Bonkers Beat, Author at Early Learning Childhood Education

26/06/201526/06/2015

Teaching Children Through Music Today to Create a Better Tomorrow

There are many articles written about the subject of music. At our Bonkers Beat Music Kinder, we see daily how children, as young as 2yo, are developing by learning through music.

The Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA QLD) just published an article, written by Galina; which is very close to her heart.

When music and movement are taught, children benefit greatly in many areas of life. Literacy, memory skills, concentration, social interaction, fine motor skills, listening, problem solving, teamwork and coordination are all positively impacted. We have many parents coming and sharing with us their positive feedback about their children’s development and how music connects their family and becomes part of their daily lives.

For all educators attending the 2015 National Childcare Conference in Brisbane, the program is packed with an array of exceptional speakers and workshops dedicated for educators, early childhood professionals, and approved providers. The conference’s theme is ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. It’s clearly emphasises the importance and the passion for the role that we, early childhood educators play and continue to believe in the contribution we make to the lives of young children.

For more information about the conference, visit: www.childcareconference.com.au

Galina will be presenting on Saturday and would love to meet as many of you as possible. So please say ‘Hi’ or visit her presentation to learn more about teaching through music.

To read her full article, follow the link ‘Teaching Children Through Music Today to Create a Better Tomorrow’, or click on images below.

19/06/201525/06/2015

Making the Most of the Holidays

Sometimes it can be a challenge to keep children busy during holidays. So, we have written a list of a few ideas to help you get the children away from the devices and engage them in creative and exciting activities.

Craft

Craft is always a winner! NAIDOC week this year will be celebrated from the 5^th-12^th of July with a theme – ‘We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate’. It is a great opportunity for all of us to learn more and highlight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ strong spiritual and cultural connection to land and sea. We encourage all Australians, young and old, to embrace the 2015 National NAIDOC theme and celebrate it with children.

For craft activities you can use general recycled items like magazines, paper cereal boxes or natural materials.

We like these NAIDOC week craft activities and ideas:

http://www.goldencarers.com/calendar/naidoc-week-activities/65/

https://www.pinterest.com/greenwoodearly/naidoc-week-for-kids/

http://www.teaching.com.au/activities?category=naidoc-week

Winter is also another great topic to incorporate into your classrooms and centres. There are a lot of sites out there with winter activities suggestions so here are a few of our favorites:

http://handsonaswegrow.com/32-snow-theme-activities-kids/

https://www.pinterest.com/debchitwood/kids-winter-activities/

Baking

Baking is always exciting for children of all ages. Make some simple scones, biscuits or cupcakes and any child will be happy. Make sure they get to ice and decorate, roll, beat and shape the dough thus, increasing their vocabulary and their independence.

Write a letter and post it

Everyone loves receiving mail in the post. So design, color in and write a card to a loved one, a cousin, an aunty or a friend. Walk to the post office, buy a stamp and send it. You could also send yourself a fun letter and see how long it takes to arrive. This could be a great excursion for your children at your centre. Ask your post office for a behind-the-scenes tour of the post office for extra interaction and excitement.

Make mud pies and collect leaves

Getting into nature and exploring the messiness of it all is what childhoods are made of. Make mud pies, use sticks and leaves as candles and host your own backyard party. Collect leaves, sticks or flowers to use for a craft project. Use two large books as a flower press and use the flowers for cards or mementos. There is a lot of craft and fun in your yard if you look carefully.

Puzzles and games

Drag out some old family favorites or, make up your own game. Design and colour in some cardboard cards to play matching cards or go-fish. Something easy to begin with then you can build it up to play a more intricate game.

Catch a train to somewhere or nowhere

This is a fun way to see some our your city or your local area. Set aside a morning or afternoon to hop on a train and get your children to be the navigator for the day. Hop off the train perhaps one or two stops from your usual suburb and explore the shops or parks of that area. Depending on where you are living the city is always an exciting place for a little ones. Visit a museum, a new café, a cobble stone street or a skate park. The options are endless and the fun part is exploring your hometown together. This is a great excursion for a small group of older children; you could incorporate the theme of money and math’s. Buying a train ticket, a drink from a café, counting the train stops or counting the shops on a strip

There are many great ideas, and not all of them need to be expensive or difficult. Children will remember these moments of pure fun

For more school holiday ideas visit these great websites

http://www.kidspot.com.au/SchoolHolidayZone/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw-tSrBRCk8bzDiO__gbwBEiQAk-D31d8rTJN4oTXKM36WrDQj3wFgTcV0Sf-2-_xOUS5XvD8aAj-g8P8HA

http://beafunmum.com/2011/06/100-school-holiday-activity-ideas/

http://theimaginationtree.com

11/06/201516/06/2015

Spreading the Magic of Music

We were thrilled to be included in the latest edition of Kid Magazine. It’s wonderful to have a chance to spread the word of music, yoga and wellbeing for children and this publication is a perfect outlet.

