Tag: children

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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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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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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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10 ways yoga and meditation can enhance children’s lives

International Day of Yoga is coming up on 21 June, 2019, which is a day intended to raise awareness of the many benefits of yoga practice across the world. Yoga is a valued element of our Bonkers Beat programs. We continually see the incredible benefits of children and adults practicing yoga every day in many childcare services and homes.

What is yoga?

Yoga is a combination of movement, stretching and breathing that is intended to improve health as well as happiness. The United Nations recognises the value of yoga and offers this definition of the practice: “Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derived from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness.”

How yoga can enhance children’s lives (and adults!)

Yoga is an excellent way to do a lot of things. Let’s explore all the benefits you could find from practicing yoga with children or as an adult.

  1. Awareness of our bodies
    When we practice the physical postures of yoga or feel the rise and fall of our tummies during meditation, we become more aware of the connection between our physical and emotional states.
  2. Improve memory and concentration
    Said to be attributed to a combination of deep breathing and the learned ability to focus, yoga and meditation has benefits like improved concentration and memory.
  3. Better breathing
    You would think that we are all quite skilled at breathing, seeing as we do it all day, but mindful deep breaths have a special effect on our bodies such as increased oxygen absorption and even a longer life!
  4. A self-esteem boost
    Accomplishing a new move in yoga or seeing balance improve can go a long way to show children what they are capable of and boost their self-esteem.
  5. More flexibility and strength
    Regular yoga and meditation can enable us and children to move more freely and become strong and flexible.
  6. Learn to appreciate quiet and stillness
    Yoga and meditation in early childhood can be a path to feeling comfortable in silent moments, and mindful when we are still. This helps us to listen with attention and make informed decisions in our lives.
  7. Better sleep
    Most exercise has this impact and yoga is certainly no exception – regular practice can lead to better sleep, and deep breathing or meditation can be useful tools to help children fall asleep more easily too.
  8. Improved overall health
    Cardiovascular health, digestive health, the nervous system, regulated hormone levels, improved immunity, better sleep — the list of health benefits of yoga goes on and on!
  9. Better emotional awareness and control
    Deep breathing is an excellent tool to help calm children down when they aren’t able to control their behaviour in an outburst or ‘tantrum’ scenario. Teaching children to use this technique when required can lead to more awareness and control over their emotions.
  10. Connect with themselves and one another
    Yoga and meditation in early childhood settings can be a fun way to get more comfortable with one another and connect over something they enjoy!

Getting started with yoga

There are many ways to get started with using yoga to improve your health and wellbeing of your children.

All you need is 5 minutes to fit in yoga and meditation, a few quiet moments here and there or you can incorporate it as a regular experience in your day. For example, at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder, we start each day with a ‘Welcome a New Day’ session. This involves educators, children and even families participating in a 20 to 25-minute session of mindfulness exercises and a range of other wellbeing routines.

Yoga and meditation are great for children as a transitional tool. It allows them to reset after rest time or outdoor play when heading indoors to focus the mind onto a new experience or just to unwind.

Our Yoga Cards and meditation music can be a fantastic starting point. Children enjoy the fun of the yoga cards while being introduced to the benefits of yoga. You can find them in our store.

The Bonkers Beat programs incorporate daily yoga and meditation that children and adults alike LOVE. To learn more about our programs and the wellbeing initiatives within them, take a look here.

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It’s great to play outside (even when it’s cold)

When it comes to play and exploration, there’s no such thing as bad weather – just inappropriate clothing! Grab coats, boots and beanies and get children playing outside this winter to promote wellbeing, resilience and good immunity.

While we adults tend to avoid the cold weather and opt for a toasty spot near the heater the children in our lives are more than happy to run outside, climbing, chasing and exploring no matter the weather. And let’s not forget children’s love of jumping in puddles! But other than being a lot of fun, there are many benefits of outdoor play too.

Experience the benefits of outdoor play all year long

The benefits of playing outdoors are significant the year round. Outdoor play tends to be less structured and more physical than indoor play, not to mention a lot more ventilation. Let’s look three specific benefits for children who get outside to play.

1. Get moving

Physical movement is so important for good health at any age, especially with one in five Australian children being either overweight or obese. Outdoor space encourages running, jumping, climbing and exploring that can rarely be replicated indoors. In fact, no matter how cold it is, children end up warming up in no time running around outside!

2. Nature time

Australian children are spending up to 30% of their awake time on screens, so a bit of time reconnecting with nature is a must. Experiencing the real world gives children the chance to get excited about life beyond the screen – animals, trees, flowers, rain, hail, rainbows. There’s plenty to look at!

