A Point of Difference to Make All the Difference

Here we are in the middle of the year, and for many centres it has been a stressful first half with increasing occupancy challenges.

It was devastating to read a recent article in the Herald Sun (June 26) highlighting the struggle many centres are currently facing to stay open. While the end of financial year is a time most centres will increase rates, some have been forced to increase more than they would like just to cover costs as a result of low enrolments. Other centres have felt they have to cut back on educational programs and even staff. Truly heartbreaking.

In many areas there have been new centres popping up, putting further pressure on existing centres. While these centres present with new facilities that can be attractive to parents, what really counts is a centre’s philosophy and your point of difference.

Create a Point of Difference that Really Means Something

For most families, a philosophy that is in line with their family values or is proven to deliver benefits for their children’s development and wellbeing is more important than anything else. It doesn’t matter how new a centre is, but what the centre stands for and provides for children during this critical time of development.

In fact, this is the Bonkers Beat secret. Creating a point of difference point of difference for childcare centres that is based on empowering children and parents, as well as educators, by incorporating music and wellbeing programs that deliver outstanding results.

Stand Out From the Rest with a Fresh Approach

With the end of the financial year came the end of the LDCPDP funding which enabled many centres to do great things for their centres and children. And while the funding may be gone, we are not. As part of our mission to deliver the best start in life for children throughout Australia, we have restructured the pricing of our Bonkers Beat Music Program to demonstrate the exceptional value on offer.

If occupancy is holding your centre back and you’re ready to create a meaningful point of difference, there is no time like the present.

In fact, right now really is the best time to make a change at your centre, and here’s why:

-Mid-year enrolments: Many families enrol children in the middle of the year and will be looking for a centre right now. Give them a reason to choose you.

-Changes are expected: As daily fees change mid-year, it is often the case that centres make some changes at the same time. Make your changes something special.

-Families are searching now for next year: School choices are being finalised by parents and local kinder and childcare choices for next year are still researched. Stand out among the rest.

We’ve developed a free guide to help you discover how you can attract new families and create that special point of difference easily and affordably. Click here to access the Free Guide. You’ll learn how we help create a meaningful point of difference for childcare centres so you stand out and achieve your centre goals.

Yoga for Children on World Yoga Day – Get Involved!

Yoga used to be thought of as alternative or new age, but in 2017 it is widely celebrated for its many benefits and practiced by many.

Life is busy and at times stressful for adults as well as children. Just like we use yoga to take care of our bodies and clear our heads, children can too. And the benefits are just as amazing.

The wellbeing side of our Bonkers Beat programs is something we really believe in. With World Yoga Day coming up on 21 June, what better time to revisit why we encourage yoga for children.  And why you should help children in your centre or home to do yoga too!

Yoga for Improved Strength and Flexibility

It’s an obvious one, but strength and flexibility are really important as children are growing. Those agile little bodies can benefit from stronger muscles and joints, as well as better coordination and balance. Yoga boosts energy and helps to ensure the body is functioning at its best, inside and out. This means fewer injuries and health issues!

Yoga for Confidence and Self-Esteem

Yoga can be done alone or in groups and gives all children the opportunity to explore what their bodies are capable of. It is challenging but not competitive and encourages a belief in themselves and a celebration of their bodies and minds so children can feel empowered and confident to face the day.

Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Management

The breathing exercises that accompany yoga poses help to lower the heart rate and calm the body and mind. Children are quick to learn the calming, soothing nature of yoga and can be encouraged to use the breathing techniques in stressful situations. Learning yoga for children is a great tool for parents and educators to calm children too.

Yoga for Better Focus

There is so much going on and children want to be involved in everything. Help children to learn to focus on the present with yoga. It teaches children to be mindful: taking in each breath and moving between each pose, going slowly and steadily towards their goals.

Yoga for Enhancing and Supporting Wellbeing

As educators and parents, children’s overall wellbeing is our priority, and that’s why children should do yoga – there is no doubt that yoga gives children the tools they need to feel happy and healthy.

Want yoga, meditation and wellbeing updates to guide you on your journey with yoga for children? Follow us on Facebook.

