Te Whāriki planning: How to create a weekly plan

Creating a Te Whāriki weekly plan involves observing children’s interests and weaving the curriculum’s four principles and five learning strands into a flexible, play-based schedule. A successful Te Whāriki planning process allows New Zealand educators to design responsive learning programs rather than following a rigid syllabus. By starting with child-led play observations and mapping active learning experiences to specific learning outcomes, educators can build an integrated weekly plan.

Established by the NZ Ministry of Education, this bicultural curriculum encourages ECE centers to create customized schedules. Rather than following a predetermined syllabus, educators observe children’s spontaneous play, identify their current interests, and design weekly programs that deepen their understanding and development.

The principles of Te Whāriki planning

To develop a successful plan under this curriculum, educators must understand how the four founding principles interact with the five learning strands. Planning is not about checking off academic checklists but about supporting relationships and identity.

The planning process is guided by four principles: whānau tangata (family and community), ngā hononga (relationships), kotahitanga (holistic development), and whakamana (supporting identity and agency). This means your weekly plan must include opportunities for families to participate, prioritize responsive relationships, and address the social, emotional, and physical needs of children. A good plan schedules open-ended play alongside intentional teaching, allowing educators to support children as they naturally explore their environment.

Designing weekly Te Whāriki lesson plans

When creating weekly Te Whāriki lesson plans, focus on creating rich, multi-dimensional play environments that naturally touch on multiple curriculum strands.

Start by choosing a central interest observed in the classroom, such as insects or water play. From there, map out activities that support each strand:

• Wellbeing (Mana Atua): Schedule active physical games and regular self-care routines.
• Belonging (Mana Whenua): Set up a corner where children can build with local or familiar items.
• Contribution (Mana Tangata): Plan small-group projects where children must share materials and cooperate.
• Communication (Mana Reo): Select themed storybooks, songs, and drawing templates to support language.
• Exploration (Mana Aotūroa): Provide magnifying glasses, sensory trays, and counting blocks to encourage scientific observation.

Essential elements of NZ preschool planning

In NZ preschool planning, flexibility is key. Your weekly schedule must leave room for spontaneous child-led exploration and responsive teacher interactions.

A rigid, minute-by-minute schedule often disrupts learning. Instead, divide your day into broad, predictable blocks of time, such as outdoor exploration, circle time, small-group activities, and quiet play. Within these blocks, allow children to select their own activities while you observe and step in to guide learning when appropriate. This balanced approach ensures children remain highly motivated while educators find natural opportunities to introduce new concepts or vocabulary.

Implementing a kindy weekly plan template

Using a pre-formatted kindy weekly plan template can save time and help ensure that you do not overlook any of the essential curriculum strands.

When designing your template, create sections for observations, material preparation, and reflective notes alongside the five strands. For pēpi (infants), focus the template on sensory exploration and individual sleep schedules. For nohinohi (toddlers), place a heavy focus on physical coordination and social interaction. For kōhungahunga (young children) preparing for the transition to school, include structured tracing, pattern-sorting, and independent scissor tasks.

The Superbuddy library offers printable resources and templates to support New Zealand ECE educators. Superbuddy features a rich repository of printable resources, including structured lesson plans, practical tasksheets, and week packages designed for children aged 2–6. Our materials are organized across three distinct age bands: Pre-Nursery (ages 2–3), Nursery (ages 3–4), and KG (ages 4–6). A free account is free to start and provides five download credits each month, making it easy to find high-quality materials for weekly schedules. Educators can read our comprehensive guide on Te Whāriki or browse our early years resources to find printables for their weekly schedule.