Thousands of people across New Zealand sharing lunch - celebrating children, kindergarten and community…
The Kindergarten Long Lunch will be on Sunday, 4 March 2012, International Children’s Day in New Zealand. It’s going to be a fantastic event and a wonderful way to celebrate children, our communities, and raise awareness of the benefits of high-quality early childhood education provided by hundreds of kindergartens throughout the country. Sharing sandwiches at kindergarten, a picnic in the park or by the beach, a street party big or small - kindergarten communities will be celebrating in different ways.
The Long Lunch event is a nationally coordinated, high-profile, public event. NZK and Greatstart100% websites and Facebook pages are featuring local events.
Long Lunch plans are underway across the country from Invercargill to Kaitaia. Here is a list of events so far. There are many more events happening in communities across New Zealand. Details will be posted soon.
Central Otago Kindergarten Association
events are as follows:
Events on Friday 2 March
CROMWELL:
Long subway sandwich picnic from 12.45pm inviting families, waiting list, new entrant teachers and neighbours.
WAKATIPU:
All families including waiting list families will be invited to join us at kindergarten for a picnic lunch from 12.45pm. Ice blocks for the children, face painting and balloons.
MANIOTOTO:
Teddy Bears Picnic and children’s games at Naseby domain, 10am to 1pm.
Events on Sunday 4 March
ALEXANDRA & TERRACE:
Bears, bubbles and balloons, Teddy Bears Picnic. Bring along your picnic. Face painting bouncy castle and more 11am to 1pm at Alexandra Pioneer Park between courts and rose garden.
HAWEA:
Old fashioned races ie egg and spoon, three-legged, running and sack races to be followed by a bring your own picnic lunch at kindergarten, from 11am until 1pm.
FRANKTON:
A family bring your own picnic lunch at the kindergarten from 11.30am – 1.30pm. There will be a lolly scramble and ice blocks for the children.
Marlborough Kindergarten Association
is joining up with the Children’s Day celebrations at Brayshaw Park in Blenheim on the 4th of March from 10 am to 2 pm. Families are encouraged to come along and enjoy a picnic in the park with the emphasis on healthy eating. There will be lots of free food – apple slinkies, corn on the cob - and there will be a sausage sizzle. There will be great music and entertainment, a bouncy castle, face painting, bear hunt and bear parade, heaps of free giveaways, play dough gardens, obstacle course, train rides, children’s car seat checks, creative balloons, tug–O–war, tractor rides, a story teller, aerobic activities, a dance company, SPCA, fire trucks, a Kapa Haka group and an entry ticket competition. Except for the 50c sausage sizzle everything else is FREE!
South Taranaki Kindergarten Association
is hosting events in Stratford and Hawera.
Northern Auckland Kindergarten Association
is hosting an association-wide event on the 4th of March at Long Bay with children and families from all 13 kindergartens.
Southland Kindergarten Association
is asking parents and whānau to join them for a picnic at Invercargill’s Children’s Day event on the 4th of March. They will sit together at a long table and children are going to be able to create their own picture, drawing on a place mat, which they can use on the table and take home after the event.
Te Aroha Kindergarten Association
is joining forces with Plunket, Porse and other kindergartens in the area to celebrate at Herries Park on the 2nd of March. The event will have several informative activities for families including a dog handler showing children how to behave around dogs and a driveway safety kit for parents.
Westport Kindergarten Association
is hosting a Long Lunch event for families at Victory Park on the 6th of March.
Dunedin Kindergarten Association
is hosting a family picnic at Hancock Park starting at midday on the 4th of March. Families are invited to come early and enjoy the Stride, Ride and Slide event organised by Sport Otago. (If wet indoors at Pirates club rooms). Bring a picnic lunch and the association will provide fruit and water.
Kaitaia and District Kindergarten Association
has two Kaitaia kindergartens combining their Long Lunch event with a function supported by Far North REAP at Memorial Park. The event is held annually and will include a bouncy castle. The Doubtless Bay Kindergarten is having a beach party at Taipa beach with sandcastle building and a picnic.
