Family Learning Centre Update
September 2020
THE EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
Hello to all families young and old. Here is some September news from our wonderful centre. Our families are doing such a great job of parenting through these times. It is great to see a steady flow of kindergarten children through our doors and I can’t wait to see them all sporting their new kinder tops!
We have our 2021 Kinder information sessions on at the Family Learning Centre on Wednesday and Thursday, 14 and 15 October, 3:00-4:00pm.
So that we can keep groups to safe sizes Please phone us on 5224 9784 or 5224 9791 or even email us at nbcelc@nbc.vic.edu.au so we can book you in, and plan well!
Our Integrated Learning Approach at the Family Learning Centre
We have been focusing on improving our scissor skills for the last few weeks. We have a display up at the Family Centre for all families to see and it has some tips you can use at home. At the Early Learning Centre from our kinder children to child care children we have been practicing step by step according to the stage of your child's development. Scissor skills help to improve our fine motor coordination and strength as well as our concentration. These skills then help to prepare us for reading and writing. With our new skills, we were creative and made cards and gifts for the special men in our lives on Fathers Day!
First step is discovering scissors. “How do they work?” Then, “how do I use them???”
“My thumb goes on top and I march across the page.”
Next step, concentration and pencil skills…
Now I can create a masterpiece
THE FAMILY CENTRE
Welcome Spring!
Welcome to the first full week of spring in 2020! Well done, we made i! I hope you are loving these longer, warmer, sunnier days as much as we all are at the Family Learning Centre. And there is a hint of positivity and happiness in the air as we approach the end of a very tricky term 3. We are all looking forwards to the days “post-Zoom” when we can re-group with each other as friends, grab a cuppa and gather again for ‘real time’ playgroup.
Feeling stuck? A walk around the block with your child, collecting sticks, rocks, shells or flowers, or simply standing barefoot in the grass can cure a toddlers tantrum, and work wonders for our own mental health and well-being. Taking time to be outdoors each day in ‘green space’ has many benefits for us, including the regulation of our own emotions, as well as our child’s! Results? We all feel calmer, connected, more positive.
Until we are able to return to playgroup, here are some of our favourite fun ‘free’ activities, perfect for all ages while we stay at home.
Have fun building strong little hands! Practice your safe scissoring 😊
Never underestimate the potential of classic age-old activities like “cutting and pasting activities” to develop foundations and build hand strength … and the creativity possibilities are endless!
FUN IDEAS – CREATE A ‘SCISSOR STATION’ @ HOME
Keep a special craft corner with the following materials in old shoe boxes – the following items are easier to cut through with safety scissors than paper, and more interesting!
‘Cut and paste’ activities are perfect for your young beginner – have the glue stick ready and paste items onto paper plates to make a crazy hat or sheets of paper to make a beautiful collage!
- Playdough is easy to cut through, roll, snip and start again! It’s great for helping young children who are just learning how to use scissors.
- Curling Ribbon and Shredded Paper Strips are perfect, a narrow strip of paper is much easier to grip with one hand, and snip with the other!
- Craft foam is thicker than paper, and fun because it’s quite soft and springy.
- Yarn/ Wool. Once they get the hang of it, they can pick up several strips and colours of yarn, or even a handful, and chop through them all at once.
- Recycle Christmas and birthday cards, calendars and old magazines - favourite items for any scissor station.
- Natural materials, finding leaves, flowers, grass and twigs from the garden is fun and make for interesting items to cut and paste.
PLAYGROUP VICTORIA: ONLINE ACTIVITIES
So many great online activities to keep young families engaged with ideas, and children busy! Playgroup Victoria is offering free membership for the rest of 2020!
Join Playgroup Victoria online for lots of play and connection each week on Zoom!
Register and discover more by clicking on the links below:
Baby Playgroup at Home
Playgroup at Home
Move It 4 Kids
PLAY. LEARN. CONNECT.
Treat yourself to some self-care and explore the Geelong Regional Library for some great ideas for online events and ideas in September – just in time for the coming school holidays.
The wonderful initiatives provided by the Community Hubs Australia program led by Neema at our Family Centre on Goldsworthy Road is making the most of any opportunity to continue to support our families.
We were however, with mixed emotions to say farewell to Kristy who ran this year the Peacock Community Hub and was last year at Wexford. Kristy has moved intertstate and we shall miss her wonderful enthusiasm, knowledge and welcoming nature.
Wishing good health and happiness to you and your families, remembering we are all in this together J
Sincerely,
Helen O’Connor
Coordinator, NBC Family Learning Centre
A message to families who have not yet enrolled their Kindergarten child for school next year, 2021