Hawke's Bay School for Teenage Parents (Colenso) visit KIDSPACE

One of Rie's key children while she is on practicum at Colenso loves birds. So on Wednesday Rie walked her new friends to visit us and our small animals. They looked at our birds Bo and Leelah, and also went to see Murphy and Jo-Jo in the front garden. They where also keen on our sandpit, prams and dollies, our sit in car and the water trough. Teacher Joy once worked at KIDSPACE and our older children enjoyed seeing her as they did Rie.
"Children develop an understanding that the early childhood education setting is fair for all", Belonging, Te Whaariki.
This was a great opportunity to have more than one special visitor at KIDSPACE and for our children to happily introduce themselves, share their equipment and see that others enjoy their environment also.
We plan to walk to Colseno once Rie is back, to see their special centre.
Jessie

I like the hail H-A-I-L

What odd weather today, sunshine and sunblock then hail and rain!
We ran around and caught the hail on our clothes, pootae and in a big blue bucket.
Laker, with Elijah's help, carried the bucket to collect hail stones in. Sarah shows off the many hail stones that landed on her jersey. Eneri searched for hail on his sweatshirt and Noah picked the hail off his sleeves and ate it.
"Children develop strategies for actively exploring and making sense of the world by using their bodies, including active exploration with all senses, and the use of tools, materials and equipment to extend skills", Exploration, Te Whaariki.
By touching, running in, transporting and tasting the hail we could experience what frozen rain is like.
Jessie

Isaac and the ambulance

This morning an ambulance came to KIDSPACE. Isaac cut his forehead open and needed more than first aid. This was the first time an ambulance had ever visited us for an accident. Allan the ambulance driver arrived and bandaged up Isaac's head, making him look like a rugby player. He also looked into Isaac's eyes with a small torch and felt for his pulse in his wrist. Isaac's nanny Beth arrived and together with Allan they walked into the ambulance. Issac could have gone by car to the doctor but Allan and the ambulance were in the KIDSPACE driveway so they rode in this. In the ambulance Allan asked Isaac if he snored when he slept and covered him with a blanket, after checking with nanny Beth for Isaac's age and home address they where off.
When Isaac's mum Gina arrived this afternoon to collect his bag and lunchbox, she said Isaac has eight stitches in his head and was very still and brave while they were put in. We can't wait to see Isaac and his stitches on Tuesday.
Jessie (Hey Jessie I'm pretty sure Max Hunt has been in an ambulance at KIDSPACE:)

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY KIAN

We celebrated Kian's 3rd birthday today. Thank you for sharing your special day with your KIDSPACE friends and teachers. When you arrived this morning you were very proud to show me your cake, "look" you said. So I had a sneaky peek and I saw a racing track cake you were very excited weren't you Kian. Well we all hope you enjoy your special day tomorrow with your friends and family Kian.

Tamara

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY LIBBY

It was Libby's birthday on Friday 16th but she wasn't at KIDSPACE on this day. Libby celebrated with her friends and family on the weekend and enjoyed a party at jungle junction. On Monday Libby and her family brought in cake for us all to share together to celebrate her milestone, we sung 'happy birthday' in English and Maori then Libby carefully blew out all her candles. Libby chose to have fairy claps. Thank you for sharing a part of your birthday with us Libby.

Tamara

A little music group

Part of Vicki's focus while she is at KIDSPACE is music and organising
a little music session with a small group of children. Choosing some songs children are familiar with and a few new ones. When she took the music group Vicki started to make up words to a tune Mollie, Eneri, Libby and Taylah joined in, Vicki would say a line and then the children would make up their own line to the song, Mollie had the rainbow ribbons, Vicki sung "this is purple", then Mollie would sing the next colour and so on. Mollie had obviously enjoyed this little music time because later on in the day she talked to Vicki and sung "this is purple". Music is such a great way for children to be self-expressive, it's a way of being involved by yourself or within a group. Children gain confidence in using their voice and using their imaginations, they also learn music concepts such as beat,melody and tempo.
Tamara

