Tag: early childhood australia

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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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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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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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Increasing Occupancy in Your Centre

If occupancy continues to be a challenge for your childcare business, you are not alone. As the demand for childcare has boomed over the past few years, many new services have opened creating more competition. This has made it increasingly challenging to stand out and attract new families. 

Centre owners, directors, managers and educators have so much passion. They take so much pride in the service they offer, making low enrolments even more disappointing. Not to mention the financial stress and frustration at not being able to convince families of just how special your centre and educators are!

Increasing your centre’s occupancy can be difficult. Established centres can feel as though they cannot compete with brand new centres offering impressive design and newer facilities. On the other hand, some new centres are starting from scratch and face the challenge of establishing a good reputation in the community.

Whichever perspective you’re coming from, here are a few super effective strategies for you to use to increase your enrolments and ensure your childcare centre thrives!

1. Show off your centre!

Whether you’re an established or brand new centre, there’s a chance you’re experiencing lower than desired occupancy rates simply because you’re not putting your centre out there for the public.

You don’t have to spend thousands on marketing to get noticed. Try hosting an Open Day – simply open your centre on a Saturday or Sunday and let families explore it for themselves. A sausage sizzle or craft for children can attract more people.

Facebook is full of opportunities to help familiarise your community with your centre. You can post in community groups and/or create a company page for your centre. Investing as little as $10 on Facebook ads can help spread the word about your centre to a selected demographic.

2. Motivate your team

One of our favourite acronyms: TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More. When your educators work together and are a united team, you will have the best chance of success.

Centres old and new struggle to find passionate, committed staff. Regular professional development can help motivate your team – take a look at our Wellness Summits which are run twice a year and are part of the Bonkers Beat programs. These events provide lots of bonding and brainstorming.

Try brainstorming with your educators about how you can increase occupancy. If families are leaving after one year, discuss why you think that might be and what you could be doing differently.

3. Enhance your point of difference

What makes your centre special? What do you do differently? Find your point of difference and make it stand out.

Centres who utilise Bonkers Beat programs are given plenty of resources and guidance on how to highlight their centre’s unique, powerful and effective approach to early childhood education. Parents love to learn about the incredible results and with their enhanced knowledge, they are more inclined to rave to others and spread the word for you!

If you can identify what makes you different from the other centres in the area, you have a better chance of attracting families who will be committed to your centre. The idea is that these families’ values and goals for their children will align with your centre’s outcomes.

Show everyone what makes your centre SO AMAZING!

Like countless childcare centres and kindergartens in Australia, Ellina from ‘Smart Oz Kidz’ was feeling the pressure that comes with a low occupancy rate. Struggling to find a way to stand out from the competition, Ellina knew she had to take action, and that’s when she decided to try the Bonkers Beat programs.

Eight months ago, Ellina’s centre occupancy was sitting at around 60%. “Since promoting the Bonkers Beat music program at our centre we have reached just over 95% capacity”, says Ellina. That’s a 35% in eight months!

DON’T FORGET: Our very special EOFY Offer is now on! To help you achieve your goals contributing to the meaningful early childhood education industry, we’re offering 20% off a 12-month Bonkers Beat membership. But that’s not all. Following that you will get a further 6 months FREE! Click here to join!

The only catch: to take advantage of this incredibly generous offer and see your centre soar to new heights, you need to join by 15 July, 2019. This is a limited time special offer and gives you the opportunity to join our award-winning early childhood educational programs at drastically discounted rates. With easy monthly payments, we know you will see the incredible value on offer! Access the offer here.

Low occupancy doesn’t need to be the new normal or the end for your centre — take action and change things for the better!

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Reach new heights with a new financial year resolution

As a new financial year approaches, it is the perfect time to assess how your childcare service is travelling. Are you meeting your goals from a business and financial perspective? Are you satisfied with your level of occupancy? Do you offer high quality early childhood educational programs? Are you proud of your centre’s current NQS Rating?

These are areas commonly reported as challenges for childcare business owners. They are also areas that the Bonkers Beat programs help to tackle head on in an innovative way across Australia every single day.

We  have a super special EOFY offer for you

To help you achieve your goals we’re offering 20% off a 12-month Bonkers Beat membership. But that’s not all. Following that you will get a further 6 months FREE!
Click here to join!

The high quality training and ongoing support your team will receive through your Bonkers Beat membership will blow your mind. You simply won’t find it elsewhere!

The Bonkers Beat programs will help you:

  • Attract and retain quality staff
  • Increase occupancy
  • Enhance children’s wellbeing and developmental outcomes
  • Save time on planning
  • Improve all areas of NQS

AND SO MUCH MORE!

To take advantage of this incredibly generous offer and see your centre soar to new heights, you need to join by 15 July 2019. This is a limited time special offer and gives you the opportunity to join our award-winning early childhood educational programs at drastically discounted rates. With easy monthly payments, we know you will see the incredible value on offer! Access the offer here.

Don’t delay — find out for yourself why Bonkers Beat is so loved across Australia!
Visit our website to learn more and grab this super special EOFY offer while you can!

Offer ends 15 July 2019.

 

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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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