education australia Archives - Page 6 of 9 - Early Learning Childhood Education

02/03/201802/03/2018

Thinking about having an Open Day at your centre? Here’s why you should

We know that the first five years of a child’s life are absolutely crucial when it comes to physical, intellectual, social and emotional development. It’s not surprising that selecting a child care centre or kindergarten is a big decision for families. If you’re thinking about having an open day at your centre, but keep putting it off or think it’s too much effort, think again.

Reading about a centre or hearing about a centre is great, but nothing is quite like visiting a centre. Families often speak about “the vibe” they got from a child care centre. They love to see the centre, meet the educators and director – even the owner! This is a place that they are trusting with their children during one of the most vital times of their development and it has to be perfect.

Why having an open day is a must

While tours for families are great and should be encouraged, holding an open day is proactive and encourages families to have a fun day out while at the same time getting a feel for your centre.

Dedicated time: An open day, especially on a weekend, gives families uninterrupted time at your centre to explore, chat with educators and ask questions.

A showcase of your offering: You get to plan the day from start to finish, so design something special that really shows families what you’re about and why you’re the best choice for their child’s early childhood education.

A fun day out: It’s certainly a drawcard for families when you plan a day of activities and perhaps throw in some refreshments. Even families who attend other centres could stop by and fall in love with your centre.

Show the local community and families what you have to offer. Planning an open day allows you to put your best foot forward and demonstrate to families why they should choose your centre for their child or children.

The next Bonkers Beat Open Day is coming up on Saturday, 24 March. Feel free to come along to Bonkers Beat Music Kinder at 49 Laura street, Aspendale for a day of family fun and enjoy an interactive tour and music show with Bonkers the Monkey!

We look forward to seeing you there!

15/02/201815/02/2018

Building strong teams and positive culture

Working in early childhood education, collaboration is essential. Not just between centres and families, but also among staff. Building teams and a positive culture in early childhood education paves the way for a centre and its educators to thrive. Of course, a thriving centre means the best experience for families and children too.

Over the years we have asked countless educators what their biggest challenges are, and we frequently hear that one of the challenges is staff motivation, culture and turnover. Sound familiar?

In 2016 the Queensland University of Technology surveyed 1,200 early childhood educators across Australia about their jobs. Of those surveyed, one in five planned to leave their position within the following year. The reasons cited for this included feeling undervalued and not enjoying the working environment.

Creating a positive culture in your workplace can help your team feel bonded, supported and appreciated. A little effort can go a long way to keep your staff turnover low, and your centre’s culture brimming with positivity and happiness!

A team that is motivated and appreciated is one that will help your centre and its children reach their full potential. Take a look at these ways that you can build teams and a positive culture within your organisation and consider giving them a try:

Focus on the positives:

Often when we have staff meetings or changes, the focus is on what we can do better. While improvement is important, try to shift the focus to the positives. Hearing what is being done well will encourage everyone to want to do it more.
Make responsibilities clear:

Clashes in teams can arise when there is uncertainty over who is responsible for what, or if someone feels they have an unfair share of the workload or have drawn the short straw. Keep it clear and make sure everyone feels comfortable in speaking up in the right way if something is displeasing to them.
Involve your team in decisions:

A democracy is always better than a dictatorship, so make sure your team feels they have some say in the workplace. Friendly negotiations, votes, team discussions – it’s important changes happen from within a team, not to them. That way, they’ll feel they’ve accomplished something together.
Spend quality time together:

Don’t let it become all work and no play! After all, in early childhood education, we are experts at playing! Organise some team dinners or even a yearly staff retreat! Don’t forget to mark the end of the year with a celebration too. Some centres have a list of all staff birthdays so that if that member of your team is in on their special day, you can all sing happy birthday to them. A lovely gesture!
Group professional development:

A team that learns together can grow together, in the same direction. This is one of the reasons the Bonkers Beat programs and our Wellness Summits are so effective for centres and their culture – because we work with the entire team together. Take a look at teams having a great time and growing as educators together at our recent Bonkers Beat Wellness Summits here.

We’d love to hear how you help your team to bond and create a positive culture in your early childhood education service? Share with us on Facebook!

01/02/201802/02/2018

1 Day Workshop to give you the best start this year

With the first month of the year done and dusted already, many centre owners and directors are wondering: have we got 2018 off to the best start so far?

A good way to make sure you get 2018 off to the best start is with a free workshop covering all the biggest challenges faced by childcare centres today.

