2006 Newsletter - Issue 1

Growing From Gardening - What Will We Learn?

Picture a child involved in a gardening activity such as planting a seed. There are so many concepts to explore, discover, and learn. Children will learn about science and nature when identifying plants. They will explore math skills by counting scoops of dirt. They will be exposed to reading and writing through stories, books, and activities such as creating gardening journals. They will learn social skills by working with other children and by learning to care for and nurture a living thing. Through gardening, not only do plants grow, but children grow, too.

How Do I “Dig In”?

Gardening with young children doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it doesn’t need to happen every day or every week. Start by inviting the children to become curious about gardening. Here are three ideas to think about:

1. Get Ready to Dig - Before “digging in” with the children, you may want to reflect on what you would like to have the children discover about gardening. It’s good to take a look through a book on gardening with children to help you plan. Have on hand a few simple supplies to start. A plant or a book about gardening to show the children can spark their interest. Also, you may want to have soil, seeds, cups/pots, watering cans, and magnifying glasses. Gardening tools are not necessary at this point.

2. Consider Safety - always be safe and use good judgment when working with young children. Gardening does have a few risks. Be aware of which plants are poisonous. Know what your potting soil has in it and if it is safe for young children (your local garden center should be able to help). Know also that some seeds are coated with chemicals harmful to young children (read labels of seed packages). Seeds should not be used with children under three years of age. Watch also when using water and tools with young children. Activities should be age-appropriate and supervision is a must! You will also need to consider the current water restrictions when using water.

3. Involve Everyone -Before starting your activity, think clearly if your children can do all the steps involved. Is it too hard or too easy? If working with mixed age groups, find ways to involve everyone. You might hold a baby to look at a gardening book while the toddlers are scooping and counting cups of dirt. Older children can help younger children with seeds. We all know that learning comes from doing. Involve the children in many ways. For example, let them help get supplies ready (line table with newspaper, pass out paper cups, fill watering can, mist the plants, etc.). Have the children help plan what to do next.

Tip: Recycled materials can be used for many gardening experiences. You can use (clean) ice cream containers, large laundry detergent lids for pots, and
egg cartons for holding seeds. Send a list home to families about what you would like them to save and ask if they have any suggestions. You can also recycle plants!

Indoor Gardening Ideas

Even in the cold, dreary months, we can still garden indoors! It is such a wonderful feeling to bring gardening indoors in the colder months. It gives us a connection with the outdoors, even though we are inside. The following are simple indoor gardening ideas to explore with young children.

Start a Bean

Starting a bean seed to sprout roots can be very exciting!

You will need:

• Bean seeds (any kind)
• Clear container (plastic cups or zip-lock style bags)
• Paper towels
• Spray bottle of water

Place seeds on paper towels and put in plastic cups or plastic bags (have seeds placed so children can see them) and place by a window. Moisten with water; no dirt needed! Mist daily with water, but do not over mist or you may get mold. Watch the roots take off!

Children will learn:

• Science and nature by discovering about root systems and what they do
• Fine motor by drawing roots and their wiggly, curvy lines
• Math by counting the seeds
• Responsibility by caring for their seed

Plant a Flower Inside

If you’re stuck inside because of bad weather, it’s a great time to start a flower bulb.

You will need:

• Flower bulb, such as an amaryllis (they are fast growers)
• Potting soil or small stones (we do not recommend using small stones with children under age of three)
• Container or garden pot

You can find many flower bulbs at stores already packaged, or gardening centers may sell individual bulbs. Place bulb in container with dirt or small stones (the stones allow more viewing of the root system). Place root of bulb in first. Before planting, allow children to explore the flower bulb. Look at it with magnifying glasses, weigh it, and discuss what might happen. Once growth occurs, chart how fast and how much it grows.

Children will learn:

• Math concepts by measuring and charting the
• Science and nature by exploring bulbs, identifying plants
• Thinking skills by predicting what will happen

Outdoor Gardening Ideas

Outdoor gardening gives us freedom to move around, to connect with and explore nature, and be somewhat messier! Pick a location that gets plenty of light and is not in the way of everyday play. The following are simple outdoor gardening ideas to try with young children.

Container Gardening

Planting in pots is an easy and fun gardening activity.

You will need:

• Containers (pots, etc.)
• Soil
• Seeds or plants

Find pots or containers that you can add a good drainage system to or that already have a drainage system. If you would like the pots decorated, such as painting, do so before planting. Encourage children to work together. Now comes the fun part! Ask the children what they would like to grow. Make lists and see what suits your environment best and what you have access to. Do you want to plant from seeds or start from small plants? Always check with a reference to make sure your plants are suitable for young children and are somewhat easy to grow.

Children will learn:

• Math skills by counting scoops of dirt
• Cooperation skills by working together
• Science and nature by identifying plants

Small Gardens or Raised Beds

Small gardening takes a lot of work but can lead to a more detailed gardening experience. This may work best with older children, or getting parents involved in the preparation. Having a garden that can be harvested for flowers, fruits, or vegetables is a big reward!

You will need:

• Ground to work in
• Plants and seeds
• Tools

When using any tools with young children, such as shovels, rakes and possibly a wheelbarrow, caution and careful planning are a must. Make sure tools are age and stage appropriate. Explain how and when to use them, and supervise the children carefully and at all times.

