Program planning is a vital area in various early childhood education (ECE) services to provide quality education and care for young children. There are many ways we could plan things. Planning will link to the Desirable Objectives Document (DOP), Te Whariki and the licensing criteria provided by the Government. Planning in the ECE cycle has no beginning or end; it's a continuous cycle day after day, week after week and year after year. Play is a fundamental element for learning and development in a child's life. The aim of program planning is to improve the way we work with children in different areas of early childhood. Planning means setting goals and providing quality programs to help children learn and build good relationships within the service. Ward (2011) discusses that the purpose of planning is to provide a safe learning environment based on the Te Whariki curriculum. According to the Ministry of Education (1996), it is stated that “each early childhood education setting should plan its program to facilitate the achievement of the objectives of each level of the curriculum” (p.28). Teachers plan so they can create quality programs and refer to make improvements to those programs. Staff should share planning documentation to inform parents and keep them on the same page. Planning is about broadening children's interest and identifying the area where they may need to improve. Program planning projects to meet the needs of young children. The purpose of program planning is to ensure that the center provides learning programs in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Education (MOE). (Ward, 2011) We must seek children's voices, parents' suggestions and ...... middle of paper ......es ideas to help Pacific children learn and develop holistically. Works Cited Linda, M. & Linda, P. (2011). Theories and approaches to learning in the early years. Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki early childhood curriculum: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. Ministry of Education. (1998). Quality in action te mahi whai hua: implementing the revised statement of objectives and desirable practices in New Zealand early childhood services. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. Ministry of Education. (2008). Early Childhood Education and Care Center Licensing Criteria 2008 and Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework. Wellington New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Feeney, S., Christensen, D., & Moravick, E. (2007). Understand and support the game