Term 1 Week 5

This week we have been proudly displaying the children's successes from the recent Winton Autumn Flower Show. The children were awarded many prizes so please take the time to acknowledge their efforts by taking a look at their amazing masterpieces on show throughout the Kindergarten!!

We have been having a great time outside in the sun this week, a timely reminder to please ensure your child has sunscreen on in the morning - we will reapply throughout the day as necessary; sunhat; and change of clothes too thanks. The dome tent still proves to draw a lot of interest, and is becoming a quiet space for children to take time out with a book or game.

Discovery Time:
The children have been experimenting with changing pH levels in hydrangeas and then observed over the week to the transformation that has taken place - so exciting to see the colours change and develop!
On Tuesday the group made Kylie a birthday card. These were put into a smile box collage and emailed to Kylie in Wanaka - she felt very special that we remembered her birthday and put so much effort into the card - tu meke/awesome!
On Wednesday morning a group of interested children made FLOWER shaped biscuits with Sally. In Discovery Time these were decorated. As the children went home at the end of the day everyone took a biscuit as a celebration of their efforts at the Flower Show - great work!!

Happy School Days to Jacob Robertson off to Winton School!

TF Group:

Welcome Miley Coveney and family

Welcome Quilan and family

Welcome Teresa Adendorff and family

Welcome Amelia Young and family

This week we welcomed four new faces to the TF Group. The rain decided to greet us so we made the most of it by playing under the fort and in the punga house. Today we enjoyed another sunny day, with the highlight on our Fridays being the rubbish truck collections - what a LOUD noise it makes as it empties the bins!!

Georgia finished her two week posting today but will be here each Monday.

A big thank you to the 18 wonderful parents who came along on Wednesday night to the Parent Group AGM - lots of willing, supportive parents have come on board great to see!

Have a great weekend in the sun everyone!!

Week 4 Term 1

Georgia!

The butterfly house Georgia and crew worked on and entered in the flower show

On Monday we welcomed back Georgia McMaster. Georgia returns to Winton for her third year teacher training. Georgia will be with us for a two week posting, followed by every Monday, and another block posting half way through the year. We look forward to supporting Georgia in her final year of study and seeing what wonderful ideas she has to share. Already this week Georgia has worked alongside a group of children in the Project room making a "Butterfly House" for the Monarch Butterflies which we then entered in the Winton Autumn Flower Show!

The Butterflies!
Monday morning we were greeted by Monarch Butterflies!! We found two had emerged from their chrysallis and were able to observe three more come out during the day. The children now have an intrinsic understanding about the life cycle of the butterfly having experienced each stage alongside the butterflies, nurturing them, protecting them, and building anticipation as we waited and waited for them to transform from caterpillars into beautiful butterflies!

Winton Autumn Flower Show

The clay caterpillars Linda and the children created - also entered into the flower show!

This week we have been very busy finalising our entries for the Winton Autumn Flower Show. You will have noticed the beautiful butterfly display Sally prepared to showcase the children's creations, as well as the leaf impressions, record flowers, clay caterpillars, and egg carton caterpillars. Thank you to those who helped taking entries down on Wednesday (Kay Teviotdale!!)  and our volunteers who came along on Friday to see the Show with the children - 17 parent helpers awesome turnout thanks!! I hope our MTW Group were able to pop in with family to see their work on display within the community  - such a feeling of affirmation and pride having your creations acknowledged!

Our "Moths" and Clay Caterpillars on display at the Show

Heart Foundation Appeal Week

"Wear RED for Healthy Hearts!" MTW Group

This week we also participated in "Wear Red for Healthy Hearts" on Wednesday and Thursday. Everyone looked amazing dressed in bright reds, some even showed off their creative side putting a lot of thought into their costumes!! The Kindergarten was set up with a range of red experiences, such as red lego; as well as acknowledging the importance of taking care of our hearts with lots of heart pumping games for the children to partake in! Our shared morning teas were a hit with lots of HEALTHY food choices for the children - thank you! We raised $$$$$ for the Heart Foundation - tu meke awesome!

TF Group celebrating "Wear Red for Healthy Hearts" on Valentine's Days

HAPPY SCHOOL DAYS TO KEES CUMMINGS AND ASHTON GOLD!

Welcome to Amelia Phillips and family joining us this week

Week 3 Term 1

The rain has finally made its return so the children have been learning about the importance of being prepared for all weather conditions - a spare pair of clothes is essential, as well as a warm hat and jacket so that the children can continue to enjoy all aspects of the programme no matter the weather!

CATERPILLARS:
The children noticed that there was just one caterpillar left after the weekend...We now wait in anticipation for their metamorphosis into butterflies!! This week the children have been articulating this transformation by reproducing the life cycle of the butterfly as a flow chart diagram - very cool to see the different stages the butterfly goes through!