Aimed at families of young children we wanted to show how important those first few years are and how important music is for a child’s development. Music is one of the few activities that involves the use of the whole brain and is closely connected to our wellbeing. Music has a universal and timeless potential to influence how we feel.

A study from the United Kingdom found that encouraging patients with active psychosis to express themselves through music improved their symptoms of depression, anxiety and social withdrawal. “It evokes feelings of contentment, reductions in anxiety, and feelings of calmness and security…”

Music affects the body in many ways, it is powerful in helping children to develop social and emotional skills, become less stressed and enjoy learning.

In the article we identified a few reasons why it is so important that we encourage children to play and enjoy music and the benefits we see.

To see us on page 42, or to read the whole publication, click here – http://issuu.com/kidmagazine/docs/kid_magazine_issue_twenty_three?e=0/13288706

04/06/201516/06/2015

WHY CHILDREN SHOULD PLAY OUTSIDE

We read some astounding research recently that found that many children today have not splashed in puddles, stomped in mud or been on a picnic. In fact, this research even said that only 44% of children went on bike rides with family. How often do you see children flying kites these days?

Today’s children are opting to stay indoors with their favourite company often screens, from iPads to televisions, computers, games and phones. And while there is evidence out there to show some benefits to allowing some tech time for children, the incredible benefits of the outdoors are indisputable. Here’s a few reasons why we think it’s so important that we encourage children to play outside.

HEALTH
There’s no disputing that the fresh air is good for our health and that goes for kids too. Even if it’s a bit chilly, rug up and get outside and you’ll have a better chance of avoiding a cold as colds are most often passed around from being cooped up indoors too much over the winter rather than from the cold weather itself.

FITNESS
Dancing around the loungeroom is one thing, but running free through a park and climbing and exploring are quite another when it comes to developing a good level of physical fitness. Bike riding is another great way of having a great time perfecting a skill while bonding with family members along the way. With childhood obesity such a huge problem today, outside play is a great first step to overcoming it.

RESPECTING NATURE
What better way to learn about the natural world and develop an appreciation and respect for nature than getting up close and personal with it. Collecting leaves, rocks, flowers, sticks and experiencing the incredible variation of textures, scents and colours in the great outdoors is invaluable.

Many parents say that sometimes children simply aren’t interested in going outside to play, so perhaps try some of these tips to encourage kids to head outside:

Add focus – children love a mission, so try spotting plants and animals on your walk or do a treasure hunt to add some purpose to your walk.

Don’t rush – take the time to dawdle, jump in puddles and notice the signs of the seasons together and you’re guaranteed to build some memories that will last a lifetime.

Enjoy simple pleasures – many of the greatest pleasures are very simple, such as skimming stones, making daisy chains or blowing a grass whistle.

Be nature detectives – a nature scavenger hunt is a great way to explore your back garden, neighbourhood or any green space. A bug hunt can work well too.

Get crafty – children are natural collectors, so encourage them to collect everything from pine cones to leaves for a home craft project.

28/05/201528/05/2015

WHY POETRY IS GREAT FOR CHILDREN

We all know that children love stories, and it’s fair to say that many children love stories even more when they rhyme. Even reflecting back on childhood we are all sure to recall a poem or two that has stayed with us over the years and that is just one of the amazing features of poetry.

Poetry for memory and language

Poetry is closely linked with recognising and memorising patterns both audibly and visually – that is, through both listening to the sound of poems being read and through reading them on paper firsthand. This style of information processing can also be helpful when children are learning maths and new languages.

Poetry for emotional development

By producing sounds and beats, poems allow even very young babies and children to experience language and storytelling on a less cognitive and more emotional level. Some studies also show that poetry contributes to building resilience in children and expanding their capacity to experience and understand emotions.

Poetry for physical development

Clapping, turning around, hands up in the air – many poems and rhymes work alongside simple, fun physical movement, much like music. At Bonkers Beat many if not all of our poems and songs have movements to go along with them that not only improve children’s understanding of the content but get the blood flowing!

These are just a few of the benefits of poetry for children. One of the most simple and convincing reasons to make sure you expose children to poems at a young age is the first thing we mentioned – children love them!

Here are some useful links you to similarly minded articles that discuss the amazing impact of including poetry in children’s lives:

What is your favourite poem? Do you have a childhood favourite? Which poems do you use in your centre? Share it with us on Facebook.

http://timbuktu.me/blog/why-do-children-love-poems/

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/roger-mcgough/the-importance-of-introducing-poetry_b_1618100.html

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-reasons-poetry-needed-schools-elena-aguilar

19/05/201519/05/2015

Four Key Reasons to Attend Upcoming Conferences

When it comes to professional development, we are huge advocates of ongoing training that involves the whole team. However, there are many conferences that take place each year in the early childhood education sector where it is only viable to send one or two people from your team, and we still believe that these offer a brilliant opportunity to continue the professional development of your educators and your centre.