 

At Bonkers Beat we believe in the benefits of wellbeing practices for life for all children – we also see educators enjoying the benefits of yoga too! Learn more about our wellbeing program and the learning outcomes it delivers here. For more information about becoming a member of the Bonkers Beat Music & Wellbeing family, click here.

Happy Birthday, Bonkers! – How Far We’ve Come

early childhood education

This month Bonkers the Monkey – the star of Bonkers Beat – is celebrating his birthday.

There’s nothing quite like a birthday to reflect on life… What you’ve achieved and the goals you have for the future. Same goes for Bonkers the Monkey!

Here’s a look at what Bonkers has achieved over the years, why he loves early childhood education so passionately and what he hopes to achieve over the years to come.

Reflecting on a journey and achievements of Bonkers Beat

Bonkers was born of a dream to share the power of learning through music and a focus on the wellbeing of children to enhance their development.

“Music is powerful. Through the power of music we can stimulate children’s brain development and enhance their life skills, we can further nurture and develop every child’s potential. I believe that music is not just an extra activity, but a language, which needs to be used every day.” – Galina Zenin

Since 2006, Bonkers and the Bonkers Beat Music and Wellbeing Programs have inspired and trained more than 10,157 educators to embed music and yoga into their curriculum. Their passion and daily practices ensured that more than 13,000+ children improve their overall wellness, sing and stretch every day.

Each day is so special – especially in early childhood

Bonkers loves spending his days with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Each day represents something new, something exciting and something to learn.

Every day Bonkers the Monkey gets the great pleasure of guiding children on their journeys through these amazing early years of life. They are some of the most important years of life too, where we lay the foundation for children’s futures. In fact, it’s quite possible that early childhood education – including childcare and kinder – could be an influential factor in determining a child’s future.

With Bonkers and his passion for sharing music and wellbeing with children, children are given the tools they need to succeed in life and fulfil their potential.

So much more to accomplish to give all children the best start

Bonkers birthday wish is always the same… He wants to share the tools and knowledge needed to enhance the development of every child, every day with centres and educators all over Australia and beyond.

He is already doing so well with the Bonkers Beat programs helping children and centres (and educators) to thrive across Australia. Here’s a look at the magic Bonkers and his programs bring to Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale:

Parents and families: If you’re interested in having your child/ren join childcare or kinder at the Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale, Victoria, you can email aspendale@bonkersbeat.com.au.

Centre Educators and Directors: If your centre is ready to take a holistic approach and introduce the magic of Bonkers Beat to your children, email info@bonkersbeat.com or call 1300 B BEAT (1300 022 328).

 

Happy birthday Bonkers the Monkey! You’re amazing and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you!

Recognising National Reconciliation Week in Centres

national reconciliation week

It’s National Reconciliation Week (NRW) from 27 May until 3 June, with 2017’s theme ‘Let’s take the next steps’.

All over the country, we will see cultural, sporting, community and arts events recognising and celebrating reconciliation and its place in the story of Australia.

Centres and families might like to share some of Australia’s history reconciliation journey with children during NRW. After all, education is the key to changing the world.

The significance of the NRW dates

As explained on the official National Reconciliation Week website, the dates of NRW represent two very important dates in Australia’s reconciliation journey.

May 27 was the date of the 1967 referendum, resulting in the removal of two sections of the Australian Constitution, which discriminated against Indigenous Australians.

June 3 is a nod to the date of the historic Mabo decision in 1992, whereby Eddie Koiki Mabo fought for Australian land ownership laws to be changed. He succeeded, with the Mabo case going down in history as a landmark High Court decision recognising native title in Australia and the abolishment of terra nullius. (More about Mabo here.)

National Reconciliation Week resources for child care centres

It’s up to you what extent you celebrate the week, but to help you introduce it into centres (or your home), we’ve pulled together some resources for you.

