On 19 April Education Minister Hekia Parata visited Secret Garden Gables childcare centre to participate in their Anzac service. She was delighted to join in with the children to establish their Field of Remembrance, containing white crosses and poppies, to commemorate all New Zealanders who served in World War One.
“Following the success of the Fields of Remembrance project in schools and kura last year, it’s great that early learning services and kōhanga reo are now being given the same opportunity to honour our wartime contributions this year. Events like today’s commemorative service are a good way to bring communities together to learn about the sacrifice of their forebears and the part the war played in establishing New Zealanders’ sense of identity,” says Minister Parata.
The Minister posted a note on her Facebook page Hekia Parata MP thanking Secret Garden Gables for the opportunity to honour the three New Zealanders that were represented on the crosses - Sergeant Dick Travis, Staff Nurse Nona Hildyard and Second Lieutenant Thomas Grace – who all died in the war. “It was great to honour them with Jono Naylor MP and the kids, parents, and staff at Secret Garden Gables Childcare in Palmerston North – thanks for having me!”
“Ka maumahara tatou ki a ratou - We will remember them.”
ABC Kawaha Point - As we began unpacking the Fields of Remembrance package, we could see the eagerness and wonder in our children's eyes, and away the brainstorming went! Before long we had a full military base in action; including a hospital, letter writing, sleeping barracks and battlefields. Over the weeks we have been able to make links with photos from the past to the present, create poppies, the Anzac biscuits story, humanity rescue missions and so much more. On Friday 22 April, we held a remembrance service at ABC Kawaha Point and were joined by a RSA member.
Ivy-May Falani-Laumahina, aged 4
At ACG Sunderland Early Childhood the children, aged from 2-5, have been learning about the ANZACs. They were taught to make origami poppies, and have respectfully laid their flowers in front of the Fields of Remembrance crosses, to form a memorial garden.
Castle Kids Kindergarten share with us their Anzac booklet, from a day of commemoration shared with the children and their families.
In the lead up to Anzac Day, Devonport Kindergarten dedicated their whariki times to talk with the children about the three New Zealanders represented on the Fields of Remembrance crosses. They learned who the New Zealanders were, and helped to make up the crosses for their Field of Remembrance.
On Friday 15 April the children held an Anzac commemoration ceremony. To establish their Field of Remembrance, they walked to up the hill in the outside area of their kindergarten, stood in a circle and placed the crosses in the ground. After establishing their Field, they read a story of the fallen service people and sang E Hara.
Back inside the Kindergarten, the children returned to the mat for the story of “My Grandad Marched On Anzac Day”.
Little Kiwis Early Learning Centre shared a wonderful moment of commemoration with parents and staff for Anzac Day. We invited a parent, who is currently working in the NZ Army, to speak on behalf of all those who served during World War I. We did lots of painting, art activities, storytelling, planting poppies and even tried army training with our monkey bar, traffic cones and makeshift cargo nets. Parents shared photos of their grandparents, and great grandparents who served at war, and these were put on our Board of Commemoration. All our children, even little babies, love to look at the pictures on the wall, which reminds them of their families and origins.
The children of Newbies Early Childhood Centre were hands on in creating their Field of Remembrance. First helping to put together the three crosses from the Field of Remembrance commemoration pack, then sitting around in a semi circle as three of the children took turns placing the crosses in their selected memorial place.
The children of Sancta Maria Montessori Pre-school created a special memorial space for their Field of Remembrance crosses. The stories of Nurse Hildyard, Sergeant Travis and Second Lieutenant Grace feature on the front. Amongst them is a field of beautiful paper poppies, and a poppy wreath, made by the children.
ABC Kawaha Point - As we began unpacking the Fields of Remembrance package, we could see the eagerness and wonder in our children's eyes, and away the brainstorming went! Before long we had a full military base in action; including a hospital, letter writing, sleeping barracks and battlefields. Over the weeks we have been able to make links with photos from the past to the present, create poppies, the Anzac biscuits story, humanity rescue missions and so much more. On Friday 22 April, we held a remembrance service at ABC Kawaha Point and were joined by a RSA member.
Ivy-May Falani-Laumahina, aged 4
At ACG Sunderland Early Childhood the children, aged from 2-5, have been learning about the ANZACs. They were taught to make origami poppies, and have respectfully laid their flowers in front of the Fields of Remembrance crosses, to form a memorial garden.
Castle Kids Kindergarten share with us their Anzac booklet, from a day of commemoration shared with the children and their families.
In the lead up to Anzac Day, Devonport Kindergarten dedicated their whariki times to talk with the children about the three New Zealanders represented on the Fields of Remembrance crosses. They learned who the New Zealanders were, and helped to make up the crosses for their Field of Remembrance.
On Friday 15 April the children held an Anzac commemoration ceremony. To establish their Field of Remembrance, they walked to up the hill in the outside area of their kindergarten, stood in a circle and placed the crosses in the ground. After establishing their Field, they read a story of the fallen service people and sang E Hara.
Back inside the Kindergarten, the children returned to the mat for the story of “My Grandad Marched On Anzac Day”.
Little Kiwis Early Learning Centre shared a wonderful moment of commemoration with parents and staff for Anzac Day. We invited a parent, who is currently working in the NZ Army, to speak on behalf of all those who served during World War I. We did lots of painting, art activities, storytelling, planting poppies and even tried army training with our monkey bar, traffic cones and makeshift cargo nets. Parents shared photos of their grandparents, and great grandparents who served at war, and these were put on our Board of Commemoration. All our children, even little babies, love to look at the pictures on the wall, which reminds them of their families and origins.
The children of Newbies Early Childhood Centre were hands on in creating their Field of Remembrance. First helping to put together the three crosses from the Field of Remembrance commemoration pack, then sitting around in a semi circle as three of the children took turns placing the crosses in their selected memorial place.
The children of Sancta Maria Montessori Pre-school created a special memorial space for their Field of Remembrance crosses. The stories of Nurse Hildyard, Sergeant Travis and Second Lieutenant Grace feature on the front. Amongst them is a field of beautiful paper poppies, and a poppy wreath, made by the children.