Happy 3rd birthday Luke

Happy 3rd birthday Luke :)

Ainslee

Popular play in the sandpit

Yesterday after lunch, the sandpit was very popular! It's a nice shady area to chill out, and to play with and explore different things. Kian, Donnagh and Jorja were busy making a river. They used spades, shovels and buckets to dig and transport sand. They kept digging until there was a big long hole in the sandpit. Our new friend Mana was holding on to the hose, providing the river sculptors with water. Ashton was sitting close by, enjoying being bare foot, wriggling his toes in the sand. He was intrigued by the water as well, and loved dipping his hands under the running hose and into the small bucket full of water. He even put three hats in the puddle of water, over the space of 5 mins.

Lyrique came along half way through, and took a real interest in helping to construct the river and transport sand around the sand pit.

Tarquin helped a little bit with the river at the beginning, but then continued on a treasure hunt. He was interested in what he could find up on top of the wooden boxes. He moved bits and pieces to get to places he needed to look.

Caelyn, Emily, Libby and Isabella spend lots of time on the swing that was set up in the sandpit. They each look turns at sitting on the seat, while their friends spun them round and round. I really liked the way the girls were talking to one another, voicing their opinions and making a real effort to take turns.

Acacia loved being in barefoot, and walking through the ankle deep water. She had a spade in her hands and a big grin on her face. She continued to extend on the river, even through the water flow slowed down a bit!

Kian enjoyed stomping through the the river in bare feet, pretending he was a bear! He held his hands out and said "raaaahhhhh", like a big scary bear! Kian was doing a great job at keeping an eye on his little brother, and reminding everyone that Ashton is HIS little brother.

Children learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning - control over bodies, exploring with senses, use of tools and equipment, confidence with moving in space and playing near others (Exploration, Te Whaariki).

"Children develop a perception of themselves as 'explorers' - competent, confident learners who ask questions and make discoveries" (Te Whaariki).

The sandpit was a lovely relaxing place to be after lunch on this warm sunny day, and it was so nice to observe, watch and be engaged in a range of different play mediums.

Ainslee

Welcome to KIDSPACE Mana

Welcome to KIDSPACE Mana!! You have settled in so well over your first few days. You have particulary enjoyed playing in the sandpit, digging with the diggers and trucks and having a go with the hose. After lunch, you joined in for a story at group time, and sat down well and took an interest in the book.

Continue to explore and enjoy your new envrionment Mana, and we look forward to getting to know you more.

Ainslee

Happy 4th Birthday Kian

Happy 4th Birthday Kian! Hope you had a great weekend!

Ainslee

"We're going on a bear hunt"

There has been considerable interest in the book "We're going on a bear hunt", over a long period of time. Last week Xavier, Max, Travis, Rionagh, Paige and I were involved in retelling the story using different aspects of our natural environment. We did this at least four times as the children requested it over and over again. We went through the long wavy grass, a snowstorm, through mud, the dark forest, (we didn't go through the river) but we made up our own one, we went on a wibbly wobbly stoney path, then through the narrow gloomy cave, it's a BEAR!!!!!.

The children ran they found the anticipation exciting, Rionagh would make facials as if to say "ooohhh" and Xavier, Paige and Travis would run as Max the bear chased us. The third and fourth time we told the story Max was the bear then Travis became Max's little baby brother bear.

This experience enabled children to act out what they know about the story and using recall and their memory. They used their imaginations to add parts to the story and negotiated who would be who and took turns. It was great having such a fantastic natural environment to use to act out this story. This was a very social and fun experience for children of all ages to be involved in. This book provides many different describing words for children, extending on their vocabulary, it's fantastic to see children so passionate about books and literacy and using books in different ways to retell the story.

Tamara

Healthy Heart smoothies

Supporting KIDSPACE achieving the Healthy Heart Award- Xavier, Emily, Jorja, Aimee, Lyrique, Jaz, Noah, Acacia, Mollie, Libby, Netana, Isabella,Travis, Max, Caelyn and I celebrated by making fruity smoothies for morning tea kai.

We used juice, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and bananas to make our yummy smoothies. We drank these with our Healthy Heart straws.

Char from Sports Hawkes Bay will award KIDSPACE the Healthy Heart Award sometime over the next couple of weeks.

"Children develop self-help and self-care skills fir eating, drinking and food preparation. Children develop positive attitudes towards eating", Well-Being, Te Whaariki.

Ann/Jessie

Our blossom tree

Our KIDSPACE blossom (putiputi) tree is in its period of flowering and when the wind (hau) blows it is like pink (mahwero) snow (huka). Petals (raupua) cover the grass (karaaihe), concrete (raima), deck, children, sandpit (raukirikiri) and even blow into the artroom and onto activities set up outside.

Come and have a look at our putipuiti next time you are at KIDSPACE.

Jessie