  • You might like to print this official NRW poster. Access this pdf poster here.
  • Encourage children to take part in experiences that celebrate Aboriginal culture. You might find something local in your own community, like a Reconciliation Walk. You could even create your own community event!  Find an event in your community here or even register your own event here.
  • Learning about the two Aboriginal and  Torres Strait Islander flags and their meaning in Australia is essential education. For example, the Aboriginal flag represents the Aboriginal people, the red earth and the spiritual relationship to the land and the yellow sun, the giver of life. The Torres Strait Islander flag is a symbol of the Torres Strait Islanders, the five white stars symbolise the five major island groups and how important the stars are for the seafaring people. The green stripes represent the land, black stripes represent the people and the blue is the sea.
  • Read books derived from Aboriginal culture. How the Birds Got Their Colours by Pamela Lofts is a wonderful story. Try The Naked Boy and the Crocodile. It is a unique in that it is a collection of short stories written by children from remote Indigenous communities. Very fun and interesting.

Teaching children about the history of the First Nations People of Australia and how far we have come is vital as we work together to take the next steps in the ongoing journey that is reconciliation.

Share your special ideas about celebrating Reconciliation Week with young children with us on Facebook!

 

P.S. Do you or a centre you know do amazing work relating to the recognition or celebration of reconciliation? Nominate them for a Narragunnawali Award!

Understanding Children’s Developmental Milestones

When did little Sarah start reading? Can Danny write his name yet? How many children are toilet trained by age 2? Children’s developmental milestones can be exciting, but they can also bring about needless stress.

As educators, we can play a big role in guiding children toward achieving milestones. We also support parents as their children continue on their developmental journeys in our care in addition to their families.

If you’re a parent who can be a little stressed about your child hitting milestones “on time”, this article has some useful information for you to relax and enjoy your child developing in their own time.

There’s no such thing as normal

Spending every day immersed in the early childhood industry, it becomes quite clear to most educators that there is a wide range of “normal” development timing.

There does tend to be a range that we can use to determine if any particular area needs special attention for individual children. However, if your child doesn’t stand on one leg by 30 months old, there’s probably nothing to worry about.

“Normal” doesn’t take into account your child’s unique strengths, preferences, past experiences and the countless other things that can have an effect on when they achieve certain milestones.

Watching children reach milestones can be exciting! However we all need to remember that children will achieve different things at different times – and most of the time this is all just part of their own developmental journeys.

Knowledge is power

While there really is a huge range of timing for various developmental milestones, it is worthwhile knowing what is expected at various ages and stages. This is so that if there is a legitimate development delay that requires special attention or even professional guidance, you can act fast and help children to overcome any challenges they may have on their developmental journey.

Some things will be grown out of; others may need therapies or medical support. If you’re really concerned, there’s no harm in getting a professional opinion from a children’s development specialist.

Literacy and numeracy are important, but there’s more to it

At pre-school age, the top developmental concerns we see from parents tend to relate to reading, writing and counting. And while these are all really important life skills, they are also skills that children take on at different times and at various speeds.

They’re also easy to work on through reading books and making mindful observations with children about their surroundings. Incorporate counting into the drive or walk to kinder by counting letterboxes. Read the signs around the streets: STOP, school, no dogs allowed. Make the connection between reading, counting and life and create an environment of incidental learning.

Your child’s ability to play with other children, kick a ball, dance and bang a beat on a drum are wonderful skills they have developed that should be celebrated too. Take the time to focus on their strengths.

Keep parents in the know

At the end of this month, Bonkers Beat Music Kinder is having a Children’s Progress Night. This is an evening for parents to come along and find out more about what their child is learning, how they are developing, what their strengths are and where extra attention could be useful.

These evenings are a wonderful tool for educators and parents to have some dedicated discussion time to go over their child’s development. We are passionate about creating collaborative partnerships with families at centres to give their children the best start.

Of course, always maintain an open line of communication between educators and parents to ensure the best outcomes for all children.

Enjoy your children’s individual journeys – it’s not a competition

By all means, take an interest in the development of all the children in your life. Don’t get sucked into making comparisons though. Enjoy the beautiful journey as children grow and flourish from babies to toddlers to young children and eventually teenagers and adults!

For more information on milestones as clues to what to expect around certain ages and how you can help you child’s development, try this resource.

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

healthy mind, healthy body

Education Week is coming up from 21 to 27 May in Victoria. The theme for this year is one very close to our hearts at Bonkers Beat – Healthy Mind, Healthy Body.

For many years – and still today for some – a healthy mind was viewed as being a separate issue to a healthy body. We are big believers in the relationship between mind and body and the need for a focus on wellbeing.