Kees and Mackenzie check on progress

Sophie's life cycle of the butterfly diagram

Nicholas and Ngaarrgii draw lots of attention being crysallis!!

MTW Group:
The children arrived back this week to find the dome tent erected on the lawn! We have had lots of camping play going on and lots of discussion around summer time fun! We discussed Waitangi Day and the significance of the Treaty for all New Zealanders.
With a short week we had Library Day and Proud of Me Box a day early - thank you to all those who remembered to bring back their library bags/books to exchange for new ones.
NEXT WEEK: On Wednesday as part of the Heart Foundation Appeal Week we will be showing our support for the cause by participating in the "WEAR RED FOR HEALTHY HEARTS!!" Please dress in red, bring a HEALTHY RED plate for shared morning tea, and a gold coin donation.

TF Group:
The children had lots of fun with Jo on Thursday, visiting us from Rockdale Park Kindergarten for the day! Still no butterflies - maybe by next week??!!
Notices and the Permission sheet were put out this week with information regarding the Winton Autumn Flower Show coming up next week. Please ensure you have signed permission for your child to attend the Show next Friday, also more parent help is required for the day - thanks!
NEXT WEEK: PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THURSDAY the 14th of February (Valentines Day!!) we will be showing our support for the Heart Foundation Appeal Week by, as above, dressing up in RED, bring a HEALTHY RED plate for shared morning tea, and a gold coin donation.

GO WINTON KINDY!! EMAIL RECEIVED FROM THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND FOUNDATION OF THE BLIND

Hi Judy,

Late last year your kindy kindly got involved with our Bake a difference event and sent us the gorgeous video that you put on smilebox.

We wondered whether we could possibly use that this year as part of our Red Puppy Bikkie Day promotion? We had thought it would be a great wee thing to pop on Facebook to show people how much fun it can be baking with kids.

If you could let me know that would be great – and hopefully the centre will be keen to get involved in Red Puppy Bikkie Day in April!  We are sending out our invitation letter with cookie cutter later this month.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Nicola Garland
Campaign Executive     
 
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Te Tuāpāpā o te Hunga Kāpō o Aotearoa
Awhina House4 Maunsell Road
Parnell, Auckland 1031

Week 2 Term 1 2013

Another HOT AND SUNNY week here in Winton, it is great to be able to make the most of these nice days! A BIG REMINDER that all children need a hat with them and sunscreen applied before Kindy each day - we will reapply where necessary later in the day.

"THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR!"
Our programme this term is focusing on Friendships, something we want to incorporate into our 'Proud of Me' Box. PARENTS/WHANAU: Please share those special moments at home where your child shows dispositions of friendships/proud of me moments with us by leaving a personalised message for your child in the Box above the sign-in desk. These are read out on a Wednesday afternoon. TF GROUP: We will now start sharing Proud of Me moments at end of day mat time on Fridays.

Our new friend Logan Wallace checks out the caterpillars

CATERPILLARS:
Have you noticed the transformation taking place this week??? Nearly all of our caterpillars are now tucked up in their chrysalis and we wait in anticipation for them to emerge...the countdown is on!!

Ruby and Portia-May painting caterpillars

MTW GROUP:
This week we started our entries for the Winton Autumn Flower show with children making leaf imprints on clay in the project room with Sally, clay caterpillars outside with Linda, and melting vinyl records in the sun to mold in to the shape of flowers. We will continue with these projects over the next 2 weeks in the built up for the show. PARENTS/WHANAU: We will be looking for parent help on Wednesday the 13th in the afternoon to take entries down to the hall with some of the children - can you help?

On Wednesday the children had a fabulous time in their togs under the snake sprinkler - what better way to end the week!

Remember "Library Day" on Wednesday afternoons. Each child has a blue reading bag that they should bring with them every Wednesday to return previous week's books and to select 2 new books for the following week. This is a neat way for children to practice their literacy skills and learn about respecting the property of others.


TF GROUP:
On Thursday the children worked together to put up the dome tent. We have been overhearing lots of stories and imaginary play around camping and holidays - having our own tent set up has been a wonderful revisit for many of the children.

Charlie T taking time out to eat morning tea in the tent

Today Judy worked alongside the children making egg carton caterpillars. Sally and the children sculpted clay caterpillars outside. These creations will be collected and entered in the Winton Autumn Flower Show coming up in a couple weeks. PARENTS/WHANAU: Mark Friday the 15th of February on your calendars, we will be taking the children along to the Flower Show - this requires LOTS of parent help on the day please for ratio requirements. Let Christina know if you are able to come along!

We have a short week next week with Waitangi Day on Wednesday - NO Kindergarten that day.

The children have enjoyed eating outside on the big parachute all week

Week 4 is the Heart Foundation Appeal week running from the 11-18 of February. We will be having shared red morning teas for both groups - more information to follow next week.