Gray Court Pre-School

Mail Box Visit

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 06:00:26 +0000

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.

Sandpit Volcanos

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 05:46:03 +0000

After enjoying making our own mini volcanoes inside we decided to work together to make a giant outside volcano. We explained that there were dormant and active volcanoes around the world. The children built the giant sandcastle then waited eagerly to add food colouring and vinegar to the bicarb soda to watch it erupt. The children were unsure whether our larva was hot and were hesitant to touch it. They noticed and commented how it had melted away some of the sand sides just like a real volcano. They all loved the experience and we repeated it several times. Working together to build our volcanos was a great cooperative experience.

Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

Express wonder & interest in their environment
Are curious and enthusiastic participants
Use reflective thinking to consider why things happen
Experiment with cause and effect

Dads or special male visitor night at kinder

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 05:31:22 +0000

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

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 09:30:53 +0000

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

Outer Space

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 09:07:36 +0000

Lots of curiosity about outer space has come about with some of the children observing the moon was out and visible during the day. Also some astronaut play happening so we set up our rocket and accessories with the addition of Will’s beautiful planet mobile and books from home for us to explore and discuss, The children have pretended outside to be astronauts and travel to various planets which has opened up discussions about gravity , which we will continue to explore with some science. The children are using parachute people outside from high spaces on our climbing equipment and we are also adding baking paper to as a parachute to outside objects such as gumnuts and marbles etc to see which falls faster. Being at the control table outside saw children touching each number as they counted backwards from 10 to zero launching their friends into outer space. We will continue looking at the moon phases , matching shapes such as full moon, half moon,crescent etc…and doing some movement & science to understand why we sometimes see the moon in the day time and to learn about planets rotating and the sun being a star.

Nadine O’Brien

Rock formation & names

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 08:53:56 +0000

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

Glitz Gym Visit

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 05:40:52 +0000

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

Bathing Baby Adam

Gray Court Pre-School — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 05:24:06 +0000

Today Thursday 28^th May 2015 we were very fortunate to watch Aiden’s baby brother Adam have a bath at kinder. The children excitedly helped to set the bath , towels and face washer with me and reminded me that the water had to be not too hot and not too cold but just right. Nart kindly spoke to us about baby Adam and shared with us that he had a hernia at his belly. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to consolidate our understanding that bodies as well as faces and skin colour etc are unique to each person and that differences are not a bad thing just different and unique. I showed the children my birthmark on my leg to use another example of our differences. The children all came over to be a part of this special experience and asked great questions “ Can he sit up”. Later at group time we discussed other differences we may have seen in the community and we discussed people who have hair on their face such as beards, moustaches etc… people who have lost limbs , people in wheelchairs, wearing glasses, hearing aids etc. Next week we will use the baby photos to make a growth poster about themselves and what they could do then and now that they are big kinder people.

Mad about music

Gray Court Pre-School — Sun, 31 May 2015 01:35:51 +0000

Our Red group have been making music any way they can using their body percussions. Some interesting band names came up in play like Motley crew and Roaring Rah Rahs . The staff addded some instruments to the play and introduced some music to the program play and group time experiences.

Future PlanningWednesday 27^th May – Thursday 4^th June 2015

· Writing own musical patterns :

Paper, black markers , lined paper cut out treble clef

· Making instruments :

In inventing area add elastic bands, bells , sticks etc for making own instruments.

· Water jars / different levels

Coloured notes and patterns

· Music tree

Read book , Hang pots, pans

· Read and play :

Down by the river: children to use body percussion to make the wrap for book. Discussing and making our own rap story

· Hannah ( Student) to play her violin for children

· Science ; see the vibration, rice on drum

Going on a Autumn Walk

Gray Court Pre-School — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 05:50:07 +0000

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.