Author: Bonkers Beat

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Changing. Evolving. Growing.

The world is constantly changing. Evolving, growing, shifting — however you prefer to word it, the world as we know it right in this current moment is subject to change. And that’s okay. It is however important that we keep up with progress and adapt and change as needed. This is true for early childhood education, as with many industries, and it’s important to us that we celebrate and congratulate educators and early childhood professionals for their commitment to ongoing training.

To further demonstrate the impact of change and necessity for growth, take a look at this video.

The past few months the news has been filled with disheartening articles about Australian childcare centres, including dozens who are “failing national standards” (Quest Newspapers 16/8/2019). 

Supporting our educators in fulfilling their role should be a key focus as we continue to work hard to create learning spaces that deliver the very best outcomes to children across the country.

The ongoing professional and personal development and constant improvement of the quality of education provided has a run-on effect, delivering improved outcomes for children in their care. 

Over the last few weeks we saw many inspiring and dedicated educators attend three great events of professional development – Bonkers Beat Wellness Summits.

Group professional development is incredibly effective as it is vital to grow and learn together. Seeing this unfolding in front of our eyes at the Summits was fantastic. It’s amazing how much a team can bond through professional development, but we see it time and time again.

A heartfelt congratulations and thank you to all centre Owners, Directors and educators both individually and as teams for their commitment to children’s development, and to raising the quality of education in Australia.

If you couldn’t be at the Wellness Summits, enjoy a video below, and check out the albums of photos from the events on our Facebook Page.

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Allan Preiss from McArthur has spent his entire life working in education and believes that working in early childhood settings should enhance the lives of educators. He specialises in consulting on change management and was a valuable addition to the Wellness Summits. Hear from Allan in this video: ‘Conversations with EL Leaders – Allan Preiss and Galina Zenin’.

Hope to see you and your teams at our next Bonkers Beat Wellness Summits in February 2020!

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10 School Holiday Ideas to Inspire

The school holidays can be a lot of fun, but they can also be pretty tiring. As educators we are well aware of how much energy little ones can have! Filling the day with meaningful experiences can take a lot of creativity, but with a bit of planning and inspiration you’ll be able to keep children of all ages entertained during the term break. (Don’t forget to check with childcare centres about school holiday programs too!)

These ideas are perfect for adapting in childcare centres or at home and offer educational experiences paired with hours of fun!

    1. Get musical! Of course this is our number one activity any day! Whether it’s taking up an instrument, singing, dancing to music or a combination of all three, music is at the centre of many fun and stimulating activities!
    2. Card games: Card games are great because they require skills like taking turns and recognising numbers and colours. They also are completely portable! Try Uno, Snap, Go Fish or Memory/Pairs to get started!
    3. Cook up a storm: Cooking is a skill for life! Find a simple child-friendly recipe or two and work on familiarising children with the kitchen. Start super easy with a fruit salad or pizzas but keep working on it.
    4. Just keep swimming: With summer around the corner, a swimming refresher is perfectly timed. Take the kids to the pool yourself or book in to a school holiday swimming course.
    5. Take public transport: Catch a train or bus (the destination can be a park, cafe, beach – anywhere!)
    6. Get gardening: Being outside is great for wellbeing, and spring is the perfect time to refresh your garden. Plant something edible at the start of the holidays and by the end you could be ready to harvest!
    7. Hit the library: An endless source of fun and education, the library is a must for children and can be a good place to cool off if it’s warm. Make a regular habit of going and borrowing books to encourage a passion for reading.
    8. Chalk drawing: The driveway or any concrete area is the perfect spot to get artistic and do some chalk drawing. A simple hopscotch is a fun starting point.
    9. Create a puppet show: Finger puppets or sock puppets can perform any story children wish. Create the characters and story and get performing! 
    10. Meditation: Meditation can help us to slow down, unwind, reflect and be present in the moment. Help children use the valuable tool of meditation. Be sure to join them!