We have identified 4 key reasons why it just might be worthwhile sending some members of your staff along to an upcoming early childhood education conference:

LEARN

It’s an obvious one, but there is absolutely no doubt that any member of your team who attends a conference is going to learn something. And what they learn will only be maximised by making sure you offer the right conference opportunities to the right people. There has to be a willingness to learn, and as we discuss later, the ability to share what you learn.

NETWORK

Who knows when a fantastic opportunity will pop up? What we can say with a degree of confidence is that fantastic opportunities are likely to pop up at places like conferences – large gatherings of likeminded professionals coming together to learn and share. What better place for your team to network and find new opportunities for your centre to explore.

GET INSPIRED

No matter how much anyone loves his or her job, there are times when we all need a boost to motivate us. Conferences can offer a huge amount of inspiration, especially if the right people attend the right conference at the right time. Speakers often come from all corners of the globe with insights to share about approaches to early childhood education.

SHARE AND MOTIVATE

We’ve mentioned it a couple of times already – send the right people who are willing to learn and willing to share. This is crucial to maximise the return on investment. Through effective note-taking and resource gathering, hopefully the team member/s who do attend will be able to convey what they learn to your team, making it all the more worthwhile.

Here are a few upcoming conferences you might like to consider attending. Galina Zenin will be presenting at the first two we’ve listed, so if you do attend be sure to say hello!

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

The 2015 Early Childhood Education Conference, Melbourne

WHERE: Caulfield Racecourse, Caulfield North, Victoria
WHEN: May 29 & 30
WHAT: The theme this year is ‘Together we grow – investing in our future’ and the conference will host over 30 speakers from across the whole spectrum of early childhood, including Galina’s presentation: Healthy Minds – Healthy Future: Promoting Educators’ and Families’ Wellness. You can find more information here: https://www.togetherwegrow.com.au/

2015 ACA Queensland National Conference, Brisbane

WHERE: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
WHEN: July 17-19
WHAT: ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ is the theme and the speakers and workshops will be dedicated to educators, teachers and approved providers. Galina Zenin will be speaking at the event on learning and teaching through music. More info here: http://childcareqld.org.au/2015-national-conference/
Also coming soon: ECMS Beyond Tomorrow Conference and Early Childhood Education and Care Conference. Read more about these via our calendar at musicearlychildhoodpresenter.com.au

30/04/201530/04/2015

Every Mum is Special

Mother’s Day is around the corner – Sunday 10 May is the day to show mums extra TLC in 2015 (in Australia, that is).

No doubt you are all planning your Mother’s Day morning or afternoon tea events at the moment, so to give you a helping hand we’ve trawled the internet to put together just a few ideas for you… (Parents – all of these ideas are just as fun for celebrating mums are home too!)

FOOD: There’s the standard Mother’s Day treats likes scones and tea, then there’s these fantastic super fun suggestions including choc fruit kebabs, mint chocolate chip pancakes and flower sandwiches.

DECORATIONS: Getting children to create personalised placemats is a simple craft activity that can double as an extra little gift for mums. Yoghurt pot flowers make a great table centrepiece.

GIFTS: There are some gorgeous craft ideas to inspire you here. Of course, you probably have many of your own so please let us know your extra special DIY gift ideas by commenting on the blog post or sharing with us on Facebook.

The beauty of mothers is often in their uniqueness – as such, each child may have a different idea of how they would like to let their mum know that they love them. Get talking with children and find out before embarking on a production line of love heart cards – let’s make sure we open up to children’s ideas too. Of course keep in mind that in some cases it will be more appropriate to direct Mother’s Day gifts to grandmothers or aunts of some children.

Speaking of gifts, we would love to share this short Mother’s Day poem with you which is always loved by children and mums! We’re sure you’ll find it is sweet and meaningful for every kind of mum and perhaps you’d like to utilise it in some way during your Mother’s Day celebrations. We always recite this poem with actions – they are quite obvious but if you’re not sure, create your own!

We’d love to hear how you are celebrating Mother’s Day… Whether you’re a parent or an educator, share with us: facebook.com/BonkersBeat.

Happy Mother’s Day!

21/04/201527/04/2015

Supporting Early Years Learning Through Professional Development

For many if not most centres, the Long Day Care Professional Development Programme funding has been allocated and while it’s clear that this presents incredible opportunities for centres it can be overwhelming working out what to target to maximise the benefits for your centre, your educators and of course your children and families.

