Newsletter March 2010

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Butterfly catcher

Eneri and Charlie, among others, particulary enjoy hunting for bugs, spiders and other insects.. Their interests have been on-going here at KIDSPACE and have been extended and documented in many ways. Today Charlie, Eneri, Theo and Max were outside chasing butterflies, but because they move so fast it was almost impossible to catch one. I then came across a little white one on the grass, and his wing must have been sore, because he didn't fly away as usual. The four boys took on the responsibility to care for the injured butterfly and show their friends. Charlie carefully took it in the palms of his hands, and Eneri raced off to find a little container to sit it in. Lovely to see such care and compassion.

Ainslee

Museum School Holiday Programme

Torch day for Earth Hour 2010

It was dark at KIDPSACE on Friday, we had our lights out, curtains closed and windows covered. We used torches to see and were practising for Earth Hour 2010, on Saturday 27 March- a World Fund For Nature (WWF) international campaign, with an important message about saving power and reducing our impact on the environment. Across the world, lights were dimmed on great monuments such as Egypt's Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum in Rome. We would love you to comment on our whaanau blog which lights you turned off at home on Saturday.

Jessie

Little scientisits

On Friday Eneri, Charlie, Theo, Isaac, Taylah, Maia, Sophie and Donnagh experimented with the properties of milk. We added dishwashing liquid (soap) to milk and then added dye (food colouring). We watched the colours swirl, tumble and churn to make interesting patterns. The soap breaks down the chemicals holding the protein moledules together in the milk. The protein and fat moledules in the milk start to disperse and mix and this causes the churning action.

We then experimented with primary colours blue, red and yellow and discovered that we could make secondary colours orange and green. The children went on to explore with cornflour gloop and were amazed at the way it changes form and from hard to soft.

We were learning about physical science, the study of matter, form and change.

Rie and Jessie

Tangi for a dead manu

This morning I found a dead manu (bird). After picking it up from the grass, I showed interested tamariki ma. Kian's mum Katrina suggested a tangi. So with help we got a cardboard box, wool and a cardboard lid for the puuhina (grey) manu. We reflected on dead Perky (a previous cockatiel bird of KIDSPACE) and where he was buried in the garden when he died. Children were happy to talk about this dead bird, and sing a song after I dug a hole and children took turns to fill this in with earth. Donnagh and Kian were especially interested staying right to the end of the tangi and suggesting we sing Ainslee's new song 'Tapatoru, Tapawhaa' (an action song about shapes), to farewell the manu.

Jessie

Our Hot Cross Buns

Jess helped us to prepare for Easter, by practising making our own version of Hot Cross Buns. We talked about how the bread dough was like play dough but very sticky. We discussed adding flour to make the dough less sticky. Maia, Paige, Taylah, Noah, Kian, Donnagh, Libby, Oly, Ruby, Caelyn and Mania all helped. We added sultanas and cocoa to the dough. We took home a bun to try in our lunch boxes with a note so mum and dad knew what we had made.

Jess and Jessie

Keita's 1st Birthday

Ainslee

Jacks 2nd Birthday

Ainslee

St Patrick's day at KIDSPACE

St Patrick's day was a very green affair... we had wigs, rugby socks, t-shirts, dresses, headbands, trousers, face paint also fruit, vegies and muffins for morning tea all coloured kakariki. Then there was the shamrock bow tie, mask, hair clips (donated by the Gallaghers) hats and rosettes. Charlie picked a small bunch of four leaf clovers for KIDSPACE too.

Sadly apart from this photo of Isaac, Donnagh, Eneri, Charlie and Oly in all their Irish best we have no other photos of this day. Possibly someone deleted all of our photos from the second camera by accident (this is what can happens when our children are so advanced in ICT use). But we have the memories, and these stories...

Theo said "I like playing with friends".

"I liked putting a hair clip on my head", added Caelyn.

Donnagh commented "I like my t-shirt... IRISH".

Charlie said "Leaves, I brought from my home, a four leaf clover".

"The green paint, the one we are putting on our face", Isaac liked best.

"I like my orange t-shirt", added Oly.

Maia shared "I like the music, it's Irish".

Ruby commented "I like my green wig".

"I like the face painting", said Sarah.

Netana added "T-shirt".

"I like the green painting and the leaves", said Taylah and

Eneri lastly "I like the flags we painted and my rugby t-shirt".

Jessie

Welcome to Keita and Alana

We all welcome Keita, Alana and their Whaanau. The girls had a great first day on Tuesday settling in well, there were a few tears when mum left but they soon got stuck into exploring their new play environment. In particular both girls loved splashing in the small water trough playing with the ducks and boats, eventually Keita just put her whole body in and was wet from head to toe.

