Relationships with children Archives - Page 7 of 9 - Early Learning Childhood Education

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!

02/11/201702/11/2017

Creating collaborative partnerships with parents and communities

They say it takes a village, and we tend to agree. When it comes to raising children and providing a well-rounded childhood, parents, families, friends, early childhood educators and communities all play a role. To get the very best out of your village, working together and creating collaborative partnerships is a must.

The National Quality Standard emphasises the power of collaborative partnerships too: “The aim of Quality Area 6 under the National Quality Standard is to recognise that collaborative relationships with families are fundamental to achieving quality outcomes for children and those community partnerships that are based on active communication, consultation and collaboration are also essential.” (ACECQA)

There are three simple ways you can start to foster these partnerships.

1. Focus on communication

Communication is the key to beginning a solid, rewarding relationship, no matter who it involves. Encourage an open line of communication between parents and educators.

This can include posters, emails, Facebook groups, notes sent home, a welcoming space at centres and an invitation to call the centre as needed. Share ideas, feedback, concerns, reminders, invitations – you’re a team! The shared goal of educators and families is to provide children with a fantastic start in life.

2. Host fun events

Life can certainly be busy, but when something special comes up most people are willing to do their best to make it work. Don’t forget to create opportunities for families and centres to have a little fun outside of the normal day-to-day routines.

Picnic dinners are cost effective and simple. Everyone can bring a plate and share food at the local park – a great example of a family-friendly event that gets everyone together in a community-minded way.

3. Collaborate on something

At Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale, we love getting together for a good, old-fashioned, Working Bee. We work with families on improving the centres’ environments, share a nice lunch and have a great time.

Most recently our working bee was a huge success. Educators together with families and children created a Community Garden! This was in addition to a new working bench, a teepee, landscaping, gardening and lots of tidying up of our centre’s spaces. Educators, parents and of course our clever children all worked together to create something wonderful – and that’s a collaborative partnership! Take a look at the photos of the day unfolding here.

How does your centre work on creating collaborative partnerships with parents and communities? Let us know on Facebook – we love to share ideas!

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.

21/09/201722/09/2017

Making Life Easier for Families – Spring Holiday Programs

Each year children around Australia have around 11-12 weeks of holidays from school or kinder, while parents can usually access roughly 4 weeks of annual leave. This can make it tricky, but school holiday programs can help.

A school holiday program for children who are not yet school age can be run from different services and enables working families to save their holiday leave time for when they can really enjoy it with their children.

Whether you’re looking for a school holiday program for the upcoming school holiday break or you are creating a program, these ideas will help you to know what a great school holiday program should include for children under six years old.

School Holiday Programs – What they should offer

Keep it interesting

School holidays are about having fun! In our recent School Holiday Programs, we have had a special experience included in our program each day. Experiences we like to include that you might like as well are puppet shows, making books, visiting the library and making and flying kites.

Keep families in the know

Many families won’t know what to expect at school holiday time or what you can offer to support them during the term breaks. Let families know in advance what is on offer to help make school holidays less stressful for them and more enjoyable for their children. Create a program in advance.

Include an adventure

School holiday time is for doing something that you don’t normally do. Break the routine a little and do something special with children. This could be a local excursion to a park, a visit to a farm or a trip to a museum.

Educators who are looking for extra ideas, or parents with time off over the term break, take a look at these 24 ideas for fun in rain, hail or shine in our School Holiday Activity Guide.

To get inspired and learn more about Bonkers Beat Music Kinder, click here.

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.

17/08/201717/08/2017

4 Ways to celebrate Father’s Day this year

Looking for a Father’s Day idea? Socks, ‘World’s Best Dad’ mugs, breakfast in bed… These classic Father’s Day gestures are fun and much-loved by dads. But let’s get creative for Father’s Day 2017 on Sunday, 3 September and show dads how much children really care with some heartfelt and handmade gifts!

Father’s Day Idea #1: Create a portrait

First, ask children to think about their dad or special male role model’s features – does he have big bushy eyebrows? Dark brown eyes? A fuzzy beard? With those notable features in mind, children can paint or draw a portrait! Encourage children to take their time and think it through. Make it even more special by adding textures for hair, pop it in a frame or laminate it to make it last a lifetime.

Father’s Day Idea #2: Fill in the blanks

Children say some funny things – and dads will love to read the funny things they come up with when asked to fill in the blanks! Try this one. Team it with an image of the child to top it off.

Father’s Day Idea #3: Dad Grass Heads

They’re funny and simple and dads will love them. Create a grass head for fathers and special men that include little details that are tailored to children’s dads. For example, a tie, glasses or facial hair make a fun custom addition. Take a look at how to create a grass head here.

Father’s Day Idea #4: Use the Bonkers Beat ‘My Daddy’ poem

We’re sharing our My Daddy poem with you! Children can recite it to fathers and special men in their lives at a Father’s Day morning or afternoon in your centres or incorporate the text from the poem into your Father’s Day card or craft. Access ‘My Daddy’ poem here.

Don’t forget that Father’s Day is a lot of fun for many children, but should always be treated with sensitivity. Talk about dads as well as special men in children’s lives. This could include step-dads, uncles, grandfathers and family friends.

It’s also worth remembering that Father’s Day presents the opportunity to discuss the variety of family dynamics with children. Letting them know that there’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family can be incredibly comforting to a child who may feel uncomfortable about their family situation and can teach other children about diversity.

Enjoy celebrating Father’s Day and share with us photos via Bonkers Beat Facebook!

