“With the beach, and the river with its boats so near our Kindergarten, we have little need of “further afield” excursions but the trip we made to the Museum has certainly proved worth-while. It was very appropriate that after we had seen the Polar Bears, Penguins and Sea Lion in the Museum, a real live Penguin should actually visit our Kindergarten!”

Excursions have always played an important role in the kindergarten year. Ferrymead, the Antarctic Centre, and Willowbank are just some of the favourites which in many cases have been visited by Kidsfirst kindy kids for many, many years. 

The follow insert from the Christchurch Kindergarten Chronicle in 1942, takes us back to Nuffield Kindergarten life in the early 1940s.

With the Second World War looming and measles on the rise, we are reminded of how many different challenges our organisation has faced and overcome within the last 100 years.

“We are looking very smart – though we do say it ourselves – with our cream and red painted building surrounded by new concrete paths. Pedestrians and passers-by in trams seem very aware of us, and ‘eyes right’ is apparently the natural course for soldiers on route marches!

Until recently, all was running smoothly in the Kindergarten world. Then came the measles epidemic, from which it seems impossible to escape. Apart from this, the children are all well and clean, and partly due to this wonderful milk-in-schools scheme, are looking exceptionally healthy and bright.”