"You've Got a Friend" 2009 - SandFantasy

Over FOUR Million Dominoes - It's A New World Record

Amazing Turkish art technique called Ebru. Floating dyes or paint on water.

The art of 'Marbling'...

...or 'Ebru' we found out from our trusty source You Tube. We also discovered that it is a traditional Turkish Islamic Art.

If you weren't aware, this term will be focused around the arts as we prepare to enter the annual Polyfest Art Exhibition at the end of the term.

Art has always been a popular experience within the Kindergarten but what the children couldn't believe is how different 'Art' can be.

We posed a question earlier in the week..."What IS Art?" Wihanel suggested it's something you can make, Katrina and Richie thought it was painting and drawing and Karl, Brooklyn and Cody wondered if it could be trucks, diggers and cars. Interesting isn't it, how a simple question can create so much discussion!!

Kylie bought in some pieces of art for everyone to look at which created further discussion..."Can a statue be art?"

Then another question, Richie was busy making music on the bike today and Kylie asked, "Is music art?" Katrina very quickly informed me that music couldn't be art because it's not a drawing...The plot thickens!!

Indeed there are many art forms and this is something we will share with the children throughout the term. And yes music is art and so is dance, even though it isn't a drawing, because as we have found out this week, art isn't always something pictorial. Perhaps Wihanel was right..."It is something that you make".

Check out our links to the You Tube clips to watch some of the art we have discovered this week. I'd say the people who could set up over 446,000 dominoes to create a design must have the patience of a saint!!

We also attempted our own 'Ebru' art, with a bit of trial and error, they are displyed on the wall in Takahe group...Check them out!!

Also a big thanks to Julie Henderson for spending the day (on her birthday) making Sushi with the children on Wednesday!! Many of the children hadn't tasted it before but by the end of the day...it was ALL gone!!

And before we go, we would love to hear any of your art ideas the we could incorporate at Kindergarten. Leave us your comments below,

Cheers, Kylie, Judy & Ginny!

Keeping Ourselves Safe ...

A BIG welcome to Charlie Diack's Poppa who joined us for Morning Meeting today. Poppa is one of our local Gun Safety officers and spoke to the children today about safety around guns. Things NOT to do include: Don't TOUCH, Stand behind your Dad if you are out shooting, Keep you ears covered, Tell an adult if you find a gun (but remember NOT to touch), You can shoot ducks, rabbits (but NOT Sting!!!), goats, pigs, geese but NOT people. Keith (Charlie's Poppa) handed out some colouring in worksheets which the children got to take home. Tks for taking the time to come in to Kindy Keith. Here's a challenge ... ask your child if they remember some of the things Charlie's Poppa talked about.

Tks to all the Mums who came along to the Kindy Parent Group on Tue night ... an initiative that is being currently organised is Tool Box ... a locally held, parenting programme. Keep watching the space for more details. And a BIG tks for making Ginny so welcome. It is great to have such an experienced teacher join our teaching team. Don't hesitate to introduce yourself. Have a great weekend ... keep warm.

Judy

Haere Mai ... Welcome Back Everyone

We hope everyone had a relaxing Term Break ... the children have come back buzzing !!! Happy Schooldays to ... Beth Anderson, Matthew Mansell, Carlin Gold, Blair Wilson, Sam Robson & Chloe Telke who finished @ the end of term. And a BIG warm welcome to Shayla Payne (into morning kindy) & Alyssa Smith, Baris Ilhan, Brooklyn Day & Gypsie Leonard to our Afternoon Kindy group.

We also welcome Ginny Cowie to our teaching team. Ginny is our .5 Teacher who joins us with both Teacher & Head Teacher experience. Ginny has 3 children & her husband Dave, is the local Otautau policeman. Ginny joins us on a Tue, Wed & Thur. Please don't hesitate to approach Ginny & introduce yourself. We also have with us both a 1st year & 2nd year Students ... Krista & Natalie. Krista & Natalie are currently on a 2 week practicum ... again don't hesitate to introduce yourself.

