Te Whāriki · Strand 2 of 5

Mana whenua | Belonging

Belonging | Children know they belong and have a sense of connection to others and the environment.

Mana whenua | Children’s relationship to Papatūānuku is based on whakapapa, respect and aroha.

In plain words: children and their whānau feel at home here: connected to people, places and the land, comfortable with the routines, and clear about how things work. It has 4 goals for kaiako and 4 learning outcomes.

Updated 6 October 2026 · StoryLoop, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Learning outcomes

The 4 learning outcomes

Over time and with guidance and encouragement, children become increasingly capable of:

Learning outcome
Making connections between people, places and things in their worldte waihanga hononga
Taking part in caring for this placete manaaki i te taiao
Understanding how things work here and adapting to changete mārama ki te āhua o ngā whakahaere me te mōhio ki te panoni
Showing respect for kaupapa, rules and the rights of otherste mahi whakaute

Wording from Te Whāriki (2017), pages 24 and 25.

Goals for kaiako

The goals

Children and their families experience an environment where:

  • Connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended
  • They know that they have a place
  • They feel comfortable with the routines, customs and regular events
  • They know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour

The strand as a whole: Children and their families feel a sense of belonging.

In everyday play

What it can look like

Sharing news from home, joining a familiar waiata, knowing where the hats go, helping care for the garden, settling into a new routine after a change.

StoryLoop's examples, not curriculum text. Every child shows this learning in their own way and time.

From a real draft

How a real StoryLoop draft linked this strand

The note:

Mat time waiata, Nikau stood at the front and did the actions for Tūtira mai ngā iwi with Whaea Sue. Sang the first line loud then went quiet and just did actions. Clapped at the end.

The link StoryLoop wrote in the draft, unedited:

This also links with Mana whenua | Belonging, as Nikau joined a shared mat time routine with Whaea Sue and the group. Tūtira mai ngā iwi gave him a familiar way to connect through waiata and actions.

Read the full draft.

What StoryLoop does with a note

A rough note in, a learning story out.

A real note an educator typed, and the start of the draft StoryLoop wrote from it, unedited, with the Te Whāriki links, learning and next steps to follow.

The note · Aroha, 2 to 3 years
Aroha tried to put her shoes on before going outside. Velcro kept folding over. Asked 'help me' then pushed my hand away and did the second one herself. Stood up and stomped both feet.
The draft, as StoryLoop wrote it

Putting on her own shoes

Before going outside, Aroha tried to put her shoes on by herself. The Velcro kept folding over, making the job trickier. Aroha asked, "help me", letting us know clearly that she needed support.

When help was offered, Aroha pushed the adult hand away and did the second shoe herself. Once both shoes were on, she stood up and stomped both feet. This looked like Aroha checking that her shoes were on and feeling the result with her whole body.

Read the full draft

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Questions kaiako ask

What does Mana whenua mean?
Mana whenua | Belonging is strand 2 of the five Te Whāriki strands. Te Whāriki describes it as: "Belonging | Children know they belong and have a sense of connection to others and the environment" and "Mana whenua | Children’s relationship to Papatūānuku is based on whakapapa, respect and aroha". Each strand has an English and a Māori name; Te Whāriki notes that while closely related, different cultural connotations mean the two are not equivalents.
What are the learning outcomes for Mana whenua | Belonging?
There are 4. Over time and with guidance and encouragement, children become increasingly capable of: making connections between people, places and things in their world (te waihanga hononga); taking part in caring for this place (te manaaki i te taiao); understanding how things work here and adapting to change (te mārama ki te āhua o ngā whakahaere me te mōhio ki te panoni); showing respect for kaupapa, rules and the rights of others (te mahi whakaute).
What are the goals of Mana whenua | Belonging?
Children and their families experience an environment where: connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended; they know that they have a place; they feel comfortable with the routines, customs and regular events; they know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour. The goals are for kaiako: they describe the environment and teaching that support this learning.
How do I link a learning story to Mana whenua | Belonging?
Name the strand, and the learning outcome when one fits closely, then say in a sentence what the child did that shows it. Link only where the moment genuinely shows the learning; one honest link says more to whānau than five loose ones.

Te Whāriki

The other four strands

Sources

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