Tui Lounge

Tui Lounge is a nurturing, joyful space for our toddlers aged 20 months to 2 years. Here, children are encouraged to grow at their own pace, explore freely, and build early relationships that help them understand themselves and the world around them.
This age is full of wonder, emotion, and learning through movement, repetition, and connection. Our kaiako embrace this with abundant fun, laughter, and aroha, supported by a responsive teaching ratio of 1:5. Every child in Tui Lounge is held with care, embraced for who they are, and supported to flourish.

Responsive & Interactive

At Weka, every moment holds potential for learning — especially the quiet, tender care routines like nappy changes, kai times, and settling for sleep. These are treasured opportunities to communicate, build connection, and invite tamariki to participate with us.
Through slow, respectful interactions, trust grows. These moments pass power to the child, supporting them to make choices, express themselves, and feel deeply valued by the kaiako who care for them. This responsive practice fosters security, wellbeing, and strong, meaningful relationships.
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Open-ended resources

At Weka, creativity and imagination blossom when toddlers interact with real, meaningful materials. Open-ended resources invite tamariki to explore freely, manipulate objects in their own way, and discover their never-ending possibilities. There is no “right” way to use these resources — the child leads the learning.
These materials encourage flexible thinking, curiosity, and a strong sense of agency, supporting toddlers to make sense of the world and express their ideas through rich, imaginative play.

The Importance of Language

At Weka, we recognise that toddlers are in a powerful stage of absorbing language and meaning from everything around them. Through rich verbal and non-verbal communication, we intentionally bring language alive — naming actions, describing experiences, and responding to the cues and interests of our tamariki.
Children make sense of their world by linking words with what they see and do, so we fill their “language bucket” with real, authentic vocabulary rather than baby words. This supports clarity, deep understanding, and a strong foundation for communication, thinking, and lifelong learning.

Sensitive obersvation 

At Weka, kaiako slow down and observe with intention, taking time each day to truly see and know every child. These sensitive observations help us understand each tamaiti’s strengths, capabilities, interests, and unfolding stories. With this knowledge, we craft environments that nurture their curiosity, support their exploration, and offer rich opportunities for extending play in ways that feel natural and meaningful.

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