Image Designed by Freepik

10/08/201710/08/2017

What is resilience and why children need it

Like day and night, the ups and downs of life are inevitable. While we want children to experience only the best things life has to offer, adversities and challenges are something that they will face. There’s not much we can do about some of the challenges or setbacks children will face, but we can guide them in how to respond to these setbacks.

Resilience defined

According to Resilient Youth Australia, resilience is defined “as the ability to draw upon the strengths within yourself and around you to flexibly respond to life while remaining true to yourself and creating positive relationships with others.”

Another definition of resilience found in Early Childhood Australia’s ‘Children’s resilience’, says that resilience is about the qualities and skills that ensure children (and adults) can cope with difficulties positively.

Building resilience in early childhood

There are many ways we can build children’s resilience from a young age – and we should. Learning that “failing” is just a part of learning is so essential to living a happy, fulfilling life.

Here are just a few ways to begin to build resilience in young children and help them to grow up able to bounce back and learn from everything in life.

1. Empower children

Show children that they are capable and enable them to trust in themselves. (Find our empowerment tips here.)

2. Maintain a positive outlook

Positive thinking is something we are really passionate about – it’s powerful! Staying positive about the future shows children that there is a reason to dust yourself off and try again or try another way.

3. Create healthy relationships

Healthy, respectful and supportive relationships are an important goal for all ages. Encourage children to pursue them and nurture them. Team building is one way, and Justin Kuchel of Active Start Sports will be at our Wellness Summits in September to talk about just that. Want to come along with your team of educators? Learn how you can.

4. Believe in children

Self-belief is important but so is children having educators and other adults around them who believe in them. Tell them and show them that you believe they can succeed.

5. Take appropriate risks

Doug Fargher, Founder of Bush Kinder and an early childhood guru is passionate about the need for parents and educators to trust children and support them in taking appropriate risks. He’ll be presenting as a guest speaker at our upcoming Wellness Summits in September. (Remember: if you’re not attending yet, there’s still time to join us and come with your entire team! Click here).

Resilience in early childhood can be built every day and can transform the way we learn, create and live. We would love to hear your resilience-building strategies – share with us on Facebook on our page or in our private group if you’re an educator who is a Bonkers Beat member.

25/07/201727/07/2017

Strong bonds for strong health

Children love their mummies and daddies, there’s no doubt about it. The love and support of the adults who care for children most is vital to their lives and developmental journeys.

However, it’s important for children to have other relationships in their lives as well. Grandparents often play a wonderful, supportive role in children’s lives – and it’s a relationship that can be very special.

Children benefit from all healthy family relationships, and in the case of grandparents the relationship is mutually beneficial.

Health benefits of grandparent relationships

Facilitating positive relationships for children with their grandparents can build children’s resilience, create closer family bonds and improve their overall wellbeing.

For grandparents, the benefits are pretty incredible too. In fact, a 2016 study found that grandparents who look after their grandchildren regularly lived for around five years longer than non-caregiving grandparents! Supporting grandparent relationships is essential.

Creating strong bonds between grandparents and grandchildren

Sometimes these relationships just blossom, while other times grandparents may need some guidance and support from parents to find the sort of grandparent role they are comfortable with.

Here are some tips to help create strong bonds for grandparents and grandchildren:

-Encourage them to spend time together

-Support the relationship by finding shared interests they can enjoy together e.g. gardening, reading or music

-Use technology to build connections if distance is an issue

-Involve them in children’s lives and education, especially through events like Grandparents Day

Grandparents and Special Friends Day

Having an opportunity like Grandparents and Special Friends Day means children get a chance to share their learning environment, artwork, favourite books and their friends with special grown ups in their lives.

We are mindful of the fact that each family has a unique relationship with grandparent and some may not have grandparents in their lives. That’s why we never make this just an opportunity for grandparents – all special relationships children may have with family friends or aunties and uncles should be celebrated!

Bonkers Beat Music Kinder in Aspendale hosted our yearly Grandparents and Special Friends Day this week – take a look here!

One look at these happy faces shows just how important and enjoyable children’s relationships with special adults in their lives really are.

29/06/201730/06/2017

School Holidays and Family Bonding

For many families school holidays can be a juggle to say the least. Working families in particular feel the pressure to fit in family time with jobs. On top of everything of course we’re all busy trying to keep the house functioning and feed everyone!

Thankfully it’s not always about the quantity of time we spend with our families – quality time is what it’s all about.

To make things easier, our Bonkers Beat Holiday Program gives families the opportunity to give children a special experience during the school holidays. During this time, we arrange many excursions and incursions which allow all families to join in and have fun together with their children. Take a look at one of our excursions during last year’s Holiday Programs here.

Parents may also contribute to the life of the centre by running a simple presentation for children and educators. This might include: sharing their passion, talking about their job, playing a musical instrument, cooking with children or simply reading a book.

Squeeze in some family bonding time

School holiday bonding experiences don’t have to be a full day out. A simple game together can be great fun. Try no mess, no fuss card games like memory or snap.

If you’ve got a day to spend together, jump on a train to the city and enjoy the amazing free activities on throughout the school holidays.

It’s all happening at museums, libraries, public spaces and more. Take a look at what your capital city has to offer these school holidays.

Melbourne / Sydney / Perth / Adelaide / Canberra / Brisbane / Hobart / Darwin

Make some special memories

Doing things that break up the day-to-day can become long-lasting memories. Think about the things you remember fondly from childhood… There are probably many fun family bonding ideas in there that you haven’t thought of or tried yet! Who knows, carrying on some special like that could become a family tradition.

Check out our School Holiday Activities Guide: 24 school holiday activities for indoors, outdoors, adventures and quiet time! Find it here.