Our bugs

 

Yesterday while using the carpentry table Joaquin discovered a cockroach. This grew a small crowd and lots of high squeals as it crawled down the carpentry table leg and onto the concrete. We watched it crawl away under a pot plant and discussed answers to questions like "what is it?", "what's that on it's legs?" and "what does it eat?".
Eneri and Isaac went back to the carpentry table and found lots of daddy long leg spiders living here. They collected a few in a box each and added grass to the boxes. We talked about their sizes, what they like to eat, where they live and that when Eneri and Isaac go in for lunch, the spiders must go back to the garden for their lunch.
Lastly Isaac and Eneri found a moth in the family dress up area and looked at it on the play cot then watched as it flew to sit on the deck ceiling.
'Young children have opportunities to develop knowledge about the pattern and diversity of the living world. For example, they observe how animals and plants grow and what these creatures need for their well-being', Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

Kian's Grandparents tour

Last Friday Kian's Nannie Cynthia and Jeff came to look at his KIDSPACE. They came to visit for the weekend from Palmerston North and started by having a look around where Kian learns and plays. Kian gave them the grand tour, inside the art room, outside to the sandpit and through the dress up hallway too. Then he pulled out his profile book, which he was very proud to show. Harry joined in and displayed his profile book also.
'Toddlers are encouraged to show whanau things they have done, made, or found', Belonging, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

Me and my dad

What a treat it was when Taylah and Marley's dad Laki stayed to play the guitar one morning this week, while dropping his children off at KIDSPACE. He played the big guitar and Harry played the famous ukelele while Marley kept in time with a shaker. Our children enjoy the musical instrutments and LOVE the ukelele, so it was great to have a parent share his love of music too.

It is very important and special for children to have their whanau spent time at KIDSPACE and we encourage families to please do so.

'Each child's culture is included in the programme through song, language, pictures, playthings and dance', Contribution, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

Newsletter May 09

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On the Bus

 

Tamara

Happy Birthday Max

 

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Tamara:)

Look at me I'm walking

Earthquake drill

 

Today we had an earthquake drill. This is a practise of how we can protect our bodies in case there is a real earthquake. The teachers shout 'EARTHQUAKE DROP' inside and outside of KIDSPACE and we all stop what we are doing, drop to the floor or ground and cover our mops (place our hands over our necks to protect our head and spine). We practise our earthquake and fire drills regularly throughout the year for safety and so no one is scared in the event of a real earthquake or fire.

In one photo Joaquin covers his mop, and Netana stops and drops. In another photo Tamara helps Marley by protecting him with her body, while Kian and Ruby stop and drop. Outside the children building with blocks and playing on the deck stop and drop very fast. After our earthquake drill we all gather inside to take the roll and talk about earthquakes and earthquake safety.

'Children develop increasing knowledge about how to keep themselves safe from harm', Well-Being, Te Whaariki.

Chalk drawing

 

"My circle is the sun because I am making a happy sun, with grey clouds, with great big shiny lines around it, so it's happy", said Amelia.

"I wrote a 'y'", said Tyra. "A green sun, a circle", she also said.

"Grass is for when the people run, the people can walk on it to go to the stuff, the (play) ground stuff, slide and swings and heaps of stuff", said Amelia.

"This is the sea, just mixing up colours on it (the other side of her picture)", said Tyra.

"Outside, the lines are for stairs, the circle bits on the lines are for holding on, said Amelia.

Both Tyra and Amelia described their chalk drawings as they added more colours, shapes and characters. Their ideas of stories, colour and people expanded as they verbally expressed their creations more.

"Children are encouraged to talk about their play and to develop reflective skills", Exploration, Te Whaariki. Jessie

Bubble, bubble

 

This morning we blew bubbles! Ruby, Tyra, Maia, Sarah and Mollie stood in a circle giggling while they took turns to blow bubbles. Maia had the first turn, Tyra chose Sarah after her turn, then Sarah selected Ruby. Mollie joined in with a new bubble blower and cup full of bubble mixture. More laughing and turn taking continued. 

By having fun and laughing as a way to accept others, they all managed to have a go over and over again blowing bubbles.

'The programme provides frequent opportunities for children to make their own decisions and be self-reliant', Belonging, Te Whaariki. Jessie 

Play dough fun

 

Libby, Mollie, Floss (Mollie's very special friend) and Donnagh enjoy the play dough. Mollie and Libby roll it, while Donnagh tries with a plastic fork, and Floss gets up on the table for a closer look. Through (Exploration) 'Children have opportunities for active exploration with the support, but not the interference, of adults', and 'Toddlers [one year to three years] have access to an increasing range of playthings that can enhance both gross and fine motor skills', Te Whaariki. Jessie

The Doctors Bag

Ruby, Taylah, Chardanae and Maia play with the Doctors Bag, they are exploring the instruments in the bag and and how they work. Taylah, Ruby and Chardanae try out the different instruments on Maia the patients tummy and face. By exploring the Doctors Bag and discovering how the instruments work they are trying to 'fix' Maia by working as a team. 'Children are encouraged to take opportunities for fixing and caring for the environment and the people in it', Belonging, Te Whaariki. They have based this on their own experiences at the doctors or hospital. Jessie

"We know this one"

Tamara reads a new Spot book. The children are very familiar with these books and love to look at the pages and take turns to lift up the flaps to find Spot.

