Learning Through Play with Our Preschoolers

Preschool Art Display in the School Foyer

I hope by now everyone has the chance to view the story of the preschooler's artwork in the school foyer. We have some very talented artists that are learning about being the artist or the illustrator of a book.

After reading the aboriginal story "How the Birds Got Their Colours" and hearing about the young school girl who painted the original pictures from the book, our preschoolers have been illustrating their own books. Some of the children recreated the aboriginal story, becoming the illustrator and some of the children created their own story with original pictures they designed. 

Hanging in our book corner at preschool is a piece of aboriginal artwork, named "New Beginnings". Together we read the story of it's artist Holly McLennan-Brown to understand the meaning of the aboriginal designs within her painting. 

Learning to Communicate with our Hands (Key Word Sign Australia)

Our preschoolers are learning the language of Key Word Sign. This is a form of communication used to support hearing impaired people and is based in the skill of signing the key words within our spoken language. The preschool children have learnt that when using key word sign we use verbal language along with our signs.  The children have quickly adopted these signs and have also learnt the song Der Glumph using key word sign. Below is a collection of signs and the song we have learnt so far. 

The Preschool Vegetable and Herb Gardens

Since the beginning of the year our preschoolers been researching, brainstorming and planning the planting of our vegetable and herb gardens. This week it has come to fruition with the plants going in. We added some seedlings as well as seeds one of our family's donated. A hands on exercise saw the children turning the soil, watering, planting and mulching the gardens and pots. If you have a chance, please come past and have a look at our cauliflower, rocket, carrots, peas, buk choy, parsley, chives and other produce we have growing.

...AND... we got our plants in just in time for a light sprinkle of rain... Some of the children enjoyed a quick drink themselves too... 

Outdoor learning spaces are a feature of Australian learning environments. They offer a vast array of possibilities for learning experiences not available indoors. Experiencing and connecting with the natural elements within their environment allow children learning opportunities that can not be mirrored elsewhere. (Learning Environments EYLF V2 p23)