Who can believe it is the last term of the year? This year has flown by, and we have accomplished a great deal. The final reports have been sent out, so please check your Xplor for them. It has been a pleasure teaching all the children this year, and we wish them all the best for next year.
School Holidays:
The children had a great time during the October school holidays. We had lots of outdoor play and messy play, which the children love and engaged in. The highlights of this term were the farmhouse day and cooking day, where the children could go out into the garden and collect the produce growing there, and then cook with it. They made juice and pancakes. Yum Yum. The children also enjoyed showing off their BIG school to the pre-kindy children. They were the tour guides, showing the younger children the yard, classrooms, and toys.
Resilience Project: Mindfulness
This term for our resilience project, we have been learning about mindfulness and how to calm our bodies and manage our emotions. We have set up a quiet area in the room where children can go to relax, read stories, do puzzles, or lie on the couch, among other activities. They have learnt different breathing techniques to reset our mind. The children especially enjoy exploring outside and listening to the world around them, including the birds, the wind, and the trees.
Children’s Week and Grandparents’ Day:
Children’s Week is always a popular time when children can share their interests. We have a vote every morning this week to choose a special activity for the day. They had the opportunity to choose from a variety of activities, including movies, nature play, Wildspace, cooking, making sensory dough, playing board games, and going on a nature walk. The children chose cooking, movies, outdoor experiences, and sensory dough. Our grandparents’ day was a big hit, and the children spent some quality time with their grandparents playing in the wild space, which featured all the fun activities the Centre had set up for the family picnic.
Worm Farm:
This term, the centre has set up a worm farm and compost bin. Our Koorlongka children have been learning how to recycle food scraps by placing them in one of the three designated bins. One bin is for the worm farm and compost, one bin is for the general waste, and the last bin is for recycling. In the afternoon, once a week, the children collect the scraps from the green bin and put them in the worm farm and compost. They then enjoy exploring the garden and helping to keep it maintained.
Initial Sounds:
This term, we have been learning about identifying the initial sounds in words. We have been doing lots of fun activities like making posters, snap and match games, peg matching games, cutting activities, etc. The children have particularly enjoyed looking through magazines, finding and cutting out pictures that start with the letter of the day and then gluing them on the poster. We have these posters set up around the room.
Adding and Subtracting:
In numeracy this term, we have been learning about adding and subtracting equations. The children have been particularly clever with this skill and have picked it up well. They have enjoyed practising these skills through playing dice games, exploring with number blocks and using concrete materials to show the equation visually.
Christmas Activities:
Christmas has come early to Koorlongka, and the children have been enjoying all the fun and excitement that this time of the year brings. We have set up and decorated the room with tinsel, paper chains, a Christmas tree and bells. We have created angels, stars, Christmas ornaments, a nativity scene, and more. The children have especially enjoyed making a special gift and card for their parents and can’t wait to take them home and give them to their parents. We have also done lots of cooking, like making gingerbread, shortbread, rocky road and Christmas juice.
Christmas Party:
On the 5th December, we are having a centre Christmas party. The children have been busy learning three Christmas carols to perform. The children chose these carols from many options and are working hard to make them special to present to their families on Friday. This will be a wonderful morning celebrating the year that has gone by and spending some quality time with our families.
Kindy Graduation:
On the 9th of December, we have our Kindy graduation. This is a time we celebrate our Kindy children as they finish their time in long day care. Some of our Kindy children have been at the Centre since they were babies, and we reflect on their first day with us and their last day with photos. The children have the opportunity to wear a special graduation gown, receive a certificate, present and join in a special afternoon tea with their families.
What an amazing year we have had in Koorlongka. We wish all the families a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year in our new room.
Mrs Natalie Ralph
Koorlongka (Pre-Kindy& Kindy) Teacher