3. Immunity boost

While it’s important to rug up as the weather cools down, getting outside won’t harm children and could actually improve their health with extra vitamin D and fresh air. Even just 10 to 20 minutes outside each day will help make a difference to children’s health.

PLUS The cold doesn’t cause colds

We have to mention this one. It’s a common misconception that the dreaded cold – complete with sniffles, sneezes and a cough – is caused by exposure to the cold weather. This isn’t true, as colds are actually caused by a contagious viral infection and you’re more likely to catch one in winter due to increased time spent indoors!

So next time you think it’s too cold to play outside, think again! Grab the jackets and hats and experience all the Australian winter has to offer.

Click below to get inspirations from our Facebook Pages:
Yoga Outdoors, Adventure Days

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EOFY Special Offer: Your Time to Shine

When trying to run a successful childcare centre, it can sometimes feel as though you are surrounded by risk. The risk of not appealing to enough families and experiencing low occupancy. The risk of new competition within the local area. The risk of not gaining a high NQS Rating and the risk of staff challenges such as avoiding burnout and team motivation.

With the end of the financial year approaching, we wanted to provide you options that reduce risk from your life and your business. We think it’s time to go risk-free with a free ticket to this widely-celebrated early childhood education event for owners and directors…

Join us next week at 7 Stones, Melbourne for a hands on, high value three hour event for centre owners and directors. To claim your free ticket – Click Here.

Take on the New Financial Year – Risk-Free!

End of financial year is a great time to reflect and review the practices in your centre, where they currently stand and your future direction.

Our free 7 Stones event offers owners and directors a practical three-hour workshop that covers our tried and tested 7 pillar approach.

These insights will dramatically boost your occupancy, enhance curriculum, motivate educators, improve your NQS rating, engage parents and stand out in this crazy, busy marketplace.

We limit seats at our 7 Stones events to ensure you receive a more personalised session to get the most out of the event. With only 4 spots remaining you had better claim yours now!

PLUS…

By attending the 7 Stones workshop, you’ll gain access to our EOFY Special Offer: 6 Months FREE!

If you want to make next year, your best year ever, you will definitely want to take advantage of this Special Offer!

Remember, only four seats left at 7 Stones next week: get yours now!

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Focusing on music through the lens of the revised NQS

In striving to improve the position and quality of their childcare offering, many services are looking for ways to go ‘above and beyond’ expectations for meeting National Quality Standards. New guidelines clarify the difference between Meeting and Exceeding NQS rating levels for each standard. This allows services to have an in-depth understanding of the expectations of the revised NQF and improve their curriculum accordingly.

Many elements of the NQS, such as Element 1.1.1, focus on developing the best possible outcomes for children and enhancing their wellbeing. The exploration of creative arts, including music, now plays an even bigger role in meeting these expectations.

We have found that a focus on music in early childhood educational settings is more powerful than ever when considered through the lens of the revised NQS. This is a topic we intend to cover during our upcoming ‘7 Stones’ Management Event on Tuesday 28 May.

It is hard to believe that music and wellbeing practices are so transformational for centres looking to increase their NQS Rating and market position.

We have seen firsthand the incredible impact on services who implement music and wellbeing practices. That’s why this upcoming ‘7 Stones’ Management Event is all set to demonstrate how to enhance every Quality Area of the revised NQS and improve your rating through music and wellbeing practices.

During this inspiring presentation, you will discover how to:

  • Empower educators and transform improve centre’s culture
  • Increase occupancy and attract new families
  • Maximise opportunities for each child’s learning and brain development
  • Gain a marketing advantage and stand out
  • Engage parents and support them at home

You won’t want to miss this one. We’ve consulted with the best of the best to dig deep into the revised NQS so we can empower you with the right tools and strategies to flourish!

Spots won’t last, so register now and get ready to see things in a new light: http://www.bonkersbeat.com/7Stones/

This event is designed specifically for management and so we urge centre owners and directors to attend.

Secure your spot now.

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Optimising children’s development through educators’ wellbeing

As early childhood education professionals, we’re all committed to children’s development. It’s fair to say that we all put that at the top of our priority list. In doing this, we can sometimes forget to focus on educators, or on ourselves.

When we talk about wellbeing in early childhood, we’re often talking about children’s wellbeing. And so we should, because enhancing the wellbeing of children is the key to optimising their development on so many levels. In fact, approaching early childhood education with a wellbeing focus enables us to enhance children’s development across many crucial areas.

DDevelopmental impact of a wellbeing focus:

SOCIAL WELLBEING: Can facilitate teamwork; increase self-esteem; build confidence; embed social skills
PHYSICAL WELLBEING: Can encourage physical activity; reduce muscle tension; stimulates feel-good hormone; boost immunity
EMOTIONAL WELLBEING: Can have a calming effect; improve ability to understand and regulate emotions, reduce negative feelings; uplift the spirit

A wellbeing focus can even go beyond this for children’s services. It can also provide a pathway to improve the wellbeing of educators, and this can have a remarkable impact for individuals, centres and children.

