Invitation KIDSPACE 10th anniversary celebration

You are invited to join past and present KIDSPACE staff and parents to celebrate our 10th anniversary on Friday 11th March 5 - 7 pm
(see notice in pocket)

All go in the artroom

There has been a lot of interest in messy play lately, and even if it is not put out on any given day, the children will access it themselves like Aimee seen in this picture, who instead of using a brush like I had intended, chose to instead, use her hands. What fun! Children develop an increasing ability to play an active part in the running of the programme, as well as the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to explore actively with all the senses. Monica

Happy Birthday

Yesterday we celebrated two Birthdays at KIDSPACE. Bridie (Monica's daughter) blew out twelve candles on her cake, while Charlotte who turns 2 tomorrow, celebrated a day early, with all her KIDSPACE friends.

Name for our new Guinea Pig

Over the last few weeks the children have came up with a name for our new guinea pig - Squeezee. Squeezee's name came about from me telling the story to the children how when he was a very little baby guniea pig he squeezed out of the bars in his cage to run around my garden. The children thought this was very funny, hence the name Squeezee. Squeezee's is thriving in his new home at KIDSPACE, with consistent weight gains of 100gm per week, together with 2 cm in length and tummy size per week. Well done to all KIDSPACE children on taking such good care of our new pet.
Ann

Baking pikelets for an Art Deco morning tea

Noah, Ataahua and Paige wanted to help me make pikelets for morning tea. We were aiming for a more 'traditional' morning tea rather than sandwiches. Pikelets with cream and jam are an olden day treat, but still a favourite today. The children helped me to take the ingredients and bowl to the art room table. We got started with our recipe, and I had three wonderful helpers. Paige stirred the eggs and sugar. Ataahua wanted to help put the heaped table spoons of flour in to the bowl, and Noah was keen to mix it really fast once all the ingredients were in. After all the measuring and mixing, I baked them in the electric frying pan. Just before morning tea, we spread with margarine, jam and whipped cream. The children thought it was a very tasty treat for morning tea.

Ainslee

Luke loves swimming

With all this hot weather we have been having, we decided to buy a bigger pool, that we can set up in the front garden. We got ready after lunch one afternoon and Luke was very excited about going swimming. As soon as Luke was in the water, he loved it. Splashing, jumping and swimming with his friends. He didn't mind putting his head under the the water and loved kicking his feet.

It's so important that children are explosed to water safely at a young age so they can gain confidence and feel safe in the water.

Children gain confidence and control over their bodies (Exploration, Te Whariki).

Hairdressers at work

This afternoon, Emily wanted to play hairdressers and have me as a client. Within minutes a wider group of children wanted to join in as well. Emily asked if they can use hair ties and clips in my hair, and then went inside to get the container. I sat down on the grass and Isabella put a blanket around my shoulders 'because thats what you get at the hairdressers'. Next thing I know, I have about 8 hands through my hair, 'making it look pretty'. I overheard a number of discussions with the girls. Acacia put a clip in my hair but Emily told her it was in the wrong place, and then Isabella and Jorja both wanted a hair tie in the same place. So from there, there was a lot of talking, listening and compromising to be had. I was the 'client at the hairdressers' so I couldn't interfer into their work too much. It was so great to watch and listen to how passionate they were about being creative 'hairdressers'. These girls took it very seriously. At one point, I would have had about 30 clips and hair ties in my hair. The girls thought it was great!!

Children discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive. During this time, the girls engaged in reciprocal interactions that involved listening to one another, turn taking, waiting, and trying to understand others (Contribution, Te Whariki).

Ainslee

Happy 2nd Birthday Rionagh

Welcome to KIDSPACE Jak

Simple games

Something so simple as a chalk hopscotch game, drawn on the concrete, held Libby and Donnagh's interest for quite a sustained period of time this morning. Libby took on the role of teacher and demonstrated how to play to Donnagh. It was great to observe Libby and Donnagh having fun sharing this experience while developing physical skills such as balancing, co-ordination, turning, hopping and jumping. This experience also provided opportunities for Libby and Donnagh to practice mathematical concepts such as counting forwards, backwards, and working in an ordered sequence to complete the game.

Rie

Vintage car visits KIDSPACE

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Tamara

Practising my walking

I observed as Scarlett walked backwards and forwards along the jumping mat, she made several squealing noises indicating she enjoyed what she was doing. As she would walk along the mat at times she would walk or fall off the edge, but this didn't phase her she would just get right back up again and start walking along the mat as she was. Through this experience Scarlett is gaining control over her body practising how to keep her balance as she walks, she shows determination and joy throughout this video, I hope you enjoy.

Tamara

Hot hot weather

Due to the hotter weather we thought it would be nice for the children to have nice cold ice-blocks and make them ourselves. So Luke, Mollie, Libby and I set off for a walk to the Onekawa New World Supermarket. We purchased some watermelon and luncheon for morning tea then Mollie, Libby and Luke helped choose the flavour of the juice for their ice blocks. Libby choose apple and lime then Luke and Mollie choose orange. They were all very keen to help hold the ingredients Mollie and Libby both carried the shopping basket and Luke held the luncheon. We then sat on the grass near Onekawa Kindergarten for a drink of water as it was sooooo hot(thirsty weather) then headed

back towards the alley way back to KIDSPACE. Through this experience the children are learning about the wider world and how it operates for instance we purchase food with money and they can revisit experiences they have had at home where they have been to the supermarket with family or friends to do the shopping. Mollie shared experiences about making ice-blocks at home and Libby said, "mum gave her some ice-blocks. It provided opportunities for early literacy looking at different numbers on the letter box and talking about other things of interest to the children like the movie 'despicable me'.

