HomeApril News
Welcome to another edition of Daisy Hill ELC News!
We have had another great month with some exciting events and activities.
House Keeping:
* Please ensure that your children's belongings are clearly labelled.
*All children are to wear a hot in our outdoor environment* Make sure you are signing your children in EVERY DAY...If this is a problem, please see me :-)
Nursery News
Did you know children learn about numeracy skills from the time they were born? This happens because they see numeracy in action all around them in everyday situations.
That is why in the Nursery room, we count the children's fingers and toes while we change their nappies. We count the number of fruit pieces when we dish up the morning and afternoon fruit. We count the number of blocks the children use to make a tower.
We sing number songs and read stories with numbers in them, for example 5 little ducks and 5 cheeky monkeys.
Toddler Time
This month we are going to look at why children bite.
Biting is a fairly common occurrence in young children. Biting can make the child who bites feel very powerful because of the strong reaction and attention it brings. But what causes biting?
Biting can be from frustration. Frustration happens when children get into situations they can't handle. Children under about three are usually not ready to play in a cooperative way with other children in groups. If they are playing and another child takes their toy they may respond by hitting or biting. They have not yet learned other ways to cope. If biting gets a strong response then they will see it as being successful and are likely to do it again. What we can do is try and get in first and avoid situations that children cannot cope with, eg two children may want the same toy so distraction may be required. Even with constant supervision it will not prevent some children from getting in a quick bite.
Children also bite when they are under stress. Biting often occurs when a child is under emotional stress that they cannot handle. This biting is an expression of distress and pain. The child may seem very upset or angry. Young children can find it difficult to know what they are feeling. They just act. We can try and find out what is causing the stress. If we can figure out what is causing the stress then the biting could be avoided. If biting under stress children will need help to find other ways to express their feelings through stories and play and having the words that they need provided for them.
Junior Kindy
This month we have been focussing on colours.
We use colours to describe most everything in our world and organise things according to them. Though it might seem easy to grasp, learning colours can be a challenging task for children.
Children as young as 2 years old can learn their colours and build good learning connections in their brain. The earlier they start, the better it is for their learning abilities.
Understanding colours is a tool for learning many skills in all curriculum areas, from maths and science to language and reading. For example, when your child learns to discern the similarities and differences between colours, she is using the same skills she needs to recognize the differences between letters and numerals.
These first teachings at home and kindy are basics that your child needs to know before she learns the "other basics" of reading, writing, and maths.
The typical developmental timeline is that children name some colours correctly by the end of their fourth year. At age five, children should correctly name at least four colours.
To help with colour instruction at home, you could:
- Begin with matching like coloured items
- Move towards having the child identify them only (e.g., "show me the pink one")
- Lastly, ask the child to use the colours expressively to label or answer the question, "what colour is this?"
Kindergarten NEWS
Having a strong sense of identity is about learning that you're valued and worthy of attention. Children with a strong sense of identity look for and are open to new challenges. They ask questions and try new things. They know they can contribute to the world and make a difference. They also persist with things and enjoy their achievements.
So, that is why this month we set out to discover the origins of our names and why they are important, and we wanted the children to understand, why we need names? Where they come from? and, who gave me my name? thank you everyone for the wonderful and very informative feedback you supplied to us.
Talk to your child about how each of us has similarities and differences to help them be comfortable and confident in who they are.
With the colder months approaching it's a good time to bring out blankets and send them in for sleep time. Please send in 1 fitted cot sheet and 1 blanket only (as we find it all doesn't fit into the lockers), a sheet and blanket will give your child a restful daytime sleep. We all know colder months mean colds and flus, which can be difficult for our little friends so it's a good idea to wash our sheets weekly, along with small things that may be missed like drink bottles, comforters and teddies for sleep. Please also include 1 set of summer clothes and 1 set of winter clothes to ensure your child can be changed for either type of day. Please ensure that everything is named so it can be returned easily if lost. Please remember to name all your children's belongings as it makes it easier to return them if they get misplaced.