Children will learn:

• To prepare the earth/soil (dig, rake, weed)
• To plant and possibly harvest!
• How to care and be responsible for their plant/garden (by watering, weeding, observing)

Internet sources: http://www.gardentimeonline.com

Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST)

One World Children’s Centre: Winner of the Minister’s Award for Excellence for Employers of Australian Apprentices 2006(Geelong Region)

“We believe that as an employer, we are dedicated and committed to ensuring that all our staff have the opportunity to further enhance their knowledge by undertaking Australian Apprenticeships at all levels within the national training package,”

Ms Carol Pundij, Management Team, One World Children’s Centre.

One World Children’s Centre opened in 1997 and is recognised as a leader in engaging innovative and fl exible training in the children’s services industry. The Centre cares for 125 children with a ratio of one staff member to every five children and is committed to supporting children to develop to reach their maximum potential. It currently employs 18 Australian Apprentices.

One World Children’s Centre exists as a part of One World for Children Pty Ltd, a Registered Training Organisation which trains over 400 people in Victoria. Its training team provides support and guidance to ensure that its programmes and services remain innovative, and responsive to their Australian Apprentice’s needs.

The training centre and the Children’s centre function as one, with obvious benefits to all staff undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship in the childcare industry. It has worked out to be a unique and successful partnership.

Ms Carol Pundij is part of the Centre’s management team. On average, the team receives 120 applications for every Australian Apprenticeships position advertised.

“We look for enthusiasm and passion when seeking our Australian Apprentices and in return we provide a workplace that understands their individual needs.
The Australian Apprentices at our centre who display commitment and passion may be offered a higher qualification after the completion of their Australian Apprenticeship,” Ms Pundij said.

“Australian Apprenticeships are ideal for our industry as people can directly practice the skills they have learnt through their training programmes.

For anyone interested, I would recommend they go to a child care centre and spend time observing what the staff do, and how they interact with the children. The child care profession requires passionate people who have a genuine interest in the well being of children and families.”

One previous Australian Apprentice has enjoyed a successful career pathway in the Centre. Ms Erin Devlin started an Australian Apprenticeship at the Certificate III level and she is now the Centre’s Coordinator. Since her initial studies, Ms Devlin has gone on to complete the Diploma of Children Services and has recently enrolled to further her studies at the Advanced Diploma level.

As winner of the 2006 Minister’s Award for Excellence for Employers of Australian Apprentices for the Geelong Region, the Centre has proven its desire and passion to offer Australian Apprenticeships that provide a mentoring, professional network. Winning the award has shown that One World Children’s Centre has a strong commitment to flexibility, innovation and excellence in the employment of Australian Apprentices.

Pictured L-R: Karyn Connors, Chris Nicholls (G-Force), The Hon. Gary Hargraves, Carol Pundij, Erin Devlin.

Children - Getting them active

Around one quarter of Australian children are either overweight or obese. Children with weight problems tend to become obese adults, so it is important to
encourage physical activity in young people if they are to avoid obesity-related conditions (such as heart disease) later in life.

However, trying to force childern to be physically active ‘because it’s good for them’ may not work. This article features suggestions to help childern enjoy an
active life.

The benefits of physical activity

Some of the benefits of physical activity and exercise for children include:

• Cardiovascular fitness
• Healthy weight
• Improved posture
• Reduced blood cholesterol
• Better sleep
• Boosted self-esteem and confidence
• Improved concentration
• Reduced stress, depression and anxiety
• Enhanced social skills

Set a good example

Children learn by example, which is why inactive children tend to come from inactive families. Set a good example for children in the following ways:

• Regularly participate in physical activity yourself.
• Involve children in physical activities in your rooms.
• Provide the children with physical activities on the program plan, e.g. gardening, gross motor experiences, climbing.
• Limit computer games and other inactive activities.

Start early

Good habits are best started early. A young child is naturally active, so build upon their inclinations to use their body.

Suggestions include:

• Whenever possible, indulge the children’s interest in physical activity – for example, kick the ball with them when they ask.
• Show the children to perform basic s skills, such as ball throwing, skipping and jumping. Research suggests that children whose basic skills are poor tend to avoid sports.
• Try out different sports in age-appropriate rooms.

Alternatives to structured excersie

Many adults view exercise as a necessary evil, rather than an enjoyable activity. It must be remembered that any physical activity, not just structured exercise classes, is beneficial to health and wellbeing.

Some fun activities that don’t feel like exercise include:

• Fly a kite.
• Dance to favourite music.
• Riding bicycles.
• Throw a Frisbee.
• Jump on a trampoline.
• Climbing on A-frame’s / equipment.
  

Experiment with different activities

Expose children to as many different types of sports and physical activities as you can. You may discover they have a passion or natural talent for at least one, if not more.

Different types include activities that involve balance and grace (such as drama, dance and gymnastics), sports that require hand-to-eye coordination (such as cricket or football), and those that rely on muscular power (such as running).

Where to get help

• 'Go for your life' Infoline Tel: 1300 73 98 99
• Local council
• Local sporting associations www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au

Literacy and Children

Literacy is the basis of a child’s learning. Children are literate if they know how to use language with confidence, including speaking, reading and writing. Literacy skills can be formally taught but parents and carers are the children’s largest influence and can encourage them in many ways to enjoy reading, writing and mathematics.

Speaking and listening:

You can help children to develop listening and speaking skills in many ways, including:

• Encourage conversation with them
• Take the time to listen to their stories
• Include them in discussions
• Expose them to music
• Explain social etiquettes of conversation, such as not to interrupt when someone is talking, or how and when touse titles such as ‘Mr’, ‘Ms’ or ‘Aunty’.

