Kinder News

Welcome to Athol Road Primary School Kindergarten!

Most of the children have settled well into the kindergarten routine. The 4-year-old groups have embarked on their learning journey at full speed. The children are currently curious about the insects and spiders that they have spotted in the garden. To extend the children’s current interest, we set up an insect and spider table for children to observe, explore and interact with. They have also had the opportunity to observe real spiders and caterpillars that we caught and discussed how many legs and body parts they could see, as well as where they lived. 

Children in Blue Group have developed an interest in listening to classic stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Gingerbread Man. Children interacted with the characters on the felt storyboard and got to bake and decorate their own gingerbread man cookies. They have also recently been introduced to the Kimochi characters, which are used for social/emotional learning. These soft toys help children to identify, name and understand their feelings and the feelings of others. Kimochis also help children to learn effective strategies to cope with big emotions. These skills are important to later success in school and life. 

The 3-year-old groups spent their first few weeks familiarising themselves with our learning space and practising self-help skills. Many children are learning to separate from their parents for the first time and interacting with other children and teachers. They are learning how to say their teachers' names by playing guessing games with People Blocks. The People Blocks have images of their teachers' faces attached to them so that children are able to look at their teachers' faces closely and notice the differences between them.

Children in the Red group have been interested in learning about community helpers, such as firefighters and police officers. They have enjoyed dressing up and exploring what they see and know about these roles through play. 

The children in the Yellow group are currently exploring the five senses; sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. The children have been exposed to games and group discussions that encourage children to focus on one of their senses at a time. This helps children to understand themselves better and encourages them to explore the world in new ways.