To invite our dads to kinder we set about writing a letter to dad. The children each had a clipboard and using our whiteboard we carefully wrote the words Dear dad and our own names. The children were not sure at first how these letters were going to get to dad so we discussed how we each have an address and thought about the number on our letterbox , dads surname and the street name and suburb. Postcodes were a tricky conept. The children were asked about how mail gets to their house and quickly they responded that the postie takes it often on his motorbike.

After we worked out how to fold our piece of paper to fit in the envelope we got our money from our bag like big school kids in preparation to buy the stamp to put on it. Staff set up a little table with some stamps and a cash box and each child had to come to the shop and speak clearly to the shopkeeper to ask for what they needed remembering their manners. We dicussed how the stamp goes on the right hand corner. After everybody was ready we walked around the corner to where our mailbox was on Cardigan Road. It was a little high so we took a kinder block to boost us up.

On Tuesday 25th August the children got the chance to come to kinder with thier dad at night time for a special night of wild exposure. One child brought along their Pa instead as dad was working away. We got to see and touch variuos animals including reptiles such as a crocodiel and snakes, lizards and amphibians such as a frog. We knew about nocturnal animals but enjoyed holding a tiny possum and watching the beautiful owl use his circular disc face to catch the sound waves. We learnt the difference between a turtle and a tortoise and after all our excitement with the animals Xavier had shown we shared some sometimes food pizza and hot cips together. The children have asked me constantly when we can do it again and have said its their best night ever. The dads also hung around til 8pm to chat with each other and to staff as they expressed how they get so little time at kinder. It was a truly social fun night for all. take a look at our night.

Wild Exposure : Xavier   & Madeleine Morello 0419822399   www.wildlifexposure.com.au

Slime glorious slime. We made slime this week using liquid starch, glue and glitter. It felt amazing and the children could pull, stretch and squish it. Sensory experiences are vital for young children and allow them to explore textures and start to learn about liquids , solids and everything in between. It also encourages language , communication with the children using words like gooey, sticky, soft, wet, smooth etc…. The children came back many times to explore this substance discovering new ways to move it each time. Sensory exploration is a big part of a preschool program

Nadine O’Brien

A had sparked our curiosity about rocks with his show n tell earlier and our interest in volcanos so Hannah our student teacher set about to do some science with the children to demonstrate how rocks are formed. She used grated crayon and pastel / different colours and explained that intense pressure and sometimes pressure and heat help fuse the particles together to make different rocks. Sedimentary rocks are formed by intense pressure so we all tried our hardest to push and squeeze the pieces to fuse them together. Metamorphic rocks needed heat and pressure so Hannah used a cup of boiling hot water . The children were surprised when Hannah opened the parcel seeing how the rocks had formed. This has created great curiosity in rocks in our yard with the children using them to draw on certain surfaces , looking at them more closely under a magnifying glass and we also painted some small rocks so we could take one home. The children are fascinated in nature and enjoy theopportuntiy to absorb such indepth information in a fun and engaging way. Our moto never underestimate children they are ready and eager for knolwedge.

Nadine O’Brien

This term our Red groups program has been closely focused on the children’s gross motor skills. Many of our children are demonstrating a real interest and skills in more difficult physical equipment such as the roman rings, rope ladder, monkey bars and firemen’s pole. On Monday 25th May 2015 we were lucky enough to go to a session at the Glitz Gymnastics Academy in Lilydale.

The children has a wonderful time balancing on the beams, tumbling on mats, bouncing on the trampolines and jumping castle, swinging on the rings and from the high bars and of course the favourite was being able to jump into the big foam pit!!! Back at kinder we continue to promote physcial coordination and skill by doing PMP in the mornings and get opportunities to build upper body strength doing wheelbarrows with a friend and by walking up the wall into a handstand.

Nadine O’Brien

Today we ventured outside our kinder to explore our local community by walking around the block. We have been discussing as a group changes in our environment and noticed that some trees loose their leaves ( Deciduous) and some don’t ( Evergreens)The children knew this meant it was Autumn time and that after Autumn came winter. We looked at photos of a cycle for a deciduous tree . We were fascinated by how the leaves change colours to red, orange, yellow, purple or brown. We decided to collect some so we could take a closer look and use them in our program We explored the different shapes, colours, the way the felt, smelt and the sounds they made under our feet. We even found a tree that had no leaves totally bare. We are planning to use our collection of natures items in our making at kinder.

Last week we really enjoyed the book ” The Artist who painted a blue horse” by Eric Carle. We loved that the artisit chose his own colours for his animals. The children today used this book as inspiration for their own paintings and produced some remarkable paintings.

The Gray Court Preschool believes being open to challenges such as this creates confident children who know through experience that they are capable of having a go at whatever their teachers ask of them.

It also consolidates our understanding that we are all unique and just like no two people are the same no two paintings are the same either. Appreciating our unique differences and beauty makes us have a strong sense if self/ identity.

Outcome 1 ; Children have a strong sense of identity 

* approach new situations / expeiences with confidence

* recognise own and others achievements

Outcome 5: Children are effective communciators

* Use creative arts such as drawing & painting to express ideas

Outcome 3 : Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

* Demonstrate trust & confidence

* Accept new challenges

* Manipulate equipment and manage tools with increasing competencve and skill

Nadine O’Brien