Embarking on the journey of parenthood involves making pivotal decisions, and among them, choosing the right early childhood education for your tamaiti (child) stands as a paramount step. At Four Seasons, we understand that entrusting another with the nurturing of your tamaiti is an important choice. We passionately believe that investing in your child's early years is an investment in their future. Our fee policy is designed not only to offer quality education built on the foundations of the Steiner Waldorf approach, but also to cultivate meaningful connections between tamariki (children), wh ..read more

Starting school is a big step for your child, and as a parent and whānau, you want to make this transition as smooth and enjoyable as possible. To help you and your child navigate this exciting new journey, we've gathered some valuable tips from Catriona Eagles, a past kindergarten parent at Four Seasons. These tips ensure your child is prepared, not overwhelmed, and ready to embrace their school adventure. Before Starting School Increase ECE Hours: In the months leading up to school, consider increasing your child's Early Childhood Education hours to help them adjust to a five-day school we ..read more

“Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I’ll understand” - Chinese Proverb You only have to look around our Kindergarten to notice the value that we put on exposure to nature. It permeates throughout both our inside and outside area and is an integral part of all that we are here. The Bush Kindergarten experience is involving our children in another aspect of being in nature.  Environmental Stewardship – For us one of the main reasons behind doing this is the cultivation of the future, a sense of environmental stewardship and caring for the environment ..read more

Rhythms bring an ease to life.  When rhythms in the family home are consistent, and have a repetitive flow about them, they are the way to bring connection and most importantly, help with the transitions in daily life with our children. I parent my dear two children a lot of the time on my own, as well as working full time, and navigating all of life’s offerings.  The nature of my husband’s work means that he spends a lot of time away.  Solo parenting is hard!  Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting calls what solo parents do as double parenting, doing the work of ..read more

Children today, and particularly boys, need extra time, love and support in the fast paced world in which we now live. Kim John Payne, founder of Simplicity Parenting, talks specifically about the development of boys, and much of what he shares is also true for girls too. When we provide an environment for children with less stuff, more time, less adult talk and where purposeful work is the daily undertaking for the kindergarten teacher (and parent at home), we see children content in their world. The following are the key points from the talk ‘Overwhelm of Boys’ and some ideas you might like ..read more

At Four Seasons you will find an environment, held by a team of kaiako, where tamariki are given the time and the space to explore and experience the world with an honouring of time, at a slow and gentle pace.   The first of our philosophy statements is that we offer an unhurried approach to childhood, providing a natural and secure environment that is homely, nurturing and sustainable. Children are affected by hurrying and a busy lifestyle.  For some children, the mere mention of time can send life into a tailspin, and so here at Four Seasons, the familiar rhythm of our d ..read more

Nourishing children with nutritious, wholesome kai is important to us here at Four Seasons. We have always had a mostly plant based menu, and a rhythm to the meals we eat.  At Four Seasons we all eat the same kai together. Tamariki see kaiako and each other trying and enjoying kai, sometimes it may be kai that they not have had before. Tamariki take time to experience different kai and that just because it may not be right one day it may be right the next day. Imitation is one of the key ways in how tamariki learn in early childhood.  We place great emphasis  on our environment ..read more

If you’ve been the first whanau to arrive to kindergarten on any given day you may have found the teaching team gathered around a candle in our wharekai (dining and kitchen space).  Whilst the kindergarten day begins for tamariki at 8.30am, kaiako arrive around 8am and we come together to begin our day with lighting a candle, and sharing a verse. Into our thinking let there flow light, Into our feeling let there flow warmth, Into our willing let there flow strength, That with enlightened purpose, We may nurture ourselves, our loved ones, our communities and the earth, Caring with heart ..read more

At Four Seasons we are deeply reflective and considered with our teaching practices, and as the adults who hold and navigate up to 30 tamariki each kindergarten day we are always thinking about the impact we have on tamariki and their journey with us. We view play as being sacred, it’s the way in which a child learns, and experiences their world at kindergarten.  At Four Seasons we nurture children in an unhurried approach, allowing as much time as possible for tamariki to ‘be’.  Play is where friendships are made, a sense of belonging is created, and learning happens. Over the past ..read more

The beginning of the kindergarten journey, for some tamariki a first time being nurtured outside of whanau, this can be met with trepidation. At Four Seasons Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten we focus intentionally on the formation of a solid relationship before a tamaiti begins with us. This is done through a series of visits and also the beginning of a discovery of the tamaiti, their strengths, abilities, challenges and we like to form an understanding of the whanau they are a part of.  The beginning of a secure attachment outside the whanau home is our focus.  We ask parents to allow e ..read more