Clay Painting.

As soon as Sophia woke up from her sleep this afternoon she came into the art room where I had watered down some clay to use as paint. Sophia began by using the paintbrushes before noticing the sponges I had also set out. While Sophia painted she still had one arm firmly wrapped around her dolly and once she lost her grip on the doll she decided it was time to finish painting. The grainy, thick texture of the clay paint is quite a different experience from the paint Sophia would normally come across in the paint pots. Te Whariki communication goal 4. Sarah. F.

Teaching experience

Rie and myself are heading away on Monday for a three week teaching practicum at different centres as part of our training. We are going to miss the KIDSPACE environment, teachers , children and whanau but will gain new knowledge and skills to bring back with us. Sarah.F.

Watching the jumping spider

by Tamara

A word from Joy Joy

A word from our old teacher, Joy: Hi there Irene and Team'
I have just been reading your KIDSPACE blog. Karla told me to check out Joaquin's birthday on it.
I am impressed and think it is such a fantastic and instant method of communication for parents, who of course love to read about their tamariki. What a great connector especially for the young technological parents of today. You have your fingers on the pulse!!!!
Congratulations to one and all
Joy

Donnagh 'walking on stilts'

This video was taken by Sarah B.
You can see the concentration on Donnagh's face as he walks on these stilts
he shows such great balance.

WHAT'S COOKING

Literacy is all around us at KIDSPACE and it is very obvious when you watch the children at work at the centre. Here Chardanae and Taylah are chefs and Taylah asks Chardanae to read out the ingredients on the back of the instant cake mix packet, and she will write them down. Here these girls are developing a familiarity with print and it's uses by exploring and observing the use of print in activities that have meaning and purpose for children. they are also developing an understanding that symbols can be "read" by others and that thought, experiences, and ideas can be represented through words, pictures, print, numbers, sounds, shapes, models and photographs. Monica

Paige's Adventure in the Snow

This is what we did for some sunday afternoon fun - NOT!!

Got stopped at Titiokura Hill, 40 mins north of Napier at 2.45pm, Then had to walk up the hill in blizzard conditions to 4wd vehicles who bthen ferried us to Te Pohue Pub & then on down to Eland station & then we caught buses to Hukarere College at Eskdale & then buses to town to taxis & finally home. The whole process took from 2.45 pm to 1.45am when we walked in the front door at. Paige was a little star the whole time.

I really don't recommend this adventure to the faint hearted.

The pictures attached are travelling from Taupo at the Rangitikei plains to Te Haroto (The summit) . This is our car when first stopped, by time we left it at 7.30pm you could not open the doors without pushing snow out of the way, couldn't see the bonnet, front bummper, windscreen or Roofracks. It was a big white blob.