“The Whispering Forest: Ruru’s Halloween Secret”
At Sugartree Lane Preschool, we love celebrating the changing seasons, telling stories, and exploring the world through the eyes of our tamariki. While Halloween isn’t something we’ve traditionally celebrated here in Aotearoa, it’s a fun opportunity to explore imagination, light, and maybe, just maybe, a friendly little spookiness!
So this year, instead of ghosts and goblins, we’re sharing a very kiwi Halloween tale, one that’s filled with forest magic, glow worms, and the call of the ruru (morepork) echoing through the night.
The Tale of the Ruru’s Secret
Long ago, deep in the forest, the night was full of whispers. The trees rustled, the stars glittered like tiny lanterns, and the ruru called, “Ruru… ruru…”
Tamariki once believed the ruru carried messages between the worlds of light and dark, a guardian of the forest who watched over those who wandered too far after sunset.
One still evening, a curious pīpī (young bird) asked the ruru,
“Why do you only come out at night?”
The ruru blinked its wide golden eyes and said softly,
“Because the night has secrets too.
It’s where the glow worms shine,
where the stars dance,
and where brave hearts learn not to be afraid of the dark.”
The pīpī listened carefully. When the moon rose high, she took a deep breath and spread her wings, and for the first time, she saw the forest glowing in silvery light. She realised the dark wasn’t scary after all… it was simply another kind of beautiful.
As the moon climbed higher and the ruru’s call echoed through the trees, the forest began to sparkle with life.
From between the ferns came the sound of giggles, the tamariki had arrived!
Lanterns in hand and costumes rustling, they danced through the soft night air like glow worms come to life.
One wore a witches hat, another a cloak of stars, and a third fluttered wings made to look like a bat.
The ruru watched from its branch, eyes wide and warm.
It had seen many nights in its time, but this one felt different, brighter, braver, filled with joy.
The tamariki played and laughed beneath the trees, their voices twinkling like starlight.
They weren’t afraid of the dark; they were part of it now…
lighting it up with friendship, wonder, and just a little bit of spooky fun.
And somewhere, hidden in the shadows, the ruru gave a soft hoot of approval,
because on this night, the forest and the children shared one beautiful secret:
even the dark can shine when you fill it with laughter.
Learning Through Stories of Light and Shadow
At Sugartree Lane Preschool, stories like this help tamariki build mana atua (wellbeing) and mana aotūroa (exploration).
They learn that curiosity can replace fear, and that nature (even in the dark) is full of wonder.
Our kaiako (teachers) might explore this theme through play and discovery:
🪶 Creating ruru masks or puppets and retelling the story.
🕯️ Playing with light and shadow using torches and natural materials.
🌿 Talking about nighttime creatures in Aotearoa, like pekapeka (bats) and glow worms.
✨ Exploring words in te reo Māori for night and light, pō, mārama, and rama.
These experiences help our children grow as confident explorers… creative, resilient, and connected to the world around them.
🎃 A Very Aotearoa Halloween
So this Halloween, whether your whānau enjoys costumes, stories, or just a cosy evening together, let’s celebrate the light within the dark. Like the ruru, may our tamariki always find courage, curiosity, and joy, in every season of learning.
Happy Halloween from all of us at Sugartree Lane Preschool, your friendly daycare in Auckland City, where imagination, discovery, and care shine bright every day. 🌙