In fact, we are committed to enhancing the wellbeing of every child, every day!

Happy, healthy, resilient children

Happy, healthy and resilient children are the goal of the Victorian government’s education sector, and while Education Week is aimed at Primary schools, we think it’s a theme worthy of us all taking on board.

Ask yourself: How does your centre work on developing healthy minds and healthy bodies for your centre’s community? Can you do better or do more?

There are many approaches you can incorporate to increase your focus on healthy minds and healthy bodies. Bonkers Beat educational programs allow daily wellbeing routines to be embedded effortlessly into a centre’s curriculum, and the rewards and results are amazing.

In light of Education Week’s Healthy Mind, Healthy Body theme we decided to make a list of how we contribute to healthy minds and healthy bodies. You might like to do the same in your centre!

How we encourage Healthy Mind, Healthy Body…

For Children: Daily yoga, meditation and dedicated wellbeing routines.

For Educators: Professional and personal development for entire teams, Wellness Summits, support, hands-on workshops, annual staff retreats and training that can be accessed online.

For Families: Wellbeing resources for home, newsletters, information nights for parents, children’s progress sessions and monthly educational webinars for families.

A daily focus on healthy minds and bodies is brilliant, but there’s no harm in throwing in some extra activities from time to time as well.

Try these within your centre community:

Smoothie making

-Bike riding to kinder

Get close to nature

And please share your ideas and the wonderful things you do to encourage healthy minds and bodies with us on Facebook!

Say it with a poem this Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day poems can be one of the most treasured, meaningful gifts a mum can receive from her child.

Mother’s Day art, craft and morning/afternoon tea are all wonderful inclusions in Mother’s Day celebrations, but this year we’re focusing on poetry for the occasion.

Mother’s Day Poetry – The benefits

The benefits of poetry for children are many and varied.

We recently wrote about how poetry can benefit children’s development, including their memory, emotional comprehension and physical coordination.

In Reading Magic, fantastic Australian author Mem Fox says:

“Rhymers will be readers: it’s that simple. Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re four years old, they’re usually among the best readers by the time they’re eight.”

There is a huge amount of research to support that poetry makes learning language easier and much more enjoyable for children.

Poetry is fun to learn and reading it aloud can help children to build confidence and self-esteem (along with memorisation and rhythm).

Roses are red, violets are blue, here’s a Mother’s Day poem for you

Use poem writing as an exercise in vocabulary development and self-expression with the children in your centre (or at home).

An acrostic Mother’s Day poem is a great one to try with young children. It is simple and places the emphasis on letter recognition, spelling and increasing vocabulary. Here’s an example from Kidspot:

Adapt this approach to suit whichever name children use to call their mother, including other languages or for relatives who fulfill the maternal role in children’s lives.

As always we remind centres to stay inclusive and open Mother’s Day celebrations to the special women in children’s lives, whether they are grandmothers, aunties, step mums and the like. Every family is unique.

Any child can read a poem to their mother. With a help of an adult, young children can say only some of the words or do actions to accompany the poem.

We would love to share the Bonkers Beat poem ‘My Mum’ with you all to use for this Mother’s Day.

Gain exclusive access to this Mother’s Day poem here.

If you have a special Mothers’ Day poem of your own to share, we’d love to see it on Facebook!

 

 

 

Image designed by Freepik

One City, Many Children – The history (and future) of Reggio Emilia

reggio emilia approach

At Bonkers Beat we are big believers in the idea that we should never stop learning. That’s why we are looking for opportunities to continue our education and discover more.

For anyone who is passionate about early childhood education, the Reggio Emilia Approach is well worth delving into. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at what it is, how it started and why Reggio Emilia is so important now.

How did the Reggio Emilia Approach begin?

The city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy was once recognised as the birthplace of lambrusco, parmigiano cheese and even the Italian flag. Today it is renowned for the early childhood education approach that began there and is being adopted all over the world.

The Reggio Emilia Approach was first developed in Italy in a very small city called Reggio Emilia. It was post-war times, with the people in this city looking forward to embracing a change for the better. Equality and hope for the future were front of mind for many.

What is the Reggio Emilia Approach?