Music Kinder in Action and 7 Stones are free early childhood workshops in Melbourne and Perth and you’re invited!

Specifically designed for owners and directors of childcare centres and educational leaders, Music Kinder in Action and 7 Stones allow you to have a firsthand experience of what the right approach to early childhood education can do for your centre.

Chances are many of you are feeling the pressure from the influx of new centres popping up on every corner. But you’re not alone.

Centres that once thrived caring for children over decades are wondering how much longer they can keep their doors open. A childcare in Rosebery, Sydney has gone from full occupancy to on some days only having one baby to care for. Within 1km radius of their centre are eight new centres, all with vacancies too.

Standing out from the crowd and demonstrating that your centre delivers outcomes that benefit children in every aspect of their development is now crucial. Music Kinder in Action and 7 Stones will give you tools and strategies to do just that.

Our concepts are based on the approach of the award-winning Bonkers Beat Music and Wellbeing programs. It’s worth noting that centres running Bonkers Beat’s programs are showcasing a strong point of difference, incredible outcomes for children and impressive occupancy rates to show for it.

These workshops won’t cost you a thing, just an investment of your time into this inspiring and practical session.

Let’s achieve something great together.

Hope to see you there.
Galina and the Bonkers Beat Team

24/01/201825/01/2018

We’re in the Top 100 Early Childhood Education blogs!

Early childhood education is what we dedicate our time to – our spare time, our working time and well, all our time! Most weeks of the year we take the time to put together an email and blog to our followers offering them valuable and useful information about all aspects of early childhood education including industry, theory and the day-to-day aspects too.

At the end of last month, we were informed that our blog has been selected as one of the Top 100 Early Childhood Education blogs on the web!

The honour of being named among the top early childhood education blogs came to us from Feedspot. Feedspot is a content compiling site that gathers the best online content from all over the world and puts it all together in one spot for readers to enjoy in the one place.

Anuj from the Feedspot team explained that “This is the most comprehensive list of best Early Childhood Education blogs on the internet and I’m honoured to have you as part of this! I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world.”

Through our blog in 2018 we will continue to aim to deliver lots of valuable information as well as ideas, encouragement and inspiration to you all as you continue to commit yourselves to the early childhood education industry.

In fact, as we begin our regular blogging again, we’d love to know what you would like to read about on our blog! We’d also love to know what you think of our blog and hope to receive your feedback via email. Our goal is to remain among the top early childhood education blogs!

Head over to Facebook and comment if you have a topic in mind that you would like us to cover in 2018!

07/12/201708/12/2017

New ways to get festive this Christmas

In the lead up to Christmas, we are often all looking for new ways to celebrate.

Christmas in childcare is an exciting time – after all, no one anticipates the arrival of Christmas morning quite like young children! As early childhood educators, we get to contribute to that excitement and can help them create something special to share with their families.

If you’re looking for some fresh activities and craft ideas, look no further! We’ve done the research for you and gathered a bunch of resources to keep your centre Christmassy right through until December 25!

Ideas for Christmas fun

Handprint Christmas cards: A gorgeous, personalised Christmas card that doubles as a keepsake so parents don’t forget how little those hands once were.

Dancing Santa: Using these printables, cut them out and children can create a dancing Santa! Use your choice of paint, crayons, pencils or markers to create Santa’s iconic red suit. A bit of glitter is always fun too!

Tree decorations: There are a million tree decorations children can make, so let your imagination take charge here. Styrofoam balls can be a good starting point or try cardboard shapes, or even icy pole sticks.

Paper plate angels: A paper plate, folded in on each side, a card circle for a face and two card handprints cut out as wings. Perfect for the top of the Christmas tree!

Christmas colouring in: There’s nothing wrong with some quiet colouring in time, but why not make it Christmas themed this time of year.

As always, when celebrating the festive season in your centre, be mindful of individual children and their families’ varying beliefs and traditions. In some centres, it may be necessary to provide variations on your Christmas celebrations to ensure you are culturally inclusive.

Christmas songs: Christmas wouldn’t be complete without singing Christmas songs! This special song is a gift from Bonkers to you to help you celebrate the magic of Christmas with children. Click here to access ‘Ring the Bells’.

If you have some special ideas to share for celebrating Christmas in childcare centres, share with us on Facebook!