Geraldine, Waimate and South Canterbury Kindergarten Associations
are coming together to host a regional Long Lunch event at Caroline Bay in Timaru.
Heretaunga Kindergarten Association
events are as follows:Event on Wednesday, 29 February:
WAIPAWA KINDERGARTEN:
is having a Kindergarten Long Lunch from 11.30am – 2pm on their own grounds. Invitations are extended to every Waipawa kindergarten family and their extended whānau. BYO picnic, but they will be providing a sausage sizzle.
Events on Friday, 2 March:
FRIMLEY PARK KINDERGARTEN
is hosting their grand re-opening after major alterations with past and current parents and children.
MAHORA KINDERGARTEN
is organising a shared lunch with kindergarten families.
MAYFAIR KINDERGARTEN
will celebrate Children’s day by hosting a bike-a-thon which will include a sausage sizzle for lunch.
Events on Saturday, 3 March
CAMBERLEY KINDERGARTEN
is planning a long lunch event for children and whānau from the kindergarten and the local playgroup. The event will most likely be held at the Camberley Community Centre and will include a sausage sizzle.
Date to be confirmed:
HUNTER PARK and LAKEVIEW KINDERGARTENS
are planning a joint event in Waipukurau from 11:20-1:20pm. There will be many activities for children and whānau including a storytime and lunch. During the event, each child will release a helium balloon that they have named. Inside the balloon will be a message with the kindergarten’s name and phone number and a request that if you find the balloon, please ring the appropriate kindergarten so locations can be mapped for the children to see how far their balloons went.
Tauranga Region Kindergartens
is hosting a public event at Memorial Park (south end) in Tauranga from 11.30am– 2.30pm. Free sausage sizzle, train rides, bouncy castle, face painting & more. FREE FOR KINDERGARTEN FAMILIES.
Nelson Tasman Kindergartens
is hosting the following events on the 2nd of March:
TAHUNA KINDERGARTEN
is celebrating kindergartens by having a long lunch at the Tahunanui Beach BBQ area.
BIRCHWOOD, STOKE & NAYLAND KINDERGARTENS
are meeting for morning tea and will be entertained by Kath Bee at Broadgreen Rose Garden.
GREENWOOD KINDERGARTEN
will be joining with Laura Ingram at Motueka Memorial Park for a picnic lunch. We are also using this to celebrate with 5+ a day, and we will be having fruit, t-shirts and bookmarks donated by them for the event. Nelson South Kindergarten is visiting Victory Kindergarten for an early lunch to celebrate with an active movement programme. Parents from both kindergartens will be invited to join us in this celebration.
PINEGROVE KINDERGARTEN
is planning a long lunch at Snowden’s Bush for their families. There will be fun games and exploration of nature. Families are invited to bring a picnic lunch to share.
GROVE STREET
is having a long lunch at the kindergarten. They plan to have a ‘whacky dress-up’ day, children’s games ( eg egg & spoon etc) and a shared lunch
The Long Lunch is about community, and local communities are encouraged to be involved. Former and future families/whānau of children at kindergarten; grandparents; neighbours; schools; ECE centres; celebrities; other community groups; businesses and local decision-makers are all welcome. Local businesses are encouraged to support the Long Lunch events through donations of goods and services. The event creates opportunities for learning and children at kindergartens will be participating. Children may develop an invitation list, design and deliver invitations; design a menu or suggestions for a shared lunch; plant a garden to harvest for the lunch; document planning/activities; create stories about the event; use different technologies to reach people and talk about their long lunch. Planning, problem-solving, healthy eating and environmental concepts are all features of the Long Lunch. Being a part of the event also gives children a chance to explore how their unique family/whānau fits into a broader community.
Check back often for more updates and details about the Kindergarten Long Lunch 2012!
Kindergarten Long Lunch card (4322 KB)
Kindergarten Long Lunch postcard (6102 KB)
Kindergarten Long Lunch poster (3546 KB)
Long Lunch press release template (2290 KB)