A two-year-old HIPPY Child, Flynn, in Kaikōura started his HIPPY journey in mid-2023. Before joining the HIPPY programme, Flynn experienced overstimulation in many group environments and struggled to transition into preschool previously.

Matt and Gin, Flynn’s parents, were looking for ways to develop a positive and supportive learning environment at home and found out about HIPPY through a social media post. After signing up, our HIPPY Kaikōura Coordinator introduced activities to enhance Flynn's social skills and provided a well-rounded variety of learning experiences, including exposure to letters and writing, simple science, math, and reading comprehension. Flynn also enjoyed reading HIPPY books and experimenting with different food mixtures. Within weeks, Matt and Gin recognised the positive impact HIPPY has had on Flynn and his academic potential at just two years old.

“Flynn loves exploring complex topics, such as ‘What 3 things do plants need to grow?’. He also explored words beginning with the letter ‘B’ and recognised that ‘Dog’ does not start with ‘B’! His comprehension, verbal language, and interactions are exceptional, given he was not yet 3 years old!.”, says HIPPY Kaikōura Coordinator. 

Over time, opportunities arose for Flynn to interact more with other Tamariki his age. He joined Music and Movement with Plunket, and recently, the HIPPY Family has built up the confidence to join a Playcentre. Flynn left his first day at the Playcentre with a sense of excitement. We look forward to seeing how HIPPY supports Flynn’s journey throughout the year!