Happy birthday Tamara

Today we celebrated Tamara's birthday. For morning tea we had sang songs, Tamara sat on the birthday chair and blew out a candle on a muffin. Tamara's husband Simon supplied the teachers with sweet birthday bakery treats and after lunch we presented Tamara with a card and birthday present the children's book "Kiss, Kiss, Yuck, Yuck".

Enjoy the rest of your birthday day Tamara xox

Planting sunflowers take two

The last lot of sunflowers we planted where all eaten by slugs that very night. So today with help our friends planted more sunflower seedlings. This time we.... cut out clear water bottles and ginger beer bottles to place in the garden around our seedlings to STOP all pests the slugs. Here Emily places her seedling very carefully in the hole she dug with a trowel. Other friends such as Donnagh, Paige, Libby, Jorja and Isabella also assisted. Lets see what these seedling look like tomorrow...

Jessie

Invitations to neighbours

After lunch the older children with Ann, Mohanan and Jessie walked around our KIDSPACE community posting invitations in the neighbours letterboxes. We are inviting the neighbours to hear our Christmas songs and share morning tea with us, on Monday 6th December before our big children's Christmas concert on Saturday 11th December, at Onekawa Park.

Ainslee printed the invites on whero coloured paper and taking turns we all posted one into a letterbox.

A few children could identity the letters and numbers on the boxes and we talked of the numbers and colours of their home letterboxes too.

"Children develop skill in using the counting system and mathematical symbols and concepts, such as numbers for meaningful purposes", Communication, Te Whaariki.

Jessie

November Newsletter 2010

Click on each page to enlarge

Vacuum cleaner bags

We have recently purchased a new vacuum cleaner for KIDSPACE. The old vacuum cleaner bags that we ordered don't fit this vacuum so if any one would like one or some, you are welcome to them. Details are Numatic NVM 2B/2.

Ainslee

A new home for Murphy?

Jojo died last week (of old age) and since then the children have been missing her and talking about her. For many of the children, this has been their first experience of death. The children learn a great deal when caring for pets especially when they can pat them.

Ann has some baby guinea pigs that she is seeking homes for. She has brought them into KIDSPACE several times now and the children have enjoyed cuddling them. We would love to have a replacement for Jojo and possibly a young rabbit that we can train to be handled by the children as Murphy runs free and is not impressed with children crowding around him. We feel that Murphy is too old to introduce young pets into his environment so we are looking to see if we can find him a new home.

If you know of anyone who would provide a kind, caring home for Murphy, please talk to one of the teachers.

Irene

First Aid

Last Sunday, Irene, Monica, Jess and Tamara all did a one day revalidation of their first aid certificates to keep them up to date. Pity we didn't take a camera to get some photos of our poor 'victims' all bandaged up! Ainslee and Jessie did their revalidation a few months ago and Rie and Ann are doing their full (2 day) first aid course in December.

Central School Concert

We have been invited to the Central School Christmas Concert next Tuesday 30 November 11am. We are currently planning to take 12 children, however if we could get a couple more helpers we could take more children to the concert. Let us know if you can help (you don't need a car).

Thanks

Goodbye JoJo

On Tuesday 16th November, KIDSPACE children and teachers said goodbye to our guinea pig JoJo. He died peacefully the night before. Libby helped Ann to make a special little box for him to be buried in. The children gathered on the mat outside after morning tea and we held a tangi for JoJo. I told the children what had happened.. our little friend JoJo had died. The children felt sad and asked 'why?' questions, that we simply could not answer. I walked around with JoJo and showed the children. They could give him a little pat if they wanted to. We sung our KIDSPACE song to JoJo to say goodbye. Jess dug his hole in the ground, for where he would be buried. We lay him in there, and I took the children 3-4 at a time, to have a look, sprinkle glitter and say goodbye.

At the mat time after lunch, Jessie also talked to the children about how they are feeling. These were some of the replies: 'Happy because JoJo is in a special box (Caelyn), 'I feel sad. I made a box for JoJo with glue and glitter on it' (Libby), 'I'm feeling sad because I want to hold JoJo' (Jorja), 'Watching JoJo in the hole (in the garden)' (Emily), 'JoJo died with her eyes open' (Kian), 'I feel sad. I wanted to cry because she died' (Lyrique).

Healthy self-esteem helps children to deal with feelings of sadness. Many things can make a child feel sad, and for different reasons. When children can identify their sad feelings, and make sense of the losses that underlie them, they build the self-trust needed to cope, accept and move on (When im feeling sad by Trace Moroney).

