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Colouring & painting

At Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre in Upper Hutt, we believe that creative expression is a powerful part of early learning. Through colouring and painting, children explore emotions, develop fine motor skills, and express their unique view of the world - all while having fun!In our Upper Hutt daycare environment, we create space every day for tamariki to engage in open-ended art experiences. Whether it’s bold brushstrokes on a large easel or quiet focus with crayons and pastels, art is l...

Puzzles

At Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre in Upper Hutt, we love watching tamariki explore the world through hands-on learning - and puzzles are one of our favourite tools for supporting development in fun and meaningful ways.Whether it’s a chunky wooden puzzle for tiny fingers or a complex floor puzzle shared between friends, these activities offer so much more than just entertainment. They build essential thinking, fine motor, and social skills, all while sparking joy and curiosity.Why Puzzle...

Risk Taking

At Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre in Upper Hutt, we believe that risk-taking is an essential part of healthy child development. From climbing a tree branch to navigating a wobbly balance beam, these moments of challenge build more than just muscles - they build confidence, resilience, and critical thinking.In our early learning environment, we provide children with safe, age-appropriate opportunities to explore, take risks, and test their limits. Whether it’s through outdoor adventures,...

Messy Play

At Heretaunga Park, we believe that messy play is meaningful play. Whether it’s squishing playdough, finger-painting, mixing mud potions, or experimenting with shaving foam, messy play gives children the freedom to explore, create, and express themselves in a way that’s joyful, unstructured, and full of learning.It might look like a bit of chaos to grown-up eyes, but in those splatters and smudges, important brain development is happening.What is Messy Play?Messy play refers to any activity ...

Water Play

Water play is one of the most-loved activities at Heretaunga Park — and it’s easy to see why. Buckets, spray bottles, scoops, sponges, and puddles can keep tamariki entertained for hours. But beyond the giggles and splashes, water play is packed with developmental benefits that support children’s learning in powerful ways.From babies experimenting with pouring to preschoolers building rivers and dams, water play invites curiosity, creativity, and connection — all while keeping kids cool ...

Sand Play

At first glance, sand play might just look like a bit of outdoor fun. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover that this simple, sensory-rich activity offers a world of learning opportunities for young children. At Heretaunga Park Early Childhood Centre, we embrace sand play as a daily part of our early learning environment — because we know it supports everything from fine motor skills to social development.Whether your child is scooping, digging, pouring, or just running their hands th...