kindergarten Archives - Page 9 of 13 - Early Learning Childhood Education

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.

31/08/201731/08/2017

Early Childhood Educators Day

We place the future of tomorrow’s leaders in the hands of early childhood educators each and every day – that’s a big responsibility! And thankfully it’s one that is viewed as a true privilege by early childhood educators. It is a job that, while rewarding, is challenging and requires a lot of patience. And it is a job that deserves more recognition and celebration than it perhaps receives.

The first Wednesday in September each year is Early Childhood Educators Day – a chance to show early childhood educators that their work is recognised, appreciated and valued. So next week on Wednesday 6 September, let’s do something special for early childhood educators.

Ways to Celebrate Early Childhood Educators Day

The Australian Childcare Alliance has many fantastic ideas to celebrate Early Childhood Educators Day.

Here are just a few:

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.
Colour-coordinate clothes for the day. Everyone comes to work in costume!
Create a giant “thank you” card for display in the reception area of the centre/kindergarten
Design a certificate of appreciation for each educator, or use one here.

Early childhood educators care for children during one of the most critical developmental stages in a human being’s life – the first five years. This care and focus on their early learning enable families to work as needed with the peace of mind that their children are safe and sound and receiving the best start.

To all early childhood educators, we commend you on your hard work, your kindness and your patience. And we thank you for all that you do each day.

Get involved in Early Childhood Educators Day on social media by using the hashtags:

#EarlyChildhoodEducatorsDay #LoveMyECE

Image Designed by Freepik

13/07/201713/07/2017

The Benefits and Beauty of Bush Kinders

There’s something so special about children enjoying nature. And while we love to see children enjoying the summer sun, seeing them pull on some gumboots to splash in puddles and explore soggy wetlands is fantastic.

Early childhood education has many approaches, each with its own benefits and advocates. We are all continually developing and adapting, and that goes for educators too. One early learning approach that has been growing in popularity of late is the incorporation of the great outdoors. And with so many learning experiences to offer, this is very exciting!

Danish Forest School Approach

Just this week a great article about the Danish Forest School approach was featured in the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG)’s publication ‘Early Horizons’. Galina was featured in this edition too, interviewed about children’s wellbeing and the magic of the Bonkers Beat programs. You can read the whole publication here: http://bit.ly/2sL7k5P

The Danish Forest School approach is truly unique and special – and there is no one type of ‘forest school’… no two are the same. The Early Horizons article talks about how the Danish Forest School Approach uses its deep understanding of informal learning environments to promote creativity and critical thinking in its young students.

This forest pre-schooling approach has caught on internationally, including in Australia with the rise of Bush kinder programs.

The benefits of the bush

The research around kinder programs that take to the bush shows many benefits:

Increased confidence, motivation and concentration, increased social, physical and language skills, deeper conceptual understandings and respect for the natural environment
Increased social and imaginative play
Teachers understandings of and relationships with the children are deepened, while families and wider community attitudes towards natural places for play and children’s risk management can be enhanced
Positive outcomes for many diverse communities including disadvantaged or challenging youth, children with autism and drug addicted adults

Nurturing nature – the rise in outdoor learning

Bush Kinder is growing in popularity in Australia for good reason – the immediate and long-term benefits for children are undeniable. It’s an exciting time in early childhood education. Doug Fargher, the founder of Bush Kinder in Australia is joining us at the upcoming Wellness Summits in September and we cannot wait to learn from him.

Doug, in line with the forest schools of Europe, believes in nature’s potential to create a space for children to flourish in their period of critical early development.

Joining our award-winning Bonkers Beat community can provide you with many benefits and give you all access to our Summits on 2, September 2017 in Melbourne or 9 September 2017 in Sydney. You have to act fast to join us though – email info@bonkersbeat.com now or call 13000-B-BEAT (2-2328).

06/07/201707/07/2017

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.

25/05/201725/05/2017

Recognising National Reconciliation Week in Centres

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!

27/04/201702/05/2017

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

05/04/201705/04/2017

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:

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.

29/03/201730/03/2017

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!

09/03/201709/03/2017

3 amazing ways poetry impacts children’s development

It’s no surprise that at Bonkers Beat we LOVE music. Along with a beat and some fun instruments, music often includes lyrics or can be based around poems. For children’s songs these rhyming words focus on a message or a subject that they can relate to, escape within, express feelings through or simply enjoy.

On Tuesday 21 March, World Poetry Day takes place offering a special time to focus on poetry in early childhood education.

Children love rhymes, but there’s also three amazing ways that poetry impacts children’s development.

1. Poetry for memory and language

Poetry is closely linked with recognising and memorising patterns both audibly and visually – that is, through both listening to the sound of poems being read and through reading them on paper firsthand. This style of information processing can also be helpful when children are learning maths and new languages.

2. Poetry for emotional development

By producing sounds and beats, poems allow even very young babies and children to experience language and storytelling on a less cognitive and more emotional level. Some studies also show that poetry contributes to building resilience in children and expanding their capacity to experience and understand emotions.

3. Poetry for physical development

Clapping, turning around, hands up in the air – many poems and rhymes work alongside simple, fun physical movement, much like music. At Bonkers Beat many if not all of our poems and songs have movements to go along with them that not only improve children’s understanding of the content but get the blood flowing!

These are just a few of the benefits of poetry for children. One of the most simple and convincing reasons to make sure you expose children to poems at a young age is the first thing we mentioned – children love them!

Head over to Facebook and let’s come up with some of the best poems we’ve used in centres!

02/02/201702/02/2017

Top Tactics for More Centre Enrolments

As centre owners, directors, managers and educators, we take pride in our centres. So when our beloved childcare and/or kindergarten service isn’t getting as many enrolments as we would hope, it can be disheartening.

Increasing your centre’s occupancy can be challenging. More established centres feel they struggle to compete with brand new centres offering impressive centre 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.

Never fear – with many years of experience guiding centres to success, we have compiled some top tactics for you to get more enrolments at your centre.

1. Get your centre out there

Whether you’re an established centre or brand new, there’s a chance that 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 my 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 the staff development curriculum day at Bonkers Beat Music Kinder we arranged this week to get inspired. We did 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 have our Bonkers Beat Music Program embedded are given plenty of resources and guidance. This includes 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!

We’ve even seen centres that run the Bonkers Beat program covered in the local papers across various states because of the exceptional outcomes for children in the community.

If you can identify what makes you different to 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.

SPECIAL OFFER EXTENDED!

To help you with improving your centre occupancy and get 2017 off to a fantastic start for you, we have extended our Bonkers Beat special offer.

Join the Bonkers Beat Music Program before Monday 6 February , you’ll get your first month membership FREE.

Learn more and sign up here.

Our award-winning program is simple to embed into your existing curriculum and will:

Stimulate Children’s Brain Development
Increase occupancy at your centre
Attract, Motivate and Retain Quality Educators
Increase Your Centre’s NQS Ratings
Enhance Family Engagement
Make Educators’ Programming and Documentation Easier
Give Your Centre a Key Point of Difference

Best of luck with improving your centre’s occupancy – we know that with a few tweaks and some dedication, you’ll have more enrolments in no time!