How our tamariki celebrated Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day brought a beautiful sense of aroha and awhi across Barnardos Early Learning. It was a time to slow down and celebrate the special people who nurture, support, and care for our tamariki each and every day.
Across the motu, each service took time in their own way to acknowledge Mother’s Day. Here are some things from a few of our centres, where tamariki enjoyed creating, sharing, and preparing thoughtful surprises for their special people.
Our older Wainuiomata tamariki enjoyed a special trip to Mitre 10, where they chose plants and flowers to create personalised pot plants for their mums and special people. Back at the centre, they added handmade cards filled with their own creativity and care. Younger children explored handprint painting, creating keepsake cards that captured a moment in time and a lot of pride in their work.
Tamariki at our Hastings Early Learning centre have been busy creating special Mother’s Day and Special Persons gifts and cards. Their handmade creations were designed with real thought, doubling as keyrings, bookmarks, or bag charms. There was plenty of excitement as they looked forward to sharing them on the day.
Auckland Home Based tamariki in spent the afternoon making cards decorated with artwork, colour, and heartfelt messages for their special people. Each creation was unique, with children really enjoying adding their own personal touches.
Porirua Early Learning centre enjoyed a beautiful Mother’s Day morning tea, with a wonderful turnout of mums and nanas coming together to share kai and connect. Tamariki gifted handprint bouquets to their mums and were also excited to give out pink leis. The morning included a special draw for Mother’s Day baskets, adding to the sense of celebration and togetherness.
Hornby Pasifika tamariki each made their mothers a paper flower, carefully crafted as a heartfelt Mother’s Day gift.
While each celebration looked a little different, the heart behind them was the same. Taking time to acknowledge the love, care, and guidance that surrounds our tamariki.
We also recognise that Mother’s Day can mean different things for different families. It is a day to celebrate not only mums, but also grandparents, caregivers, and all those who play a special role in a child’s life. The people who show up, offer support, and help tamariki feel safe, valued, and loved.
Across the motu, we saw just how much these relationships mean to tamariki. The pride in giving, the excitement of preparing something special, and the joy of sharing it with the people who matter most.
To all the mums and those who hold that place in a child’s life, thank you. Your presence makes a lasting difference, and it was a privilege to see that reflected in so many thoughtful moments across our centres and Home Based services.
