Child: Nena, Nena.

Grandmother: Oh, hello Nesah!

Child: Will you read a book for me?

Grandmother: Yes, I will. Okay, sit properly. Move up, move up. Okay, Nena’s going to read the book to you. No Ducks. Hēai ni Pato. Ni pato – oh, look at the picture. What’s this?

Child: Ducks.

Grandmother: They’re ducks, eh? Ducks. Let’s have a look. (reads) I tētahi aho, na kave ai e Mrs Hakeo nā tamaiti o te ākoga kāmata ki te pāka. “Na koutou manatua ke kaumai ni mea kē fāgai ai nā pato?” na fehili atu ai ia Mrs Hakeo. “Ni lau kāpihi tā aku,” na lea atu ai ia Telima.” Kua tavaevae e ki mātou mā nā pato.”

Translation: One day, Mrs Hakeo took the kindergarten children to the park. “Did everyone remember to bring something to feed the ducks?” she asked. “I’ve got some cabbage leaves,” said Telima. “We’ve torn them up for the ducks.”

Grandmother: Oh, yummy, what’s this picture?

Child: A doughnut.

Grandmother: Doughnut. (reads) “He pagi kulimi mafu tā aku,” na lea ai ia Rangi. Yummy.

Translation: “I’ve got a stale cream bun,” said Rangi.

Mother: (reads) The cicada crawled onto Leilani’s hand. Its feet felt prickly on her skin. She looked at its shiny coat and its see-through wings. Then Nena said the cicada needed to go back outside. They carefully put it out the window so that it could fly away and sing some more.

Mother: What’s that?

Child 1 (Boy): Green cicada.

Mother: Who is this in the story?

Child 2 (Girl): Nena.

Mother: Do you like staying at Nena’s, Nesah?

Child 2: Yes.

Mother: What do you like about going to Nena’s?

Child 2: Nena reads books for me.

Mother: Fakafetai mo tau tali ni, pepe. Translation: Thank you for your answer, baby. (reads) Soon it was Saturday morning and time for Leilani to go home. Leilani was excited about seeing Mum and Dad, but she felt sad about leaving Nena and Papa. She told Nena that she would miss them. Nena hugged her and said, “Don’t be sad, Leilani. You can come and stay with us again soon.”

Mother: Is Leilani happy or sad?

Child 2: Sad.

Mother: Why do you think she’s sad?

Child 2: She’s missing her Nena.

Mother: That’s right, she is. (reads) On Monday, Leilani was at kindergarten. She was thinking about Nena and the cicada. She let out a big sigh.

Kaiako: (reads) They looked everywhere. They even looked under the bushes behind the pond. Can you look underneath the bushes to see if you can see them?

Child: There are no ducks.

Kaiako: No. (reads) “Where are they?” said Miss Hakeo ...

Child: They’re gone! They’re gone!

Kaiako: They’re gone, yes. (reads) ... wondering what to do next. “We could pretend to be ducks,” said Kava. Can you pretend to be like ducks?

Children: Yeah! Quack, quack, quack.

Kaiako: Well done. (reads) So Telima pretended to be a sleeping duck. Shall we pretend to be a sleeping duck?

Child: Yeah.

Kaiako: Yeah.

Children: (quiet) Quack, quack, quack.

Kaiako: Nice one, Kitiona, well done. Oh, I like when you’re quiet! (reads) And Rangi pretended to be a drinking duck. Can you show me a drinking duck?

Children: Yes. Slurp, slurp, slurp.

Kaiako: (reads) And Kainaki pretended to be a swimming duck. Shall we pretend to be a swimming duck ...

Child: Yeah

Kaiako: in the water? How do ducks swim in the water? Show me. Cool! (reads) And Teagai pretended to be a splashing duck and got Imeleta all wet. Can you guys show me a splashing duck? Splash, splash!

Children: Quack, quack!

Kaiako: Lelei tele! Translation: Very good!

All: (singing) ... la‘u ‘ula, la‘u ‘ula. Tālofa mai Sāmoa. Translation: … my necklace, my necklace. Welcome from Sāmoa.

Kaiako: Beautiful singing. Let’s have a storytime.

Child: Okay.

Kaiako: All right, this story is called ‘O le Fāgotaga – or, Fishing!

Child: Yeah, I know.

Kaiako: Okay, have you guys been fishing before?