16/11/201717/11/2017

Understanding and handling allergies

Did you know that allergic reactions in children range from a mild itch to full anaphylaxis? As an early childhood educator, it is useful to have an understanding of allergies, because prevention, identifying symptoms and responding effectively are all essential to protect children from allergies.

Allergies and what they are

An allergy is what occurs when the immune system reacts to a substance, the allergen, that a child has come in contact with. The allergen is something that is ordinarily harmless, like pollen from flowers, an insect bite or a type of food. The body reacts with allergy antibodies, which react with foreign substances.

The reaction could be minor and mild, or even life-threatening.

What can trigger allergic reactions?

A common trigger for children’s allergic reactions is food. You might find children in your centre who are allergic to foods like:

Milk or milk products
Eggs
Peanuts or other nuts
Fish or certain seafood
Soy products
Wheat

Another trigger you might find is animals, particularly those with more fur. A cat or dog with long hair is an example of an animal a child could be allergic to. There are also allergens like pollen from plants that can even be in the air, bites or strings from a bug or even medications.

What to watch for

Allergic reactions in children could have a range of symptoms. These signs might be:

A rash or itchy skin
Swelling of the face, lips or eyes
Stomach discomfort, nausea or vomiting

In the case of an anaphylactic reaction, the symptoms can be quite severe:

Difficulty with breathing
Tightness in the throat
Swelling of the tongue
Wheezing
Dizziness
Loss of consciousness

Preventing allergic reactions in children

Avoiding children’s allergens is the number one way to prevent allergic reactions in children occurring at your centre. While restrictions can seem frustrating at times, they can be life-saving if a child in your centre suffers from an allergy.

Make sure your centre has an action plan in place for any children who have allergies, and take care to ensure the environment, food and experiences at your centre don’t involve allergens for your children.

More helpful information about allergies, find below:
Developing an allergy policy and allergy action plans
Managing food allergy and anaphylaxis in child care

11/10/201712/10/2017

Who Benefits More?

Spending time with the elderly may not seem like it would be an exciting experience for young children, but maybe it deserves more credit… Recent research indicated that when children and seniors get together, there are a lot of benefits for both!

Take a look at this video and see for yourself! http://bit.ly/2xxYuKn

We wanted to share the amazing outcomes of the time spent between young and old with Bonkers Beat and our own community. That’s why we planned a visit with some of the older members in the local area. So, off we went to the Aspendale Senior Citizen’s Club!

Take a look at what a fun and fulfilling day we all had. Click here.

The time spent between young and old isn’t just enjoyable – the benefits are real and they are meaningful. A 4-year old can learn so much from a 74-year old – and vice versa!

Here are just a few of the benefits experienced by children and older individuals through this intergenerational time spent together:

Benefits for children

A patient listening ear
A lifetime of stories to hear
An insight into life’s ageing processes
An opportunity to learn something new

Benefits for older individuals

Enhanced mood
An opportunity to learn something new
Improved physical capability and movement
More enjoyment of life
Lessened dementia symptoms

We are so excited to have started this new relationship and can’t wait to continue working together with our community. In fact, at our upcoming Working Bee on 28 October we are planning to create a community garden!

By getting your centre involved with your local community you can show your children the importance of creating strong connections and enhance the wellbeing of everyone involved.

28/09/201702/10/2017

Wellbeing and Engagement – A Valuable Relationship

Engaged educators are inspired, motivated, productive and happy in the workplace. These are qualities that are vital to creating a learning and care environment for children to flourish.

These qualities of an engaged educator enable them to do the best job possible at enhancing children’s wellbeing too. So how do you engage educators? Start with educators wellbeing.

The Essential Links Between Engagement and Wellbeing

Working on wellbeing requires a holistic approach. To really reap the rewards over time, your approach to enhancing wellbeing needs to be sustainable, not a quick fix.

It’s incredible what can be achieved for centres, educators, families and most importantly children when we shift our focus to wellbeing. Engagement is a crucial area that benefits from wellbeing practices, but it doesn’t end there!

Engaged educators lead to better outcomes for children, engaged children and educators lead to better mental health and wellness. In turn, wellbeing practices for children can help them to become better learners and all round happier children.

See engaged educators and children in action

It’s one thing to read about what you can achieve with a focus on wellbeing and subsequently high levels of educator and child engagement – it’s another thing to see it!

That’s why we are inviting owners and directors of centres to visit our flagship Bonkers Beat centre in Aspendale, Victoria. Join us at Music Kinder in Action!

