We have had an amazing week in the Curious Crew class! We have been super busy this week with some awesome creative and fun activities. Where to even start? 

During ring time discussions this week, we first went over our five senses. Which the Crew knew quite well! We then went into detail about the people who don’t have their sight and people who don’t have their hearing. We discussed that a person without sight is called blind and that they get around using a stick which they tap the ground with. Blind people also have guide dogs which help them get around. We asked the children how blind people can read and taught them that they read by dots on a page with their fingertips. If you are in the shops pick up any product in a glass bottle, at the bottom around the edge you will feel little dots, this is brail. 

We spoke about people who can’t hear and that they are called deaf. People who can’t hear have a special way of speaking to each other – Sign language! We learnt a few words in sign language: bathroom, drink, thirsty, more, finished, hungry, please and thank you. The Crew have had to show in sign language if they want more and if they are finished during snack and lunch time. Please ask your little ones at home to show you the sign language they have learnt, and if you would like to show them more sign language you can google ASL for kids. 

We also continued to focus on our fine motor skills by doing some tracing activities and we combined this with our letter, shape and number of the week. We also did a senses activity where the Crew drew things they like to taste, touch, smell, hear and see. 

Our fun activity was trying to guess what scents were in the smelling jars with a blindfold on, some of the kiddie’s reactions were so funny! 

Jolly Phonics is such a hit in the classroom at the moment and I love hearing all our kiddies singing along and learning the sounds that letters make. If possible, please play the Jolly Phonics songs at home in the background as this is great exposure for your little one. 

FunFit Sports: Coach Trevor is just the best! He has such a playful way of guiding the children with activities he has set up. This week he focused on teaching the crew to listen to instructions and some speed skills. The Crew were instructed to run and fetch 1 ball at a time and take it back to the bucket and then stand in their hula hoop but the tricky part was they were racing against someone else, so they had to make sure to concentrate and follow the rules. 

 Yoga:  

Breathing exercises: Pom Pom blowing using our balloon breath for hard and far blowing and using our peaceful breath for slow and calming blowing.  

Our yoga song: It’s a marvelous day – which is a flow sequence of 8 yoga poses. 

Closing off with resting pose whilst listening to bubble popping sounds. 

For art this week in the Curious Crew class, we made sensory texture pages where The Crew stuck little bits and bobs onto cardboard and while doing so they had to describe the texture of these objects. It was so interesting to see how each child described their objects differently to their friends. Please note this artwork will be kept for our annual art expo. 

Thinking tricks: Please try some of these fun games at home with your Crew e.g. putting on a movie but switching off the screen and having them only listen to the sound, seeing if they can guess which movie is on. Or sing a few songs, where here and there you say the wrong word and see if they notice… This can be so much fun and at the same time, works on those very important listening skills. 

We are so proud of our Crew! 

Love from Teacher Tegan 

Next week’s theme: Health and hygiene 

Our Crew!

We have had an amazing week in the Curious Crew class! We have been super busy this week with some awesome creative activities. Where to even start? 

During ringtime discussions this week, we first went over our five senses. Which the Crew knew quite well! Then we went into detail about the people who don’t have their sight and people who don’t have their hearing. We spoke about what a person without sight is called, blind and how they get around, using a stick which they tap the ground with. Blind people also have guide dogs which help them get around. We asked the children how blind people can read and taught them that they read by dots on a page with their fingertips. If you are in the shops pick up any product in a glass bottle, at the bottom around the edge you will feel little dots, this is brail. Let them feel it. 

We also spoke about people who can’t hear and what they are called, Deaf. People who can’t hear have a special way for speaking to each other. Sign language! We learnt a few words in sign language, bathroom, drink and thirsty. The Crew have had to show in sign language if they want more and if they are finished. Please ask your little ones at home, to show you the sign language they have learnt. Here are the links to the videos we watched, they are amazing and simple.  

Basic signs Part 1: American Sign Language for kids 

Basic signs Part 2: ASL signs! 

Music and movement: This week we went over clapping beats 1 beat, 2 beats, 1 and 2 beats, 3 beats. We then sang and marched to the Ants go marching one-by-one and played musical status 

FunFit Sports: Coach Trevor is just the best! He has such a playful way of guiding the children with activities he has set up. This week he focused on balance, walking over the tyres and practiced throwing skills with the Crew. Not just any throwing skills but Shot Put to start preparing the kids for Sports in the months ahead. 

Mind Ninja: This week the Crew identified the emotion sad and that it’s also ok to be sad. Sometimes we need a few minutes to feel all the sadness before we can carry on. Even though we don’t want our children to be sad, it is very important that when they are feeling sad that it is validated and they are allowed the time to feel it fully and then they can ‘Turn their frown upside down’. If you found a little picture in their bags like this ‘: ) :’ this was the concept taught.  

For art this week in the Curious Crew class, we did our names in braille! Once everyone had completed the art activity, we waited for the glue to dry, they then had to close their eyes and feel what their Name felt like in braille. They were very Curious about this activity, doing well following the instructions. 

Thinking tricks: Please try some of these fun games at home with your Crew eg. putting on a movie but switching off the screen and having them only listen to the sound, seeing if they can guess which movie is on. Or sing a few songs, where here and there you say the wrong word and see if they notice… This is just so much fun and we love to see their reactions, it will make you laugh!!! At the same time, working on those very important listening skills. Let us know if there are any that you come up with, that will be fun in class to do too. 

Next week’s theme: Health and hygiene 

Our Crew!