Later that afternoon some of the older children helped pour the juice and a little bit of water into the ice-block makers, we then put them into the freezer. This offered opportunities to talk about science, and talk about how the liquid turns into ice when you put it into the freezer due to very cold temperatures.

Tamara

Busy at Work

There is always examples of emergent literacy within the centre and this photo captures just one of those times. Lyrique was practicing her writing when her sister Jaz decided to join her, picking up a pen and imitating her sister. The girls are developing familiarity with print and its uses by exploring and observing the use of print in activities that have meaning and purpose for children.Monica

Donnagh Constructs

Donnagh has been very interested in construction for a while now, making buldings throughout the centre, using plastic blocks, wooden blocks, in fact any thing he can find.

Today I noticed him working very busily constructing a very long bridge. His concentration was clearly visible as he did not even notice me standing nearby.

Well look at the result, a bridge to be proud of and having fun whilst building.

Donnagh is developing an expectation that he can take responsibility for his own learning.

Monica

The well-being of our new guinea pig

With the arrival of our new guinea pig to KIDSPACE enabled me to provide the children with a fun mathematical learning activity consisting of weighing and measuring of our new pet. First we put him into a ice-cream container and put him on the scales - 300gms. Next measurement was his length and waist - this was a bit more of a challenge due to movement and speed of our new pet. In the end we had to use a piece of string against a ruler resulting in waist measurements of 18cm and length 19cm. Over the next few week the children and I will continue to monitor the progress and well-being of our new pet. Within this activity children develop mathematical vocabulary and concepts to communicate complex ideas such as weight, shape, size. Ann, February

New addition to KIDSPACE family

We have a new addition to KIDSPACE this week - my 6 week old baby guinea pig has arrived. He is a lovely grey-white colour and is very cute. All the children have enjoyed taking turns in giving him cuddles, supporting him settling into KIDSPACE. The children also enjoyed making him guinea pig cookies, consisting of banana, carrot, honey, pellets and rolled oats - YUM! Over the next couple of days the children will decide on a name for our new pet.

Ann, February.

New Wings

There has been a huge interest in the dress up and dramatic play areas at KIDSPACE lately.

On the weekend, I found some butterfly and ladybug wings that I knew the children would love dressing up in. Acacia wanted to be a lady bug and Isabella thought the pink butterfly wings were 'pretty'.

Mummies and babies, and caring for dolls is a huge part of the children's play. To add more realism to their play, I bought two little baby bottles. Emily found her baby straight away and said that she needed feeding.

Children learn empathy, caring, routines and imitation through role play, and mums and babies.

Ainslee

Welcome to KIDSPACE Sophie

We welcome Sophie and her family to KIDSPACE. Sophie is settling in well, and is getting to know the children and teachers. On Sophie's first day, she enjoyed exploring outdoors and making friends with Hannah in the sandpit. We look forward to getting to know you more :)

Ainslee

Art Deco is coming upon us

On Thursday the 17th of February we are taking the children on bus trip into town.

To see various people dressed up, vintage cars and Art Deco Decor. If you would like to help on the trip you are more than welcome, just let one of the teachers know when you sign your child's permission form. So we can catch the bus on time, could we have all children at KIDSPACE by 8:50am please, we will arrive back at KIDSPACE by about 11:15am.

Thank-you

Tamara

Click to enlarge

Tamara

Welcome to KIDSPACE Scarlett

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Tamara

Mission Tickets

Irene has two tickets to sell to the Sting concert this weekend if you know of anyone looking to buy tickets to this sell out concert.

Welcome to KIDSPACE

The KIDSPACE team extend a warm welcome to our most recently enrolled children. We welcome Sophie, Lexi, Ruby, and Zoe and their families. They have settled in very well and are enjoying the fun learning experiences on offer alongside all the other KIDSPACE children.

All aboard

This morning the children used their imagination and creative skills to transform a collection of giant lego and foam shapes into a bus. Rie was the designated driver to start with, taking the children wherever they wanted to go. We ended up going to the beach, the swimming pools, ice skating and the lolly factory. Exciting!
We had to keep making our bus longer as more children lined up with their money for a ticket so they could join us on our magical, mystery tour.

Rie - 3 Feb 2010

December/January Newsletter

Happy 3rd Birthday Alana

Ainslee

Happy 4th Birthday Emily

Happy 4th Birthday Isabella

Getting creative with the blocks

Shaydn and Donnagh love being creative together. I was inside and noticed a structure they had started to build and I went over to have a closer look. Donnagh said, "We're building a playground". Shaydn said, "This is the five year old slide", then Donnagh said, "this is the one year old slide, I'm doing welding". I then said, "Just like your Dad" and he continued to tell me a story about his dad building a boat with his friends. As I watched, they included me in conversation and told me what they were building. Shaydn eventually added an animal park. They also thought about safety of children playing in the playground and built a fence so they don't fall out. At times both boys didn't agree with a decision to add something to the play ground. They said backwards and forwards, "We don't need that yes, no, yes, no. " I just watched so they could negotiate and work out the problem amongst themselves and they eventually did.

Through conversations with Donnagh he included experiences he's seen or had into his play. Welding is what his Dad often does as he makes amazing designer letter boxes. So Donnagh has had first hand experience seeing someone weld something together. Anther conversation I had with Donnagh was when he talked about being nice, "On my birthday". I replied, "We need to be as nice as we can on other days too". He said, " When I meet new people I say hello whats your name, that's being polite". Donnagh is sharing his knowledge of what to do in social situations when meeting new people and how to treat them. He's sharing his knowledge and belief about how to act with other friends.

Check out some of their amazing building skills!

Tamara