Men In Black

Over the last week or so, the keen interest in rugby has been reignited, particularly for Jasper, Eneri, Charlie, Laker, Elijah and Theo. Yesterday, Charlie and Eneri brought in their rugby balls and the game began. As soon as the team was organized and positions were agreed upon, the game was about to begin, until Jasper reminded the group that they had yet to perform the Haka. This was performed with such energy and enthusiasm, but just as the team was ready to do battle, Elijah was quick to indicate that they had not yet sung the National Anthem by linking arms and insisting they all sing. After a little help with the words they were again ready for kick off, but no, another interruption, Eneri noticed that the cheer leaders were missing, leaving the field to find "The girls, the girls". The very next minute the field was empty as the team ran off to assist Eneri in his mission to get some support for the team. On successfully getting the girls together the game began with lots of "Good on ya and Good kick" being bantered around the team, not to mention the support from our wonderful cheer leaders, Tyra, Chardanae, Libby, and Jacqui, and supporter, Donnagh.
It was a great pleasure to watch these children involved in something that is of great interest to them, and to observe the confidence they had in participating at the level they chose. These children are developing a sense of responsibility and respect for the needs and well-being of the group, including taking responsibility for group decisions, and what fun was had while all this learning is taking place. Monica

Fruit Kebabs

 

RECYCLING FANATIC!!!

Just to see if I could do it, I thought I would try and post a story at home on the blog!! You should give it a go too!! Kidspace teachers are LOOOVVINNG Mollie at the moment as she is sooo keen to supply an entire weeks worth of recycling for art supplies! She has great intention of painting them herself - creating many masterpieces however I dont think I have been graced yet with that treat!!! Although Im sure many of other parents have! This was Mollie's most recent activity relating to recycling - homemade newspaper dresses - with accesseries I may add! Featured here with her sister, Emily on the left and her cousin Sophie on the righ. Its cheap, its using their imaginations and is a great way to get down with your children and have some fun! I wonder what we can recycle next?? Any ideas? All our best, coming live from our home in Meeanee, Jude and Mollie!!!

World Food Day 2009

 

Friday 16th October marked World Food Day, the United Nations called on the world to remembeber the more than 1 billion urgently hungry people with inadequate access to food. "Children develop an understanding of their own rights and those of others", Te Whaariki, Contribution.
For morning tea on this day we ate rice and sushi, thinking of all the children who only eat rice for every meal every day.
Tamara brought in her rice cooker and Tyra, Maia, Sarah and Taylah helped to washed the rice and clean the spoons to eat the rice with. Tamara also made a range of sushi rolls for us to all try. Marley ate a rice ball, Max, Jasper and Laker await the soy sauce and Charlie samples a seaweed roll. We could choose to have plain rice or rice with soy sauce. Lots of children asked or more and a few even licked their plates clean.
Jessie

 

Masks, part 1

 

Two weeks ago a few children made paper mache from newspaper and glue to cover balloons. This week the balloons where cut in two. Children had to draw a template for the colours they wanted to paint on thier mask first then add the paint. Next eye and mouth holes where cut out and the masks left to dry.
Sophie models from her drawing.
Tyra fits her mask for eyes and a mouth hole.
Max and his felt pen drawing.
Donnagh, really concerntrates on his painting.
Eneri and Charlie share the last mask.
Taylah's creative mask and template drawing.
Chardanae and mask.
"Children develop the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to explore actively with all the senses", Te Whaariki, Ecploration.

Look our for Masks, part 2.

Jessie

Outings this week

This past week we have been out and about in our community."Children develop interest and pleasure in discovering an unfamiliar wider world where the people, images, objects, language, sounds, smells and tastes are different from those at home", Te Whaariki, Belonging.
We walked to Onekawa Park to run on the grass, climb trees, collect weed flowers, roll down the hill and play 'Queenie Queenie' and 'Duck, Duck, Goose'.
Monica organised a visit to Bardowie and after singing songs to the residents in Maori and English Tyra was presented with a basket of lollies for us all, a pre-Christmas gift. Ruby said "I can smell noddles", on entering and we talked about how older people who don't work anymore or live in their own homes, can retire and belong here. "Children develop an appreciation of the ways in which they can make contributions to groups and to group well-being", Te Whaariki, Contribution.
Jessie

Dirt+water=MUD

 

This is what we thought of the mud...
'"muddy", said Chardanae looking at herself in the photos.
"they are making mud all over them", Jasper added.
"dirt", said Tyra "and water" commented Laker.
"I was all muddy, all in the mud with my hands", said Laker of his photo.
"mud slide, our kumu's got all muddy", relayed Charlie.
"muddy feet", Eneri said.
"muddy hat", added Charlie.

