At Ako Early Learning Service, celebrating Matariki is deeply embedded in the heart of the teaching team and their approach to learning. Over a carefully planned two-year cycle, teachers continue to deepen and build on the foundations of Te Ao Māori already woven into the early learning environment, inspiring tamariki and their whānau to connect with Māori traditions in meaningful and authentic ways.
Each year, the team alternates between two focal points:
- Year One: An exploration of Māori atua (gods), weaving their stories into an understanding of the stars.
- Year Two: A direct focus on the Matariki star cluster, engaging children in activities that highlight each star’s significance.
This approach ensures rich and varied learning and fosters excitement among children. Teacher's say celebrating Matariki is the children’s firm favourite out of all the planned learning for the year. Parents often express amazement at how much their tamariki absorb, showcasing the impact of this thoughtful approach.
A Collaborative Teaching Effort 
Matariki celebrations at Ako Early Learning unfold over an extended period, allowing time for deep exploration. Each week, a different atua (Māori god) or whetū (star) becomes the centre of learning, with engaging activities designed to expand children’s knowledge. The workload is shared among teachers, with each teacher taking responsibility for preparing and leading activities on one atua or star before rotating their focus the following year—ensuring continuous learning and development for both teachers and children. This collaborative effort strengthens the service’s ability to honour and celebrate Te Ao Māori as a natural part of daily learning in an authentic way.
Weaving Te Ao Māori into Everyday Learning
Ako Early Learning Service enriches the Matariki experience through creative and interactive activities including:
-Music and movement including purākau (Matariki legends) into waiata and action songs each week. The tamariki of Ako Early Learning love the book Together in Love.
-Yoga poses inspired by each atua or star were created by tamariki to help them remember.
-Hands-on activities such as memory games with cards created for objects associated with the different stars, for example sea creatures for Waitā, the star associated with the ocean. Extending on this activity, formula tins were re-purposed into posting activities to help learn about what kai grows above ground (Tupuārangi) and what kai grows within the soil (Tupuānuku).
-Art creations such as painting rainbows and making rain sticks for the week they were learning about Ranginui (the atua of the sky).
-Whānau involvement through asking whānau to bring in a photo of a loved one who has passed away in the previous year. This photo is added to a wall display of a waka that is travelling to the stars. This remains on the wall throughout the year.
Whānau Engagement
Matariki provides Ako Early Learning an opportunity for whānau engagement to be strengthened. Hiwaiterangi, the wishing star, presents a nice opportunity for whānau to express aspirations for their child. This supports Ako Early Learning teaching philosophy of wanting to work together with whānau on what whānau identify as important for their child. To support this, above the bag hooks there are little kete for each child and whānau to share their aspirations for their child’s learning and pop them in the kete. This wall display remains throughout the year.
Looking Forward 
With each passing year, the teaching team refines and expands their approach. By rotating responsibilities, each kaiako deepens their expertise, ensuring that Matariki remains a vibrant and evolving tradition within Ako Early Learning Service.
As the stars of Matariki shine brightly, so too does the passion of the Ako Early Learning Service teaching team, who continue to deepen and celebrate Te Ao Māori in the learning environment in a way that resonates with tamariki and whānau alike.
Inspired by centres like Ako Early Learning, Building Blocks for Hauora can support early learning services to celebrate Matariki in ways that go beyond learning about the stars. We encourage an approach that support the overall wellbeing of tamariki, their whānau, and the wider community.
Celebrating Matariki helps create learning environments where tamariki feel they belong, build resilience, and grow strong connections with others—supporting healthier, more connected communities where children can thrive.