Ainslee

Ashton is passionate about sand and water

Watch Ashton actively explore the sand and water, he can spend a sustained period of time putting his hands in and swoshing them around.

Tamara

Walk to the supermarket

It was a sunny day so I thought it would be nice for Aimee, Travis and Jaz to go for a ride in the pram to the supermarket. Our temporary student Louise came with us also. On the way Jaz spotted a dog. Travis and her got quite excited, she wasn't to happy when it went in the opposite direction though. On arrival we got a few ingrediants like cream of tartar, cheese and a new cheese grater. Travis helped hold the cheese in the pram and Jaz held the cream of tartar. Aimee must have been tired because not long after arriving at the supermarket she fell asleep in the pram. Once we paid for everything we made our way back to KIDSPACE, Travis pointed out the big green rubbish bins (his favourite), and noticed a cat once again Jaz and Travis made excited noises and pointing, to what they saw walking along the grass.

This group of children enjoyed there time, exploring what they could see on their walk. They are also developing awareness of the wider world of the supermarket and how it works.

Tamara

Guinea pigs visit

This week I brought in my two week old baby Guinea pigs to show all the children. A white one, two white and greys, and a multi-coloured white, black, and brown one. All the children were eager to have a pat and a cuddle, and were very gentle.
Acacia really liked the multi-coloured one and gave him lots of cuddles throughout the day. Xavier also liked the multi-coloured one and enjoyed giving him a little pat. Jordan and Jordan's Mum enjoyed giving the white and grey one a little pat. From the guinea pig visit, children were learning how to care for the well-being of the baby Guinea pigs. Exploration- Te Whaariki.

If anyone would like a baby guinea pig as a pet for their child, please see me.

Ann

Salt names

Children's own names are highly personal and are often the first words children recognise, supporting children's comprehension, motivation and decoding skills within literacy. Supporting the children's interest in writing their own names, I set up an activity involving coloured salt and letter cards. Within this activity I showed the children the first letters of their names with the cards, and then we re-created the letters in the coloured salt. Within this activity children learn alphabetic principles and knowledge, decoding of text, together with learning the spelling of their own names.

Ann

Happy 3rd Birthday Noah

Ainslee

Sunflowers

Continuing on with our interest in gardening Emily, Caelyn, Isabella, Lyrique and Acacia made their own plant labels for the sunflowers we had planted in the veggie garden. Using pens, crayons and pencils children drew their own sunflowers after finding their name on the labels. After laminating their labels, they took turns to use the hot glue gun (with help) to attach a strong pencil at the back of their sunflower label. We moved to the veggie garden and I lifted Emily, Isabella, Libby and Acacia over the low fence to place their label in the ground by their sunflower.

We checked these through out the day and used the hose to water them and the whole garden.

Lots of conversations took place during this process such as, "my sunflower (drawing) has leaves", said Libby. Isabella very safely used the glue gun stating "this feels warm yay". Lyrique's glue came away from her pencil and label so together we found the cello tape to, "fix it, then it can go in the garden ah?", she said. Emily commented "those sunflowers are pretty (of the printed out sunflower templates) I can see the yellow and look leaves". Acacia assisted in the garden saying "that's your one (sunflower plant) Jessie and that's my one".

These friends demonstrate receiving and producing information, they produce and respond to questions and requests and show social awareness when interacting with others- through Levels One and Two Learning Languages for 'The New Zealand Curriculum'.

By making these labels, "Children develop an understanding that symbols can be 'read' by others and that thoughts, experiences and ideas can be represented through words, pictures, print and shapes", Communication, Te Whaariki.

Sadly over night the slugs and snails ate most of the sunflower leaves, so we will see what happens next?

Jessie

Hanging around

Last week a small group of friends walked to Onekawa Park for shared morning tea, this is the park we will have our children's Christmas party at on Sat 11th December.

After using a wet wipe to clean our hands and saying our karakia kai, we had morning tea.

Once we had eaten we played Duck, Duck, Goose, climbed trees and rolled on the grass.

"Children experience an environment where their health is promoted", Well-Being, Te Whaariki.

Essential skills- these children and teachers are demonstrating physical, social and emotional growth. Children are developing personal health through exercise, good hygiene and healthy diet and enjoying recreational, motor and manipulative skills. (Well-Being, Te Whaariki).

"He oranga ngaakau, he pikinga waiora.

Positive feelings in your heart will enhance your sense of self- worth", Health and Physical Education, The New Zealand Curriculum.

Jessie

Learning Together

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of watching Rionagh and Jaz, explore the workings of KIDSPACE vacuum cleaner.

