Information for Whānau

Have a read of the information below to find out what to expect for Hōtaka Rua/Programme Two - April 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 (April 10 and 14)
  • Bake Off (April 16)
  • Art Exhibition & Shared Kai (April 16)

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!):

  • Craft t-shirt (we have some paint smocks but an old t-shirt would be helpful for keeping the clothes of your tamaiti/tamariki cleaner)
  • Full change of clothes in case we have water or messy play
  • Warm layers, including a jacket
  • A spare change of clothes
  • Drink bottle 
  • Sun 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 Rua 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 Friday the 10th of April, we will be taking a bus from Te Whānau Tahi to Te Whare Tapere (17 Hereford Street) to experience Te Waiatatanga Mai o te Atua – The Song of the Gods 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 10am
  • Please arrive with plenty of time to sign in and allow your tamaiti/tamariki to join the hui at 9:10am.
  • If you are late this day, you will need to bring your tamaiti/tamariki to us at Te Whare Tapere.
  • We will be at Te Whare Tapere from 10:30am - 12noon, then we will walk a short distance to The Botanical Gardens to stop for a picnic lunch and tākaro. 
  • We will return to Te Whānau Tahi by 1:45pm. 
  • Tamariki will be given a high vis vest to wear, and will be connected to a main kaitiaki for the haerenga.

On Tuesday the 14th of April, we will be taking the short walk to Pioneer Recreational Centre to enjoy a swim as a rōpū. 

  • Tamariki will be briefed on behaviour expectations and health and safety before we leave Te Whānau Tahi
  • We will be leaving Te Whānau Tahi at 1pm to walk through the courts to Pioneer. 
  • We will swim and play until 2:15pm and walk back to Te Whānau Tahi for a 2:30pm paramanawa.
  • Please ensure your tamaiti/tamariki has a swimming bag on this day including togs, towel, water bottle, goggles (optional) and a full change of dry clothes
  • If you do not consent to your tamiti/tamariki swimming on this day please contact Erin prior to Tuesday 14th April
  • If your tamaiti/tamariki is unwell, not swimming or does not have a dry change of clothing for afterwards they are able to partake in an activity with a non-swimming kaitiaki next to the pool.

Whakataetae Tunu / Bake Off

Give Us Your Kids will be celebrating the hōtaka together with a bake off on our final day, Thursday 16 April. To celebrate our creative hōtaka, tamariki are encouraged to come dressed in their favourite colour and enjoy getting creative in the kitchen.

Kai Tahi & Whakaaturanga / Shared Lunch & Exhibition

We would like to invite whānau along to enjoy an exhibition on the mahi their tamaiti/tamariki completed over the hōtaka and share lunch with us. Our kaitiaki will be bringing home cooked kai to share, we’ll also have plenty of sweet, baked treats from our Bake Off. 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 and exhibition will start at 1230pm, Thursday 16 April.