Harry's grand parents

This afternoon Harry's nan Pat and grandad Peter visited from Rotorua.
Harry's friends Sophie, and Noah cuddled and played trains with nan Pat. Harry's grandad Peter sat with us for afternoon tea outside on the deck. He talked to Chardanae, Tyra and Sarah pretending to talk on a play telephone to Tyra.
"Children develop a feeling of belonging, and having a right to belong, in the early childhood setting", Belonging, Te Whaariki.
Harry was happy and content to have his grandparents visit him at KIDSPACE. Getting on with his play with friends and eating his afternoon tea, while his grandparents stood by and interacted with his peers and teachers, and they behaved very well (nan Pat and grandad Peter that was).
Jessie

 

 

Lending a helping hand

 

Tamara

Roll, Roll, Roll

 

Tamara

Max on the move

 

Tamara

Our hut

 

Tamara

"Look at my painting"

Ruby, Sarah and Maia paint outside. They select the colours they want and discuss this. "Do you like my orange (colour) Maia"?, asks Sarah. Ruby says "look at my painting", and Maia nods while saying "yes I like it, I can fold my in half too".
"The (early childhood) programme allows ample time to return to favourite activities and areas and for the repetition and practice of developing skills and interests", Belonging, Te Whaariki.
These three friends display communication, consideration of others, tolerance and generosity skills.
Jessie

What to do with driftwood #1

Tamara collected driftwood from Marine Parade over the weekend and we used this today to transport around, dig and build with. Jasper, Charlie, Elijah, Eneri, and Laker built dinosaur castles, towers and homes in the sandpit. They built the driftwood structures first then added the plastic dinosaurs last. Lots of team work went on with Charlie holding Eneri's piece of driftwood at the top so Eneri could build it in with sand to stand up at the bottom, also Jasper and Laker carried the basket of dinosaurs outside to the sandpit together.
They all demonstrated confidence, problem-solving, co-operation and work skills together.
"Children are given the challenge of co-ordinating several variables at once, for example, controlling both force and direction", Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

The Big Hungry Bear

Max chose The Big Hungry Bear book from the large and small books set up outside today. He carried this book over to friend Joaquin and said 'bears go raaaaaaaaa, Joaquin', after looking at the brown bear on the books cover, as we have read this book many times, Max could quickly recognize the bear. Louise read this book to Max and Joaquin, all three sitting on a plank outside.
"Children have the opportunities to 'read' pictures for meaning", Communication, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

Working all day long

Netana used the rake with confidence in the large sandpit. He raked the sand forwards and backwards, turning around in the sandpit to rake different areas. As the sand was dry, it was light and easy to move around, and manpiulate to where he wanted. Netana gladly raked mastering essential skills such as problem-solving and physical development.
"Individual endeavour, curiosity, and exploration are seen as positive", Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

All together now...

Caelyn, Ruby and Joaquin all muck in together in the sandpit. It was hard to share at times, all working so close to each other and at times wanting the same tool or piece of equipment. But by communicating verbally, sharing, turn-taking and a bit of help from the teachers' they working to make their own sandpit, dig a hole or fill a container project.
"Strategies for managing behaviour are used not only to prevent unacceptable behaviour but also to develop ideas of fairness and justice and to introduce new social skills". Belonging, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

KIDSPACE Times

July edition, out now.

Please help yourself to a copy, located above the sign in/out desk.

ENJOY your read...

Yummy Yummy

MR BO-JANGLES

...Kian's Pond...

This week Kian enjoyed making a pond in the sandpit. He dug a hole with Jessie which they lined with a tarpaulin. They covered the edges with sand and then filled it with water. Kian found some ducks and boats to put into his pond. This was such a great experience for Kian, He was able to use his knowledge of real ponds and what might be found in them. Recreating things from a child's own experiences is such a great way for them to feel a sense of belonging and to share their knowledge of the world with others.
Sarah

"Ringa, a ringa rosy"

 

By Tamara

Welcome back Donnagh

Donnagh and family returned from their loooong holiday in Ireland this week and no friend was happier to see Donnagh return to KIDSPACE than Libby.
They happily played together in the family corner, on the deck. They played mums and dads and Libby told Donnagh to "lie down", under a blanket. Then off to the sandpit to play rugby with a rugby ball. Libby has missed her friend while Donnagh was away, but they enjoyed interactions and play together now that he is back.
"Adults recognise and respect toddlers' passionate attachment to particular people and things", Belonging, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

 

'Fire truck man' and Laker

This is Laker's 'fire truck man'. Laker built him in the sandpit, using plastic reels, a stick, a bowl and our scuba driving mask. He named him 'fire truck man'. Laker's friends came for a look and later Laker used a spade for the 'fire truck man's' head. Laker used lots of imagination and creativity for this, staying in the sandpit to keep fixing the man's hat and head when they kept falling off.
"Children are encouraged to use trail and error to find solutions to their problems and to use previous experiences as a basis for trying out alternative strategies", Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

Face painting!

 

Look at our artists...
In the warm afternoon sun we painted our freinds faces. Corbin painted Jessie, "don't get my eyes", said Jessie. Libby painted Rory, with blue face paint. Jessie painted Paiges's face. Eneri painted a tiger on Elijah, "I don't know how to do stripes", he said. Elijah painted Laker's face, also a tiger. Amelia painted Libby. Corbin painted his own face and Eneri painted Amelia, "a crown on my forehead" and "princess hair on my cheeks", she requested.
'Generating and exploring ideas in creative ways, individually and in groups, provides opportunities for purposeful contributions', Contribution, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

 

Wednesday

 

by Monica

Balloon Dancing

Tamara

As the wet weather continued.......

The wet weather has continued. I have been trying to think of ways to incorporate messy play into the programme as this is often an experience done outside. We had little black trays that were the perfect size for cornflour and water messy play. Mollie, Libby, Taylah, Corbin and Paige took interest in this they added the water and cornflour themselves and Corbin helped me to add the coloured dye to the slime. This is a fun science experience that is so easy to do. The texture changes when you have it in your hands it starts to drip from your fingers, I watched as Taylah had it dripping from her hands. Mollie enjoyed mixing the water and cornflour together, sometimes ending up with too much water then it changed the consistency. What great learning, experimenting, trying things out and exploration. Paige used the fork to mix hers and even taste tested it too. Libby mixed and transported her slime into another container.

Tamara

Green green grass of Onekawa Park

 

Thursday this week we set off for our local park to run, play ball, explore in leaves and talk to neighbours over their fences. The air was frosty but we where all puffed from running, looking at a bus parked in the carpark and playing hide and seek behind tree trunks. "Children develop the knowledge that trying things out, exploration, and curiosity are mportant and valued ways of learning", Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Jessie