Nurturing Creativity: The Transformative Power of Art at Mairtown Kindergarten

 

Nurturing Creativity: The Transformative Power of Art at Mairtown Kindergarten

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I returned to my happy place as a permanent teacher at Mairtown Kindergarten. Since being back, I have been on a mission to create a culture of creativity amongst our kindergarten community by ensuring that the tamariki have many rich art experiences throughout our environment. My heart is full as I reflect on the incredible blossoming I have witnessed amongst our tamariki. With each art-based activity, I’ve seen the tamariki not only explore their creativity but also grow in confidence and a sense of belonging. This embodies our philosophy of “Whiria te tāngata” (Weave the people together), as the art activities foster connections and a sense of community within our kindergarten, allowing tamariki to feel valued, capable and part of the Mairtown whānau.

Art is truly crucial in early childhood education, and my experiences have illuminated the many ways it fosters growth, enhances cognitive skills, and nurtures emotional and social-emotional development. It’s not just about painting pretty pictures; it's about helping our tamariki express themselves, explore their ideas, and learn about the world.

Wright, (2010), considers children’s art as a vehicle and form of expressive language that offers a space for children to communicate. Children’s art experiences in early childhood, allow them to “actively construct understandings of themselves and their worlds, rather simply becoming the passive recipients of knowledge”

One of the most profound areas I've seen art influence is in cognitive development. When tamariki engage with different materials—be it pens, pencils, paint, or clay—they're not simply creating; they're solving problems and making decisions. Each stroke of a brush or pinch of clay is a chance for them to experiment and discover. This aligns with the Te Whariki principle of ‘Exploration’, emphasising the importance of hands-on experiences in learning. As tamariki manipulate materials, they engage in a discovery process that enhances their inquiry and critical thinking skills.

"From a cognitive perspective, children use the visual arts to interpret the world around them through a process of encoding their understandings in whatever materials they have to hand in order to reflect upon them. Children might represent and think about relationships, how things work, their own identities in the present, and their future selves as they engage in the visual arts. When children make art, they integrate their memories, experience, observations and imagination. They can also create at their own individual level of ability, and draw on their own individual strengths, abilities and aptitudes." (Hargraves, 2021)

Fine motor skills are also developed during these activities. As they draw, paint, and sculpt, tamariki strengthen the small muscles in their hands, improving their hand-eye coordination and preparing for future skills like writing. The beauty of art is that it allows tamariki to learn about colours, shapes, patterns, and textures while having fun. Through these experiences I’ve also witnessed them mediate their thinking, progressively communicating their ideas with newfound clarity.

The art experiences have also provided our tamariki with a unique and safe space to express their emotions. Some thoughts and feelings can be tough to articulate, but through their art, they can tell stories, share experiences, and, most importantly, express how they feel.

I’ve observed that as they engage in artistic activities, their ability to regulate their emotions improves, helping them cope with stress. I’ve also seen how the social-emotional aspects of art promote empathy, collaboration, and communication. When they come together to share their artwork, their interactions nurture deep connections, fostering friendships built on understanding and mutual respect. This reflects our commitment to manaakitanga (hospitality and kindness), as nurturing social connections and emotional health is at the core of our philosophy at Mairtown Kindergarten.

Art is an open door to imaginative worlds. The creativity I see at Mairtown is nothing short of magical. Tamariki can unleash their imagination, dive into playful thinking, and explore the limitless possibilities that come with creating.

I’ve noticed that through art, they develop what I love to call “possibility thinking.” They learn to see the world through a lens of creativity and find unique solutions to challenges—skills that will serve them for a lifetime. Furthermore, art provides a platform for self-expression. It helps our tamariki explore their own identity and build confidence in who they are. This aligns with the principle of ‘Belonging’, which emphasises the importance of tamariki feeling secure and included within their learning environment. Engaging in artistic expression allows them to feel confident in their own identities and connect with those of their peers.

"The process of creating art can be both calming and therapeutic for young children. As they focus on their artwork, they learn to manage their emotions, developing a sense of self-awareness and self-regulation. Art also offers a safe space for children to explore their feelings, providing an opportunity for them to understand and process complex emotions.

Moreover, art can promote social development as children work together on collaborative projects or share their artwork with others. This interaction helps to foster teamwork, respect for others’ opinions, and a sense of belonging. Participating in art activities together can also strengthen bonds between children and their caregivers, creating an environment that supports emotional growth."
(Sanctury Early Learning Adventures, 2023)

 

Art also plays a vital role in communication and language development. Our tamariki have varied levels of verbal interaction skills, and art offers them a non-verbal way to communicate their ideas and experiences. I've marvelled at how sharing and discussing their artwork allows our tamariki to discover new vocabulary and practice their conversational skills. Through describing their creations and engaging with peers, they enhance their language skills in an organic and enjoyable way.

As I sit down to write this, I am filled with gratitude for the rich experiences we’ve shared this year. The art experiences in our kindergarten are not simply about making beautiful creations; they are about weaving a fabric of holistic development that supports cognitive, emotional, social, and physical well-being.

