"Singing, plays ... just constantly speaking to the kids, it doesn't matter what they're doing within the kohanga," said kaiako and team leader Gloria Waikare.
Miss Waikare said it's important for children to learn their own language.
"It's part of them, it's who they are. Through whakapapa, where they're from, and the traits they're given, handing them down from ancestors and passed on down from the parents."
She said having children at the kohanga can help their parents learn the language too - children will come home singing a song, for example, and when parents ask about it teachers at the kohanga can teach them too.
She said the majority of the parents of children at the kohanga at least understand a little bit of te reo Maori, and there a few who speak it.
Ngati Hamua offers classes for parents who want to learn, so they can keep up.
"It's not spoken enough out in the community. There are only a handful of people who might talk to them in Maori at home."
Miss Waikare said she has always been around te reo Maori, it wasn't until she came to live in Masterton with her mum, Marcia Matiah, as a teenager that she started speaking it.
She said that while kids pick it up "just like that", for adults it can be harder and there could always be more support for them to learn. "It's up to each individual though, whether they feel it's important and whether they take that initiative to keep that reo going."
Maori Language Week started yesterday and runs until July 29. See www.korero.maori.nz
