0809 August Newsletter

Double click to view full size. There are paper copies on the noticeboard.

0709 July Newsletter

Sorry, this got missed posting on the blog last month. Double click to view full size.

There are still some spare paper copies above the sign in table if you would like one.

Look at my Hands

Tyra and Sarah were experimenting with the paints today. They started off using individual colours with the paint brushes to paint butterflies but soon they realised the paints were blending together and that their picture did not look like a butterfly. They then decided to use their hands to mix the colours further and make hand prints. Sarah said, "Look I made a new colour". Tyra and Sarah described the feeling of the paint in between their fingers as "cold and squishy". By the end of the session their paper, their clothes and the table were covered in paint.

This creative play is linked to the Exploration Strand of Te Whaariki where children are exploring their ideas, materials, and the environment through the arts. They are also developing their problem solving skills by testing their ideas of mixing colours to make sense of the world around them.

Lydene

Massey Student Teacher

Bubber

Netana and Kian are using our new resource called 'Bubber'. Bubber is a modelling compound that has an odd smell and feels like Eskimo lollies. It is as light as air and as fluffy as a cloud. Bubber can be used to build all sorts of things like mountains & skyscrapers or used to explore the art of carving. Netana and Kian are working together using castle moulds to see what they can build. This fits into the Contribution Strand of Te Whaariki where children experience an environment where they are encouraged to work alongside others and the Exploration Strand where children develop the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to explore actively with all the senses.

Lydene

Massey Student Teacher

Heavens Bakery Charity Ball and Auction

Get your friends together, your glad rags on, and come and join in the fun for a very good cause. Saturday 3 October at Napier Cosmopolitan Club. Mandy from Heavens Bakery in Emerson Street is organising this fund raiser as part of the 'Relay for Life' charity. Hawkes Bay Businesses are getting behind this with donations for the auction including some big items -travel package, one year subscription to Curves gym, case of wine - as well as smaller items like hair products, jewellery. Fancy Feet dance studio will entertain you with a dancing exhibition on the night.

Music, dancing, supper, auction, entertainment - all this for $30 a ticket (cash bar).

Interested?? Know someone who might donate towards the auction?? See Irene!

Daffofil Day Dollars

Thank you for your support of the Cancer Society Daffodil Day. We raised $38.70 and KIDSPACE has topped it up to $60.

Daffodil day 2009

 

Today we had a kowhai (yellow) Daffodil Day, this is what it meant to us...
"Because it's Daffodil Day", said Chardanae.
"Cause flowers grow, 'cause it's Spring", said Tyra.
Jasper commented, "Um, because it's Daffodil Day, it's Spring for all trees and flowers to grow".
"Put them (money) in the box for cancer people", said Tyra. "People sick at (the) doctors and at home", added Jasper.
"It's money for people who have cancer, that it means (cancer) that you are very sick", said Eneri.
"(We had) paint and dust (powder paint) on the table, that was yellow", discussed Elijah and Eneri.
Maia added "(we) dressed up in clothes, yellow clothes".
"We put on our face paint, ourselves", said Sarah.

Sisters doing it for themselves...

Taneesha and sister Maia work with the wooden puzzles outside. Taneesha explores the handles on the puzzle pieces and Maia joins in.
Taneesha probably knows all about puzzles from Maia and Maia watches over her saying, "don't eat it Taneesha" when it goes into her mouth.
These sisters are demonstrating co-operation and interaction skills, but on differnt levels. Maia showing pre-maths, order and sortings skills and Taneesha shows exploration and familiarizing herself with new equipment and copying her role-model, Maia.
Jessie

"There's an Eneri in the ring..."

After lunch the older children have been learning a new group song. They take turns to move (show a motion) to "There's a (child's name) in the ring, traa, laa, laa laa, laa", tune from the Boney M song, "There's a Brown Girl in the Ring".
One child has a turn in the middle while the other children hold hands in the ring on the outside, child in the middle chooses a motion to move too.
In these photos Eneri choose to turn around and for Jasper's turn his "show us a motion", was to jump. We all took turns and children had to come up with new motions each time, we had falling over, clapping, wriggling fingers and rolling eyes.
This is a physical movement songs that requires, turn taking, listening and information skills, and having fun!
"Young children have a widening range of opportunities for independence, choice, and autonomy", Well-Being, Te Whaariki.
We have repeated this song since and children knew what to do and enjoyed choosing a movement different from their friends.
Jessie

Emergent Literacy

There has been a lot of interest in literacy at KIDSPACE of late, with many of the children selecting books of choice and going off to read them either in small groups or on their own, and today was no exception with Sarah and Tyra doing just that.
It is wonderful to see children with a love for books, and we at KIDSPACE actively encourage and support this.
Literacy provides many important opportunities for children to express themselves and develop their own interests.
By encouraging your child to read you are providing opportunities for them to gain an increasing ability to convey and receive information, instruction, and ideas effectively and confidently.
Monica

