Month of July

 I am so excited for my new program this month! A big highlight was getting to set some new goals during my IPP meeting, especially since I got to see my dad.

I’ve been really enjoying my cooking sessions, too. I made a three-ingredient cake and had a blast stirring the wet and dry ingredients together. I also made a pumpkin and feta salad, and chopping up the feta was so much fun.

Girls Group has been all about pampering and relaxing with friends. I got to soak my feet in a lovely foot spa and even enjoyed a lower leg and knee massage, which felt so soothing. I was lucky enough to do some colouring in and soaked my nails in some nice warm water and got them filed down. 

My sensory and gardening sessions have been really interesting and fun. We watched a super helpful video on how to tell weeds and plants apart so we don't pull the wrong ones out! I also got to make my own stress ball squishies. I picked green for the cloud dough, mixed it all up, and stuffed it into a balloon, it turned out so neat and relaxing to squeeze.

For community inclusion, I loved visiting the Historic Village. We stopped by the Pot House Gallery to look at the cool Matariki clay sculptures, and then explored the fairy gardens, which had such a magical vibe. We also played pool at the bowling alley, where my competitive side came out. I was really proud of how many balls I sank while playing with my friends. I also visited the Decor Gardens in Bethlehem where I met a rainbow lorikeet bird named Chuck. I walked around to explore the many different cool plants and flowers while enjoying the smell of them. 

In my computer and literacy sessions, I’ve been feeling a lot more confident using my voice and even read a book aloud to the group. And, of course, I'm keeping my brain working with my ultimate favorite game Solitaire. I have been enjoying my acting/roleplay sessions by doing short plays with my friends, saying some of the lines out aloud. For one of my music and dance sessions I loved listening to Country music, I even got up for a boogie with my friends. For another music session we explored 70’s disco music, it was very funky and upbeat. 

I am also very proud of earning my brownie badges on my brownie sash. I’ve also been earning stars on my chart for listening to the staff and being on my best behaviour. It has been such a great incentive for me to keep a positive attitude while at Arohanui. - TR

Month of June

 This month, I have really enjoyed all of my sessions at Arohanui and spending time with my friends.

In Girls Group, I made a mask for the ball and had fun decorating it by painting it blue and adding silver glitter. I also enjoyed being pampered by having my nails and hair done. During sports sessions, I had lots of fun using our new basketball hoop and was quite proud of how well I did with my free throws.

In Life Skills, I learnt how to read clocks, which I found very interesting. I also learnt about personal hygiene and what to do in an emergency, including calling 111. I think these are very important and valuable skills to know.

I thoroughly enjoyed my outings this month, including visiting the Citz Club to play pool with my friends and going to Farmers in Tauriko to book a makeup appointment for the ball. On one outing, the rainy weather meant we stayed back at the centre, where we made bath bombs instead. I helped by pressing the mixture into the moulds. We also visited the Rose Garden, where I enjoyed walking through the beautiful scenery and exploring the greenhouse.

Cooking sessions are always enjoyable, and I love helping to chop and prepare the vegetables. During Discovering Nature, I visited Isla Park to collect leaves, which we later used to create pictures of trees. In sensory and art sessions, I made cloud dough by mixing the ingredients together and adding food colouring. I loved how soft and fluffy it felt, just like a cloud. I also helped make glittery stars for the ball decorations by painting each star and sprinkling silver glitter over them. For my music session i had a great time having a disco dance party where we all dressed up and had disco lights. I listened to many disco classics. I also learnt about many of our very own NZ artists like Stan walker and Six60. I found it very interesting on how they came up in the music industry. 

I have also enjoyed being a helping hand in Quirks Café by making hot chocolates for everyone. During computer sessions, I like challenging my brain by playing Solitaire, and I also enjoy watching kapa haka videos on YouTube.

I have made many wonderful memories with my friends this month, and they are memories that I will always treasure. - TR

Month Of May

In the month of May, I created many special memories and shared meaningful moments with my friends. It was a time filled with fun, learning, and new experiences that I truly enjoyed. Through music and dance, I explored a wide range of genres. I experienced the unique rhythms and cultural sounds of the Cook Islands and Tahiti, as well as the energetic and lively vibe of K-pop. Each style brought something different, and it was exciting to learn and move to such diverse music. Alongside this, I have been practising the box step in preparation for our upcoming ball. At first it was challenging, but with consistent practice, it became easier and more natural, which made me feel more confident. During our Girls Group sessions, I spent quality time with my friends at Quirks Café, where we enjoyed fluffy sprinkles together. We shared lots of laughter, conversations, and stories, making it a warm and memorable experience. I have also been working on my mask for the upcoming masquerade ball. I really loved the creative process of designing and decorating it, and it allowed me to express myself in a fun and artistic way. One of my favourite memories this month was our High Tea. We made pikelets ourselves and enjoyed them with passionfruit herbal tea. It was such a peaceful and relaxing time, and it gave us the chance to unwind and enjoy each other’s company in a calm setting. In my sensory sessions, I was very hands-on and engaged. I particularly enjoyed using square and triangular magnets to create different shapes and designs. It was both fun and satisfying to experiment and see what I could build. I also found it very calming to write down the names of different animals on a poster using my animal books as a guide. It helped me focus and relax at the same time. For one of my outings, I visited Farmers and spent time exploring the different perfumes. I really enjoyed smelling the variety of scents and discovering which ones I liked the most. It was a simple but enjoyable experience that added to my month. I also was very lucky to meet paralympic cyclist Devon Briggs. Devon came to Arohanui to share his amazing story with us and gave us the ins and outs of what it’s like to be in the Paralympics. He shared many inspiring stories that were very interesting. Devon even brought in his bike and his silver and gold medals. I really enjoyed holding the gold medal. It was very shiny and heavy. Overall, May was a month full of creativity, connection, and personal growth. I made lasting memories, learned new skills, and spent meaningful time with the people around me. - TR

Girls group

I love making a mask that I will wear to the masquerade ball.TA

Sensory

 

I enjoyed making different shapes with the magnets, it was loads of fun with the triangles and squares 

KB

Ball practice

We had so much fun practicing our ballroom dancing with my friends. Preparing for the Masquerade Ball. I loved it.

-N.O.

 

Outing

  It was very nice trying some different fragrance at farmer's today.TA