Tamara

Welcome to KIDSPACE Chassylee

A very warm welcome to KIDSPACE, Chasssylee and your whanau. So far, Chassylee has spent two days at KIDSPACE, and has settled in well. On his first day, he spent some time looking and exploring about the new environment and meeting new children. Chassylee particulary enjoyed the block/construction and transportation area. He liked looking at the different trucks and zooming them around on the ground. On Wednesday, Chassylee got into the spirit of St Patricks Day with all the activities and themes we had set up. He got involved in painting a picture with the green and orange colours from the Irish flag.

Ainslee

Using tools

Thomas gave the wooden rolling pin a great big bash on the play dough table, then banged a wooden stool. We tried again this time using the rolling pin to roll over the top of the dough. With my hands over Thomas' I demonstrated moving the rolling pin back and forth to flatten out the dough. I said 'rolling, rolling', Thomas smiled and laughed at this then copied my action using the rolling pin over the dough. He repeated this action with his new found tool throughout the morning.
"Meaningful and, where possible, genuine contexts are provided for toddlers' play and work, eg brushes to sweep paths, and water for cleaning walls, Exploration, Te Whaariki.
Jessie

Paige turns two

 

Trip to Onekawa New World and the Veggie shop

After a bit of planning and observing the children's interest Sarah noticed that Maia, Sarah and Taylah have an interest in shopping. So to extend on this Sarah thought the girls might like to go to the supermarket. The girls produced a shopping list which is also encouraging early literacy skills and they decided what fruit they were going to purchase to make fruit kebabs. Mania, Rionagh, Teihana and I came on this walk also.

First we went to the fruit and veggie shop. The children had their own shopping list and they ticked off the fruit they had found to put into our basket. After we had purchased the fruit we went down to the supermarket and got some cheese and the most exciting item on the list for the children - marshmallows!

Well the children had such a great time and it was great getting out into the community and making links between home and centre. As soon as the girls went past the Onekawa pools Mania said, "I go swimming there", then Sarah said, "that's where I do my swimming lessons". When we were in the supermarket Taylah saw someone she knew then shared that she saw her friend with the checkout operator. Also, the girls were learning about road safety and being courteous towards others, for instance an older lady was on her mobility scooter and we all stood to the side of the footpath so she could get past because she was a lot faster then us, she kindly said, "oh you didn't need to do that".

Tamara

Trip to the Rose Garden

Last Wednesday the 3rd of March, Rie an I took Eneri, Issac, Charlie and Donnagh down to the Rose Gardens in Marewa. This was part of Rie's studies, where she had to extend on the children's interests. These boys love bugs, spiders, cockroaches and any other creepy crawlies they can find! We left at 1pm and walked down Kennedy Road. We saw road works and concretors on the way, and stopped to have a look and take some photos. When we arrived at the rose garden, the children grabbed a little spade each and started exploring the environment. We found some snail shells and worms, but unfortunetly not any roches or big bugs. We think that it may have been too hot and dry. Regardless of that though, the children really enjoyed the outing.... sniffing and seeing the colourful roses, climbing the big pile of bark, running around in the open grass area, discovering new things in the environment, reaching around a gigantic tree.. ohh and seeing Issac's uncle on the walk home. Great trip organised there Rie.

Ainslee

KIDSPACE teachers Team Building day

On Saturday 6th March the teachers of KIDSPACE had a team building day in the fabulous upstairs meeting room above Thorps Coffee House. All of our regular team attended even Jess and Ann who are currently at other centres on practicum. We played games, discussed our KIDSPACE shared vision and had a wonderful spread of kai thanks to Eneri's mum and owner of Thorps Coffee House. We really bonded as a team and enjoyed this day with our tamariki always at the heart of our brain storming. Over the coming months we will continue to develop our strategic plan. Initially, we will be working on increasing our confidence and competence in using Te Reo Maaori. We would be interested to hear your ideas for future development.

Jessie

Welcome to KIDSPACE Travis

Big brother Max was a great helper today after mum reminded him 'Max keep an eye on Travis today?' Travis had his special brother help to feed him lunch, play trucks beside him while Travis kissed the dolly and huge bortherly cuddles too. Max already knows the routines at KIDSPACE and was a wonderful role model for Travis today.

Jessie

Special events

What a busy time it is. Saturday was International Cultures Day- 'you won't have to travel far to experience cultures from all corners of the earth', Sunday was National Children's Day, theme Praise and Encouragement and this week is Sea Week- 'One ocean, it starts with me, Kotahi moana, ka timata mai i ahau'.

We would love photos of your children and whaanau joining in and enjoying any of these events to talk about here at KIDSPACE and maybe put on our whaanau blog.

Jessie

Welcome to KIDSPACE Thomas

Ainslee

Children's Day at KIDSPACE

Jessie

Marni makes a friend

Yesterday Marni spent her first day at KIDSPACE and very quickly settled in to her new environment. The teachers buddied her up with Sarah and what a wonderful job she did at making her feel welcome. Both girls spent a lot of time engaged in conversation and finding out about each other.

Marni is developing a feeling of belonging, and having a right to belong, in the early childhood setting.

Monica

Max watering our KIDSPACE garden

Tamara

Tamara

February Newsletter 2010