Kindergarten News

Marram:

This week we needed a new batch of play dough for our sensory table and who better to help make it than our children! We discussed how to read a recipe and made sure we had all the correct ingredients, encouraging children’s literacy skills. During the process of cooking the play dough, we used everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity and volume, fostering the children’s numeracy development. But what colour should the play dough be?! There was a passionate discussion about this! So we introduced the children to the idea of voting. Children were given a button to place against their preferred colour. The colour with the most buttons, won! It was a simple but effective way to demonstrate the voting process, and the idea that each child had an opinion, and that the vote stands. 

We also returned to our explorations of different emotions and this week looked at ‘angry’. We discussed how deep breathing can help us to calm down when we are feeling angry or upset. We practiced ‘smelling a rose’ (breathing in through our nose) and ‘blowing out a candle’ (breathing out through our mouth). The children also enjoyed their Mandarin language session with Christina, who also explored self-regulation skills. Our children work so hard every session, we’re so proud of them! 

Theresa and Mardi

Budja:

It was a shorter week with our Budja class, yet there was an incredible amount of learning and development that occurred! 

Wednesday we had planned to engage in a fun group game, but the children's curiosity had other ideas! They came in and noticed that the room was very dark due and had a smell of 'smoke', from some incense that had been burning. 

The discussion turned into 45 minutes of incredible learning around light, science and self regulation. The concept of fire and smoke that was gentle and 'controlled' extended our concept of kindness and personal accountability so beautifully. Linking the slow movement and smell of the smoke afforded the children to understand how when we are kind and considerate, we also interact in ways that are positive and welcome. Engaging in behaviours and language that are fast, loud or 'chaotic'; are ways that make others want to stay away from us...

The children really enjoyed this and we extended the learning on Friday morning through using the candle to engage in some gratitude and mindfulness practices and reflections. 

We also held a short rest time outside on Wednesday, oh my!!!! This was an incredible moment, engaging our senses to hear, feel and smell the world around us while unwinding and reconnecting with our emotions and bodies. 

We can't wait for what the new week will bring. 

Al, Carol and Mardi.  

Gawarn:

The children are thoroughly enjoying the outdoors! It has enabled our gross motor skills to flourish as we learn, play and move together. The big blocks have been awesome – the chatter, manoeuvrings and delegations has facilitated sharing of ideas to create joint outcomes. It has also afforded the opportunity to take some risks as they explore height, weight and volume as they create and endeavour to sustain their ideas. They have been working on building their own homes and some cities. They have also adapted and transferred this interest indoors through the small blocks, drawing and art easel – all supporting our core strength that supports our balance and stability. 

Core strength can also be understood in terms of ‘personal core strength’ which can include; optimism, energy, honesty or generosity - which is in the background of all our undertakings. This has been evident in some group games. We have been playing ‘What is the time Mr. Wolf’ and some hide and seek – outdoors and up in the garden. These games help the children to develop their executive functioning – working memory, mental flexibility and self-control as well as being a heap of fun!

The children have taken a very keen interest in our soft toy dogs and have been making a space with blankets and pillows as they demonstrate kindness and caring. We have talked about ‘what if they were not well’ and we look forward to the interactions and unfolding of concepts in a vet area.

Have a super week!

Kelly-Anne, Amelia and Cristina

Wimbi and Dharug:

A wonderful week was had by all. It has been a treat to see the children exploring more and contribute to some group undertakings. They have especially enjoyed some dance and movement, singing familiar songs and working together with manipulative construction. The duplo, track designing for the trains and parking cars, planes and helicopters are some excellent experiences to support manual dexterity. We have incorporated the sandpit dump truck interest into the indoor play dough area. They are very excited to load the trucks as they shape scoop and mould as well as making tracks / patterns with the wheels. These interests through sensory play supports fine and gross motor development as well cognitive, social and language development.

It was awesome to watch the children negotiate the huge interest in the trampoline. They worked together to ‘take turns’ and we worked a little system of making some space with some chalk lines. Children’s input into their co-operative learning builds trust and a sense of belonging.

Have a wonderful week!

Kelly-Anne, Amelia and Nicole.