Reggio Emilia harnesses the natural connections and curiosity within children’s lives – communities, family, nature – and builds on these to create a learning environment that allows children to blossom.

There is no ‘one way’ of approaching Reggio Emilia – rather than a set of guidelines or a strict pedagogy, Reggio Emilia is, as we refer to it, an approach.

Of course, with Reggio Emilia children flourishing, the approach was fascinating and coveted by countries all over the world. However, only in 70s that some Reggio Emilia values and guidelines were established and others could utilise the power of Reggio’s central elements, those being:

  • children’s relationships with other children, teachers, parents and their classroom environment;
  • documentation of the children’s learning as a way to make their thinking and theorising visible – and convey a strong image of an intelligent child;
  • project work, where children are engaged in explorations of their world, making choices about what they will investigate, and then together with their teachers and peers making meaning;
  • the many ways children express themselves called the “100 Languages” with a strong emphasis on the visual arts; and
  • active listening, where children’s voices, thoughts and opinions are valued (as much as the teachers’).

[Via The Conversation]

“What children learn does not follow as an automatic result of what is taught, rather, it is in large part due to the children’s own doing, as a consequence of their activities and our resources.” —Loris Malaguzzi, The Hundred Languages of Children

The Master Mind Behind the Reggio Emilia Approach

A local teacher, Loris Malaguzzi, played an influential role, even training as a psychologist in order to gain a better understanding of how to guide families and their children through early years of education. Malaguzzi was passionate about studying a wide range of pedagogies, using parts of theories he believed would best serve the early development of children.

It is safe to say that the Reggio Emilia Approach has been inspired by the likes of Gardner, Montessori, Freud and many others. Malaguzzi worked closely with a small group of educators over the years to develop the Reggio Emilia Approach and train others, ensuring that the focus always remained centred around the child.

Reggio Emilia’s Growth Beyond Italy

More like-minded centres were developed in Reggio Emilia itself and beyond, run with a heavy involvement from parents and communities – and this is at the heart of what the Reggio Emilia Approach is all about.

Play and self-guided exploration are also essential elements of the approach, returning to the idea of a holistic approach – educating the whole child and understanding that each child is unique.

Since its origins in that small Italian city, the Reggio Emilia Approach has been celebrated across the world. From the United States, to Australia, the UK – it has had a far-reaching impact on early childhood education.

It’s interesting to note that you cannot have a ‘Reggio Emilia Centre’ as such unless you are in fact in the city itself. Your centre can incorporate Reggio Emilia’s values and practices into its own philosophy, but there is no certification process to be an official Reggio Emilia centre because they really cannot exist outside of their own historical and cultural circumstances. This should not deter you from exploring and incorporating elements of this effective and fascinating approach in your centre and being a Reggio Emilia inspired service. The Bonkers Beat programs and our centre’s philosophy resonates with Reggio Emilia values and certainly has its roots in this progressive approach.

Why is Reggio Emilia so important today?

In the 21st century the need for critical thinking, questioning and exploring what we are presented with is more important than ever before. In a world where we are inundated with information, the ability to sift through and find what applies to us and how it applies to us is vital to find our way through life.

The Reggio Emilia approach inspires educators and parents to enhance children’s ability to think and learn. It allows us to take a holistic approach, giving much-needed attention to social and emotional development as well as developing creativity and confidence while empowering children to find their way independently and at their own pace.

I have lots more to share with you about my personal experience of the recent Reggio Emilia Study Tour – so keep your eyes open for this in the weeks to come.

We’d love to know your thoughts and/or experiences when it comes to the Reggio Emilia Approach. Join the discussion on Facebook.

Getting screen time right for young children in 2017

Sometimes it feels as though screens are all around us. From iPads and tablets to phones, television screens to computers. Children in particular are drawn to the glow of a screen – some children can become very attached to them.

While technology like these various devices can have some benefits, like facilitating certain learning experiences, the fact is we really don’t know what long term effects screen time will have on us.

What we’re seeing from screen time

What we do know is that screen time can get in the way of children going outside and playing in the real world. With 1 in 4 Australian children overweight or obese, movement needs to be a priority and screen time is usually not the best approach to getting active. On top of that, screen time while eating has been connected to mindless overeating, especially in children.