Your centre may have been required to report on the use of your funding at this stage too, which can certainly make you reflect on the worth of your investments whether you have made any yet or not.

In the interest of providing you with some answers to frequently asked questions pertaining to the LDCPDP funding, we advise that you take a look at this FAQ document from the Australian Government education website: http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/ldcpdp_faqs_0.pdf

It’s so crucial to know what to look for when considering how to allocate your funding, and this is a key point mentioned in the official FAQ: What type of training/ courses/ qualifications can I claim for? The answer:
Providers must ensure that the training undertaken by an educator is relevant to the requirements under the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS). For information on the NQF and the NQS, go to: http://www.acecqa.gov.au/au/national-qualityframework. The Department may request this evidence as part of a random audit or may request the additional information as part of the acquittal process.

Comprehensive in-house professional development is the key to providing world-class early childhood education and the LDCPDP funding plays a pivotal role in allowing us as early childhood educators to support our industry, our fellow educators and our families.

This Thursday 23 April, Galina Zenin will be presenting to a group of dedicated Melbourne early childhood centre owners and directors to discuss the opportunities that LDCPDP funding presents, the NQF and NQS areas and how every centre can improve their NQS Rating. Only two places are left, so don’t miss out – click here to register.

Galina will also be taking her presentation on this subject to Sydney on May 4, 2015. You can register to join us at the Sydney event (subject to availability) or attend this week’s Melbourne event by clicking here or visit: http://nqsrating.com.au/#register

Brisbane, watch this space as Galina will be headed your way soon too.

With the LDCPDP funding presenting so many incredible opportunities not only for children and our individual centres, but for us as early childhood education professionals and an industry as a whole, it makes sense to put some serious effort into considering your professional development options and your overall goals to achieve with this funding. Comment here or on Facebook and share your goals, concerns and queries in regards to using your LDCPDP funding.

16/04/201516/04/2015

Clean and Green for Earth Day and Beyond

Earth Day is coming up on April 22 and it has inspired us to talk about sustainability and environmental responsibility in early childhood settings; why it’s important and how we can do our bit.

Earth Day itself is intended to raise awareness and appreciation for planet earth and our beautiful natural environment. Behind the movement is the Earth Day Network, working with over 20,000 partners across 192 countries to make positive change. The great thing is, we can all contribute to positive change and it can be fun too.

Sustainability can be a complex concept, however our favourite and simple way of understanding it and explaining it to children is ensuring there’s “Enough for Everyone Forever”.

With this in mind, here are some top tips for early childhood settings to be clean and green and help children to learn respect for the environment and benefit from a connection with the natural world.

Top tips for being Clean and Green

-Grow plants at your centre for children to nurture. Children can plant, water and monitor nature firsthand. These could even be something edible!

-Encourage and facilitate recycling of materials in the centre

-Maximise natural light and minimise use of artificial light, heaters and air conditioners where possible

-Save water with hand-washing timers, collect rainwater and reuse water for gardening and playing

Our Bonkers Beat Music Kinder and Childcare in Aspendale is proud of its focus on sustainability – take a look at this video to see how we contribute positively:

You can never have too much advice on being environmentally friendly – what are your tips? Let us know!

08/04/201509/04/2015

From Stress to Harmony Through Meditation

It’s no secret that many of us, if not most of us, live very busy lives on a day-to-day basis. This can leave us feeling stressed, rushed, tired and disconnected. But escaping to peace doesn’t have to mean expensive day-spas or anything that will cost you more of your precious time than it’s worth. What if we said that as little as ten minutes a day can make a difference and it’s free?

Meditation is something that our Bonkers Beat philosophy values greatly. While our programs are designed with children in mind, we are also incredibly passionate about the merits of meditation for adults and the role it can have in helping parents and children reconnect in a positive, relaxing way.

Our free wellbeing event ’Harmony Night’ is coming up on April 29 at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale, Victoria. We welcome everyone to join us in learning about the positive impact that meditation, yoga and music can have on your life, your health and your children’s and how it can be incorporated each and every day.

The benefits of meditation are countless and incredibly valuable. In fact, here’s a link to 100 benefits of meditationif you still need convincing! Meditation is a fantastic way to increase children’s focus and concentration and to reduce stress and anxiety. It helps build self-esteem and confidence and encourages children’s imagination and creativity, helping them to explore their inner world, to focus and connect their mind and body.

Galina looks forward to sharing her latest findings in early childhood following her recent trip to the USA as a presenter at the CAEYC Conference (California Association for the Education of Young Children).

Physiological, psychological and spiritual rewards await and it’s simpler and less intimidating than you may realise. Even getting children involved is far easier than perhaps seems possible! You’ll learn all about this and much more at our upcoming Harmony Night.

You can book online here. And please, feel free to share the event with others. The more the merrier!