Nina Marni, active Learners and all our amazing families
Welcome to our first term & week one blog.
Learning Intention:1
To support new children and families to develop a sense of belonging to the Long day care 4 [4 -year old] environment and the Holy Family Catholic school learning community.
Why:
In early childhood settings children develop a sense of belonging when they feel accepted, develop attachments and trust those that care for them. As children are developing their sense of identity, they explore different aspects of it (physical, social, emotional, spiritual, cognitive), through their play and their relationships.
We believe children begin to learn about themselves and construct their own identity within the context of their families and communities. We view Holy Family Catholic School Early Learning as an important part of this community and believe we have a responsibility to create positive experiences that will support children’s deep understanding of themselves as significant and respected members and citizens of the world.
This week being the first week back of our first term of 2025. We wanted to touch base on areas of learning that are strong strategies for children who had a long break over the Christmas holidays and also for some of our new friends that have recently started with us in Early Learning Long Daycare 4. One of this Learning Intentions is to support new children and families including our existing children and families In our ELC to develop a sense of beloonging to the Long Day Care 4 environment with their educators and the Holy Family Catholic School Learning Community.
Learning Intention:2
To continue working towards our goal of embedding consistent daily routines and rituals across our team and learning environment.
Why?
Consistency in our learning environment supports children through the provision of a more predictable and secure daily rhythm, communication strategies and predictable educator responses. Some of the practices we seek to embed across Long day care 4 [4 year old ] also relate specifically to the National Quality Standards.
We all are working towards our goal with all children’s learning, development and wellbeing and ensure children are supported, celebrated, and connected to their community. We also assist children to develop and build relationships & friendships with others. Willow and Rita are best friends. They are sharing their friendships with holding hands and move around, giving cuddles.
This week we also celebrated Chinese new year. Lunar New Year is spectacular, loud, and for many cultures across Asia the most important festival of the year.The Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year, celebrates the start of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. The first day of the Chinese New Year is marked by the first new moon that appears between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20 and it’s marked by a series of customs and traditions. Red, the color of joy and good fortune in Chinese culture, starts to appear on freshly painted doors, in decorations and in lanterns hung across the country. We made some crafts with children like red snakes and Lantern. All crafts made under fully supervised by our educators. Children enjoyed gluing and pasting activity by making Lantern and snakes. They fell very confidnet and supportive during this experience. Children looked very engaged and improving their motor skills during this play. Bentley and Rita said to educator, i want to make some more and took home so they made two more snakes and one more lanten.
We will continue to support all children to settled in Long Day Care 4 room & our daily routines.
One of the most common activities for us here in ELC to use for moments where this may be needed is sensory. This planned out perfectly for us also as the weather was amazing and were able to do lots of water play in our outside learning environment and other sensory activities such as Playdough, Sand-pit etc. Other areas of learning that have helped us to achieve our learning intention were physical play ( balancing and climbing)and community walks – this also helped us to understand our community and world around us. In which God created for us.
Community walks experience including Playground, Sand-Pit, Madla, Veggie Garden etc.
In the morning we gave opportunity to children, choose place where they want to go for walk. We respect children’s voice and allow to put their suggestions. All children really enjoyed community walk and building social connections with friends and educators. It will also helps to children regulates their lower rates of anxiety and depression, higher self-esteem, greater empathy, and more trusting and cooperative relationships.
Some specs of gold for first week of Term one 2025. [Long Day Care 4]
We hope all our Long Day Care 4 Children and Families had a fabulous first week Term 1 2025. We also hope you all have an amazing weekend and hope to see all back on next week.