Te reo is part of everyday life at the Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare Centre. Alice-Mae Spence, left, Lachlan Willoughby, Cooper Simpson, teacher Aimee Willoughby, Nash Rolls, Kanade Sutoyo and Ariana-Mei Harris. Photo / George Novak
Te reo is part of everyday life at the Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare Centre. Alice-Mae Spence, left, Lachlan Willoughby, Cooper Simpson, teacher Aimee Willoughby, Nash Rolls, Kanade Sutoyo and Ariana-Mei Harris. Photo / George Novak
Te reo Maori is part of everyday life at the Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare centre.
Make sure to wear your potae on your head on a sunny day and always horoi o ringa ringa after going to the toilet.
Use your reo ata when you are inside.
Early childhoodteacher Aimee Willoughby said the staff and children used at least 10-15 te reo Maori words and phrases every day and a karakia was said before every meal.
"We have a new phrase we learn every month," she said. The teachers tried to pick phrases they would commonly use in the centre and would make that their focus for the next four weeks.
"We've had a couple of parents come in saying, 'they're saying this at home, what does it mean?'."
Some children had even started saying their karakia before they ate at home, Mrs Willoughby said.
The teachers started including their monthly phrases in the centre newsletter and hoped parents would join in.
Te reo had become a real focus for the centre in the past two years, she said.
"It's our culture. I think it's really important and it's a national language."
It was great to learn it as a group as it boosted everyone's confidence and encouraged everyone to get involved, she said.
A helpful guide Potae = Hat Horoi o ringa ringa = Wash your hands Reo ata = Quiet voices Haere mai ki te whariki = Come to the mat Titiro ki ahau = Look at me Karakia = Prayer