A report from our Extended Care, Term 3 2022

- Adapted from Hayley’s formal report.

IDENTITY:

We continue for our transition times to be calm, warm and clear for the children. It is important to create a sense of security for the children. Lately we have had children ask if they could stay longer which they have named, extended extended care! We have also had children excited to join our extended care sessions with families taking advantage of the casual sessions.

Having both Hayley and Kim part of the 4 year old program has also established stronger relationships with the children and allowed the children who do not attend extended care to get to know both educators.

Extended care artwork

LEARNING:

In extended care we provide a program that is child led. Activities provided are sometimes spontaneous and sometimes carefully planned with the interests of the children in mind. We also continue to work closely with the 3 and 4 year old educators to extend children’s learning. We have been discovering dinosaurs, volcanoes, conducting experiments both child and educator led, exploring indigenous culture, social skills and more.

We have been working on our cutting skills in extended care with many children this year being a little reluctant to give this activity a go. Activities such as cutting our Torres Straight Island head rests that were printed for Torres straight Island and Aboriginal children’s day, cutting and making volcanoes, cutting and making medals like the medals in the commonwealth games and more.

We are also working on name recognition by making front covers for our wellbeing books with names on the front to develop this skill. We also encourage children to write their name on their artwork and support the children with this activity.

COMMUNITY:

We have been working on a group art project over the last couple of months. The children have been decorating local gum leaves in the colours of both the Torres Straight Island Flag and The Aboriginal Flag.

The gum leaves as seen in our kinder logo represent Manna Gum leaves, which hold great significance to the Wurundjeri people, the Traditional Custodians of this Land. The Wurundjeri people present Manna Gum leaves to visitors to the land as a welcome to everything from “the tops of the trees to the roots of the earth". This gift of Manna Gum leaves represents a symbolic link between the Wurundjeri people and visitors to the land and also represents an understanding that visitors will show respect for the land and respect for the children, and will honour the spirits of the ancestors of the Wurundjeri people who have nurtured the land for many thousands of years. We have decided to display our Acknowledgement with these leaves on a canvas, once finished to be placed at the entrance of our kinder rooms.

The children have been discussing events such as the commonwealth games and discussing experiences from the children's visits to their prospective schools for next year. Amongst our group children are attending different schools spread wide within the community.

We also provide many activities for children to engage with their peers and create a sense of community in extended care. We have been excited to see new friendships and groups forming.

Making play dough during an extended care session

WELLBEING:

We are continuing to create a sense of trust and confidence within our group and have kept the activities and session routines similar in each session to help children feel secure.

Afternoon sessions are full of experiences that help slow down children's minds and bodies after a full day. We are have been using music sessions from the RAMSR Program in our sessions, which the children have responded well to. RAMSR (Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation) is a program for young children that aims to support their attentional and emotional regulation skills, as well as mental flexibility, inhibition, and working memory (the executive functions). The children have enjoyed activities that have helped them find the beat, dance and sing. Some of the activities are tricky and require regular attempts to develop children in those areas. (Some of the activities the teachers find tricky too)

Our relaxation and Wellbeing books are still a favourite activity. Lately we have been listening to music whilst discussing and drawing/ colouring volcanoes, dinosaurs, athletes, fireworks. This is based on the children's current interests and works in line with the 4 and 4 year old programs. and community events.

We have also introduced visual charts for some children that have required a visual guide to the afternoon. The charts also help the children to engage in other activities and with other children.

COMMUNICATION:

We start our afternoon with a small group time every session. We allow each child (if they wish) to share with the teachers and peers. Children have enjoyed sharing something special from their bags, something they've made, details on a family holiday or what they did on the weekend, or sometimes anything that pops into their head at that moment etc. We find using the talking stick helps children to understand whos time it is to share and who needs to show respect to their friends and listen.

Activities such as group games, stories, group construction, free play and group snack times are regular parts of our program and provide times for children to interact, play and communicate with peers and educators. We have been working a lot on sharing ideas in play and allowing others to share their ideas too!

We will continue to work with all educators and children to provide a fun and engaging program and a rich and inviting environment for our children to play and learn.

Hayley Collins

Extended Care Educator