This Week at The Infants’ Home 3 May to 7 May

Story by Educator Alisa

Science has recently been a significant focus in the Johnson House program. Following up on children’s interests in mixing colours using food dye, bi-carb soda, and vinegar, a range of experiments have been undertaken that focus on colour mixing. As we were preparing the materials to use in conducting the experiments, the children expressed their ideas about what the experiment could be. The children took turns to fill glasses with water and to drop food colouring of their choice into the glasses. They then placed folded paper towels between the glasses so that the coloured water from the glasses could ‘travel’ along the paper towels as it was absorbed. The children continued to hypothesise with their peers about what would happen and what new colours would form once the differently coloured waters met on the paper towels. The children guessed that green would be the first colour to form as the blue and yellow waters were travelling very fast on the paper towels. The children also added that red was the slowest colour because it had not even yet reached the middle of the paper towel.

This experience extended the children’s interest in creating colours through experimentation. They used verbal language to express their ideas, especially when giving instructions and sharing their observations and hypotheses. They were also engaging in enjoyable interactions as they reflected on why certain things happened, and they practiced their fine motor control when pouring the water into the glasses. We look forward to seeing what other experiments we can do to help extend this interest.

Merging Murray styles!

Story by Educator Sophie

What a month of change and transitions we have had in Murray House as we have welcomed new faces and adjusted to missing some familiar ones!

This week Educator Dalia returned to us from Johnson House, and she has brought back with her loads of new ideas for everyone back home in Murray. Today we trialled a mash up of old styles and new styles, incorporating a groovy group time of baby breath work and happy hellos to open up our day.

Using a familiar format for group time, we introduced the use of ‘mini Murray House songs’ and an acknowledgement of country. By opening the day with a little bit of calmness and mindfulness (dressed up in fun) we aim to continue supporting the development of the confidence and self-regulatory skills that our friends in Murray House are learning every day. Singing Leo the Lion, we roared big beautiful breaths. This was a silly spontaneous addition to the group, and a fun way to introduce a new learning experience to the children!

As we endeavour to include creative elements of mindfulness in the program, we will continue unpacking rituals such as our ‘thank you!’ into daily routines like our acknowledgment of country. Over the next month we will explore texts such as The Thankful Book by Todd Parr and we will continue building our relationships with our friends both new and old in Murray House!

The children in our Family Day Care Sydney Wide Randwick Hub had a busy week making gifts to celebrate Mother’s Day.