early childhood education Archives - Page 5 of 19 - Early Learning Childhood Education

13/06/201913/06/2019

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.

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

06/06/201906/06/2019

Encouraging children’s community engagement

A sense of belonging is something that is vital for human beings of all ages. With a world of screens at our fingertips though, people are increasingly existing in an online space. Buying groceries and clothes online, sending emails instead of letters and doing banking via an app are convenient, but it also means less engagement with our local communities. We believe it’s important to foster a sense of belonging within your neighbourhood, and for children to experience it too.

Most children live fairly local to their childcare service or kindergarten, so we become a place where broader connections are made. In fact, for some children and families a childcare service may be the first community they become a part of outside of the family home.

So, how can we build on this further and extend children’s sense of belonging to the local community? We’ve got a few ideas.

Sense of belonging through community engagement

1. Visit the local shops

This is not only a great way to help children feel connected within their communities, but can also give them useful life skills. For example, we visit the bank to deal with our money, the local newsagent stocks newspapers for us to learn about world affairs.. If the local shops are too far to travel,, a visit to a post box can be a great approach.

2. Have local services visit your centre

Many adults will remember having the local fire brigade or members of the police visit us during our early learning years. It’s exciting and educational! It’s also a great reminder for children of the unique roles we all have in our communities and how we work together and support one another.

3. Head to a place of significance

This could be a park, a historic area or a cultural landmark. Many reserves and statues in your local area would have more significance to your community’s development than perhaps you realise. This is great knowledge to pass onto today’s young people. Understanding where you live helps you to create a deeper connection with the place’s past, present and future.

4. Attend community events

If there is a festival or event coming up in your community, consider organising an excursion along to it! Alternatively, encourage families to head along and meet there to connect with one another and the community simultaneously.

5. Create a community space or event

If your community doesn’t have a lot to offer in the way of community spaces or events, why not create your own? A communal vegetable or herb garden has countless benefits for children and families. Bonkers Beat annual Working Bee have always been involving the wider community and have been a huge success or your centre could host a fundraiser – this not only raises money for something important but also showcases how wonderful your centre is too!

Of course, every community is different with access to community spaces and events varying widely from place to place. However, we are confident that with a bit of imagination you can discover community spaces to share with children. This will help them feel more connected to their local communities and help to develop their sense of belonging.

What do you do with children to help them engage with the community? Share with us on Facebook or via email and let’s inspire one another!

Take a look at our Facebook page to see Bonkers Beat Music Kinder getting out in the community too!

30/05/201930/05/2019

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

09/05/201909/05/2019

Reflecting on the Incredible Women in Our Lives

With Mother’s Day on Sunday, we have been doing a lot of thinking about the role of women not only in our personal lives but in our professional lives too. With around 97% of early childhood educator positions filled by women, working in childcare we are frequently reminded of the wonderful women we are surrounded by.

While not all women become mothers, all mothers are women. This Mother’s Day we celebrate mums, aunties, grandmothers as well as all the special female role models in our lives and the lives of children. This certainly includes all the special early childhood educators who support and guide children, and also provide support to mums who are often juggling children, work, family and other commitments.

Each day in centres we see so many mums dropping off their children before heading to work, study, to organise the family home and run errands in support of their families. We see educators coming in to work to provide loving care for many children, some who arrive after getting their own children sorted for school or care.

Among all these women we are continually in awe of their caring nature and willingness to learn and help. We see women with incredible commitment to their families, their work and supporting those around them, and we see the heart and passion by which they are driven. This Mother’s Day we’ll be celebrating you all and sending out a big THANK YOU for all you do.

Next week, we’re going to be in the presence of many women who do incredible work in shaping the next generation at ELAA’s 2019 Early Childhood Education Conference held in Melbourne over May 17 and 18. (If you haven’t registered yet, there is still time: click here).

Bonkers Beat will be sharing the message of ‘Empowering Educators to Create Pathways to Children’s Wellbeing’ in the conference poster exhibition. Galina is looking forward to seeing all the friendly faces so make sure you come and say hello to Galina and Bonkers the Monkey! In fact, those who visit us will even get a special gift from Bonkers. If you can’t make it along to the ELAA Conference, hopefully you can join us at our upcoming free event in Melbourne, ‘7 Stones’. Click here to claim your free spot now.