Reading:

You can help children develop reading skills in many ways, including:

• Lead by example, and allow children to see you regularly reading.
• Play word- oriented games with them.
• Have plenty of books appropriate to children’s reading level.
• Read stories together.

Numeracy skills:

You can help children develop numeracy skills in many ways, including:

• Encourage the children’s use of everyday mathematics, such as counting, sorting or measuring ingredients for a recipe.
• Play number-oriented games, such as dominoes or cards.
• Help them practise their multiplications tables, or counting backwards and forwards.
• Give them a calculator to play with.

More information: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Sensory play

Leading into the summer months the children will enjoy spending a lot of their time outdoors. They will be exploring, experimenting and gaining skills from the programs that you implement. Sensory play stimulates the child’s senses of touch, hearing, taste, vision and smell.

Sensory play helps develop:

• Fine/ gross motor skills
  e.g. pouring, sorting, moulding and sifting.
• Creativity
  Allow the children to explore the materials while creating along the way.
• Social development
  This allows the child to interact with other children at these activities.
• Language Development
  The children are able to use this experience to communicate with each other or identify what they are playing with.
• Cognitive development
  While participating in the sensory experiences the children are still developing their cognitive skills by problem solving, observing, grouping, sorting etc.

When planning your program and you choose to offer sensory / messy experiences indoor you need to remember to offer these experiences with plastic sheets on the surrounding floor, non slip mats or towels.

Sensory play ideas:

For babies:

• Mobiles.
• Activity centres.
• Pull along toys that make a sound.
• Material blankets: different types of materials, cotton, sheepskin, velvet offered in a blanket.
• Sensory bags.

For toddlers:

• Dress ups, various materials.
• Musical instruments.
• Quiet relaxing music.
• Trays filled with wet/dry sand or both, dirt, water, or a mixture, or saw dust.
• Finger painting – add lumps with sand.
• Goop / Slime.
• Water Play.
• Home Corner – Dolls. Clothes with zips, press studs, and buttons.
• Warm playdough.

For preschoolers:

• Clay play.
• Shaving cream (used just like finger paints).
• Coloured ice blocks in a tray or in the water trough.
• Sensory boxes – child to out hand in box opening and identify the objects by their senses.
• Sensory blocks – blocks cover.

Book Review

Developmental Profiles – Pre-Birth through Twelve. Fifth Edition

By: K. Eileen Allen & Lynne R. Marotz Published By: Thomson Delmar Learning

Developmental Profiles is designed as a concise, user-friendly resource for teachers, families, caregivers, and practitioners. It is not intended to provide readers with an in-depth perspective on classic and contemporary theories of children’s evelopment. We believe this format will encourage individuals who work with young children to be vigilant and proactive in promoting children’s development and identifying delays in their earliest stage.

This serves as a refresher of basic principles and background material for the chapters on age-level expectancies that follow. This edition of the Developmental Profiles come with a CD ROM which includes video clips of infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children in a variety of early childhood settings at different developmental stages. Designed to integrate technology into early childhood education, this invaluable resource provides instructors and students with ample opportunities for personal and professional development.


New evidence linking the arts & learning in early childhood

Early childhood educators have long recognised the importance of creative activities and are passionate about promoting children’s creativity. Most early childhood curricula have a strong focus on creative experiences – especially in music, movement and visual arts, because of their acknowledged role in enhancing children’s intellectual, social and emotional development. Recently, the longstanding focus on creative activities has received a resounding
endorsement from neuroscientists working in the ‘brain research’ area who say that neural pathways in the brain are formed and shaped by early experiences. In the first three to four years in particular, rich experiences are necessary to build the brain’s neurocircuitry.

This then influences development and general wellbeing, and later academic performance in school.

The growing knowledge of how children’s brains develop has helped refocus and energise community and government interest in strengthening and expanding early childhood programs. Current initiatives, such as the Australian Government’s Stronger Families, Stronger Communities program, build on compelling evidence that early developmental outcomes are linked to later wellbeing.

In the light of evidence about the importance of early experience, children’s active engagement in singing, music and movement, storytelling, and art and craft activities, is especially significant. All new and sustained experiences help create unique brain connections that have short and long term impacts on developmental pathways.

Importantly, as the current National Enquiry into Literacy draws to a close, attention is focused on the best ways to develop literacy and ensure that every child is a reader. Undoubtedly, this report will highlight the key role of rich, early language and literacy experiences for young children. In preschool and child care, the core of these experiences is frequently arts-based with children’s painting, drawing, singing, dance, and storytelling at the heart of good early literacy programs. Ensuring these traditional early childhood activities, complemented by newer digital experiences, translate into strong early literacy skills requires thoughtful planning and pedagogies that grow out of targeted initial training and professional development.

More than at any time in the past, the social and economic benefits of integrated, seamless programs of early childhood development, care and education are being discussed and promoted here and internationally. It is increasingly recognised that ‘care’ and ‘education’ cannot be separated if child development is to be optimised.

Many early childhood educators would argue that experiences in the arts are at the core of this integration. They underpin much of the developmental programming within services, and draw together the key components of various social and cognitive dimensions of learning. Today, investments in the early years are viewed as sound strategies to achieve social inclusion and academic success.

But, if early childhood services are to meet the needs of families, communities and children through the next decade or so, then the visions, initiatives and strategies must be carefully planned and implemented. There must also be renewed rigour in defining and monitoring outcomes for children.

