Back at school and finished week two.We managed to lose a Kindy when going to library, those corners are tricky when you are only 4year-old, and there is so much to look at around the school yard. Everybody ended up at our destination okay which was the library, the Kindys and Pre’s were so happy to be borrowing books and getting them to take home.

We did edicol dye painting on our name backgrounds ready to stick their self-portraits on, in which we had red,yellow and blue. They all loved mixing the primary colours to get even more colours to paint with. We did rainbow tall man paintings, which is part of Peggy Lego, pre-writing practise to help them form letters. It also helped them develop fine motor skills with painting on an easel which is good for them, but they don’t know it.

We had playdough a childhood favourite, that never goes out of fashion at all. I have my special playdough recipe to use and usually make two batches, which is more than enough for our Kindy/Pre-Primary class. They adore playing with it for hours on end. Sometimes I add glitter, sand or even sequins to jazz it up and add textures to the dough.

Thursday they got to play with coloured and nature spaghetti on the sensory table, and boy did they have fun. They basicly turned it into a sticky dough, messy play but fun all the same. I don’t think a lot of our students necessary get that messy kind of play at home, but none miss out here in Kindy/Pre-Primary classroom. Sometimes I think kids at any age need to have fun and get a little dirty, hey that is what baths and washing machines are for right ?

I don’t like to get on my soapbox, but I am and will, children need play and they need uninterrupted time to do it in. Imaginations are not grown in classrooms with no investigations, and no time to simply explore the environment around them. Children are like flowers, without water, sun and fresh air, they simply wilt and die. That is why play and not worksheets should be the norm in early childhood education. Okay end of rant people, you can uncover your ears, and go about your normal activities.

Before I knew it, the end of the week came and strangely I felt exhausted, but pleased that we had an eventful week in Kindy/Pre-Primary. I am really liking it being in the one classroom this year, it is something different, but very rewarding indeed. I know that all the kids left with smiles on their faces and even a few new friendships blossoming too.

Ciao for now

Stay tuned for next week. Never a dull moment in my life, especially at school.

Kitty-Kat xox