The Pikanini One room has been very busy discovering and exploring many new things this term. Some of these are from nature, and others made by the Educators. They have also created wonderful friendships with their teammates in the room.
The children have participated in different activities for their senses over the term. We have explored Playdough, Oobleck, and Slime. These are a great opportunity to enhance their fine motor and turn-taking abilities. Sand, water and salt have also been introduced with added colour, natural materials or different resources, including animals, craft items and utensils, making a different textured learning space each time. Watching and participating in this has been amazing as we see them expand their understanding and delight in each new experience.
Bubbles and paint have been a regular enjoyment, creating new artworks to hang on our walls or take home for their families to enjoy.
Our whole Centre celebrated Mother’s Day in May with the Pikanini One children creating a lovely handprint keyring, using shrink paper and bright coloured paints for their Amazing Mum or Grandparent to keep.
We have spent a large amount of time during autumn investigating the wonderful outdoor environment with the Educators, using magnifying glasses to look at insects and tree bark, planting seedlings in our garden bed that the children have grown from seed in an egg carton, and exploring tuff tray activities with different animals and resources found from nature.
We have introduced visual aids to our Forum Time; these are common objects used in the room or at home. The children have jumped right in and love participating on the mat with them, being able to hold the card while pronouncing the object.
The children are encouraged to draw and colour on paper or cardboard in the mornings. Scaffolding the correct grip and using their midline cross to cover the whole large sheet of paper will extend their fine motor and cognitive development for future activities like brushing teeth, using zippers and doing up buttons.
Pikanini One had a great little activity from one of our student friends; they all got to participate in an expressions and emotions display board. We were placing different parts of the face on a giant face sheet. We talked about each part and what we looked like when we were happy, sad or angry. They enjoyed this display board so much that it was used repeatedly for the next two weeks.
Pikanini One also enjoyed a threading experience with large wooden beads and thick rope; they persisted well for their age and expended their on-concentration skills.
They have many more interesting learning opportunities around the corner, and we can hardly wait to see them enjoy and grow.
Miss Harris
Pikanini 1 Room Curriculum Leader
