It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas. The decorations are up and the children are well and truly getting involved making Christmas chains, stained window glass and baking Christmas decorations to paint. We made some delicious Christmas crackles using butter, marshmallows and white chocolate! The children made Christmas shortbread with Helen and decorated them with icing the following day...delicious!  Eve and Tracey brought in some beautiful Christmas decorations for the tree- it stands in the room beautifully. The children have been talking about Christmas- acknowledging Christmas is celebrated in many different ways all around the world.

Tom took pride in telling his friends his family helps an African boy across the othersider of the world so he has food to eat and shelter. It’s good to ‘help’ people said Tom because ‘not all boys are lucky’ he said. Christmas is about giving and looking after each other- the children recognise it’s not all about presents!

The lady of Lourdes Primary school children came to visit our kinder and sung beautiful Christmas songs. Each year around Christmas the ‘big kids’ walk to kinder and share a morning with us- it’s so nice to see so many familiar faces who also attending the kinder. We have been busy practising for our Christmas concert; we sent the words home so the children can practise before bed time.

The children are excited to enter the next phase of life- and we hope you leave our kinder with fond memories....

Please make sure you take all your child’s belongings on the last day and any art work you might like to take that’s hanging up around the room.  

We will miss you all...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Amy, Tracey, Helen and Fiona 

Christmas is getting closer and our room is looking beautiful with all the children contributing to the room decorations. It certainly is an exciting time – we will wrap our surprises we have made next week, and then we will hide them till Party day. We have a real Christmas Tree which our children have made decorations for. A reminder that our Party is on Thursday 19th  at 1.15 p.m. – but we will need the children to arrive at 1.00 p.m to allow us to settle everybody ready to start. We have a drawing of Father Christmas flying across our window – so the children have done drawings of their houses to put underneath so he will know what to look for, also a drawing of Kindergarten.

We enjoyed a visit from the children at Our Lady of Lourdes School  children last Tuesday to sing some beautiful Christmas carols for us – it was great to see some familiar faces of children who had been at our Kindergarten last year. We thank them for this experience, it is good to interact with other Schools in the area.

As always the children have been searching for nature things to share with us and learn about. Our Science experiment growing wheat was successful – the children were very excited to see some shoots starting to appear and to grow bigger each day. Our silkworms continue to lay more eggs. We are starting to have cicadas brought for us to see, and a beautiful fragile cicada’s wing.  Our science experiment growing beans did not work – but that is what experiments are all about – some work and some don’t.

We are looking forward to our Party on Thursday 19th, and after to sadly say our goodbys. Please if you are able to spend some time helping us to clean up on the Friday we would greatly appreciate that. Have a safe and happy Christmas and holiday.

What will happen next week ?

Group A Educators – Margot, Ann and Lisa.

Christmas Christmas Christmas is certainly all around us. Indoors for the session on Monday there was glitter from one end of the room to the next. The children have been involved in making gifts and decorations for you. They were excited to see the tree in the room. Several discussions revolved around where it came from and what can go on it. Several of the children finished decorating their gingerbread man and we all practiced singing our songs that the children have chosen to sing to you at our Christmas celebrations on Tuesday 17/12/2013. They are very happy that you are coming to see them sing and spend time at Kindergarten with them during the party............. While painting at the easel three friends had a fun sensory experience with paint........ certainly spent some time in the bathroom cleaning up before going home.......... rather funny!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Tuesday many of the children spent time outdoors rolling down the hill. During this experience the children were turn taking, being safe and of course laughing and having fun. Indoors some children helped decorate the tree which they took pride in doing. The hospital had many patients but the doctors still went out looking to make sure everyone was healthy. They were rather happy to be taking blood from people.............. The drawing table and the block area continue as they have all year to be very popular and seen children’s skills, talents and interests grow and grow.  What creative children they are.

Outdoors on Friday the children played with the hulla hoops in different ways, others were in the sandpit while the red tins and paint brushes were of interest to other children. With the few bird feeders that we still had the children decided what trees to put them in. So hopefully on our last session in 3 Year Old Kangaroo Group on Monday we will see some new birds. We celebrated Lachlan’s birthday and it was so lovely to have his mum and dad and two of his sister’s join us. Thank you so much. We finished with reading the story “WONKY DONKEY” which Lachlan loves

Have a great weekend everyone

3 Year Old Kangaroo Group Educators; Fiona, Karen, Fiona and Annette

On Monday the children were very excited to see the Christmas tree in the room. There was lots of touching and smelling as well as talking about where it came from and how it got to Kindergarten. We discussed what can be put on it, tinsel and baubles were added. The children have been very involved in making decorations for you. They are becoming rather excited about singing songs for you and having a party next week let alone Santa coming..........

Thursday was the last day of our Koala Group for 2013. It was a fun day full of laughter and sometimes silliness........... Outdoors there were some children rather involved in the sandpit cooking some amazing meals and others were busy using the red tins and brushes to paint water over seats, walls and trees. More Christmas craft was happening to finish off their gifts to you. Even on our last day we had so many helpers at pack away time. Thank you so much. I think they really like coming into the shed to see what they can find!!!!!!!!! Indoors we discussed what happened at Christmas. Santa gives us presents..... why ...... because we have been good and nice......... how does he give them to you........ he comes down the chimney....what happens if you don’t have a chimney.......... .ummmmmmmm...... a magic key was suggested to the children... This key can open lots and lots of doors....... the children had big smiles on their faces  to know that Santa is magical and that he could be coming to their home......... There was also  talk about Jesus and how he helped many people. We were also told that he was born on Christmas and that’s why we have a party. What very informed children they are..........?

Party celebrations on Monday 16/12/2013.  Children to come into the room at 1.15 and then adults can come into the room at 1.30

Thank you so very much for letting us be a part of your lives.

Wishing you all a very happy and safe holiday season

From 3 year Koala Old Group Educators; Karen and Annette