Program Highlights
How Pretend Play Helps Children Learn
Pretending is important in child development. Through pretend play:
- Children learn about themselves and the world. Dramatic play experiences are some of the first ways children learn about their likes and dislikes, their interests, and their abilities.
- Children work out confusing, scary, or new life issues. Have you ever witnessed children pretending to visit the doctor? One child dutifully holds the mock stethoscope as the others line up for a check-up. More often than not someone gets ‘shots’. This is a child’s way of exploring an experience that is common and sometimes confusing or scary. Through these role plays, children become more comfortable and prepared for life events in a safe way. Children often use pretend play to work out more personal challenging life events too, whether it is coping with an illness in the family, the absence of a parent or divorce, or a house fire.
- Children develop important complex social and higher order thinking skills. Pretend play is much more than simple play activities; it requires advanced thinking strategies, communication and social skills. Through pretend play, children learn to do things like negotiate, consider others’ perspectives, transfer knowledge from one situation to another, balance their own ideas with others, develop a plan and act on it, explore symbolism, express and listen to thoughts and ideas, assign tasks and roles, and synthesize different information and ideas.
- Children cultivate social and emotional intelligence. How we interact with others is key to our lifelong success and happiness. Knowing how to read social cues, recognise and regulate emotions, negotiate and take turns, and engage in a long-term activity that is mutually beneficial are no easy tasks.
- Children synthesize knowledge and skills. Because learning and child development doesn’t happen in discrete pockets of time or during isolated activities, children need opportunities to blend their skills and knowledge together. Pretend play is an ideal way to do this. Think of children playing ‘grocery’ store. They sort by attributes as they group similar foods in sections of the store, use math concepts to tabulate amounts as they determine prices and calculate grocery bills, use writing to communicate by making signs, experiment with shapes and weights as they organise the store, work collaboratively as they assign roles and play together, and much more.
Sharon Donnellan, ELC Co-ordinator
ELC Annual Concert
Don’t forget to book your tickets to the 2016 ELC Annual Concert which will be held on Tuesday 6 September from 5.30pm to 6.30pm in Dalton Hall. Refreshments will be provided in the Staff Lounge from 5.00pm. Book your place here.
The Little Mermaid - Y5 & Y6 Production
2016 Kilvington Olympic Day
On Friday 19 August, the entire Junior School participated in the School’s very first Olympic Day.
Just like the real event in Rio, the day consisted of an opening and closing ceremony and different sporting activities where students could test themselves against other competing athletes!
Highlights of the day included the parade of nations, where each country entered the Hall with their flag bearer at the front, the lighting of the Olympic Caldron, Monette Russo (2004 Athens Olympic Gymnast) speaking to the students about her experiences, and the final medal ceremony at the closing ceremony, where Canada took out the gold medal.
The day was a huge success with students embracing the Olympic spirit and gaining an insight of how special the Olympics are.
Thank you to all the staff members involved and I look forward to running the event again in four year’s time!
Steve Bustin, Academic Dean of PE and Health
Prep - Year 4 Learning Celebration
The Prep – Y4 Learning Celebration will showcase the children’s learning and highlight academic progress and achievement related to Mathematics, English and their current Geography Unit. It will include written work, displays, models, music, art and visual arts.
There will be refreshments available for parents and family in the Staff Lounge from 5.00pm and the program will begin promptly at 5.30pm, finishing at 6:30pm. Book your place here.
Grandparents or Special Friends’ Afternoon Tea: Prep-Y6
Grandparents or Special Friends’ Afternoon Tea will be held on Tuesday 13 September 2016 from 2.00pm-3.25pm. This event provides Junior School students with a wonderful opportunity to share their school experience with someone special in their lives. Book your place here.