The range of arts-focused early childhood initiatives in centers, schools and the wider community around Australia is impressive. But embracing arts activities and understanding their value in early childhood contexts– especially as a basis for later learning – can be the biggest challenge. Ensuring early childhood professionals are able to plan and implement appropriate visual and performing arts activities for young children requires a special focus in early childhood education training programs and in professional learning programs.

Alison Elliott Editor - http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/early_childhood_news.html

The Experience of Space The Pleasure of Place

Our first space was a person– inside that warm, wet, dark womb that enveloped us, nurtured us, cushioned us, and literally flooded our senses. Then we burst out into the open and the roller coaster of life was on. We inhabit spaces, move through them, turn them into places – to love, or hate, or anything in between. Ezra Pound said that poetry is language charged with meaning. Places are spaces charged with meaning. Spaces surround us– places have the capacity to release the energy invested in feelings; we care about them and often in some sense own them, they lay claim to our memories, and often our affection or antipathy. Places shape the way we think, feel, and behave– they influence who we are.

Space Speaks

Space speaks to each of us: some- times with a whisper, sometimes with a scream. Long corridors whisper run to a child, picket fences invite children and the child in us to trail our hands along the slats. Low branches may scream: climb me, or a puddle exort: don’t walk on by, jump here! We learn that places and physical objects have emotional messages of warmth, pleasure, solemnity, or fear. They may have action messages of come close, touch me, stay away;

“ I’m strong,” or“ I’m fragile.” Spaces do more than speak – they load our bodies and minds with sensory information. Alfred Mehrabian introduced the concept of environmental load: how the amount, complexity, familiarity, flow, and intensity of environmental stimuli affects our behaviour and feelings. A high load of information flowing through our sensory organs into our brains, particularly new and unfamiliar information, triggers a physiological response that generates intense emotional reactions: fear, flight, excitement, anxiety, or anticipation.

High load subways, shopping centres, festivals, carnivals, and nightclubs can generate lots of stimulation coming from different directions, random and unexpected, unfamiliar and sometimes confusing.

Sensory overload is immediate: the smells, the motion around us, the kaleidoscopic visual stream that the people and the walls present, and above all else, the noise – loud screeching noise that amplifies the neurochemical jolt already brought on by all the other sensations.

Our hormones, blood pressure, respiratory rates, muscle tension, and digestion can all be affected– even in those of us who like subways. We may get pumped up and love it, or hyperventilate and flee.

ENVIRONMENTAL LOAD

Environmental Stimuli

High Load – Subway, amusement park, rain forest, storm

Medium Load – Supermarket, busy kitchen, park, playground

Low Load – church, library, bedroom

Low load environments are the opposite: stimulation is modulated, familiar, simple, and patterned. Bedrooms, familiar quiet places, libraries, and some offices are environments that relax, calm, and soothe – or have you climbing the walls from the lack of stimulation and boredom.

Hot colours like reds, yellows, and oranges stimulate and excite most of us; they are often used in restaurants because they are thought to stimulate our appetites and speed up our eating. Thus, we eat more and leave sooner, making room for others to gulp down more food. Cool colours like blue can act to calm (or chill). Sounds and smells deliver their own messages.

The smell of frying onions triggers a physiological response that stimulates our appetites. Other smells trigger disgust or nostalgia. Rhythmic sounds affect heart rates.

Space speaks to our emotions

We build images of places, meaningful spaces, out of fragments of experiences, experiences significant to us for reasons of our own. Our memories, imaginings, hopes, and dreams transform places and things. The places in our lives inhabit us and get under our skins. The romantic charm of a cottage or airy sun porch, the foreboding danger of a dark alleyway, the excitement or anxiety brought on by the big city, all grow out of our interpretations of the hysical realities. The televised glimpses of Disney World embed in a child’s mind – a place of eternal excitement.

Objects speak to us

Furniture influences our behaviour and our feelings. Crisp orderly office furnishings compels order, straight backs, and clean desks. Most living room furniture seems to invite lounging, reading, or snacking; expensive furniture often implies careful formality – no spills please.

Objects lay claim to our feelings because of associations and qualities of the objects. Wood, leather, stone, adobe, and brick objects beckon to be touched. Objects made of these materials tend to wear with grace. The smoothings and cracks and weathering and nicks often add character. Contrast the old wooden school desk, with its history etched in the carvings and nicks, with the metal and laminate materials of modern styles. Peeling paint, chipped veneer or concrete block, torn polyester, and broken metal are all evidence of wear that repel us.

Space is individual and cultural

Some men go through a forest and see no firewood. Others see only firewood. - Old English Proverb

Our experience of space and time is individual, but it occurs in a cultural context. We are born with different sensory capacity and our experience is unique, but culture mediates our experience– it becomes part of our elements that a child will zoom in Space influences how we feel nervous system; it influences our on: the right place with the right and behave fundamental physical perception of the world. From birth, children learn to attend to some perceptual stimuli and ignore others; find meaning and security or menace in familiar sights, smells, sounds, and objects. Culture shapes whether we feel safe or exposed, crowded, at home or lost in a space; whether the space is high load or low load.

Culture grows and shapes our nervous system – our wiring for the sensory recognition of the nuances of stimulation: whether we recognise thin ice or the approach of a storm, our discrimination of the discreet sounds of city life or forest sounds. Certainly culture shapes our sense of what is safe, beautiful, crowded, functional, and desirable.

