Information for Whānau

Have a read of the information below to find out what to expect for Hōtaka Toru/Programme Three - July 2026. You can find info below for:

  • Terms and Conditions
  • What to bring each day
  • Where to drop off and collect your tamariki
  • Health and safety
  • Rongoā / medications
  • Devices
  • Wheels
  • Sickness, behaviour issues and accidents
  • Policies and procedures
  • Our GUYK values
  • Haerenga (July 8)
  • Royal New Zealand Ballet (July 8-14)
  • Shared kai and showcase (July 15)

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Erin, our Kaiwhakahaere, on 027 686 2400 or email erin@puruatiatrust.co.nz

Please let Erin know as soon as possible if your tamariki will be absent or late, or if you are running late for pick up at the end of the day.

Terms and Conditions

For information on signing in, signing out, fees including refunds and late fees, and other processes for GUYK - please read our Terms and Conditions. If this is your first time joining us at GUYK, please fill out this form to indicate your agreement to the Terms and Conditions.

What to bring each day

Give Us Your Kids will provide morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for all tamariki, except where previously organised with whānau. 

We need all tamariki to bring along a bag with the following items (make sure they’re clearly named!):

  • Comfy clothes for moving in - RNZB workshops will be much easier in clothes tamariki can move freely in
  • Full change of clothes in case we have water or messy play
  • Warm layers, including a jacket
  • Drink bottle 
  • Hat
  • Any medications (these must be handed to Erin) 
  • Knee and elbow pads (optional)

Please don’t bring anything else from home along to GUYK (e.g. devices, toys, books, anything precious), as these may get damaged or lost. We will have plenty of fun stuff to share. 

We will support tamariki to be responsible for all of their belongings while at GUYK. We do not accept any responsibility for lost or damaged items.

Where to go

Hōtaka Toru is being run out of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whānau Tahi , located at 83 Lyttelton Street, Spreydon, Christchurch 8024.

Have a look at the map below to see where the hōtaka will be running out of. We will have signs pointing you in the right direction but if you have any trouble please don’t hesitate to call Erin 0276862400.

Health & Safety

  • We have tamariki attending this programme who have severe allergies. Please do not bring any peanuts or seafood or any products with peanuts or seafood to Give Us Your Kids.
  • Tamariki must be dropped off to and picked up using the process shared in the Terms and Conditions
  • Do not send your tamaiti to GUYK if they are māuiui/sick - contact Erin to let us know if they are māuiui. If your tamaiti becomes māuiui while at GUYK, you will be contacted to collect them immediately. 
  • As tamariki sign in, they will be included in a rōpū/group for the day and introduced to their Kaitiaki Tamariki for the day. This process will help us ensure that tamariki are connected throughout their time at GUYK. 
  • Please be careful and adhere to the speed restrictions in the kura carpark on pick up and drop off.

Rongoā/Medications

Please ensure you bring along any medication your tamaiti may need during the day (including anything needed to administer the medication).

This must be handed to Erin and labelled clearly with the child’s name, how often it needs to be taken and what dosage. The administration of medications will be charted by Erin.

Devices

As we are encouraging a device free program, we ask that devices are left at home. 

If parents/caregivers would prefer their tamaiti to bring a phone/other device with them, we will provide a box, kept in the staff area (out of bounds to tamariki). All devices will be placed in this box on sign-in, unless we have had a kōrero with parent/caregiver prior to the hōtaka beginning.

If whānau wish to contact their tamaiti throughout the day, we will allow tamariki to check their devices after wā kai nui/lunch. Alternatively, whānau can message Erin at any stage throughout the day to check in on their tamaiti.

Wheels

Tamariki are welcome to bring in scooters, skateboards, rollerblades/skate to use on the courts over the hōtaka. As we do not have access to storage for these, they will need to be taken back home at the end of each day. Tamariki will need to wear a helmet and covered shoes while using their wheels.