Speaking of gifts, to help celebrate Mother’s Day and all the incredible women in our lives, please enjoy access to our Bonkers Beat Mother’s Day poem here. Many children enjoy performing this poem for their mums on Mother’s Day or reciting it together at your centre’s Mother’s Day celebration.

10/04/201911/04/2019

Exploring Easter beyond the chocolate

Who doesn’t love chocolate? We can’t think of a single person who doesn’t love some variety of the sugary treat, especially children! And while a chocolate Easter bunny is nice, there’s plenty more to explore about Easter that children will love too!

Four facts about Easter to help you celebrate

As we prepare to celebrate Easter, it can help to have a little more insight into this much-loved time of year. Perhaps it will inspire you to approach it a little differently.

1. Easter is all about new life
The eggs, flowers and baby chickens – they’re not a random bunch of items, but actually symbolise one of the meanings behind Easter which is new life and rebirth. Furthering this theme is that for most countries, Easter takes place in the season of new life – the spring equinox!

2. Easter has songs too
While Christmas is renowned for its carols, Easter singing isn’t anywhere near as popular. We think this should change! Our special gift to you for Easter comes in song form — enjoy our Bonkers Beat song, ‘Easter Bunny’! Print the lyrics here and learn the moves and tune via the video:

3. There’s not just one day for Easter
The commonly celebrated Easter days in Australia incorporate Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Good Friday recognises the death of Jesus Christ, and Easter Sunday is significant as the day Christians believe Jesus was resurrected. In addition, there is Orthodox Easter which, this year, takes place on 28 April.

4. It’s a fun, family-friendly time of year that everyone can enjoy!
There are many things you can do to celebrate Easter, whatever your religion or preferences may be.

Decorating eggs is a favourite Easter tradition (real or fake are equally fun – get some inspiration here). You can also organise an Easter hunt (with or without chocolate ) which always gets children smiling and excited. Also meeting an Easter bunny can be enjoyable, though a little scary for some children!

However you choose to celebrate, we wish you all a very Happy Easter spent with your loved ones!

image from www.freepik.com

04/04/201904/04/2019

Keeping Children Engaged and Stimulated these School Holidays

And just like that, Term 1 is over and the school holidays are about to start!

For different families this can mean different things – for some, it’s a time to have a break from the usual day-to-day routine, and for others it’s a juggle with work and keeping children stimulated, engaged and happy. No matter which type of family you are in, a quality school holiday program can often be just the ticket to an extra fun couple of weeks!

Quality School Holiday Programs for Children

If you’re a childcare centre or kindergarten, you might consider running your own school holiday program to support families in your community. Parents, looking into school holiday programs can be a great way to give children an enjoyable social experience during the Term break.

At Bonkers Beat Music Kinder, our school holiday program invites children to join in exploring the great outdoors and crunching those Autumn leaves. Plus, children will be amazed as we experience the hatching of baby chicks, perfectly themed with Easter too!

Activities for School Holidays

If a school holiday program is not an option for you as a parent or as a centre, there are lots of other activities to try that won’t break the bank. We’ve compiled a bunch that can suit any weather, budget and mood.

Indoors

1. Make something yummy to eat – sweet cupcakes or savoury pizza
2. Get dressed up and dance to music or role play
3. Create a self-portrait
4. Create a portrait of someone else
5. Get artsy with a craft project using paper, glue, pencils, feathers, wool etc
6. Build a fort/cubby under a table
7. Do a room clean out and discover some forgotten toys

Outdoors

8. Have a picnic in the backyard or at a park or beach (even a pretend picnic)
9. Fly a kite (make your own!)
10. Do some gardening – get all the weeds out or even plant something like herbs
11. Go on a treasure hunt! Try this nature hunt list.
12. Get out a ball and work on your throwing, catching or kicking

Adventure

13. Head to the library (sign up is free and there are often community activities too)
14. Catch a train or bus somewhere
15. Plan a visit to the zoo
16. Visit your local shopping centre – they might have some school holiday activities too
17. Plan a day at a museum
18. Take a nature walk

Quiet Time

19. Find a nice space to do some reading (books from the library perhaps?)
20. Watch a movie
21. Tackle a jigsaw puzzle
22. Play a board game
23. Play cards (snap, go fish, memory or pairs)
24. Try meditation to unwind after a busy day – here are some tips

Download the free printable version of these activities here. You could even cut them into strips and put them in a hat to pull out when children need something entertaining to do!