Our individual physical make up and experience obviously shape our experience of places. Our size, physical abilities or disabilities, and our sensory capacity influences whether an environment supports our competence and our sense of well being.

Children are not like us

Childhood has its own way of seeing, thinking, and feeling and nothing is more foolish than to try and substitute ours for theirs. -Jean Jacques Rousseau

Children and adults inhabit different sensory worlds. Imagine a young infant’s world of smell, touch, and taste – a world where you see and hear more than you look and listen – where you, in effect, think with your body and actions, and your whole body is your only means of reacting – where many sensations
are new and unfamiliar; unexpected and uncategorised. Your whole world is high load so you shut down at will to manage. Consider the way that young children run from place to place. Children respond to the sensory and motor messages of space, while adults are more utilitarian – we assess for order
and function, cleanliness and safety.

Will the space bend to our will?
Young children investigate the world with their entire body and entire sensory apparatus – skin, ears eyes, nose, and mouth. Children feel the world to make sense of it.
What we often don’t notice are the elements that a child will zoom in on: the right place with the right shape, like a tight angular corner between the wall and a couch or the excitement of a perch; the right sight and sound, like a vantage point from which to watch and hear the torrential rain pouring out of the gutter and splashing to the ground below; or the right feel, be it gooey or slimy. We, who don’t inhabit the floor, undervalue the hot, sunny spot on the floor that draws cats and babies. We are not drawn to the pile of dirt or the hole, to the puddle or dew, or the rough spot where the plaster is chipping away that beckons small fingers. We don’t look for creatures or water or opportunities for make believe. Aside from using the shower and our cars to become omentary singing stars and feeling hushed in libraries and churches, adults rarely assess spaces in terms of their potential for noise making or movement. To children, forever being shushed and stilled, that dimension is no small matter. Adults appraise, admire, and search for connecting memories; they use the environment as their instrument. Children with no such worthy sensibilities are free to simply absorb experience. To their eyes, there is beauty in both flowers and weeds, and wonder in ants and acorns.
Children’s experience of place is more than absorbing the sensory experience– it anchors them in the human community. Each transformation of space into place connects them to us who also inhabit the space.

I most vividly and longingly recall the sight of my grandson and his little sunburn sister returning to their kitchen door from an excursion, with trophies of the meadows clutched in their hands – she with a couple of violets, and smiling, he serious and holding dandelions, strangling them in a responsible grip. Children hold spring so tightly in their brown fists – just as grownups, who are less sure of it, hold it in their hearts. - E. B. White (Letters of E. B. White, 1977)

Space influences how we feel and behave

As an example of how space influ ences our behaviour and feelings, consider how the physical space structures the ease of our entry and exit. Doors carry a greater sense of finality than open entryways; doors without windows are particularly formidable. Opening a door brings with it a sense of promise or peril.

Who knows what the greeting will be? What will be taking place within? Will my teacher be there or will it be a stranger? Are they doing my favourite thing?
Will I feel stupid? Will I be able to leave? Closing the door ends an exper ience. It’s over. Am I glad? Sad? Content? Ambivalent? Some exits are dramatic, some routine. Foyers and open space between the entry and the action allow a more measured entry, as do windows that allow us to peer into the space that we will enter. Children (and adults) are not all the same, of course. Some children plunge headlong into experiences like fearless divers; others from birth are more wary or mindful, preferring a toe-by- toe approach. The world is a much less familiar place to children than to adults. They often don’t see things coming; don’t imagine what lies ahead. Each day brings new wonder and unexpected trials. It must appear to many children that their lives can change as quickly as a tropical day can change from sunshine to rain. Their control over themselves is often shaky, and they find themselves in situations that bring on anxiety and fear. How pathways and entries are structured whether there are staging areas and observation points, for instance, places off the beaten path makes a difference. When the physical space does not allow a measured entry or exit, there is an increased responsibility on the part of adults to make greeting and departure a positive experience.
But what’s the big deal? We go in and out and learn to adapt. Yes, but at our best, we recognise and honour the complexity of experience.
Separation is central to coming and going in children’s programs for children and parents. So is entering and leaving the group. Whether a source of pain or hard won pride, it is always to some degree an emotional experience.
The more abrupt the transition, the more difficult the experience. Yet a seamless transition is not the answer, either. Both adults and children benefit from in-between transition space (and time). Lovers and friends need time and space to separate and come together.

Paying attention

Elizabeth Prescott at Pacific Oaks used the technique of having students visualise from memories of their childhood and then visualise what it is like to be a child inhabiting the spaces we create (a technique later popularised by Anita Olds and others). It works to sensitise us to the territory of childhood.
But another powerful tool is to simply try and pay attention to how the environment influences you today – everyday. How do you feel approaching a closed door or a meandering path? Deconstruct a high load environment that energises you or makes you flee. Where are your off the beaten path places that keep you sane or thoughtful or able to handle the anxiety or sadness that seeps into our lives?

Age two or twenty, four or forty, places matter.

Jim Greenman is senior vice president of CorporateFamily Solutions. He is the co-author with Anne Stonehouse of Prime Times – A Handbook for Excellence in nfant and Toddler Programs (Redleaf Press, 1996) and author of Caring Spaces, Learning Places (Exchange Press, 1988).