Isaac's Water Pump

 Today Isaac and I tried out the new water pump. Well, Isaac definitely had his thinking cap on today!! He decided to try attaching a hose to the end of the pump to see what would happen. While I squeezed the pump to make the water come out, Isaac took the end of the hose over to the drain in the ground and lifted the grate off. He started pumping the water into the grate while Joaquin went to the other end of the drain and took that grate off. The boys communicated well with each other as they discussed where the water had gone, as it was not appearing at Joaquin's end of the drain! They ran backwards and fowards from each grate, while Isaac held the hose and I pumped the water....YAY the water finally appeared in Joaquin's end of the drain. The boys were so excited! The learning that was taking place in this experiment was amazing..cause & effect, communication, language skills, determination, maths, science, patience and problem solving...Phew what a list. Way to go boys, ka mau te wehi!
Sarah. B

DAFFODIL DAY - for a good cause

THIS FRIDAY - 28TH AUGUST, IS DAFFODIL DAY! IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE CHILDREN TO WEAR SOME YELLOW TO HELP SUPPORT THE CANCER FOUNDATION.

DAFFODILS ARE AVAILABLE FOR A GOLD COIN DONATION BESIDE THE SIGN IN DESK!

Budding Young Builders

 

This week the boys have become very engaged with the carpentry. They have been building themselves a house!! Jasper and Elijah have been busy taking all the measurements "40, 20, 18, 63"!! said Jasper as he measured the plank of wood. Eneri has been the chief cutter, cutting the planks to the correct sizes, while Laker has been the constructor, putting the house together. These boys are learning so much about co-operation, team work, maths concepts, cause and effect and problem solving. They are recreating things they have seen in the past and learning about their world! "Children learn strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning" Te Whaariki. Sarah B

What could I do with this?

 

Tamara

BNZ Closedforgood

We have put in a submission to the BNZ closedforgood community day to see if we can get the rocky path relaid. The children play in this area everyday turning up stones and looking for bugs. Unfortunately, the toddlers like to 'transport' the stones so they are badly in need of relaying.

Taneesha Turns One

 

Continuing budding friendship

This was from a few weeks ago just after Noah was away for a week. Look at the welcome he got from Paige. They had so much fun peeka booing each other. (Click below to watch video)


Tamara

Action Research Report

We need a stunning title for our action research report - something catchy that covers our blog/communication /partnership with whanau. There's a box of chocolates for whoever comes up with the title that we use.

Chardanae's Creations

 

Beautiful Sleepers

Wacky Wednesday

On Wed 12th August we had a Wacky Wednesday themed day at KIDSPACE, based on the Dr Seuss book that Louise kindly brought from her home.
After reading this book for many weeks before hand our Wacky Wednesday was here. "Adults take time to talk to children about coming events which are out of the ordinary, so that they can anticipate and be comfortable with them", Belonging, Te Whaariki.
Well, what wackiness we had.... shoes on the ceiling, a pot plant in the toilet, tables upside down, morning tea outside in the large climbing boxes, the sleepers slept in the art room and Jo-Jo was inside in a cat cage instead of birds Bo and Leelah! "Children develop a growing recognition and enjoyment of 'nonsense' explanations", Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Children since this day have asked "when is Wacky Wednesday again?", and one nanny have arrived asking teachers "what is this Wacky Wednesday, with a plant in the toilet, that I heard about?".
Jessie
MORE WACKY WEDNESDAY PHOTOS DISPLAYED ON OUR group learning story board.

Lets Get Physical

There has been a lot of physical activity happening at KIDSPACE with lots of climbing, balancing and jumping from great heights. Today, many of the children took responsibility for setting up the outside equipment, instructing me where to place the planks as well as arranging some of the structures themselves. I was impressed at their ability to turn take when waiting to walk the plank and jump from the big boxes on to the mats. Charlie then demonstrated the art of jumping on to the mat, performing a forward roll, then landing on his feet. Well, everyone was most impressed, and very soon there were lots of forward rolls being performed.
These children are developing increasing control over their bodies, including development of locomotor skills, increasing agility, co-ordination, and balance as well as responsive and reciprocal skills, such as turn-taking. All this learning happening and you get to have fun as well.
Monica

Green Blanket

The interest continues

Tamara

All snugged up in bed

 

Tamara

Do you see a pattern here?

 

Tamara

Lots of washing to do!

 

Tamara

Haere mai to Lydene

We welcome Lydene Pain to KIDSPACE this week.
Lydene is a post grad student from Massey studying towards a graduate diploma in early childhood education and will be with us until Fri 4th Sept.
Lydene is a trained primary teacher and has worked in Wairoa for the past four years, she is also a new mum.
We look forward to Lydene's time with us.
Jessie

 

BABY..BABY

Sarah. B

Maxs' Dog

 

Sarah. B