Loose Parts are getting looser...

I love the freedom of "the theory of loose parts", it can translate right across the curriculum.  It seems to raise children and teacher's awareness of the possibilities of "things" in the whole environment.
It also changes the lens you think through about recycling, reusing and remodelling equipment to have many different uses, which hugely reduces the equipment you purchase.  The "theory of loose parts" also supports a more open ended environment where "things" have multi uses.

A child's passion for the arts

We watch and wonder as a child's passion for the arts unfolds before our eyes.  When children are afforded the time, the space and the resources to follow their passions alongside others, the destination is often unexpected.  When children are empowered to plan their own learning, travel a learning journey that is engineered and directed by them (and encouraged by teachers and peers) then the outcomes are not predetermined, but are INSPIRATIONAL!

Whanau and teachers have continued to celebrate the work displayed by this particular child and feedback has been added to the wall.  

A sleep over at Kindergarten? Surley not! Surely YES!!

Food for thought!

 

Check out the facebook page for more amazing questions and facts. https://www.facebook.com/lovefoodhatewastenz.

Welcome back to Term Two 2015

Many Loose Parts - Many Focused Ideas!

The theory of loose parts has come alive this term with the moving of a box of "stuff" "props" "provocations" , many names we can give to these things.
Out of this box has come the most incredible ideas, games and drama.

We have had ambulances, boats, cars, monsters, sharks, dead people, injured babies needing to get to hospital, a never ending list of ideas and fun.

Children have created and negotiated story lines, turns, outcomes and groups of children to be involved. Many a budding screen writer, set designer, builder, director, Adrenalin junkie and many competent leaders in our midst.

This play has seen both the boys and the girls busy putting their ideas into actions.

The theory of “loose parts” first proposed by architect Simon Nicholson in the 1970's has begun to influence child-play experts and the people who design play spaces for children in a big way. Nicholson believed that it is the 'loose parts' in our environment that will empower our creativity.

In play, loose parts are  materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned,

lined up, and taken apart and put back together

in multiple ways. They are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials.

Do you have things at home you could make a loose parts collection with? We also welcome any other loose parts you may have to add to our box or ideas of things for us to gather.


Thank you to all our whanau who have added already to the resources this term.

Challenging Fun!

The Glow Continues.

Exploring illumination

The children were very excited when we told them that we were going to make a dark room, they quickly helped us clear our little room so that we could get it underway. It sat empty for a day and all their ideas began to flow, "this could be dinosaur land", "it could be a dark forest", "it could be a spooky forest".  With the black polythene up it was magically dark and the painting began with ideas from the children.  They even painted the floor by painting their hands and doing hand stands. We found white stickers that glowed really well and they stuck them on their arms and legs so that they looked robotic, it was a great idea but a little tricky to get off. (a little cream and a quick pull)
It has become a place to explore light and dark, find out what glows and what shines and what do we have on our bodies that light up.  The room is often full of as many adults as children and when we put the music in there the party began.

My camera is not sure what to make of it all, but here are some photos to give you the idea.
They have drawn mountains, sun, shooting stars, the moon and much more.

 

 Look for then stickers on the arms and legs, it really does look amazing.

Trip to Nayland College Horticulture Unit.

Jeff Bryant (The Head of the Horticulture Department) at Nayland College invited us to visit.   Jeff had two student  helpers  called Toni and Jamie. They showed us around and helped us.   We got to plant a pea seed each.  First we had to fill our pot with compost and then plant the seed. Jeff asked if we needed worms for the kindergarten  worm farm, which we did. And so we all went to find them.  Their worm farm is much bigger than the one at kindy, and it is very smelly .  We had a look at the garden and even saw a zucchini that Mary’s son Mitch is growing.  When we got back to kindergarten we put the worms into our worm farm.  We really do hope that helps our worm farm as it has been looking a little bit sad with not much sign of life lately.    We also look forward to planting our pea seeds and then being able to eat fresh peas.  

The new horticulture unit is huge and we were all very impressed with the tool shed and the chicken house.  Hopefully we can go back and visit once there are chickens living in it. 

 Congratulations  Jeff Bryant and Nayland College on your  fantastic new facility and thanks for inviting us to come visit.  We hope we can work with you again soon.  Mary and the children from Nayland Kindergarten.

Fire and Rescue morning with Aunty Kathy.

Family Liaison Group Parent Night Term One.

How many ways can you cool off on a hot summers day?

These photos need no words, they say it all!

Check out our new website layout!

 The children, teachers and families are back and ready to embrace 2015.... 

CHECK OUT OUR LINK TO OUR NELSON TASMAN KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATION WEBSITE!!

http://www.nelsontasmankindergartens.com/what-happens-here.html

We look forward to lots of feedback on our blog this year, do leave us a comment or a question.

Yahoo there have been 10,000 views on our blog

Time to celebrate 10,000 hits on our blog, it is great to be able to share our kindergarten programme with a wider audience.  It is exciting to see people all around the world viewing what is happening at our place.

Gerry and Hank return!

Children's' vision for and planning of their environment in action.

Sharing our story with Room 14 Nayland Primary

Some of the children wrote a story about a monster who chased their families and tried to eat them. They added detailed pictures to the story and our student teacher, Natalie, made this awesome storybook. We took the book to school to share. The school children gave some feedback to the girls saying they liked the pictures and the story was funny.

Life is an experiment!! How better to learn!

When you mix curiosity with metacognition, what do you get?

So what might happen when the yellow and blue dye walk up the paper??

What happened when we mixed the cornflour and boiling water mixture into two bowls and added yellow and blue?

What happened when we used the foot bellows pump, a hose, a funnel, some red bubbly water and lots of energetic children?

What travels faster?  Corrugated card on a slide or a sledge loaded with children being assisted down a slope?

Wondering is addictive and so is childhood.  Let the children play, that is how innovation happens. Thinking, planning, and experimenting drive learning.

You might wonder too who are the adults and who are the children in this place!

Gardening time again

We have harvested the few vegetables left in our garden and now it is time to plant again.   My helpers soon arrived to pick, clean and cut them ready for cooking.

The children know exactly where our garden waste goes... into the compost.

The children and teachers talked about what we could plant and with some very generous help from families and offers of plants and seeds our garden has come alive again.

During the morning it rained to settle the plants in and to tempt the children out.  I love the vibrant colours and the wonderful energy of the children and plants connecting in our garden.