Making the Most of Water Play

Great ideas for promoting Water Play

• Fill the water tray/trough with ice cubes (you could also freeze these with food dye and watch the various colours mix)
• Provide funnels and plastic tubing
• Punch holes in a variety of plastic containers to make sieves
• Offer the children material pieces in the water, eg. washing clothes (you may also provide the children with a clothes horse for hanging them out)
• Try to float/sink objects and use this as a discussion point
• You may like to use a small amount of food dye or fragrances to change the water, again great discussion topic (check for allergies before implementing this activity)
• Add plastic animals and a medium like sand or dirt to the water to create a theme (very good for the older groups)
• Provide natural materials in the water e.g. stumps, leaves, gum nuts, pine cones, etc.
• Add jugs/variety of containers. Allow the children to understand the cognitive concepts like pouring, volume, measurements etc
• If appropriate offer book corner close by with books about the water/water experiences/water play. You can read to the children while supervising them.
• Add plastic dishes, a drying rack or a tea towel (great for outdoors on a fine day)
• Beach experience, you could provide the water trough in the sand pit and add beach objects like shells, seaweed, animals etc. Need to be closely monitored as the children can go overboard with how much sand they add to the trough.

Safety reminders when offering Water Play either indoors or outdoors:

• Non-slip surface
• Apron for the children
• Monitored at all times
• Objects added to the experience suitable for the age and stage of the child’s development
• Ensure that the children do not drink the water and positive guidance techniques for children who are not listening.
• Ensure that any substances added to the water e.g. soap/ colouring/fragrances are not harmful to the children and ensure that the children have NO allergies.
• Towel provided for when the children are ready to leave.

Published Training Resources

Since delivering training within the children services industry, One World for Children has researched, and developed its own competency training materials.
For years you have been receiving training materials that have been exclusive to One World training participants. We have always endeavoured to keep all our training participants in touch with current practice and knowledge, thus providing appropriate training materials accordingly.

We are now excited to announce that we have gone through the process of updating our Certificate III in Children’ training material, to ensure that you all have the most current information to further develop your knowledge and skills.
Not only will you have access to the most current information, you will now receive our packages which are being professionally published by Aspire Training and Consulting. One World for Children remains the authors of the newly published training resources.

These resources will be distributed nationally to anyone wanting to develop their skills and knowledge within the child care industry. We look forward in receiving your feedback on what we believe is a professionally presented set of high quality resource books.

Please note that the new style of workbooks will not have coloured coversheets attached. As the workbooks are generic we were unable to include these. As trainers are assessing your assessments, they will attach cover sheets to each workbook.

It is now more important than ever that you CLEARLY NAME ALL WORKBOOKS! We also remind you about photocopying any assessments you submit, as One World for Children will not be held responsible for lost or misplaced assessments.

Avoid disappointment by photocopying all assessments and naming all workbooks!

Encouraging and Facilitating Children’s Friendships

Children are advantaged when an adult sets up an environment that fosters, respects and encourages friendships between children. The following ideas will help you to create such an environment for the children in your care.

1. Provide informal opportunities for the children to develop their friendships:

• Incorporate into your daily program plan, time for the children to initiate and respond to each other freely.
• Allow the children to enjoy each others company, conversations, interaction and play experiences.
• Try not to implement too many adult orientated experiences.
• Ensure that not too many quite / silent activities are offered; this may limit the children’s friendships.
• Unstructured time for children developing friendships provides a rich environment for them to practice their social skills and learn about each other.

2. Facilitate children’s interactions by using pair/ group work at experiences:

• Limiting the play areas you are able to offer the children risk-free situations to practice their friendship skills.
• At transition time or during projects, assign tasks to groups / pairs of children to help them develop the concept of working collaboratively (this may also spark common interests they may share).
• When the children are working together, unintrusively point out similarities that you have observed or encourage the children to identify some of these.

3. Children’s friendships are to be taken seriously:

• Actively listen if a child is talking to you about their developing friendships.
• Ask questions to help foster this friendship and to show the child that you are interested and care.
• Reflect their concerns and involvement.
• Ensure that you never undermind the importance of a child’s developing friendship. (Try not to dismiss, ignore, tease, shame or deny any child’s emotions)

4. Lead/Encourage discussions that focus on what the children may have discovered about each other:

• You may like to try a group session to get the children to identify differences between the children in the group in a positive manner.
• This tactic helps the children discover who they share similar interests, concerns and attitudes with.

5. Assist children to learn each others names:

• Names are a basic form of recognition. Children appear to approach other children and make contact when they are confident of their names.
• Hard to pronounce / less common names become familiar when you refer to each child by their names.
• Ensure that your pronunciations of the child’s names are correct.
• When addressing children use their names at all times as a way to create positive interaction between the children.
• Another important thing to remember is not to push a child into a new friendship if they are not ready and you may choose to offer your condolences if a friendship may fail. E.g. “I’m sorry that your friendship didn’t work out”.

6. When positive/friendly interactions occur between children, highlight them and elaborate:

• Children may misread friendly advances from other children.
• The children may interpret another child’s approach as threatening or overlook it. They could also see it as competition for space / materials.
• Try and be aware of these situations occurring and where appropriate, paraphrase the child’s positive intention. The decision is then left to the child. You cannot force a child to accept a situation or another child’s intentions.

7. Address and highlight with the children how their behaviours affect their friendship making abilities:

• Children at times can be unaware of the link between what they do and how other children respond.
• Try to offer the children information about this association to make it a smooth process.
• This information will need to be repeated several times due to the various child interactions and situations that could occur.
• Reinforce the positive skills the children exhibit, this will encourage repetition.

