Did you know that if a parent reads just five books a day
with their child, that child can enter primary school having
heard 1.4 million more words than a child who is rarely read
to? Research shows that the more words a child knows, the
stronger their language, reading, writing, and communication
skills become. Even reading just one book a day can expose
a child to almost 300,000 more words than a child who is not
read to regularly!
Every parent wants their child to thrive and succeed. Spending just a few minutes each day reading, talking, singing, and playing with your child is one of the greatest investments you can make in their future.
Adapted from Exchange Every Day articles (13 May 2019 and 17 June 2019).
At Footsteps, we continually reflect on how we can improve our environment to ensure it is a place where every child and whānau feels welcome, valued, and connected.
Our current internal evaluation is exploring the question:
“How does our physical environment reflect the cultures, identities, and languages of our children and whānau, while uplifting our special character, and what improvements can we make to enhance their sense of belonging and connection with Jesus?”
Over the past few months, we have been intentionally making improvements around the centre. One of these changes has been creating a more welcoming foyer space where whānau can sit, connect, and spend time together at drop-off, pick-up, or whenever they visit.
We have also loved seeing families engage with our photo books, which showcase the wonderful learning experiences our tamariki have been involved in each week. It has been especially encouraging to see whānau enjoying the TV display in the foyer, featuring photo highlights and special moments from the term. These changes are just the beginning. We want our environment to be a place where every child and family feels a strong sense of belonging and where our Christian faith and values are evident in meaningful and authentic ways.
Your ideas, experiences, and perspectives are incredibly valuable to us. Please take a moment to share your thoughts with a teacher, leave feedback with the office, email us, or chat with us during drop-off and pick-up times.
Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to grow and create an environment where every child and whānau can flourish.
A huge thank you to our amazing Footsteps whānau! Thanks to your incredible generosity and support, we were able to raise over $900 for YWAM Ships Aotearoa. Because of your contributions, we will help support communities throughout the Pacific in accessing much-needed healthcare and medical services. What a wonderful opportunity to make a difference beyond our own community! Thank you to everyone who purchased a hot drink or treat, dressed their child in PJs, donated a gold coin, or entered our Wellness Hamper raffle. Supported our fundraising events in any way, big or small! Every contribution helped us reach this fantastic total, and we are so grateful for the way our Footsteps whānau came together to support such a meaningful cause.
Together, we have shown our children what it means to care for others and make a positive impact in the world.
Thank you for helping us be a blessing to others!
Footsteps Preschool in Papatoetoe cherishes and encourages strong links between families and preschool.
28 Puhinui Road, Papatoetoe Auckland
© 2026 Papatoetoe Footsteps Preschool. All rights Reserved.
