Preschool News: Term 2 Week 8

Hello everyone,

As we move towards the halfway point of the preschool year, it has been lovely to see the connections between the children continuing to strengthen. This is showing in their play, conversations, shared humour, negotiations and the way they notice and remember things about each other.

This week we have been playing a number of games using the children’s name cards. One of these has been a “Who am I?” style game, where clues are given about the child on the card and the group guesses who it might be. The children have been very engaged in this and it has been impressive to see how well they know each other. Some children have also begun taking on the role of giving clues themselves, which involves
careful thinking, descriptive language, listening and confidence speaking in front of others.

We have also noticed strong interest in letters, names, sounds and writing. The children have been identifying letters in their own names and the names of others, guessing invisible letters written in the air, and making connections between letter names and sounds. It is encouraging to see how naturally this is developing through everyday play, group games and meaningful use of written language.

Our walk to Lane Cove Library was another highlight. The children were very capable on the walk there and back, and respectful and attentive while Cassandra (Lane Cove librarian) read stories to the group. These regular visits provide valuable opportunities for children to participate in the wider community, practise shared expectations and enjoy books and storytelling beyond the preschool environment.

In the craft room, the children spent time beading. They were able to choose whether to make keyrings, bookmarks, necklaces or bracelets. Beading is a popular experience and also supports concentration, hand-eye coordination, planning, patterning and fine motor strength.

Brighter Beginnings

Currambena Preschool will be participating in the Brighter Beginnings Health and Development Checks in Early Childhood Education and Care program. The Northern Sydney Local Health District team is scheduled to visit on Wednesday 22 July. These free checks are available for children aged 3½ years and above.

Consent is required. Please complete the consent form and questionnaire by Monday 29 June using the QR code/link provided. If your child does not usually attend on Wednesdays and you would like them to participate, please let me know so we can work out the best arrangement.

I also attended training this week regarding the Preschool Reform Agreement, which relates to funding, data and reporting requirements for community preschools.

We hope everyone has had a lovely weekend,

Warmly,
Katrina, Lisa. Meeta and Lida