Extended Hours Reflection 10

WE HAVE MANY CHEFS AT THE KINDER!!!
We really enjoy cooking activities especially on a cold rainy day. The pumpkin soup we made was perfect for the cold morning and our hot scones with jam went down like a treat! Children of all ages benefit from cooking activities, which teach measurement, encourage children to explore their senses and entice them to try new foods. Cooking is a beneficial skill, teaching about different types of ingredients and healthy eating. By educating children about cooking and introducing them to fun and tasty recipes, they will make better eating decisions and take pride in cooking their own food. The children have requested to make homemade pizzas and chocolate chip cookies in the future. If anyone has any good recipes or can spend a morning to help cooking … feel free to get involved!

Alexandra (Marie’s mother) gave a wonderful presentation on Paris. The children sat on the mat and we all had a discussion about the beautiful baguettes, croissants, cheese and macaroons they have there. Alexandra showed us some famous paintings which included the Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa ‘See how she looks at you’ and the children had a very close look. Marie put a French CD on which we could listen to and even though we couldn’t understand the language the sounds were very hypnotising. We did recognise one song which we all could sing along to ‘frerashaka’ the true song is in French and is called Frere Jacques.

Here are the French lyrics:
Frere Jacques, frere Jacques,
Dormez-vous, dormez-vous?
Sonnent les mantines, sonnent les mantines:
Ding-dang-dong, ding-dang-dong!

Here are the English lyrics:
Are you sleeping, are you sleeping
Brother John? Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong!

The children created a pirate ship next to the window which has prompted a lot of imaginative play. We have been drawing treasure maps and finding gold in the backyard.

Imagination is more important than knowledge generally. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." - Albert Einstein

The recycled art materials have produced some beautiful art work. We have used all the plastic bottles as rollers with ribbon/string around them to create interesting prints and designs on paper. The paper would be perfect decoration or wrapping paper for the next special occasion. Nicholas, Charlie and Jordan have used boxes to create boats

‘I’m putting down a deck’ said Nicholas

‘I’ve put floaties on the bottom of my ship so it won’t sink’ sad Charlie

‘I need a small triangle for the flag’ said Jordan

We went into the bathroom and filled the sink with water to see if they would ‘float’ we found plastic floated really well but wood and cardboard was more likely to sink to the bottom.  We wonder what other materials might float or sink in water.

Thank you to all the families who have been filling up their recycle bags with lots of materials

Amy, Tracey, Helen and Fiona 
Extended Hours Educators