Check out our Planning Wall ... our Term 2 Planning is based around 'Decision Making' ie 'WHAT WILL I CHOOSE?' After spending two terms with 'Questions & Questioning skills' we have watched the children develop some wonderful research skills and have now noticed the children in a dilemma of which choice to make, when seeking more information ie Do I Google? Do I look in reference books @ Kindy or the local Library? Who will I ask? Who can I ask? So our term planning is based around Decision Making. Have you any planning ideas? Write them up on the Planning Wall & share them with us. We are alos in the process of writing up Term 1 'Evaluation of Learning' in both our morning & afternoon groups & the Kindy Newsletter ... so keep checking your e-mails.

Our current interest is 'Duck Shooting'. So all the best for all our Duck Shooters for the weekend. The children & Kylie have made a pretty cool MaiMai ... and we have had some great debates in our morning Buzz Group about 'What is a MaiMai?'. We also had Cass (Judy's Duck Dog/Pet Labrador) in on Fri morning to show everyone how she loves to fetch things (so hopefully she will fetch some ducks in the weekend!!!). We watched a YouTube clip on training labradors & on some duck shooting exploits. And Charlie Daicks 'Poppa' is one of our local 'Gun Licence' people, is coming along to talk about Gun safety, as we begin to make our own Gun Licences @ Kindy.

And let's not forget 'Mothers Day' on Sunday. The children have made some cards (both in the Afternoon & Morning groups) so if you didn't receive one, ask Kylie, Ginny or Judy. To all our Mum's ... we hope you can have a 'Chill Out' day on Sunday ... ENJOY!!!
We thought the cartoon by Shaun Yeo in Saturdays Southland Times quite relevant. It's a weekend of 'Guns & Roses' ... but never the twain should meet !!!

Haere Mai ... Welcome Back Everyone

We hope everyone had a relaxing Term Break ... the children have come back buzzing !!! Happy Schooldays to ... Beth Anderson, Matthew Mansell, Carlin Gold, Blair Wilson, Sam Robson & Chloe Telke who finished @ the end of term. And a BIG warm welcome to Shayla Payne (into morning kindy) & Alyssa Smith, Baris Ilhan, Brooklyn Day & Gypsie Leonard to our Afternoon Kindy group.

We also welcome Ginny Cowie to our teaching team. Ginny is our .5 Teacher who joins us with both Teacher & Head Teacher experience. Ginny has 3 children & her husband Dave, is the local Otautau policeman. Ginny joins us on a Tue, Wed & Thur. Please don't hesitate to approach Ginny & introduce yourself. We also have with us both a 1st year & 2nd year Students ... Krista & Natalie. Krista & Natalie are currently on a 2 week practicum ... again don't hesitate to introduce yourself.

Check out our Planning Wall ... our Term 2 Planning is based around 'Decision Making' ie 'WHAT WILL I CHOOSE?' After spending two terms with 'Questions & Questioning skills' we have watched the children develop some wonderful research skills and have now noticed the children in a dilemma of which choice to make, when seeking more information ie Do I Google? Do I look in reference books @ Kindy or the local Library? Who will I ask? Who can I ask? So our term planning is based around Decision Making. Have you any planning ideas? Write them up on the Planning Wall & share them with us.

Our current interest is 'Duck Shooting'. So all the best for all our Duck Shooters for the weekend. The children & Kylie have made a pretty cool MaiMai ... and we have had some great debates in our morning Buzz Group about 'What is a MaiMai?'. We also had Cass (Judy's Duck Dog/Pet Labrador) in on Fri morning to show everyone how she loves to fetch things (so hopefully she will fetch some ducks in the weekend!!!). We watched a YouTube clip on training labradors & on some duck shooting exploits. And Charlie Daicks 'Poppa' is one of our local 'Gun Licence' people, is coming along to talk about Gun safety, as we begin to make our own Gun Licences @ Kindy.

And let's not forget 'Mothers Day' on Sunday. The children have made some cards (both in ht eAfternoon & Morning groups) so if you didn't receive one, ask Kylie, Ginny or Judy. To all our Mum's we hope you can have a 'Chill Out' day on Sunday ... ENJOY!!!
We thought the cartoon by Shaun Yeo in Saturdays Southland Times quite relevant. It's a weekend of 'Guns & Roses' ... but never the twain should meet !!!