Wearing their new colourful beanies to keep their heads warm the children were still able to enjoy some winter fun in the park today. All of them are now showing a keen interest in learning new rhymes and copying action songs. Juliet is an instant hit when she performs her version of “I’m a little teapot!” Today we created a bus by sitting in a long line, one behind the other on the grass. We used hand actions for the bus indicators and had great fun when turning the corner……
Our outing last week was the much anticipated trip on the train to Planet Kids in Lakeside! There was a scramble to have the seat next to the window on the train and looking at the views of the mountain, vlei, and other trains passing in the opposite direction kept everyone very busy and curious. It was a short walk from False Bay station to Planet Kids and once inside the children wanted to explore all the activities. It was inspiring to see one of our smallest and youngest girls taking to the climbing wall like a pro. Anything with wheels was tested out thoroughly and the choice of ball games seemed to be endless. There was also time to have a fun ride on the fufi slide and swing outside. Teachers observed that the children were fully engaged, expressing their joy and confidence as they played, which is a solid sign we feel, that the school is sensitively providing the children with the type of education that they require.
Thank you to Everybody who supported and contributed towards our successful fundraiser in June. The Winter Market was a wonderful warm event, even the inclement weather couldn’t spoil the joyful day!
The funds raised went towards equipping the school with brand new wooden work tables and chairs, kiddies kitchen furniture, and furniture for fantasy play activities. An important part of socialising and building relationships is developed when mimicking household activities that the children experience in their home environment. In this safe space at school they are able to interact and role play using child-sized furniture.
The school day routine starts with the children arriving with teacher Maitri. She helps them out the car and they know to line up at the gate because our school is on a busy road. The children make sure that they have their backpacks and then stand quietly with their arms across their chests. They say “good morning” to teacher Devi as she opens the gate for them. Once inside they place their bags and jackets in their cubbyholes and greet Juliet who is busy preparing their breakfast. As soon as everyone has cleaned teeth, hands and faces it is time to say grace and eat breakfast. Our school day has started!
On 19 April we had an early start to the school day because we had to drive to Imhoff Farm in Kommetjie for our outing to Higgeldy Piggeldy Farmyard. Seeing a tractor was top of the list for some of the children and while visiting the horses and llamas we saw the tractor and trailer going off to do important farm work! On the swings and slides the kids really enjoyed having to climb up into a big tree to get to the top of the super long slide. We had our picnic overlooking the duck pond with a wonderful view all the way across to Noordhoek beach. While busy eating our snacks we saw two springbok grazing close by. Then it was off to watch the rabbits with their twitching noses and lovely fluffy fur. The children found the turkeys and geese rather scary when they ran towards us and they cautiously kept their distance while gazing at the goats and bulls. The morning passed far too quickly with so much to see and so much to do. The feathers that we collected will stay on our classroom nature table as a reminder of this awesome outing.
We are very excited to now be part of the JAM community! For breakfast each day our school children enjoy a Red Bowl of JAM porridge. According to the JAM SA website the porridge provides the children with 75% of their daily macro – and micro – nutrient requirements. We are also able to send porridge home with the children to enjoy over the weekend. JAM SA is currently feeding over 90,000 pre-school children across the country, throughout all 9 provinces.
What the children are saying about school in the second term: – we love coming to school; swinging in the hammock makes me feel very calm; playing with play dough and cutting with scissors is exciting; teatime outside in the sandpit is fun; reading books with our teachers is really nice. We are learning to dance too!
An important part of the school timetable is our regular weekly outing to the park. When we arrive the children make a beeline for the swings and roundabouts and teachers are noticing the calming effect that the swinging and spinning has on the children. Vestibular input is important for sensory integration and brain development. Other sensory skills such as body in space, and body awareness are also greatly enhanced by this type of play. Time spent having FUN in nature, exploring and discovering, provides a safe space for these children to express and better understand their emotions.
There were a number of changes that welcomed everyone back to school in January this year. The classroom has been moved to a cooler room in the house and focusses on educational instruction and games, storybooks and creative artwork. Teachers have also created separate play areas in other rooms; a place to have fun with toy cars and trucks; a quiet corner to enjoy a peaceful picnic using the miniature ceramic tea set; and of course a space for washing up after mealtimes. We also discovered changes outside the school. On the first day back we were able to fill a bowl with shiny ripe tomatoes picked from the vegetable garden and some of the sunflowers were taller than the kids! A wonderful donation of musical instruments has given us the chance to introduce a weekly music session. Juliet, our school helper currently runs the music class which the children thoroughly enjoy. They bring their own natural rhythm and enthusiasm to this last class of the week, making sure that we always end on a high note.
Our school year ended on a high note with teachers, learners, moms and siblings enjoying a lovely picnic in the park. Relaxing under the trees gave moms and teachers some time to share what had been learnt in the classroom and also what shifts had been observed in the children. Before going home each child received a gift bag filled with toys as well as practical items and three of the learners also received journals in recognition of good attendance. As an expression of thanks to their moms the children then presented each mother with a decorated pine cone that they had created in class. We ended our picnic to the joyful sound of the children singing their favourite song “Jesus’s love is like a circle, a circle big and round, big and round….”