Child: I catched a fish.

Kaiako: Did you catch a fish?

Child: I don’t catch any fish.

Kaiako: Was it a big fish or a small fish?

Child: Big fish.

Child: Like this!

Kaiako: And where did you take it?

Child: Put away, in a bucket.

Kaiako: And put it in the bucket.

Child: Yeah.

Kaiako: With lots of water, in there? I’ve been fishing too, but I’ve only been one time.

Child: I get my hook.

Kaiako: You got your hook?

Child: Yeah.

Kaiako: And what did you use your hook for?

Child: For ika. I’m gonna get them on the boat. (other children talking in the background)

Kaiako: For the ika?

Child: For ika.

Kaiako: Oh, āe. Oh, wow.

Kaiako: So, we’re watching. We’re going to read about our friend here who’s ready to go and fish, fishing with his dad.

Child: Fishing with his dad.

Kaiako: (reads) Grandpa sat on the sand and watched us. Look at them.

Child: His dad.

Kaiako: Yeah, that’s his dad. Did you go fishing with your dad?

Child: Yeah.

Kaiako: Yeah, I’m sure your dad really loves to go fishing. Yeah, just like this – just like him, there.

Child: He’s holding a net.

Kaiako: Holding a net. He’s going to use it to catch the ...

Children: Fish!

Kaiako: The fish.

Quiet background noise of children paying outside

Audiobook: “Va‘ai,” ‘o le tala lea a Kava ma ‘u‘u ‘i luga le pusauga, Translation: “Look,” said Kava, holding up a container,

Kaiako 1: (reads) “Va‘ai,” ‘o le tala lea a Kava ma ‘u‘u ‘i luga le pusauga, Translation: “Look,” said Kava, holding up a container,

Kaiako 2: That’s sounding really good. Mālō! Translation: Well done!

Kaiako 1: Thanks, I’m using it for mat time tomorrow.

Kaiako 2: Well keep it up!

Audiobook: “ ‘o la‘u koe‘aiga alaisa falai ‘ua leva.”

Kaiako: (reads) “ ‘o la‘u koe‘aiga alaisa falai ‘ua leva.” Translation: “I’ve got some old fried rice.”

Kaiako: (reads) “Va‘ai,” ‘o le tala lea a Kava ma ‘u‘u ‘i luga le pusauga, Translation: “Look,” said Kava, holding up a container, ... What’s he holding?

Child: Fried rice.

Child: For birds.

Kaiako 1: A fried rice. (reads) “ ‘o la‘u koe‘aiga alaisa falai ‘ua leva.” Translation: “I’ve got some old fried rice.”

Child: Fried rice!

Kaiako: Yeah, to feed the ducks.

Parent: OK. Come on guys. Here we go.

Kaiako: (reads) “I’ve got some cabbage leaves,” said Telima. “We’ve torn them up.” “I’ve got a stale cream bun,” – ooh, yum – said Rangi.

Child (out of shot): I got that one.

Kaiako: “I’ve got a doughnut that fell to the floor,” said Kainaki.

Kaiako: What about a pāgikeke? Did I say that right? Is it palikeke, or is it no, that’s not right, is it? (children answering out of shot)– Is it ... pāgikeke? Translation: doughnut. (Child nods) Yeah, it’s pāgikeke, eh? That’s a pāgikeke. She’s bringing an old one from yesterday that no-one ate.

Child: I like pāgikeke.
(Children in background answering)

Kaiako: Do you?

Kaiako: Do you have it at home? Who makes it for you at home?

Child (off-screen): I like it too.

Child: Mum.

Kaiako: Your mum makes you pāgikeke at home.

Child (off-screen): My Mum do too.

Kaiako: You guys haven’t had a pāgikeke before?

Child: That one!

Child: I want that one.

Kaiako: Yeah, you want that one? The pāgikeke is best?

Child: I like that one.

Kaiako: You like that one? You like the pāgikeke? I like them too. Are they the same, or are they different?

Child: They’re different.

Kaiako: Why are they different?

Child: Because this one doesn’t have a hole, because this one is a pāgikeke, and those kind of doughnuts don’t have a hole.

Kaiako: Ah, so this one doesn’t have a hole, ’cause it’s a pāgikeke, but this one does. Well – (reads) “I brought a pāgikeke that nobody wanted,” said Teagai.