat where we sing songs, learn the days of the week, talk about things that might be coming up and group together. Our mat times are adaptable to children’s ages and needs. We send the younger children to wash their hands first and when children are new we encourage the older children to show the younger children the process (Tuakana-Teina). We encourage a seated mat as children are required to sit down at school. We wrap up mat time with a group Karakia in preparation for Kai.

Lunchtime begins. We sit down together with a teacher at each table. Safe eating and self-help skills are encouraged at this time.

Children who need sleep are encouraged to put their lunch boxes back on the trolley, wash their hands and faces, go to the toilet or get their nappy changed and prepare to sleep.  This is a great time to foster and develop self-help skills. Children are encouraged to take their shoes off, tuck their socks in their shoes and put their belongings in their sleep bags. Children who are not sleeping are encouraged to begin to prepare to wash their hands and faces, put their lunch boxes in their bags and transition into play. Teachers begin to clean up and kaiako and children re-set the tables and transition into the afternoon.

Children who wear nappies are changed and children who are toilet training are encouraged to sit on the toilet.

Children who are sleeping are woken up, dressed and reminded to go to the toilet and nappies are checked. Children who have had a sleep put their lunch boxes in their bags and transition into play.

Most children go home by 3 so the sandpit is cleaned around then.

Kaiako begin to tidy up resources/activities’ which children are not using. Teachers support children leaving at 3 to tidy up the areas they are using before they go home. Teachers greet parents/caregivers and communicate messages and day to day information about their child’s day.

We begin to do a centre tidy up starting with the areas the children are no longer using. Teachers support the remaining children.

If children are hungry, they can have afternoon tea from their lunch boxes or choose an activity.

Home time.