Teachers, from left, Katie Davis and Hennessey McNamara. Co-owner Rody O’Reilly found it hot, but fun, in the inflatable T-Rex costume and was a huge hit with the children and passers-by.
With just one bubble of 10 children on site, Coast Montessori co-owner Karen O’Reilly says she and the teachers are missing the others.
“We’ve done a pile of online learning and zoom calls, over many weeks but, recognising just how weary we all are of only seeing each other through a screen, we wanted something fresh,” she says.
A discussion around how other businesses manage contactless delivery spun into the idea of a Drive Through Preschool.
So, for a limited time – 11am and 2pm on October 28 – families drove through the carpark, which was divided into zones with decorations and games such as ‘Simon Says toot your horn!’, bubbles, balloon animals, chalk paint and dancing.
“Our teachers are always happy to put their dignity on the line to amuse children, so we all dressed up and popped on an epic music playlist,” Karen says.
At the end, ‘Princess Elsa’ handed each car a goodie bag with a few treats and some fun activities to do at home, and a big wave from Mr T Rex.
“We were so delighted to see about 40 of our tamariki, and their parents. And it was so special to watch as our little people saw much loved friends they had not seen in over 10 weeks, and shrieked with excitement. Not only was it a real thrill for us as teachers, but we have been inundated with love and positive feedback from our families, telling us how much both they and their children loved this little break in lockdown routine, and how desperately they all want to get back to ‘normal’. It was a brilliant day – we are busy thinking about what event to do next!”