Write a few of these fun activities on pieces of paper, put them all in a jar and any time someone is feeling bored at home, they can simply find a random activity from the activity jar! Perfect boredom buster!

Hopefully this list has inspired you! If you are looking for more inspiration, join us today at our practical and free workshop, ‘7 Stones’, in Sydney! We look forward to sharing with you more ideas, so reserve your spot now! http://www.bonkersbeat.com/7stones/

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3 Ways to Enhance Children’s Self-Esteem

Everyone needs self-esteem, but it doesn’t always come naturally built-in. In fact, it can go up and down at various points in life, but as early childhood educators we can do our best to help children develop high levels of self-esteem.

What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem is the word used to describe a person’s assessment of themselves. It encompasses what they believe to be true about themselves, how they view themselves and how they value themselves.

Your self-esteem levels can influence what you do with your time, how you care for yourself and your ability to live a full life.
Low self-esteem can put you at risk for mental health issues, while high levels of self-esteem are protective and enable you to reach your full potential.

Needless to say, enhancing children’s self-esteem is vital for their overall wellbeing and mental health.

Enhance children’s self-esteem
There are many ways to enhance children’s self-esteem.
Take a look at the list of strategies you can utilise in your centre.

1. Music, music, music
Singing and playing musical instruments isn’t just great fun…There are countless studies that show that music contributes positively to self-esteem in children.
According to Broh in ‘Linking extracurricular programming to academic achievement‘ (2002) published in Sociology of Education, students who
participated in musical activities had higher self-esteem and motivation levels.

Furthermore children developed improved relationships they had with parents and teachers.
The children who took part in musical activities talked to their parents and teachers more, leading to richer social
relationships.

2. Focus on strengths
Children who have high self-esteem tend to see the good in themselves, whereas children with lower levels are more likely to focus on what they are not good at.
In childcare centres, we can encourage children to have a go and send a strong message to children about what they are doing well.
Even if they haven’t quite nailed a skill, game or task, focusing on their strengths and what is good about a child can build their
self-esteem up enough to ensure they are willing to continue to have a go in life.

3. Show children love and support
Something as simple as cuddles or a high five can give children the sense that they are a good person who is valued.
Show an interest in what they like to do, ask questions and give support and guidance as needed.
This also develops positive relationships between children and their caregivers which will contribute to enhance their self-esteem even more.

Self-esteem for now and the future
Self-esteem plays a role in school readiness, relationship building, relationship with the self and future career ventures.
Focusing on enhancing children’s self-esteem now will have lifelong benefits for children that enable them to thrive in life.

You can see the confidence bursting from children over at our
Facebook page in photos from our recent
Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in action album!

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3 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Staff Turnover

staff turnover

Time and time again educator staff turnover pops up as a challenge shared by childcare centres across Australia. Centre owners and Directors are frequently asking themselves, ‘How can we attract the best educators and keep them?’.

Not only is high staff turnover expensive and frustrating, but it’s also linked with poorer developmental outcomes for children. After all, quality attachment is essential for young children. Having your educators leave also makes parents feel less secure in using your service and prompts other educators at your centre to consider their own positions.

The first step to tackling this issue in your centre is to be aware of why educators might be leaving. The most common reasons for leaving are cited as working conditions and paperwork. So how can we make those things more manageable for educators?

Let’s consider three ways that can help you reduce your childcare staff turnover.

Inspire your educators

Team-building days, learning opportunities, birthday celebrations, special events, rewards and incentives, recognition of a job well done… All these things are incredibly effective for inspiring the educators at your childcare centre. Above all, keep it fun! Empower your educators to come up with ideas that excite them to incorporate into the workplace. Create fun certificates of recognition or employee of the month. 

Another clear way of inspiring your educators is professional development… 

Professional development

Helping your educators become the best they can be, shows them that you are committed to their success and wellbeing. Investing in regular professional development opportunities helps your team become better, more productive educators and helps them to feel fulfilled in their career. Sometimes we all need a reminder of why we do what we do, and how we can level up our educator game! This is why group professional development is built in as a huge focus for all Bonkers Beat members. 

