http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.ecc.org.nz en-us Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:38:57 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/169567/the-best-of-both-worlds-how-mixed-aged-family-care-works-at-totara-kids-elc/ Tōtara Kids in Stoke, Nelson, is a centre licensed for 29 children aged six months to six years. Our space is an old bungalow, decorated with vintage furniture and family dining tables, lowered so children can access them, where days and memories are shared.With an open-plan design, no positional rosters for kaiako, outside doors that never shut for “bad” weather and no separation by age, we often describe Tōtara Kids as “Mum’s house on Christmas morning”: a family atmosphere where e... Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:51:51 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post169567 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/169550/living-the-story-what-happens-when-storytelling-becomes-the-heart-of-pedagogy/ By Del Costello Director of Coactive Education... Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:22:33 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post169550 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/169006/its-you-both-vs-emotions-5-mistakes-adults-make-during-toddler-tantrums/ Toddlers are known for their tantrums. Parents often talk about the challenges of the "terrible twos," "frightful fours," and "sassy sixes." This topic is widely discussed, yet most parents are still not sure what they are supposed to do when their child drops to the ground in a grocery store, demanding to meet Batman.Toddlers don't come with instruction manuals, and there certainly isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for tantrums. However, a few general guidelines can help reduce stress and tear... Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:11:02 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post169006 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/168477/dance-culture-and-spirituality-creating-meaningful-movement-in-ece/ Teachers need to create a space that is inclusive of children’s ways of participating in dance, based on their cultural and spiritual context. Different cultures and spiritual influences have different approaches. For some, dance, drama and song are interwoven.For authenticity, when using songs to dance to, it is important to know the song’s origin and the purpose it was intended for, so it can be used appropriately and respectfully.... Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:29:46 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post168477 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/167874/indoor-air-quality-in-ece-the-hidden-factor-affecting-health-learning-and-wellbeing/ When Early Childhood Education (ECE) providers think about creating healthy learning environments, attention often focuses on nutrition, hygiene, outdoor play and infection prevention. However, one equally important factor often remains largely invisible: indoor air quality (IAQ).Children in New Zealand spend many hours each day indoors, making the quality of the air they breathe an important consideration for both their health and their ability to learn. Young children are particularly vulnerab... Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:11:16 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post167874 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/167861/why-mud-might-be-your-most-valuable-outdoor-learning-resource/ There is a well-known phrase in early childhood education: children learn through play. But there is one type of play that still makes some adults hesitate: muddy play.Most kaiako instinctively know it is good for tamariki. The harder part is sometimes articulating why, especially to parents who were not expecting to collect a child covered in mud at pick-up time.Here is some of the research worth having in your back pocket.... Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:02:49 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post167861 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/167069/australian-childcare-alliance-queensland-conference-report-back/ The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) Queensland Conference was just held in Brisbane between 26 June and 28 June. It attracted 2,000 delegates and had a massive trade exhibition. I attended alongside two ECC members.My take from the trip is that Queensland has huge advantages over NZ. For one thing, they do not have issues with their regulator systematically shutting down centres. If anything, they have the opposite problem and perhaps there are operators that should be shut down as low quali... Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:19:13 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post167069 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/166725/the-child-who-wanted-to-reach-the-sun/ If you have ever had a conversation with a child before, you would know that their imagination and creativity are unmatched. As children are still learning the rules of the world around them, they often come to conclusions that an adult mind can’t fathom. Their unique logic and limited information have often made me smile during my years working with these tiny problem solvers.When I was working in the toddler room, I once noticed a few children playing in the block corner. One child in partic... Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:32:03 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post166725 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/166671/work-to-residence-changes-a-significant-win-for-ece-teachers-and-providers/ The Early Childhood Council says allowing ECE teachers to qualify for residency at their original Median Wage level will help reduce the chance of a future teacher supply crisis for ECE providers, and give overseas teachers already working in New Zealand a valuable reward. After COVID-19, many ECE centres recruited teachers from overseas because there weren’t enough domestic workers available. Now, many of those immigrants have been in New Zealand long enough to start to become eligible t... Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:08:54 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post166671 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/166566/choosing-culturally-responsive-resources-for-your-early-learning-services/ The resources children encounter in an early learning environment help shape what they understand about themselves and the world around them. Books, images, language materials and digital content can signal whose cultures, families and experiences are recognised and valued.For educators, choosing culturally responsive resources is not simply about adding more variety to the shelf. The strongest resources connect with the children and whānau in a service, support meaningful teaching practice, an... Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:04:05 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post166566