My passion for the arts in early childhood education continues to grow, and I am excited to see how our ‘artists’ will flourish even more as we move forward together. Here’s to another year of creativity, expression, and joy at Mairtown Kindergarten!

Thank you for being a part of this journey, and I look forward to sharing more with you as we continue to inspire our tamariki through the transformative power of art.

Aroha nui,

Zair

Celebrating Matariki at Mairtown Kindergarten: Embracing Identities, Languages, and Cultures

  At Mairtown Kindergarten, our celebrations of Matariki this year reflected our commitment to embracing and reflecting the identities, languages, and cultures of the tamariki and whānau within our kindergarten community. This year, we wanted our Matariki celebrations to align with our Professional Growth Cycle question: In what ways does our environment and practices reflect the identities, languages, and cultures of the tamariki and whānau who attend Mairtown Kindergarten?

Matariki, the Māori New Year, is a time of reflection, celebration, and looking forward. The rising of the Matariki star cluster signifies this special time, bringing with it themes of renewal and community. For us, it offered a perfect opportunity to weave these themes into our daily practices and environment, ensuring they resonate with the cultural backgrounds of our tamariki and whānau. 

We introduced Matariki through rich storytelling sessions, sharing many Māori legends. Firstly, by exploring the story “In the Beginning” of Papatūānuku and Ranginui being separated by Tāne Mahuta, this then led into the legend of Tāwhirimātea and the creation of the Matariki stars. During this time, we incorporated waiata, which was another important aspect. These practices not only celebrated Matariki but also supported tamariki in developing their language skills and cultural knowledge.

During this time, tamariki also created artwork illustrating these Atua, both collaboratively and individually. Following this, they explored their creativity further by designing their own whare beneath the Matariki cluster.

 

Other art activities included the use of our hot glue guns and clay to create the whetū/stars from the Matariki cluster. During this time kaiako shared knowledge of each of the nine whetū. 

Māori use the name Matariki to describe the entire cluster of Pleiades. The different names of the whetū (stars) in the Matariki group are significant to Māori, as each individual has a defined purpose and is intrinsically connected with the Māori world. 

Source: Matariki The Star of the Year by Dr Rangi Matamua.

 

 

While researching into the meaning of each whetū, we discovered many pictures and artwork associated to each, which served as inspiration for ongoing creative activities and provocations. It didn’t take long for our environment to be enriched with all the beautiful artwork created by tamariki. 

Tamariki voice:

"I seen Matariki at my home so I know Matariki stars... bring something nice, like vegetables" - Dawn 

"About stars" - Drew

"I was doing the Matariki starts when I was painting" - Jeremiah 

On Thursday 20^th June we hosted our annual harvest day, inviting tamariki and their whānau to bring a gift from their garden or a home-made treat along with a whakataukī or thought to nourish the receiver’s heart. We had such a lovely response, and it was evident that lots of joy and love was shared, given, and received throughout this day.

Harvest Day is all about ‘random acts of kindness’. During Matariki we acknowledge what we have and what we have to give. Matariki celebrates the diversity of life. It’s a celebration of culture, language, spirit, and people.

We have also explored the role this star cluster plays in other countries around the world, displaying a world map showing the journey it takes around the world and the different names it is known by in the many cultures of our attending tamariki and whānau.

Tamariki also decorated stars on which their aspiration for the coming year was written. These were then displayed on our tree and during our Matariki evening event we then placed these stars on the Matariki fire, sending their wishes skyward to Hiwa-i-te-Rangi.

Engaging our whānau in the Matariki celebrations was a key aspect of our approach. We hosted an evening event on Thursday 4^th July, where families joined us for a shared meal. Preparations for our Matariki evening included tamariki and kaiako preparing vegetables for our soup. Whānau were also invited to be a part of this process. Mince stew and fried bread was also prepared.

On the night whānau brought in a cultural dish or a family favourite dish to share. This event not only strengthened our community bonds but also demonstrated our commitment to honouring and reflecting the cultural identities of our tamariki and whānau.

   

As part of our post-Matariki event reflection, we invited the tamariki to share their thoughts from the evening.

“I liked when I sit with P and O and I loved umm when me and Drew played games. I like that there was music” – Billie

“Dark, seeing the Matariki stars, having some fun, having some food, macaroni and cheese” – Drew 

We asked for feedback from our whānau, as this was our first evening event since 2021. Here are a few of the comments we received:

“Absolutely amazing! Well done and thank you!”

“Nice that there was the firepit, Vege soup was yummy.”

“It was stunning. Loved the lights and lanterns.”

“Thankyou for bringing this all together for an amazing meal and chance to meet and catch up with other whanau! Wonderful ambience you created, so cool!”

“Thank you very much for such an amazing family event! We enjoyed it so much.”

“Thank you, Mairtown Kindergarten team, for all your efforts in making such a wonderful family/community evening. We all had such a great time and appreciate your hard work.”

“What a lovely evening, fantastic opportunity to bring Kindy families together. Thank you for all your hard work organising!”

On behalf of the teaching team I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported, helped, participated and shared in all of our Matariki festivities over this time.

Ngā mihi nui,