Hero Day

Today was the last day of term and we decided what a great day to have a Hero day. We had a fantastic turnout and children were really excited to see what their friends were dressed up as. We had a variety of hero’s, fire people, Spiderman, superman and super women, and some children even come as family members. We also enjoyed a sausage sizzle for all the children as part of Mitchell’s 5^th birthday celebration.

As today is the last day of term we say farewell to a number of our friends who will be heading off to school and we wish them all the best.

We hope you all have a safe enjoyable term break and we look forward to seeing you all back on Monday 14^th of October

 

 

End of term - Already!

Hasn't the term flown!

We area taking a break and Friday is our last day of Term 3. 

We look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday 14th October at 8.15am

Look forward to seeing you when the doors open again!

Relationship Building

Recently in our afternoon session a group of children have been initiating and remaining involved in imaginative fire play. This came about after our practice fire drill, and have had feedback from parents that this type of play is being further explored at home.

Angus arrives at Kindergarten each afternoon, finds a high vis vest and a hard hat. Eli arrives each afternoon and finds a hard hat, and today Angus decided that we needed to find a vest for Eli so that they could be fire fighters together. 

"We're fire fighters, cause we've got a hose and hats" Angus shared while working with Eli to squirt the hose. 

Later Angus came inside and said to me "That's my friend over there...." pointing to Eli.

It is so warming to see as children spend more time here at Kindergarten, become comfortable with the environment, routines and the other children here they start to make connections. Angus and Eli have a similar routine when they arrive each afternoon, finding their hats and vests to wear. It has become obvious that this shared interest has allowed them to connect, begin to interact and play together. 

We cannot wait to see how this friendship continues to develop and in what direction they will take their imaginative play around fire. 

Emily Went on a Egg Hunt

Emily decided it was time to go on an egg hunt out the back this morning. We haven't had any eggs from our bantams for a long time so we thought that maybe Brownie and Rosie had been laying them in a secret place.

It didn't take long before Emily, on her hands and knees looking under all of our grasses and harakeke plants found them -  underneath a harakeke plant. 

Amethyst and Alex heard the excitement and couldn't wait to come over and see where the nest was. Everyone helped Emily gather the eggs together and brought them inside to keep for future use. 

Keep checking up on us to see what we make with our new eggs.... the children will share some ideas tomorrow and decide what they'd like to make.

Could our hens be getting clucky?

Go Grease lightening Jump Jam

JUMP JAM

Since we have taken the children to the Music and Arts Festival at the primary school the children have been asking to do go grease lightening for jump jam!

Finally yesterday we found the video of the primary school children doing their jump jam on utube!

So today’s jump jam was GREASE!

Take a look at the children enjoying the song and joining in!

Celebrating Alice Robinsons contribution to our kindergarten.

 Today we celebrate.

Today at kindergarten we had a celebration in memory of Alice Robinson to plant a Handkerchief tree, Davidia involucrata to acknowledge all the wonderful things Alice did for our kindergarten. The handkerchief tree was specially chosen as it was Alice’s favourite tree.

In preparation for this some of the children went for an excursion to purchase and bring the tree back to kindergarten, allowing them to see the process right through and to build an understanding of what was happening.

We invited Alice family to come along and be involved in the planting of this wonderful tree, and then all shared a wonderful morning tea in memory of Alice.

We have planted the tree in a grassed area in the front of kindergarten and when it grows it will provide a wonderful place for tamariki to sit and read books.

We have talked to the children about manaakitanga, the care and respect of the tree so we can nurture it and allow it to grow.

Whāngaia ka tupu, ka puāwai. That which is nurtured, blossoms and grows.

Whanau Panui - Family Notice

Tena koutou katoa The Geraldine community has the opportunity to join together in learning and performing kapa haka with Komene Kururangi! Somene is an expert tutor of kapa haka, with his groups gaining national honours for their performances. He is a tutor of Te Reo Maori at the Wanganga o Aotearoa based in Timaru and is prepared to support our community with a kapa haka course, for people of all ages, in the lead up to a performance at Geraldine Arts and Plants Festival. Whanau and community members are invited to a hui to meet Komene and discuss the following kaupapa: Raukapuka is a culturally competent and confident community with a trained kaiako Maori delivering te reo Maori levels 1-5+ for whanau, and kapa haka is thriving, by the community for the community. Wednesday 18th September, 7pm Geraldine Primary School Hall (meeting room)

Geraldine Music and Arts Festival

Geraldine Music and Arts Festival

 

 

Yesterday at kindergarten we were lucky enough to be invited to take 20 children along to the music and arts festival matinee.

We left kindergarten and walked to the primary school, spotting out different people’s houses on the way. Once we arrived the children sat in their seats and waited patiently for the festival to begin. It was not long before all the children were mesmerised by the music and dancing.

We all had fun pointing out friends and family as they come onto the stage to perform their show piece, and what a FANTASTIC show it was.

On the way home the children discussed their favourite parts of the show, “the jungle animals”, “the songs with the different colours in it” and most of all the “Go Grease Lightening jump jam”.

This song has been asked for a lot at kindergarten today so the children can dance and try and remember the moves from yesterday’s wonderful performance.

Advanced Notification

Prewarning you of a session change due to shared Christmas celebrations for children and whānau. We will be having a shared breakfast for children who attend morning session and a lunch for those who attend our afternoon session.

Thursday 5th December 

Morning session - 7am - 11.15am 

Afternoon session 12pm - 2pm 

Allowing time for you to organise appropriate arrangements if needed, problems please see the teaching team for support. PLEASE NOTE the change of session times for this day. More details to come next term.
Helen May
General Manager

Spring has sprung

We welcomed another opportunity to practice whanaungatanga yesterday, by developing a relationship through shared experiences and working together, which provides people with a sense of belonging. It was time to celebrate spring, we held a flower show and grandparents/special friends were invited to come along and take part too. Some children arrived with bunches of flowers and there were plenty of other blooms for those who wanted to take part but didn’t bring flowers.

Holly’s Kuia, Nanny Barbara, helped children fill the wheel barrow, what a gorgeous display it was. Tena rawa atu koe/thank you.

Amber skyped her grandparents in Australia, she really enjoyed carrying the laptop around showing them what was happening at Kindergarten, introducing them to her friends and showing them her profile book! Mitchell made the most of having his granddad at Kindergarten too and he was treated to a detailed viewing of Mitchell's book. We were fortunate to have, Heather’s (teacher) grandmother come along and ‘judge’ the flowers in the show. “Putiputi tou/you have beautiful flowers.”

Thanks to the Home and Kindergarten committee members for helping with the morning tea and being there to talk with our visitors.

To be a kaiako or not to be!

I could see Summer, Emily and Lucy studiously writing. Summer: “We’re playing teachers!” Emily: “They write!” Summer: “Lucy is the kid and we are teaching her how to write.” Emily: “My big brother tells me how to write.” (Emily was copying a word from the card and with so much detail!) I began to write down their conversation. Summer: “Louise, how do you write so fast? Louise: “I’ve had lots of practice.” Summer: “I can write fast too!” Summer showed me her fast writing and I wondered if my writing looks like a scribble to them. As we work alongside the children we are always role modelling our ways of being and we need to remember children will make their own interpretation of what they see. We always encourage children to give things a go but I did wonder by writing beside Summer and Emily interrupted the work they were doing. When I first approached the girls at the table they were so engaged in their writing and trying so very hard to be accurate when writing their letters and words that it really made me think of what we do as teachers/kaiako. Next time I will be more aware and choose my time and space to join in!