Does your child sing “haere mai everybody, haere mai” at home?
Through waiata (song) we welcome the Kereru tamariki together for an interactive mat time before lunch. This is a well loved part of our routine, and the tamariki respond much better than if we simply call them in. They continue the song once seated to welcome the rest of their friends, and greatly enjoy the Guitar/Ukelele playing which brings a lovely peaceful manner to the beginning of ‘mat time’.
Through this we are able to help celebrate the bicultural setting we live in of Aotearoa. It is important these kiwi kids know about, respect and engage in New Zealands culture in order to keep it alive. We use a range of Te Reo words and sentences throughout the day with the tamariki, and find it so rewarding when the children begin to integrate Te Reo into their lanuguage repertoire aswell. Often we find the children respond to Te Reo before English! eg: E noho (sit down), Haere mai (come here)