At our recent Wellness Summits as part of the Bonkers Beat programs, early childhood expert Heather Barnes (OAM) presented and shared some valuable insight into the importance of educators’ wellbeing.

Heather notes the profound positive impact of wellbeing practices that encourage self-reflection, empowerment and team-building. It sounds like a lot to work on, but in reality, these can be achieved through a combination of professional development and a strategy committed to everyone’s wellbeing within child care services. And why wouldn’t you, when a wellbeing focus will transform every aspect of your centre for the better!

Wellbeing (along with music!) is the focus of our practice and the Bonkers Beat curriculum . The results we see in the wellbeing and empowerment of our educators and in turn the development and wellbeing of our children are powerful. If you’re free this Saturday and are able to be in Aspendale, Victoria, please feel free to join us at our Open Day at the Bonkers Beat Music Kinder. You will see firsthand as we demonstrate our music and wellbeing practices.

P.S.It’s also our 10 Year Anniversary celebration! We will be celebrating this milestone and raising money to help Aussie farmers through some tough times with donation opportunities on the day.

EVENT: Bonkers Beat 10 Year Anniversary Open Day
WHERE: 49 Laura Street, Aspendale, Victoria
WHEN: Saturday 30 March, 10am – 12pm
REGISTER FOR THIS FREE EVENT HERE!

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Focus in a world full of stimuli – 10 daily yoga & meditation benefits

Whether it’s television, tablets, toys, jobs to do or activities to attend, there’s no denying that today’s world is packed with stimuli. It’s a busy place for brains, whether you’re a young child or an adult. Taking a moment to clear your mind and reconnect with your body can help with gaining focus and moving forward positively. It’s time to squeeze in some yoga and meditation!

Experiencing the benefits of yoga and meditation in early childhood or as an adult doesn’t take much time or effort. You can reap the rewards and then proceed with your busy day in no time feeling more productive and focused than before.

You can fit in yoga and meditation in for five minutes here or there as needed, or incorporate it as a regular feature in your day. For example, at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder, we start each day with a ‘Welcome a New Day’ session. This involves educators, children and even families participating in a 20 to 25-minute session of either yoga, meditation or mindfulness exercises.

Yoga and meditation are great for children as a transitional tool, to reset after rest time, or outdoor play when moving inside, to focus the mind on to a new activity or just to unwind.

The many benefits of yoga and meditation in early childhood

As well as broadly assisting with focus and relaxation, yoga and meditation in early childhood has a range of benefits. Here are some reasons why we love yoga:

    1. Better breathing
    You would think that we are all quite skilled at breathing, seeing as we do it all day, but mindful deep breaths have a special effect on our bodies such as increased oxygen absorption and even a longer life!

    2. Improve memory and concentration
    Said to be attributed to a combination of deep breathing and the learned ability to focus, yoga and meditation has benefits like improved concentration and memory.

    3. Awareness of our bodies
    When we practice the physical postures of yoga or feel the rise and fall of our tummies during meditation, we become more aware of the connection between our physical and emotional states.

    4. More flexibility and strength
    Regular yoga and meditation can enable us and children to move more freely and become strong and flexible.

    5. Learn to appreciate quiet and stillness
    Yoga and meditation in early childhood can be a path to feeling comfortable in silent moments, and mindful when we are still. This helps us to listen with attention and make informed decisions in our lives.

    6. A self-esteem boost
    Accomplishing a new move in yoga or seeing balance improve can go a long way to show children what they are capable of and boost their self-esteem.

    7. Better emotional awareness and control
    Deep breathing is an excellent tool to help calm children down when they aren’t able to control their behaviour in an outburst or “tantrum” scenario. Teaching children to use this technique when required can lead to more awareness and control over their emotions.

    8. Improved overall health
    Cardiovascular health, digestive health, the nervous system, regulated hormone levels, improved immunity, better sleep — the list of health benefits of yoga go on and on!

    9. Better sleep
    Most exercise has this impact and yoga is certainly no exception – regular practice can lead to better sleep, and deep breathing or meditation can be useful tools to help children fall asleep more easily too.

    10. Connect with themselves and one another
    Yoga and meditation in early childhood settings can be a fun way to get more comfortable with one another and connect over something they enjoy!

If you’re finding that children need a means of escaping the overload of stimuli that we are all faced with daily, yoga and meditation could be perfect to incorporate into your centre.

To make it simple for children to get involved at home or in centres, we even created our very own Bonkers Beat Yoga Cards! Click here to take a look at them in our shop.

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