Happenings in 2018
Super Hero Beach Clean-up
Fun with Paint
Friday, Wheels Day
On Fridays the children can bring their bikes or scooters, and we take them into Ranui Reserve to have a ride.
Our New Mud Pit in Action
Happenings in 2017
Christmas Party at the Trains
A big thank you to everyone who came and made our Christmas excursion to the Tahunanui Trains a successful and fun experience. Riding the trains was enjoyable for children and adults alike, and of course our special visitor (Santa) was the star of the event!
Christmas Carols at Kensington Court
We had a fantastic visit to Kensington Court to sing Christmas Carols to the residents, which is an annual event.
The children looked amazing dressed up in their festive costumes and their singing was awesome! Some of our children even got up and sang by themselves or with a friend. We have stars in the making. The children definitely bought joy to the residents of Kensington Court through their singing and the way they all went around afterwards shaking everyone's hands, giving hugs and wishing all the residents a merry Christmas. It was a very special morning. |
We are now a Silver Enviroschool!
Manaaki whenua, manaaki Tangata, haere whakamua.
Care for the land, care for the people, go forward.
Care for the land, care for the people, go forward.
Visiting Significant Local Landmarks
It was a perfect Nelson Day to explore the significant landmarks of Whakatu/Nelson that relate to our mihi and legends. Unfortunately we couldn't actually see Maungatapu, which is behind the double hills in the third photo.
Visiting Whakatu Marae
After weeks of planning we joined Victory Square Kindergarten and Kohanga Reo to visit the Whakatu Marae.
Increasing our Knowledge and Understanding
We have been extremely fortunate to have had Tiana Alesana, a third year student, with us this year as she has a wealth of Maori knowledge which she has passed on to the teachers and children. We have also had Matua Madsen visiting us for kapa haka sessions for a term.
Children hard at work,
laying the foundation for the future
Visit to 'Smart Environmental' Recycling Station
Our Young Environmentalists
Kaitiake (Guardians) of the Reserve
Fishing at Sunderlands Pier 2017Nelson turned on another beautiful day for our annual fishing trip.
For many children it was their first time fishing and it was a great experience for them. We even got a few fish! Once again, a huge thank you to the Mums, Dads, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents that came along to help out. Without you we couldn't go on these sorts of excursions so THANK YOU! |
Visiting Artists
Two of our parents are artists, and we are very grateful that they gave up some of their time to visit us at kindergarten to show the children some of their work, as well as spending time with the children extending their interest in art and using different mediums.
'Mister Science'
Mister Science, Sterling Cathman, has been 'wowing' our children this term with his wonderful experiments.
The kindergarten has been filled with squeals of delight from the children as they join in with the science fun.
Our children have loved having him visit us throughout the term and have gained a lot of knowledge along the way.
Family Fun Night
Stoke Kindergarten Cafe
This was a great opportunity for parents to find out some handy hints for supporting their children’s speech and language development and an opportunity for them to have an informal chat with Catherine about any concerns they may have regarding their children’ speech and language acquisition.
We hope to have our café open each term with different guest speakers. Everyone is welcome. |
Happenings in 2016
Ranui Reserve - 'Our Reserve'
We are very lucky to have a beautiful reserve right behind the Kindergarten.
We have a gate that opens straight on to the reserve and we use it regularly. The children play team games there, explore the environs, collect fruit from the trees and learn more about the natural world around us. We have also held Family Fun Nights, Hangi's and other fun activities there. Nelson City Council have been great at listening to, and acting on our ideas for edible plants, native plants and winding paths through the area and we must thank them for their hard work making it such a special place. |
St Patrick's Day Wheel-a-Thon 2016
Every year our Committee holds a 'Wheel-a-thon' as a fun activity for the children and a fund raiser for our Kindergarten.
The children are sponsored for riding their bikes, scooters, or anything with wheels, around a course at Stoke School. This year it was held on St Patrick's Day so we all got into the 'green theme!' We also have a sausage sizzle on the night so you don't even have to cook tea. Thanks to everyone that helped out. |
Our Families joining in with the St Patrick's day theme made it a fun time for all.
Fishing at Sunderlands Pier 2016
Nelson turned on beautiful weather, but not many fish, for our latest fishing trip. For many of the children it was their first time fishing and they loved the experience. A huge thanks to all the Mums, Dads, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents who came along for the morning and made it possible.
Masterchefs
As part of our Healthy Heart Award and Enviroschools project, we grow vegetables in our garden and then cook them up into delicious healthy food to enjoy. After making pizza the day before, our Masterchefs were back at work with leftovers from the pizza, and silverbeet from our garden, creating yummy pinwheel scones.
Healthy Eating and Sustainability
Our programme helps develop our children's knowledge about healthy eating and sustainability.
2014 Programme
Buddies
Special Visitors
We have recently had a couple of special visitors at our Kindergarten.