We are ready to give away strategies and knowledge to centre owners and directors – with absolutely no expectations on getting anything back in return.

Our goal is simply to show owners and directors across Australia what is possible for your educators, children and centres. See how you can engage educators and the benefits of doing so.

There are only 6 spots remaining PLUS everyone who attends will receive a complimentary gift and a guide ‘How to Implement a World Class Music Program in Your Centre’.

Hope to see you there! Click here to secure your free ticket!

14/09/201715/09/2017

Active children are happier children

Many studies have shown the strong link between physical activity and children’s behavioural, social and psychological outcomes. And the research consistently indicates that active children are happier children.

They become happier adolescents and adults too, demonstrating that laying a foundation for life that involves regular physical activity has far-reaching impact. It’s important that we set the groundwork for active children so they grow into happy adults.

Encouraging Physical Activity: The benefits

Regular physical activity has a range of benefits for children, including:

promoting healthy growth and development
helping to achieve and maintain a healthy weight
building strong bones and muscles
improving cardiovascular fitness
improving balance, coordination and strength
maintaining and developing flexibility
improving posture
assisting with the development of gross motor and fine motor skills
providing the opportunity to develop fundamental movement skills
helping to establish connections between different parts of the brain
improving concentration and thinking skills
improving confidence and self-esteem
relieving stress and promoting relaxation
providing opportunities to develop social skills and make friends
improving sleep.

(Source: https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/teachers-childcare/physical-activity.aspx)

There’s no doubt about it – physical activity is vital for optimal development in children!

Promoting Physical Wellbeing in Children: Bush Kinder and Sports-inspired Games

If you and your educators attended our recent Bonkers Beat Wellness Summits, you’ve probably learned so many incredible ways to embed physical wellness practices into your centre. For those who didn’t attend, the information provided by our guests speakers was invaluable in guiding us towards the best ways of promoting physical wellness for the children in our care.

Bush Kinder founder Doug Fargher presented at the Bonkers Beat Wellness Summits and shared his expertise and experience working in outdoor spaces with children. Doug is an expert with extensive knowledge on the strong connections between nature and children’s physical wellness during the first five years of development and beyond.

Justin Kuchel from Active Start Sports presented at our recent Wellness Summits as well. Justin’s approach enables children of all ages to engage with fun, physical activities that leave them wanting more. Justin shared insights and showed us how his age-appropriate sports-inspired games get children truly excited about physical activity.

Thank you to all who attended—what a fantastic event it was, and thank you for contributing to it with your commitment to early childhood education!

See the photos from the Melbourne event here.

See the photos from the Sydney Wellness Summit here.

Are you passionate about physical and overall wellbeing? To find out more and join our Wellness Summits call us on 13000-B-BEAT (2-2328).

06/09/201707/09/2017

Respect, Safety and Dignity for All

In a time where we see some forces aiming to divide the world, it’s so important to show children the right way forward. The caring and compassionate way forward. In 2017 the theme for the International Day of Peace is Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All. What a beautiful reminder to encourage connectedness and respect among children in our care.

The International Day of Peace (Thursday 21 September) takes place each year worldwide with the aim of strengthening the ideals of peace. This can apply to peace within nations, or global peace. It can even just apply to own our communities. Seeking peace through being inclusive, respectful and kind to others is something we can do every day.

Showing children the path to peace

While the concepts of peace and conflict are perhaps challenging for young children and not for them to worry about at this young age, we can help to embed positive values through their early childhood education.

Here’re a few ways you can intentionally incorporate the values of the International Day of Peace in your centre:

Model compassion and caring:

Show children what compassion and caring looks like. Offer help to others and generally look out for one another.

Promote a respectful environment:

Good manners, listening to others and accepting differences are ways to encourage respect within childcare centres.

Build a sense of belonging for all:

Aim to celebrate all walks of life in your centre. Inclusive practices are essential in early childhood. Ask families to get involved, share stories, songs, traditions, food from their cultures or get children to talk about their home life so children are exposed to a diverse range of family situations.

This ACECQA document is a useful resource on encouraging inclusive behaviour in early childhood. You might also like to explore this Gowrie Victoria document that covers respect for children.

Of course, the International Day of Peace is just a reminder to instill these approaches and values in your centre… By all means, continue to do these things now and beyond!

If you’re interested in learning more about the International Day of Peace, visit the official website here.