21/03/201921/03/2019

Celebrate 10 Years with Us and Help Aussie Farmers

It’s true what they say — time flies when you’re having fun! It’s Bonkers Beat’s 10-year anniversary!

As we celebrate 10 years of music, laughter and learning, we wanted to mark the occasion in a meaningful and special way…

The first thing we felt compelled to do, was open our doors at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale and have a wonderful celebration with you! That’s why we’re having a fun-filled Bonkers Beat Open Day on Saturday 30 March.

If you’re able to make it to Aspendale, then make sure you come along! Parents, children, families, educators – everyone is welcome to join in the fun! (It’s a free event but register here to let us know you’re coming!)

The Bonkers Beat Open Day features:

As part of the Bonkers Beat curriculum, children attending Open Day will be engaged in a variety of Reggio Emilia art experiences, music sessions and our sustainability program, learning about caring for our planet and environment. Through Montessori experiences, we will be learning about Australia, landforms, weather conditions, events and much more!

Helping communities in need

The second thing we wanted to do was give back to our beautiful country and its people. We want to thank the many communities across Australia who we have connected with through Bonkers Beat over the years.

We have decided to support Aussie farmers who are currently in need as a result of climate issues and extreme weather events — and they need our help!

Come along to the Bonkers Beat Open Day and donate a gold coin for the Buy a Bale donation barrel or purchase a raffle ticket for the Open Day hamper on the day!

Let’s work together to help Australia’s farmers through these tough times.

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!

We truly appreciate your support over the last 10 years and look forward to celebrating with you and making a difference to our Aussie farmers!

Don’t forget, this is a free event but do register to let us know you’re coming along to join in the fun: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/open-day-at-bonkers-beat-music-kinder-tickets-57481577947

See you there!

14/03/201914/03/2019

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

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.

07/03/201907/03/2019

Everyone Belongs – Harmony Day 2019 in Early Childhood

The message that ‘Everyone Belongs’ is so very true and important, and while any time is a good time to celebrate and share that message, Harmony Day is one in particular… We’re so excited to remind you that Harmony Day is coming up on 21 March 2019, accompanied by Harmony Week from 17 – 23 March. Let’s celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity in a way that reinforces the message that Everyone Belongs!

With almost 50 per cent of the people of Australia born in another country or with a parent who was born overseas, Australia is an incredibly diverse nation – a fact that should make us all very proud! We are so lucky to have the chance to share in the cultures of the world right here in our island country!

Here are just a few things you could try while celebrating Harmony Day along with diversity, inclusivity and belonging in your childcare centre or kindergarten

Sing, sing, sing!

We are BONKERS about singing (of course!), and we know just how engaging this approach is for children. Singing can also be a wonderful way to celebrate other cultures and include or bring joy to others along the way. Does anyone in your centre – families or staff – have a song from their own cultural background they can share? If not, there are many to be found online. We have our very own Bonkers Beat song that is perfect: Let’s Celebrate. Take a look at how you can get children singing and moving (and even doing sign language) here:

Move your body!

Dance is a worldwide form of expression, and many cultures will have their own unique dances or movements for a range of occasions. Ask around your centre’s families and staff and see what everyone has to share. If dancing doesn’t pan out, sports can be another area to explore or even cultural dress – this link shows cultural dress from all over the world.

Get cooking!

There’s something lovely about sharing a meal with others and connecting over a feast, so why not extend that sense of belonging during mealtime by getting multicultural with it. Throughout Harmony Week you could have a new international dish each day for children to enjoy and talk about where it comes from.

For more resources and information about Harmony Day, take a look at their official website here: www.harmony.gov.au.

However you choose to celebrate Harmony Day or Harmony Week, it’s all about celebrating our differences and the things that we have in common too. Sharing and learning, exploring and belonging together as human beings.

