Ruby's Picture

This morning I set up a range of coloured paints on the deck outside. I put small tipped brushes with the paints. Ruby took an interest in the paints and appeared to have a clear idea of what she wanted to paint. She sat down and began choosing her colours and adding the details to the paper. After a few moments, I asked Ruby about her painting. I could tell that she was eager to share, but she kept saying, "It's a special secret and I'll tell you when I have finished it".

As I sat closely, watching Ruby at work, and assisting other children, Ruby kept looking over at me and giving me a cheeky smile, as if she was checking that I was still watching her. Once she had completed her picture, Ruby was ready to tell me all about it. "It's allllll about circles". "Circles and the moon AND the planets". I looked at Ruby's picture carefully as she pointed out which part was the moon and where the planets were. I told Ruby that I really liked her picture, particulary the colours she used, and how many planets she fitted onto her paper. I asked Ruby where she remembered seeing the moon and planets from, and she said, "Ainslee, I even went in your car, dont you remember?" Ruby was referring to the planetarium visit we went on in July. Ruby told me that she laid back in the chair and watched as the moon and planets and stars moved past.

I love the way Ruby has portrayed the new knowledge she gained from the planetarium visit into her painted picture. Fantastic work Ruby!

Ainslee

Connecting the straws

This morning the connector straws were set up on the deck and were a real hit with the children, particularly Xavier, Luke and Netana. Luke's construction was coming together rather quickly. Although he put pieces together carefully and thoughtfully, he still worked fast. Netana was watching what Luke was making and was careful selecting similar pieces. It was nice to see Luke being a role model for Netana and others. I think these were new to Xavier, and he enjoyed exploring the mechanics of these. How they connect, what pieces go where, and how to take them apart etc. Charlotte joined the activity and left a few times, but when she did come back to stay, Charlotte enjoyed putting both hands in to the container and stirring them all up, before tipping some out. Charlotte also held on to the straws and squeezed her fingers around them.

After Luke shared what he made, he started up a fun game. He would point the end of his straws towards me and the camera, and wait for me to snap it up like a crocodile. Netana joined in and both the boys thought it was so funny.

Children develop the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to represent their discoveries using creative and expressive technologies and equipment (Exploration, goal 3, Te Whaariki).

Ainslee

Going on an egg hunt...

 

Before lunch today we had an Easter egg hunt. Hunting for child made decorated Easter bunnies on a stick in the garden. Once these were found and exchanged for a real chocolate Easter egg, we ate them all sitting together in the sun.
Happy Easter to all of our families and we look forward to your Easter break stories on Tuesday 6th April.
Jessie

A Child's Work

I thought this explanation of what your children learn during the day is a great one, as a child's play is their work. It goes like this.

I am 4 years old!.

This morning I completed 3 puzzles, {one was really hard] and I returned them to the shelf.

I built a garage in the block corner, had a plate of icecream with my teacher in the family corner.

I sang loudly in the music group, and after my fruit and drink went outside where I fully taxed my courage and rather shaky physical skills by climbing over and under and through, and balancing on the obstacle course all by myself.

When mum came to take me home, she said, "Haven't you done any work today?'

HOW COULD I EXPLAIN?.