Bucklebear and his helper came from Plunket to talk to our children about the importance of being buckled up safely in cars. We were also reminded about the importance of being safe in driveways and for adults to be extra vigilant when leaving or entering any driveway. |
St Johns in Schools have also been to visit the children and as you can see the visit was very interactive! The children got to have a turn with the different equipment and then had a go at bandaging up one of our teachers, Toshi. We really appreciate the valuable knowledge that these visitors have shared with our children. |
Conservation Week
When we returned to the Kindergarten with the rubbish we had collected, we sorted it into rubbish that can be 'rescued' and rubbish that sadly needs to go to the tip.
The Teacher asked one of the children, "Why did you go to Isel Park?" "To pick up rubbish" "Whose rubbish?" "Silly people who left it there" "Why were you picking up other peoples rubbish?" "Because we are looking after the whole world"
'Blokes' and Kids Lunch
As part of our 'All About Me' focus on families, and with Fathers Day coming up, we decided to invite all the 'blokes' in our children's lives to come and join us for lunch.
The children helped make pumpkin soup and scones for the 'blokes' and McCashins Brewery kindly donated some ginger beer for them to enjoy. It was great that so many 'blokes' could join us and the children had a wonderful time showing them what they get up to at Kindergarten. |
BNZ 'Closed for Good' Day

Six BNZ Nelson workers spent their 'Closed for Good' day here at Stoke Kindergarten.
They were amazing and we are so grateful for their very hard work!
They were amazing and we are so grateful for their very hard work!
They also helped with our mosaic project and in the office. Thank you to BNZ for their wonderful community spirit.
"All About Me" Personal Safety Programme Implemented
What Happens to our Rubbish?
Burying the rubbish
We took a small group of children to the Reuse & Recycle Center to see what happens to our rubbish.
Focus on Kicking
Our Term 3 foundation skill focus is on kicking. Children are learning the 3 verbal cues as they participate in a variety of fun sessions.
Our Term 3 foundation skill focus is on kicking. Children are learning the 3 verbal cues as they participate in a variety of fun sessions.
Ryan Charles, the Regional Development Officer for Tasman Rugby League, also came along to give us some great pointers.
Congratulations Karen
Karen is now a fully registered Teacher. The children and staff celebrated her becoming a 'real' Teacher with a shared lunch.
Karen is now a fully registered Teacher. The children and staff celebrated her becoming a 'real' Teacher with a shared lunch.
Matariki Celebrations
The evening began with the children re-creating one of the legends of Matariki.
The evening began with the children re-creating one of the legends of Matariki.
Soup and cheese stars were served, and the children collected their glow sticks and we all headed outside to watch Toshi and Leo entertain us with a fire poi display.
Art Exhibition
In order to extend children's interest in art, we went on an excursion to visit two Nelson galleries: WOW, and the Suter. Children were given the opportunity to engage with the artwork in interactive ways, talking about them, interpreting them through movement, and creating their own pictures to bring back to kindergarten, where they were displayed in our own exhibition.
In order to extend children's interest in art, we went on an excursion to visit two Nelson galleries: WOW, and the Suter. Children were given the opportunity to engage with the artwork in interactive ways, talking about them, interpreting them through movement, and creating their own pictures to bring back to kindergarten, where they were displayed in our own exhibition.
So many ways to jump!
Our skill focus for this term, as part of our Sport Tasman Fundamental Skills programme, is on jumping.
We have been incorporating this into many areas of our programme and have ‘jump started’ our Team games again in the reserve where children have had fun and been challenged with jumping in sacks, on moon hoppers and from spot to spot.
We have been incorporating this into many areas of our programme and have ‘jump started’ our Team games again in the reserve where children have had fun and been challenged with jumping in sacks, on moon hoppers and from spot to spot.
Sunflowers at Stoke Kindergarten
This term we entered a sunflower art competition, children did observational drawings or paintings of the sunflowers.
We were so proud to find that Stoke Kindergarten children won the first, second and third prizes for their age group, not to mention a further three honorable mentions from the judges for our budding artists. Ka rawe to mahi toi, Stoke Kindergarten - awesome art work! |
2013 Programme
Wear Red for
Healthy Hearts To launch the re-validation of our Healthy Heart Award programme, (of which we have already earned a gold award) we entered in a national competition ‘Wear Red for Healthy Heart’ run by the Heart Foundation. We had Sport Tasman's activity trailer in the park all morning and we were out there having FUN as we kept fit and healthy. We also enjoyed a shared morning tea of healthy red food in the shade of the trees. |
Stoke Kindergarten celebrates 60 years
Morning Celebrations
The celebrations began with a morning tea attended by the pupils, their families and various members of the community who had been closely associated with the kindergarten throughout the years.
What made the event extra special was that it was attended by one of the kindergarten’s original teachers, 82-year old Trixie Hindley, as well as a foundation pupil, Marie Powell. Trixie flew from Whakatane to attend the celebrations and unveiled an engraved boulder to commemorate the anniversary. |
The children performed action songs for the guests including "I'm a Little Teapot" with our guests Pat Jones (ex Story Gran) Trixie Hindley (Original teacher at Stoke Kindergarten) and Maree Powell (Foundation pupil) joining in.