8. Work with the children to help them work through the negative stages of friendships:

• If a child gets rejected, ignored, or a close friend moves away there is a feeling of loss.
• The child may go through a range of emotions ranging from frustration to misery to even aggression. These are normal reactions for children to experience.
• You are unable to protect the children’s feelings but you can reflect on them and discuss them with the children.

9. Help children to develop and administer conversation skills:

• Encourage the children to use eye contact when they are communicating with other people.
• Assist children so they can provide and participate in dialogue e.g. referring children’s comments / questions to one another.
• Avoid interrupting children’s conversations, but stay nearby if required, you made need to intervene.
• You may need to guide older children or shyer children into discussions; you may introduce a topic of interest for them to initiate a discussion.
• Ensure that you encourage all children to listen as well and contribute to a conversation. This is a very important and respectful quality to instill in children.
• Discuss with the children strategies to develop friendships / conversations with other people. They may have questions / concerns be sure to be as responsive as you can be.

Guiding Childrens Social Development - Theory to Practice 5th Edition by Kortelnic, Whinen, Soderman, Gregory. Thomson 2006.

Recipes you may implement into your program planning:

Goop

Ingredients
2 packets of cornflour
2 cups of water
Several drops of food colouring

Directions

• Mix in a large bowl or deep tray.
• Place newspaper or plastic sheets underneath.
• Use coloured or black paper to make goop paintings.

To remove goop from carpets allow it to dry, then brush or vacuum. Goop may be re-used after it has dried out. Crumble it to a powder then restore it to the original consistency by adding water a tablespoonful at a time.

Uncooked Playdough

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup salt
1 tbspn cooking oil
A few drops of food colouring
1/2 cup water

Directions

• Mix the flour and salt together. Add the oil.
• Add the food colouring to the water, then add the coloured liquid, a little at a time to the flour mixture.
• Knead until the mixture is smooth and has the consistency of scone dough.
• Multiply the quantity by the number of children using the dough. Children can mix this themselves.

Click Here for more recipes

Hand Washing Techniques

Washing your hands seems like a simple task, but an easy one to forget or not complete properly. If you do not follow all the steps you will be exposed to infection spreading. Posting the procedures of hand washing wherever there is a sink is a great way to encourage your employees to practice the correct techniques and to demonstrate/ rolemodel them to children.

It is very important to keep your hands clean to avoid the spread if illness. It’s important to remember to wash your hands after each of the following:

• After using the toilet
• Before preparing, eating or serving food
• After handling animals
• If you have come in contact with someone with a cough or cold
• After blowing your nose or cleaning any bodily fl uids.

Proper hand washing techniques:

1. Turn on tap. Check to make sure that the water is at a comfortable temperature and that disposable paper towel or a hand dryer is available.
2. Moisten hands under the water and apply a heavy lather of liquid soap.
3. Wash hands for 15-20 seconds. Scrub the front and back of your hands up to your wrists, between your fingers, and under your nails.
4. Rinse your hands under the running water. Allow the water to run from your wrists to your fingertips. Dry your hands with disposable towel.
5. Turn water off by grasping tap handles with towel or with your elbows if available. Dispose towel in bin.

Note: To help children remember to give their hands a “good” wash you may sing with them during the process. “This is the way we wash our hands, wash
our hands, wash our hands. This is the way we wash our hands and wash the germs away.”“ Hand washing is perhaps the single most effective control measure against the spread of communicable and infectious illness in a child care environment.”

Fisher-Price Child Care Awards

One World for Children would like to congratulate one of our long time loyal employers Talli Kimelman from Gilly’s Early Learning Centre in Balaclava, on winning the 2006 Fisher-Price Child Care Award, as Child Care Director of the Year. The annual Fisher-Price Child Care Awards attracted 900 nominations from around the country. Well done Talli for your contribution towards caring for the wellbeing of all children, families and staff.

Guiding Children’s Behaviour

Children learn by experimenting, exploring, experiencing the consequences of their actions and by testing the limits of their environments. Children strive for independence, self-control and understanding. Adults need to set limits to ensure:

• They do not harm themselves, the environment or anyone else.
• They feel secure and safe and know that an adult will stop them if they find they cannot stop themselves.
• They get an understanding of what different behaviour they are expected to use in various situations.

Guiding children’s behaviour is a means of helping the child take care of themselves and others. By demonstrating positive guidance techniques you are able to assist the child to promote independence, self-esteem, autonomy and caring for others and their surrounding environment. This is a respectful approach to the children and if implemented carefully is a great skill to master. Consistency is always an important aspect of guiding children’s behaviour and needs to be demonstrated for every child. Please refer below for some effective principles you could use when guiding children’s behaviour:

• You need to plan your environment, set limits and expectations, redirect their behaviours and use logical guidance techniques not punishment.
• Anticipate situations, prevent / intervene when required.
• As a role model to the children you need to be able to encourage and provide support to the children when dealing with a conflict or difference of opinion.
• Keep the children active and interested in the planned activities so that they do not resort to physical abuse towards other children due to boredom / lack of stimulation.
• Remain calm and be patient with the children if an incident occurs.
• Do not give the children labels and be sure to respect each child as an individual.
• Praise the children when they are behaving in acceptable ways.
• Role model at all time appropriate behaviours. The children may learn by imitating your actions and identifying your behaviours.
• Where there is no / little risk try to get the children to sort out their own problems. Intervene before it gets out of control.

