Exploring our Pets

Preschool has a small menagerie of animals that the children love to care for and observe. For many this is an opportunity to be close to an animal as they don’t have pets at home. ‘Squirt the Turtle’ is the favourite – the children feed him every day and love to watch him have some ‘free time’ out of his tank in our garden!

‘Will and Kate,’ our budgies happily sing along to the music and their cheeping is often louder than the children. Watching our tadpoles evolve into frogs was a highlight of the term  and the children love to spend time catching live insects, flies and cicadas for the frogs to eat. An amazing learning experience watching a frog eat a whole live cicada! Goldfish make up the et area and are a relaxing way for the children to spend some time watching them as they cruise around their tank. The children take turns to help staff clean out their tanks and cages as well as feeding them.

Te Whariki
Belonging: Children develop skills in caring for the environment and animals – helping others with the care of it in a fun and safe way. Confidence that they can participate without fear from harm. 

Exploration: Children gain respect and a sense of responsibility for the well-being of the living and non-living environment.