Paige, Charlie, Noah and Harry find Spot on each page as Tamara reads about 'Spot Starting School' and 'Spot's Holiday'.

'Children have opportunities to "read" pictures for meaning'- Communication, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

NEW Parent Library Books

Two new titles on the Parent Library Shelf:
Growing great Boys by Ian Grant
Kids' Fun Food

Happy 4th Birthday Taylah

Monday was a very special day for Taylah at KIDSPACE. Not only did she get to sit on the special birthday chair, but her little brother Marley was here for his first day at KIDSPACE. (Irene)

Newsletter April 09

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The Recyclers continued

Joaquin, Max and Kian continue with their passion for recycling. Today they were in the sandpit making a rubbish dump. Joaquin used the digger to dig a big pit while Max and Kian loaded trucks and buckets with 'rubbish'.

The Recycler

ICT Hui

Last Saturday the KIDSPACE team presented at an ICT Hui held at EIT. Our presentation was very well received with lots of questions especially about our blog. (Photo taken by Jessie)

The day the All Blacks came to town..

Today Jasper, Charlie, Laker, Corbin, Elijah, Eneri, Monica and Sarah walked to Onekawa New World supermarket to meet Christian Cullen and Bull Allen.

Before the walk we Googled videos of Cullen and Allen, then Jasper said 'let's see the Haka', so we did and talked about this being a war dance to try and frighten the other team. Eneri said '(they) only wear (their uniform) with pictures and numbers on'. Elijah added 'they get changed, and me and my dad play rugby at home'. Laker commented 'they (the All Blacks) run out of a tunnel'. 'I like the All Blacks', said Charlie. 'I like soccer', said Laker.

Allen and Cullen where promoting Cadbury's and Pascell lollies. Cullen gave out the chocolate, 'we got chocolate', said Charlie on returning to KIDSPACE. 'They (the All Blacks) signed my ball', said Eneri. Allen posed for a line up photo with our walkers.

It was great having these famous faces in our community today. 'There are opportunities to locate the early childhood setting in the wider world by finding out about places of importance in the community, for example through trips', -Belonging, Te Whaariki. Jessie

Baking instant pudding biscuits

 

Nursery rhyme bingo

Sarah, Maia, Tyra and Charlie all sit ready to hear the nursery rhyme that matches their bingo piece to the picture on their card. This game involves turn taking, listening and it helps to know a few nursery rhymes too- but if you don't your friends will surely help you. 'Children (through communication) can have an expectation that music, art, drama and dance can amuse, delight, comfort, illuminate, inform and excite', Te Whaariki. Jessie

Megan popped in today...

This morning Megan and wee Flynn visited, he looked flash in baby jeans and little shoes and had just been to see mum's midwife.  Can report both doing well.

Story listening post

After lunch, the older children who don't sleep often, gather for group time. On this day we all had ear phones to listen to stories. Some stories we just listened to and sang along while others we could follow with our eyes by looking at a big book. We had to call out 'turn the page', as there weren't enough ear phones for Jessie. But she kept up with the page turning. The first book didn't work and everyone laughed, as the tape we played was on high speed and the words sounded like Chipmunks talking! We found a CD that worked after this.  Children can control their own volume by turning a switch on the main panel, and all sat to listen and look.  Jessie

Rie's Rocket

 

Rie made a Bottle Rocket on Thursday. We needed a pump bottle, Eno powder and half a cup of water. The first attempt failed, but then Louise suggested we shake up the mixture in the bottle, this did it and the rocket blasted up into the air and landed on the art room roof then rolled onto the ground. The children all cheered and more came running for a look from inside. Rie mixed up the ingredients for a third then fourth rocket. Some children counted "5, 4, 3, 2, 1.. blast off". We lost the rocket on the fourth landing to the KIDSPACE roof, but will try again once we have more Pump bottles. This was great fun with science. Jessie

Flour writing

 

Jessie

More Balloon Day 2009 photos...

 

Balloon day 2009 for Asthma Awareness was a huge hit, we had inside and outside games, plus art activities also. The children in these photos; Sarah, Charlie, Isobel, Laker, Chardanae, Tyra, Elijah, Jasper and Theo (plus Maia not in shot) swept a balloon along an obstacle course following a pink rope. At times it was hard to control the balloon, especially then the wind blew. The two teams did very well and even cheered for each other from the side lines, showing great team spirit! [DOULBE CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE] Jessie

Thank You Hannah

 

Mobilo fun

It is great to have Eneri back at KIDSPACE, we hope you and your Whanau had a fantastic time away. He has been busy this morning creating with the mobilo, one of his favourite things to do at KIDSPACE. 

While Eneri was doing this Charlie and Isaac made a long, long train track. They created steep tracks for the train to go up and over. This train was very fast, I wonder if it is like the bullet train in Tokyo.