Guiding Childrens Social Development - Theory to Practice 5th Edition by Kortelnic, Whinen, Soderman, Gregory. Thomson 2006.

Games & cultural diversity: Making the connection

Play is the work of children and the means by which they learn about themselves, their peers, the community around them and the world in which they
live. It is the way they acquire, practice and develop new skills. A child’s ability to learn is enhanced by having a positive self-image. Children’s self-esteem
is strengthened by having their culture, family, and individualism positively acknowledged and accepted. By providing a variety of games, children’s services staff and carers give children the opportunity to extend and support their learning in a fun and enjoyable way. Games can be used as a vehicle to explore issues of diversity.
They can reflect the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of individual children, the families using the service and their community and promote awareness and positive attitudes to diversity.

Games can be played with children from birth. Babies will respond to games involving music, singing, nursery rhymes, finger plays, dance and movement, rocking, touch, facial expressions and word plays. These games can support their developing eye- hand coordination, motor skills, language, cognition,
and social and emotional well-being. As babies develop into toddlers the games can involve increased mobility, copying and comic antics, satisfying their developing sense of humor. The older child can engage in progressively more physically challenging games such as hopscotch, follow-the-leader and ball games, which promote the development of muscles and gross motor skills. Games, which include the use of small counters, marbles, dice, drawing and writing are excellent for fine motor development and eye-hand coordination.
Cognitive thinking can be encouraged through games that involve strategy, instructions, mathematics, matching, sorting, organisation and concentration.
Social skills can be developed through learning turn-taking, negotiation, decision-making, co-operation and being part of a team.

Games can be used to support a child’s cultural and linguistic heritage. Language is a very important aspect of a child’s culture. Supporting the maintenance of a child’s first language shows respect for their culture and acknowledges the value of being bilingual.

The development of a child’s first language can be supported by providing games using the first language, such as, songs, rhymes and chants, identifying and
naming objects, and card games which depict the written language. Being strong in the fi rst language forms the foundation for learning English as a second language. The development of English can be further extended by using games that contain lots of repetition, learning of simple instructions and the use of visual objects. Encourage children to play games in small groups where the new English learner has the opportunity to listen to fluent English speakers.

Games are played by children all around the world and many are linked to specific cultural traditions, religions and celebrations. Children’s awareness and understanding of the world can be broadened by playing games that give them the opportunity to reflect on the many ways people live, speak, work and play, and that whilst there are many differences, there are also a lot of similarities and all ways of doing are acceptable. A strong connection can be made between a child’s home and children’s services if staff and carers encourage family members to share games that are played in the home. This provides the child with something familiar that can be a comfort if they are newly arrived or unsettled or it can be a special experience that an older child can share with peers and have a feeling of importance as they teach them the rules of play.

The role adults have to play does not end with providing children with the tools and materials to play games. Their role should be an active one to ensure children gain the optimum benefits and learning opportunities that each game provides. With careful research and planning of which games to provide, thinking about the presentation and enthusiasm in the playing, children’s services staff can impart so much more than just a time-fi lling, energy expending activity. Instead, games can become lessons in history, human relations, society, inter-personal communication, interdependence and mutual respect.

Denise Williams This Article is from ‘Resource’ no 125 (fka Children’s Services).

Declaration by the international association for the child’s right to play

PLAY along with the basic needs of nutrition, health, shelter and education is vital to develop the potential of all children.
PLAY is instinctive, voluntary and spontaneous. It is natural and exploratory.
PLAY is communication and expression, combining thought and action; it gives satisfaction and a feeling of achievement.
PLAY touches all aspects of life.
PLAY helps children develop physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.
PLAY is a means of learning to live, not a mere passing time. development of English

Competition

We pride ourselves on our commitment to quality, and have in place measures to ensure we remain responsive to both our clients and our industry’s needs.
Communication plays an important role in our ongoing quality improvement, and as an organisation we strive to maintain effective communication at all levels. What this all means is we love having your feedback! In fact, we absolutely crave it!!
Whether you are an employer who has staff training with us, a manager looking for a training provider, or a participant in one of our programs, we want to know what you think of us!
Doesn’t matter what, if you have an opinion about One World, our training, our service, our website, we would love you to share it with us.
Share your thoughts, by signing our guest book, and your name will be placed in the draw for your chance to WIN a copy of Developmental Profiles our book review for this edition.
This competition will be drawn on the first Friday of the month for the next 6 months. Competition will commence on the 1st December 2006 and will be drawn on the first FRIDAY of each month and the last draw will be on Friday 4th May 2007. Be sure to get signing so that you can have a chance to WIN this great resource book.

Take advantage and save yourself time

Why not send your assessments to us via e-mail:
training@owfc.com.au
It will save you time and your assessments will get to us promptly and safely.

Any administration queries may be made directly to:
admin@owfc.com.au

Any technical support/queries can be made directly to:
tech@owfc.com.au

Enjoying the outdoors

One World For Children Pty Ltd
"Winners of the 2003 Victorian Communtiy Services & Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award: Innovative Training Product"

One World For Children Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 701 North Geelong Delivery Centre 3215
<% if session("version") = "ACT" then %> Telephone 1800 006 533, Fax (03) 5272 3039 <% else %> 407-411 Thompson Road, North Geelong, Victoria
Telephone (03) 5272 2714, Fax (03) 5272 3039 <% end if %>

Updated 13 December, 2006
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