If you would like to learn more, we have a free, practical workshop in Brisbane and Sydney this month, so join us! www.bonkersbeat.com/7Stones

Incorporate the paperwork

Documentation and paperwork can be overwhelming, but only when there’s no systems and procedures to manage it. Support your educators by creating easy-to-follow systems and timelines along with formulas and templates that integrate the paperwork into their day. Not only will this reduce your staff turnover but you’ll also be well on your way to improving your NQS Rating too!

Solve your educator staff retention issues

Don’t struggle through the recruitment process over and over — it’s time to make some changes so that your childcare centre has a dedicated team who will continue to grow and flourish together!

If staff turnover is a challenge that you have faced, you simply must attend ‘7 Stones’ this month. This is a free three-hour event that is practical and inspiring, designed specifically for owners and directors who want to tackle their biggest challenges and see their childcare businesses thrive. Click here to learn more or register.

 

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Let’s Say ‘Thank You’ to Educators!

The first five years of life are fundamentally important. This is when the most essential
wiring of a child’s brain takes place and foundation for social, emotional, intellectual and
physical development is laid. It’s also the time of life that early childhood educators are given
the responsibility and privilege of nurturing and teaching children.

The first Wednesday of September each year is Early Childhood Educators Day. In 2019, Early
Childhood Educators Day falls on Wednesday 4 September. Let’s mark the occasion by
showing all the wonderful early childhood educators in our lives some extra love and
gratitude!

Early childhood educators care for children during one of the most critical developmental
stages in a human being’s life. Also, this care and focus on their early learning enables
families to work as needed with the peace of mind that their children are safe and sound.

The job of caring for young children is both rewarding and challenging, and it certainly
requires an incredible amount of patience. Let’s celebrate the way in which early childhood
educators provide children with the very best start in life!

         Ways to celebrate Early Childhood Educators Day!

  • Wall of Gratitude: Create an ECE Wall of Appreciation. Templates here. Encourage parents to help children to write down what they love about their educators. Parents might like to say what they value most about them too.
  • Giant Thank You card: Create a giant ‘Thank You’ card for display in the reception area of the centre/kindergarten. Everyone who visits can write a message!
  • Certificates: Design a certificate of appreciation for each educator, or use one here.

 

For more inspiration, take a look at how Bonkers Beat Music Kinder celebrated the day last
year! Click here.

Share your photos too so we can all be inspired to discover new ways to show early
childhood educators our appreciation!

To all the early childhood educators out there sharing their love, kindness, and patience with
young children all over Australia and beyond, we say THANK YOU! You are valued and
appreciated and the world is better off because of your hard work!

 

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Involving Dad this Father’s Day

Research has confirmed that involved dads are happier dads and the benefits for children are countless too. Improved wellbeing, cognitive, social, behavioural outcomes and more. With Father’s Day coming up on Sunday 1 September, it’s time to schedule a time at your childcare centre for dads!

While dads are welcome to get involved in aspects of their children’s early childhood education year-round, there’s something extra special about an invite just for them! 

Dads and special male role models

To make sure your Father’s Day event at childcare is inclusive of all families, Dads and Special Friends Day or similar could be a more fitting name. 

This can ensure that any special male role model feels welcome to attend. Extend the invitation out to uncles, step-dads, grandfathers or close family friends.

Finding the best time

Breakfast or afternoon tea are usually the best times. This allows for those who are working to only take an hour or two out of their working day to attend. Make sure you’ve got coffee on hand and a snack, like pastries, fruit or biscuits.

For those who can’t bring someone along for whatever reason, centre the day around creating a special gift for Father’s Day. Children who are flying solo through the event can focus on getting their gift looking fantastic ready to take home. Meanwhile, those who have dad in attendance on the day can work on something special together.

Craft Father’s Day ideas

Set up a few different craft stations so children can choose to rotate or stick to one they like.

Ideas you could try include:

Portrait painting: Set up some easels and smocks and get children to paint dad! Guaranteed to be adorable and/or hilarious!