Sickness, Behavioural Issues & Accidents

  • Throughout the day, if your tamaiti is unable to be settled and/or is not responding to the team, kaitiaki will guide your tamaiti/tamariki back into alignment with our values. If kaitiaki are still finding the behaviour disruptive your tamaiti/tamariki will be moved through the traffic light system and you may be contacted and required to collect them from Give Us Your Kids immediately. 
  • Please read the separate email that was sent about our Traffic Light system and let Erin know if you have any pātai. 
  • If your tamaiti becomes sick, we will also contact you and you will be required to collect them immediately.
  • If your tamaiti has an accident or injury during the day, we will let you know. If it is a minor accident/injury, we will text the emergency contact provided to give an update. If it is a serious accident/injury, we will call the emergency contact/s provided to make a plan for how to respond.

Give Us Your Kids: Policies and Procedures

Feel free to read through and familiarise yourself with our policies and procedures, linked below.

Give Us Your Kids: Uara/Values

Our Kaitiaki Tamariki have created a set of shared values which will guide our kaupapa. We will share these values with tamariki and support each other to ensure we’re all upholding these important whakaaro as a collective. 

Manaakitanga - We are inclusive, supportive and caring. He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai.

Whakaute - We are uplifting and respectful to all tangata, taputapu, whenua, taiao and kare a roto. He kokonga whare e kitea, he kokonga ngākau e kore e kitea.

Whakapono - We are honest, transparent, trusting and trustworthy. We hold space for everyone to show up as their authentic selves.

Kōrero - We are transparent, positive and empathetic when communicating with each other. We be respectful with time frames when communicating with each other. Ko te kai a te rangatira, he kōrero.

Haerenga

On Wednesday the 8th of July, we will be taking a bus from Te Whānau Tahi to Te Whare Tapere (17 Hereford Street) to experience He Wānanga nō te Kōrero exhibition. Then return to Te Whare Tapere for a hands-on creative wāhanga. Please carefully read the details here to help us have a great haerenga.

  • We will have a hui to prepare all tamariki and kaitiaki at 9:10am.
  • We will leave as a group from Te Whānau Tahi at 1pm
  • Please arrive with plenty of time to sign in and allow your tamaiti/tamariki to join the hui at 9:10am.
  • We will be at Te Whare Tapere from 130pm - 230pm.
  • We will return to Te Whānau Tahi by 3pm. 
  • Tamariki will be given a high vis vest to wear, and will be connected to a main kaitiaki for the haerenga.

Ngā Manuhiri 

We have the Royal New Zealand Ballet joining us from the Wednesday 8th of July to the Tuesday 14th of July to run 2 hour of workshops each morning. This will give our tamariki an opportunity to give a new aspect of performing arts a go. This workshop is tailored for tamariki with fun modern music, strength and skill work and the chance to take a look at their newest show Dazzle Hands. On our final day of hōtaka (Wednesday 15th of July) the Royal New Zealand Ballet will be returning to help our tamariki through their showcase and share our final lunch together.

On Monday 13th of July Kahuraki The Purple Prince will be joining us in the afternoon at kura to share his talents as a bilingual circus performer. There will be a small show and smaller group interaction afterward where tamariki can give his tricks a go and ask any pātai they may have about his mahi.

Whakakaaturanga Mataora & Kai Tahi / Showcase & Shared Lunch

We would like to invite whānau along to enjoy a showcase of the mahi their tamaiti/tamariki have been doing with the Royal New Zealand Ballet over the hōtaka or other talents they have already and share lunch with us. If whānau would like to send or bring some kai for sharing, we would really appreciate savoury kai. 

If you do bring something to share, please remember: 

  • No nuts or seafood - please if you are contributing kai, remember that there are tamariki attending that are allergic to nuts and seafood
  • He kaupapa reo Māori tēnei - we encourage you to support your tamaiti/tamariki and use as much reo Māori as you can while at hōtaka
  • Any left over kai will be in containers for whānau to take home

Our shared kai will start at 12:30pm and the showcase will start from 1:30pm, Wednesday 15th July.