A busy week for visitors

Today a group of Broadgreen Intermediate students came to read to our tamariki. What was especially special was that a couple of them had attended Nayland Kindergarten as 3 and 4 year olds and it looked like they hadn't forgotten how to play either, as they played with our children. 
Thanks for your great reading and please come back and do it again.

Physical Fun

This term our physical focus is going to be 'running', as the children have been running tracks inside the kindergarten gate so we are extending it to running on the fields up the back. This tied in with the Winter Wonderland walk with families too.
We also purchased some medicine balls (from Kmart) they weigh 3kgs and are a perfect size for the children to manage. Last week we set up relay teams, you could run or walk and then we added challenge by putting them up above your head. Great finger, hand and arm strengthening and develops core strength with it above their heads.
Modelling relay to 3 and 4 year olds was heaps of fun but once they had figured out the flow they really enjoyed it.
There is a big interest in frisbee throwing too so we have had sessions out the back of the kindergarten on the courts as frisbees definitely need space. If anyone wants to come along and give us a few throwing tips we would appreciate it.

What's been happening

Experimenting with fractions

Maths, Maths and more Maths!

We are often asked how maths happens in the early years, so thought it was time to share some examples from the indoor environment. Next week I will put up some examples of maths in the outdoor environment. Of course these are only a small snapshot of the maths experiences happening everyday.
(Will attach document too incase it is a bit blurry)

 

Visitors enrich our programme.

This morning a group of students (big kids infact) from Learning Place came to share 4 different games with us, we worked in small groups and they had colour matched their decorations.
Not only did they play Simon Says, Red light green light, Duck duck goose and Dancing Statues but they brought yummy popcorn and platters of fruit to share after they read us a story about a Dinosaur at the Supermarket.
Their generosity didn't stop there, they then gave out gift backs to every child.
What a wonderful bunch of young people and they were so respectful and full of fun.
Please leave us some comments below about what your child told you about it, as these students would really appreciate some feedback to add to their learning reflections on what our children enjoyed and how their plans worked.

Bommerang Bags

Changing up the slide!

Last week we set up a tunnel on the blue slide with the idea of cars going down, but the children soon figured out it would fit bodies too.
They encouraged Lance to travel down it, so I thought if he can do it so can I. They do say that "Play is the highest form of reasearch" - Albert Einsten.
One of the many wonders of being an early childhood teacher is creating working theories alongside the children. Did I fit??? Yes indeed.

Look at all our mahi!

Spooners Tunnel at Kindergarten

The Spooners tunnel created lots of opportunities for discussion this week. A number of you shared those special places that you love to bike as a family, please send photos to naylandkindy1@ts.co.nz and I will put them up on the wall beside the tunnel. It is great to share those special places so other families can visit them too.
Check out Escher's fabulous picture of the BMX track, which is a great place for a family outing. A small group of children visited there a couple of weeks ago and we intend to return to practice some more.
I checked out the new velodrome with the grandchildren and the inside roading system is a cool place to practice road safety. You go to the gate inside the Saxton Field complex and don't be put off by the closed gate, just walk through the rocks and down to the velodrome. Suits all ages, as older children can ride the Velodrome too.

During the week the tunnel became a glow worm cave, a house, a hiding place, a race car track and a place for friends to gather. Did you have any other ideas for its use??? What did your child say about it??

Mud pit fun with all the rain!

Balancing Fun

End of year celebration - May the force be with you!

Our gardens are laden with fruit!

It is exciting to see our trees fruiting, the worm farm so healthy (thanks to our families for bringing in their vegetable waste) and the vegetable gardens growing well.  Children experience what it means to care for our gardens, be sustainable, to recycle food waste and reuse our own paper waste to keep the worm farm healthy.

 The children are loving 'harvest time', picking the apples has been long awaited.

 It has taken us a couple of years to perfect the right conditions for our worms and it must be perfect right as it is alive with millions of the white baby worms and many big tiger worms too.

 We are caring for our grafted pear tree taken from our 75 year old pear tree below, which is presently laden in pears.  There has been the smell of pear pickle/chutney inside and outside as it cooks.

We visit Birchwood School.

What a wonderful morning out we had at Birchwood School.  Ailia ably lead the way to her new school, taking us first into the office to sign in.  Then she showed us to her classroom where we were warmly welcomed by Mrs H, Miss Fitchett and the children. Everyone enjoyed listening to a story and then having time to explore and enjoy the learning spaces.  It was very exciting to discover an environment that was very like kindergarten.

Once we had our morning tea we headed back to kindergarten but not before stopping at Broadgreen gardens. It was fun checking out the gold fish, the stunning roses and the mystery secret tree.  And of course we had time to play our old time favourite game of “Duck, Duck, Goose.”

At Nayland Kindergarten we understand the changes that transition bring and so this is one of there reasons we plan excursions such as this.  A great way for the child heading off to school to share their new spaces and places with us and also a great way for teachers and friends to become more familiar with this child’s new place of learning. 

Te Whāriki  Goal 1 “Children and their families experience an environment where connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended.”

Preparing our playground for the 50th celebrations

Ka pai koutou mahi, great work everyone.  Bryce (Kyra's dad) kindly came into chop some branches down at kindergarten.  The tamariki showed us great perseverance and worked together to fill the Can Plan bin on the second day with all the branches and leaves on the ground from all that chopping and sawing.  The kaiako were very impressed with all your mahi (work) everybody, thank you.   The plants are in, and the trees are trimmed preparing for our 50th celebrations on the 9th March!