Handprint art: Paint the palm of dad’s hand and have him make a print on paper. Then get the children to do a handprint on top, creating a memorable piece of art to cherish — their hands don’t stay that small for long!

Jar plants: A big bucket of soil, some succulent cuttings and recycled jars are all you need for children and their dads to get planting together. Add in some glue and bits and pieces to decorate the jar for extra fun.

Musical fun on Father’s Day

Every day is a good day for music, and Father’s Day is no exception! Bonkers Beat children love singing songs and reciting poems. Not only does this create a sense of celebration and fun, but it also boosts children’s confidence and ability to perform in
front of a crowd. A very useful skill for life! 

To help children gain a love of poetry, Bonkers hopes you enjoy this special Father’s Day gift – a special poem called ‘My Daddy’. Click here to access.

One last thing – Don’t forget to take pictures on the day!
Take a look at our Father’s Day childcare celebration in 2018 at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder here. 

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Bonkers Beat Goes Global!

Recently Galina and Bonkers have traveled the world, sharing their music and passion for early childhood education across the UK, France, Belgium and Russia.

 

Educators and childcare organisations in multiple countries have learned about the Bonkers Beat approach and wanted more! We are so proud to represent Australia with our award-winning early childhood education programs best of all there are many early years educational services over the world who want to join us, which is very exciting! Watch this space!

 

Supporting and collaborating on a global scale means we can share the power of music even further and ensure we are doing our very best to provide all children with excellent  developmental outcomes. 

 

While in the UK, we met with an organisation called Parenta. Parenta specialises in providing software for preschools and childcare services and is a leading provider of apprenticeships and training for early childhood professionals.

 

With so much in common and a shared dedication to the best start for young children, Galina has contributed an article to Parenta’s magazine.  


Read Galina’s article for Parenta here, or access the entire magazine.

 

If you have not accessed our free Bonkers Beat transitional songs, get your access via the article and enjoy them! You will find three songs, each designed with a goal in mind including tidying up, getting ready for group time and one to prepare for rest time. They are sure to make your transition times far more manageable!

 

You can find this Parenta article here: www.parenta.com/2019/08/01/sing-your-way-to-smooth-transitions

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Learning and Sharing: ECE Conferences August 2019

In this busy world we are lucky to be able to have many ways to stay in contact and in the know, both professionally and personally. It is important however to make the time for real life, face-to-face interactions to learn and share with others.

In the early childhood sector there are so many valuable opportunities available to us to learn and share with likeminded individuals in the industry. Let’s take a look at just a couple that are coming up in August!

ACA Victoria Excellence in ECE Conference 2019

When: August 16 and 17

Where: Crown Conference Centre, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, VIC

What: With engaging keynotes, break out sessions for those operating services, teachers and educators, this year’s ACA Victoria Excellence in ECE Conference is set to inspire. The theme for this year’s conference is ‘the magic of childhood’ and will explore and celebrate the marvels and wonder of childhood. The theme also allows exploration of the role of early learning to enhance this special time of life and its magic, through physical, emotional and social development. Don’t miss the large trade exhibition and many networking opportunities, plus an Activity Hub to get really hands-on! Come and say hello to Galina at the Bonkers Beat booth at the trade exhibition!

Learn more or register to attend here!

 

 

Get Ready 2019

When: August 23, 2019

Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center

What: This conference is centers around preparing children for school, particularly relevant with kindergartens across Victoria set to access the School Readiness Funding (SRF) initiative over the coming three years. Join the high value workshops and seminars to explore topics around preparing and supporting children in their school transition, as well as how educators, families and communities can better collaborate to deliver the optimal educational journey. Galina will be there too, presenting on the subject ‘In Tune with the Future: Developing 7 Critical Life Skills Through Music’!

 

You can find out more about Get Ready or register here.

 

Of course these are just in Melbourne and we do hope to see you!

 

More broadly, we’d love to know: what is your favorite early childhood education conference to attend each year? Is there one that you simply can’t miss?