Researchers are seeing a link between screens and rest too, resulting in irritability and disrupted sleep. A sleep researcher from the University of Wollongong puts this down to three things:

-Content that is causing a hormonal and emotional responses e.g. releasing adrenalin;

-Time taken up by screen time delaying children’s rest time (and adults!);

-Light from screens disrupting circadian rhythms, causing too much alertness and suppressing the sleep hormone melatonin.

Guidelines to screen time for children

Recommendations made by scientists from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2015 advised that screens should be avoided for any children under 2.

The AAP created this handy infographic to visually explain the guidelines to screen time for children:

screen-time-guide

Consider adult screen time too

Another focus area to look at is the screen time children see adults partaking in. We can often become engrossed in our phones or computers and this results in similar negative behaviours as exhibited by children on devices. That is, ignoring the company around you, irritability, disrupted circadian rhythms and therefore sleep patterns.

Of course we lead busy lives but think about how urgent it is to read that email right now or check that Facebook notification. Lead by example by turning off the screens and picking up a book or heading outside for some fresh air and exercise. You’ll feel better for it and your notifications will still be on your device when you get back to it.

Get your screen time right

While there are high quality apps and media we can utilise to help children build skills and learn and give adults a break now and again, spending countless hours in front of screens is not doing anyone any good.

The first five years are a crucial period of brain development and no app is a substitute for the real world. Show children that there’s no on and off switch for life and that not everything will happen instantly at a swipe of their fingers. Minimise screen time and there’s no doubt that you’ll see the benefits for yourself and your children.

 

Helping Children to Understand and Support Peers with Autism

Over 200,000 Australians are living with autism. That’s around 1 person out of every 100 people, with the condition four times more likely in boys than girls.

Needless to say, spreading awareness and acceptance of autism is really important for all communities. That includes ensuring we all – including children – have an understanding of what autism is and how it may impact people’s lives.

What is Autism?

It’s tricky to define autism in some ways as it varies from person to person. A good overview is offered by Autism Spectrum Australia, who says, “autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects, among other things, the way an individual relates to his or her environment and their interaction with other people”.

Sometimes individuals with autism will have issues arise with communication, language, sensory development and sometimes body language and physical coordination.

It’s important to note that the condition exists across a spectrum. This helps to describe the range of challenges that may affect autistic individuals and to what degree their lives may be affected.

For example, some autistic children may not speak, others may be particularly sensitive to certain noises – there’s no ‘one way’ to have autism.

Guiding Children to Understand their Autistic Peers

Given that approximately 1 in 100 Australians have autism, encouraging children to understand the condition and some of the ways it may be displayed is essential. In addition, research has found that peers can help teach social skills to children with autism.

The number one thing to know is that while an autistic child may approach some things differently to a child who does not have autism, they still want to play, feel included and have friends who care about them, just like everyone else.

Check with parents of autistic children to clarify how they would like to approach it within peer groups. Some parents prefer that their child’s autism is not discussed, while others are happy to talk about it and help peers to understand how autism can affect behaviour.

Here are some important messages to share with children in Autism Awareness Week:

-We are all different in some ways. We might do things differently, speak differently or behave in unique ways.

-Autism or any other condition is just one characteristic of a child. We all still have lots of things we like and dislike or are good at.

-Let children know how to best communicate or play with autistic peers. For example, by refraining from yelling or by using simple phrases in conversation. Of course this will depend on the best approach for the autistic children in your care.

How Educators can Help

Early childhood educators can play a key role in encouraging inclusion and celebration of children’s differences in centres by:

Including activities that focus on the strengths of the autistic children at your centre. Involve other children too and show we are all different and special with unique abilities, yet we can also have fun together.

Maintaining a predictable environment. Routines and structure can offer a way to enable autistic children to flourish.

Communicating clearly. Use visual aids can be a useful tool, including diagrams on posters, real objects and photos. Written prompts can help too depending on a child’s age.

At Bonkers Beat we find incorporating the self-paced Montessori approach can be a beneficial for working with children with autism. You might like to read more about the benefits of this approach for children on the spectrum here.

Let’s work together to build awareness and acceptance for autism – not just throughout Autism Awareness Month – and help all children to be the best they can be!

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