Jessie

 

The children have been busy working together building islands and rivers in the sandpit for their dinosaurs. To extend their interest I brought in a selection of shells, plants and stones for them to create their own dinosaur gardens. Isaac commented on how beautiful Te Kiras looked as they all sat around the table carefully placing the things in their garden.
Jacqui Student teacher Open Polytechnic

SLIME

 

By Tamara

SLIME

Noah hasn't always been sure of messy play, but as he's growing up he becomes more interested and takes the plunge
to try new things out. Where as Sophie on the other hand has always had a passion for messy play, when there is messy play Sophie is right there making the most of every opportunity to explore. She loved the slime, she initiated putting her feet onto the slime to see how it felt and Noah copied. A few times Sophie slipped a little bit, she said, "Woo, slippery" I thought this might put her off but she continued to slide around. Rory also is very much into messy play he particularly likes to run it through his fingers, then smooth it all out. Through this experience Sophie, Noah and Rory showed curiosity they were involved in playfulness and communication they used words to express how the slime felt.






By Tamara

Sarah"s Huts

For a while now, Sarah has had a strong interest in making huts and tents within the KIDSPACE environment and yesterday was no different. After gathering large sheets and pieces of material she set to work constructing her hideaway. After a little help from me, Sarah now had the perfect place to relax and read some books with Ruby who decided to join her in this quiet time. I will be interested in seeing whether Sarah will continue to make these huts as it may well be that she using a learning mechanism (schema) to make sense of her world. Sarah is developing strategies for actively exploring and making sense of the world by using her body, including active exploration with all her senses, and the use of tools, materials, and equipment to extend her skills. Monica

Jessie's ULearn Conference in Christchurch

Last week I attended the ULearn 09 conference in central Christchurch. KIDSPACE was invited as part of our three year ICT programme. Early childhood, primary and secondary school teachers, head of departments and principals all went along. We attended breakouts on e-portfolios to podcasting, wikis and blogs to twittering. We also listened to a large number of professional national and international keynote speakers and specialists, doctors and professors in the field of science, curriculum and ICT. All full on technical stuff! The trade hall hosted companies and people such as MOE, HP New Zealand, Computer Concepts Ltd, Scholastic Media & Technology, Quizdom, and Edsoft to name a few. It was very rewarding to know that the early childhood sector is leading with the access and technology that our children can use daily, along with forward thinking professors and teachers in this field. Look out for new ICT equipment soon... a camcorder and digital handheld microscope. I also have a dancing robot video to show the children.

It's all possible.

Photos; trade hall exhibitors, Jessie outside the Christchurch Town Hall, poowhiri to ULearn and a keynote speaker in the Town Hall.

Jessie

Farewell Joaquin

Today was Joaquin's last day at KIDSPACE before starting school on Monday. He made a wonderful 'Happy Last Day' hat and had his photo taken driving the cardboard box train.

Safety Matting

Due to the rain and snow predicted for tonight, our plans to lay the new seed and rubber matting has been put off a day till this Sunday (11th Oct) when the weather is expected to improve. Even if it is still raining we will be sanding and gluing the mats on the deck. We would love a couple of helpers but please no children as we have been advised that the glue is approximately 200 x the strength of domestic ‘super glue’ and great for permanently sticking skin together, better than permanent stitches! Once in place the children will be able to play on the matting while the other grass will remain roped off until the grass is established. If you are mowing your lawn over the next week please bring in your grass clippings - we need to sprinkle these over the matting to aid the grass growth.

Bubble Painting.

On Wednesday afternoon I set up bubble painting on the table outside on the deck. It is not an easy skill for young children to blow through the straw as opposed to sucking on it. Before the children began their paintings I got them to blow through their straws onto my hand to make sure they had the right technique. Joaquin, Sarah and Maia were the first to begin their bubble paintings before Harry arrived outside after his sleep. Harry showed great focus and skill as he made sure his bubbles didn't overflow before he could place his paper on top of them. Te Whariki Exploration and Communication. (by Sarah F)