Hope to see you at an early childhood education conference or event soon!

(Don’t forget, Bonkers Beat program members also get access to two exclusive conferences each year for their whole team to attend — and it’s all included with your Bonkers Beat program! Learn more.)

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7 Reasons You Must Attend 7 Stones

early childhood professional development

The practical ‘7 Stones’ workshops are back by popular demand! ‘7 Stones’ is renowned for being one of the most practical workshops, delivering early childhood professional development designed for childcare centre owners and/or directors who want to tackle the big issues in their centre and thrive.

If you have come up against issues with occupancy, market competition, staffing challenges, improving your NQS Rating and more, ‘7 Stones’ is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Need convincing?

Here are 7 reasons why ‘7 Stones’ is a must!

1. Early Childhood Professional Development is a must

Regular early childhood professional development opportunities are vital to your centre’s success. Stay on the pulse of the latest changes in the industry, including the NQF and ELYF, best practice and innovative approaches.

2. A truly practical, hands-on experience

Many workshops are simply sit, watch and listen scenarios. Not 7 Stones! This is a workshop that gets you involved and demonstrates rather than tells. A fully immersive workshop that gives you the confidence to take what you learn and apply it right away!

3. Directly address your biggest challenges

Occupancy, staff issues, competition, NQS, documentation, wellbeing, relationships — we address all the biggest challenges in early childhood education. 

4. PD designed for childcare centre Owners and Directors

This early childhood professional development has been designed specifically with childcare centre Owners and Directors in mind. This means you’ll find the entire session relevant and you’ll be surrounded by likeminded individuals, many of whom will be facing the same challenges you are. Many attendees find it to be a great networking experience as well as a practical workshop.

5. Leave with an actionable plan for improvement

The hands-on nature of the 7 Stones workshops means you have the opportunity to really take away practical knowledge and skills. We take a real-life approach so you can implement what you learn in your centre without hesitation.

6. Feel inspired

If there’s one item of feedback that is consistent every single time we run 7 Stones sessions, it’s that the attendees leave feeling completely inspired. Inspired to make a positive change in their centres and reach their full potential!

7. It’s FREE 

A free 3-hour professional development session with an award-winning early childhood expert? What are you waiting for?! Book your seat here: www.bonkersbeat.com/7stones

Can’t wait to see you there!

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Power of positivity

There’s no shortage of research to support the power of positivity. Whether it’s positive thinking, affirmations or reframing, the benefits of positivity in your life are undeniable. 

Early childhood is a great time to start enjoying these benefits. As educators we can help children to harness the power of positivity, as well as reminding ourselves to stay positive too.

Benefits Of Positive Thinking For Children (and Educators!)

Backed by research, the benefits of positive thinking make it a very worthwhile venture with so much to gain. Benefits include:

Building resilience: The ability to see the bright side can enable children to bounce back from setbacks more effectively and build their resilience. Resilience is associated with lower rates of depression, longer life and satisfaction. 

Boosting self-esteem: Sometimes we don’t feel great about ourselves or feel like we are happy with who we are. Same goes for children. Rewire a child’s subconscious by embedding positive thoughts about themselves.

Improving mental health: Children have many similar issues to face in their lives just as adults do – anxiety, low self-esteem, depression. Tackle them with fresh, positive perspectives on life and ourselves.

Instilling values: A positive voice inside a child’s head can help guide them in understanding the right and wrong way to approach issues and other people.

Promoting happiness: Encouraging children to use positive thinking can better equip them to see the good things in their lives and help them feel happier and more satisfied in their lives.

Use positive thoughts each day and incorporate them as a mantra in meditation time with children to get a noticeable outcome faster. Practising positive thinking in a mindful way such as through meditation can help it to stick.

Incorporating positive thoughts into children’s lives (and our own) can only produce a beneficial outcome – so why not give it a try?!

You will be able to get your own Calendar of Positive Thoughts here. We also share some positive thoughts and affirmations on our social media pages. Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

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