I had just plugged it in, and was about to vacuum, however, both girls discovered it and toddled over to investigate, before I could get to it.

It was a real joy to see the investigation that was taking place, as they fiddled with the handle and attempted to push the on button.

Both girls, under the watchful eye of Jessie and myself, tried to push the button down, but it was no easy feat, however they persevered and at last success.

The look of horror on both girls faces, was clearly visible as the vacuum sprung to life, with it's loud whirring.

Rionagh's original reaction was to run in the opposite direction, while Jaz looked on in disbelief.

After watching the cleaner for a bit, I unplugged it, and then the funniest thing.

Both girls returned to the vacuum, and got their little fingers in to action, trying to turn it on again, but to no avail.

Rionagh and Jaz are developing the knowledge that trying things out, exploration, and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning, as well as the ability to enquire, research, explore, generate, and modify their own working theories about the natural, social, physical, and material worlds. Monica

A beagle comes to visit...

During our lunch time today a friendly beagle dog came up to our art room/kai room window. Monica wanted to take this dog home, but instead we called the dog, give him a pat, and put him in the front garden with a big bowl of water. He had a rest on the deck in the shade. Monica called the Dog Control officer and our new friend the beagle was picked up a in white van. His micro chip was scanned and the Dog Controller drove him back to his home. Children eating their lunch and upstairs for bed enjoyed the beagle's visit to KIDSPACE.
Jessie

Transtion to school evening

Last night (November 3rd) we hosted a transition to school evening at KIDSPACE. We invited principals and new entrant teachers from a range of different primary schools in Napier/Taradale and had a fantastic turn out! We started off the evening with Jess doing a formal greeting in te reo followed by her mihi. Monica extended a warm welcome and spoke about what we hoped to gain from this evening. Cold drinks, nibbles and brownie slice was provided as teachers and princiapls mingled, chatted and were introduced to unfamiliar people.

We wrote up questions on big pieces of paper and put around the centre, encouraging people to answer them, providing us with feedback. Some included, 'How are new entrants doing on entering the classroom?; How do you use children's profiles from ECE?; In what ways can we strengthen the relationships between ECE services and new entrant classes?; What unstructured activites are available in new entrant classes to ease transitions e.g. mobilo, painting etc? After we have collated the feedback given, we will email out a copy to schools that attended and will post a copy on the blog.

Christine Dew from the Ministry of Education came along and spoke about transition to school, as this was her passsion area. She is the regional manager for ECE services based in Waikato.

Sue, the new entrant teacher from Westshore, and the principal Martin, spoke about the transiton class they hold one morning a week. This gives young children the opportunity to come along and get a feel for the school and routines early on. They have 'letter of the week', and children are encouraged to join in and give new things a go, such as the climbing wall in the school hall, which provides enjoyment as well a challange.

Thank you to the parents that came along last night. We value your contributions.

Ainslee

Celebrating Healthy Hearts

Today Char Savage from Sports Hawkes Bay presented KIDSPACE with our Healthy Heart Award, one in Te Reo and one in English. We also received a large goody bag of active music cd's, Push Play adult and child t-shirts, Push Play balloons, blow up beach balls, Sport Hawkes Bay drink bottles, Push Play bags, Come on the Bay black bracelets, a soccer, rugby and volleyball also. These active resources are a real treat and the children have already enjoyed using them today.

Come and look at our certificates on the wall above our kitchen and laptop bench. Thank you to Ann for all of her hard work with this award.

Jessie

Interest in the garden

There has been a great deal of interest in our KIDSPACE veggie garden of late, particularly with friend Emily. Last week we planted sunflowers and harvested our leek and beetroot vegetables, with Emily being apart of this process. Often friends Acacia and Isabella like to join in and at times- Libby, Lyrique and Caelyn also. Past blog posts about our environment/gardening these friends have been in or interested in too, which are;

Wonderful Weaving (14 Sept), using natural materials to weave.

Taylah and Marley visit KIDSPACE for Worm Juice (21 Sept), past KIDSPACE children pop in for worm juice for their new garden at home.

Our Friends at Bardowie (15 Oct), we gave the residents our grown broad beans to plant and in return they showed us their veggie patch.

Our Blossom Tree (26 Oct), where have all of the putiputi (flowers) come front in our outside garden.

Let's see where this interest take us, maybe on to... care for the veggie garden e.g., watering and weeding, library books, recipes for using our harvested produce, playing the 5 Plus a Day veggie game, our Snap veggie cards, visiting Onekawa fruit and veggie shop plus suggestions from

Emily and friends.

Jessie