13/12/201813/12/2018

30 fun ideas to do with children this summer

Whether you’re a parent who will have children home with you all summer, or you’re an educator looking for new ideas for activities with children, we’ve rounded up 30 fun ideas that are perfect for summer!

Our number one activity with children is always getting musical, so feel free to sing songs while you’re trying out some of these activities too!

Hit the beach: A classic but always a day of fun. Get creative with your sandcastle building skills!
Head to the aquarium: Some much to see and learn! Good for those days when it’s too hot to do much outside too.
Go swimming: A life skill that’s also very enjoyable, hitting the local pool for a swim is always a winner. Bonus points for a water slide.
Create a puppet show: Finger puppets or sock puppets can perform any story children wish. Create the characters and story and get performing!
Get cooking: 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.
Fly kites: Whether you choose to make or buy a kite, getting it up in the sky is an exciting feeling for any child. Schedule some kite flying for a day with a good breeze.
Do a scavenger hunt: Set children the task of gathering a range of objects on a nature treasure hunt. Depending on what you have children find, a craft activity can follow.
Visit the local library: An endless source of fun and education, the library is a must for children and can be a good place to cool off on the super hot days. Make a regular habit of going and borrowing books to encourage a passion for reading.
Playdough fun: Make a batch of play dough with children and make some amazing shapes.
Practice bike riding: Feel the wind in your hair with a bike ride. Training wheels or not, it’s a wonderful, environmentally friendly mode of transport that is also lots of fun.
Explore the local community: Check the local council website and find a fun local activity to try. There are many events held over the summer that are family friendly.
Watch the sunrise: We’re often so busy (or tired) this doesn’t happen often but make a point of getting up to see the sunrise in the morning. Too early? Taking notice of the sunset is special too.
Chalk drawing: The driveway can be the perfect spot to get artistic and do some chalk drawing. A simple hopscotch is a fun starting point.
Make smoothies: A healthy snack that children can make too, create a delicious family smoothie recipe. Bonus points for giving it a name!
Get gardening: Gardening a fantastic sensory activity with many benefits. Whether it’s veggies, herbs or plants, get gardening together.
Camp out the back: Create a camping experience in your very own backyard. Set up the tent or swags, tell stories and sleep under the stars. What a great memory to make.
Create a summer journal: Encourage children to draw pictures and write notes about what they get up to over summer. You can even take pictures and print them to add and they’ll have a special memento of a special summer.
Explore those nearby parks: Instead of visiting your usual park, head to a new one for something different.
Get scientific: Science experiments are fascinating for children (and adults to be honest!). Head here for a few great kid-friendly science experiments to try.
Discover a new skill: Get children to identify a skill they’d like to learn. Maybe it’s a musical instrument, how to hula hoop, kick a goal, skip rope… Then practice practice practice and make note of progress.
Eat breakfast for dinner: Those hot summer nights make big heavy dinners less appealing anyway, so have a little fun with it over the holiday period and set a day for having breakfast for dinner. Children find it very funny.
Go out for ice cream: Ice cream dates are many children’s dream come true. It can be fun at home too, with your own cones.
Start an activity jar: Write a bunch of 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.
Do painting: Best done outside, set up some paper and paints and let children explore their creative sides. Perhaps you could even do a painting of each other!
Clean windows: A chore for parents, but actually children often enjoy doing this.
Bushwalks: There are many trails to be explored, so get your best walking shoes on and explore nature. Add in some wildlife spotting too.
Make paper planes: Make and decorate paper planes, then race them and experiment with shapes and styles to improve flying technique.
Family movies: Share a few of your childhood favourite movies with children and let them choose some too.
Experiment with new hairdos: We all tend to style our hair the same quite often, but why not see what else you can do with your hair. You could even do each other’s!
Get meditating: The festive period, in particular, can be hectic. Give children the tools to unwind with meditation and yoga.

So, there you have it! And if you have any extra ideas, share with us on Facebook. We’d love to see pictures if you try any of these ideas over summer too!

Don’t forget, if you’re a parent who will also need to work, don’t forget to explore the school holiday programs available to you in your area.