Gorton House
Toddlers
Story by Educator Demi
On one of the hot days last week, the children in Gorton House toddlers used paint brushes and water to ‘paint’ the rocks with water. It was a great way to cool down in the heat, and to observe the water making a mark on the rocks and then evaporating. The children had to paint quickly! They also used the water to paint on chalk drawings, watching the water first make the chalk marks run together and then washing them away. The children are interested in all the ways that water can impact other things and Demi will be exploring this with them further, with more water activities to be planned for the coming warmer weather.
Community Playgroups
Story by Playgroup Coordinator Rebecca
What a wonderful start to Term 4 at our Playgroups! We have had some beautiful weather this week and it has been lovely to see everyone again after our 2-week break for the school holidays.
It is important to note that the weather is quickly warming up and as educators and carers we need to ensure that we are teaching and encouraging our children to be sun smart. While we always have sunscreen available for families to use, please remember to bring a hat for your child. We also always have water and cups on hand if anybody needs a drink. Let’s all stay safe this summer!
As always, playgroup this week has been a messy affair. To help combat the warmer weather we had some water play, which the children thoroughly enjoyed, splashing not only themselves but also each other. This kind of play, where accidental splashing may occur, helps children to learn and understand that not everyone likes the same kind of things and provides an opportunity for us to teach mindfulness and consideration of others.
We have also done some painting this week. These painting activities have transformed blank canvases and paper into amazing artworks that have been created using small and large brushes, with children practicing their painting ‘technique’ rather than focussing on an outcome. When we don’t focus on an outcome, we give our children the opportunity to simply create and experiment and, in the process of this, learn.
We look forward to seeing you at Playgroup this term. Take care and remember to be sun smart!
