These days it is hard to find a special gift for our children that only costs $20.20! There are many free gifts we can give them such as love, parental guidance, praise, time to listen, to play etc and these are so very important.
The other gift you can give a child is to prepare them for their Prep Year at school. Learning begins from the day our children are born and continues until they finally arrive at the school door with a positive spring in their step and ready to launch into “big school” where they become part of the school community.
This is the moment, when the children who have had the privilege of attending a Kindergarten Program blossom and walk right in with confidence having a head start with the preparation they have received the year before. It’s never too late to join the children in the Kindergarten Program, Term 2 starts on 19th April.
Why are children who attend this Program prepared and confident when they start Prep? And why does it cost only $20.20 for some families for their child to be part of the 2 day Program? All kindergarten children (the year before Prep) are entitled to 2×9 hour days a week in a Government Approved Kindergarten Program. No hours of eligibility are required. To be eligible for the bargain price –
1.Have a Health or Pension Card
or
2. Be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Heritage.
There are many reasons why they are prepared for school and the main one is that they are guided and encouraged by fully qualified Early Childhood Teachers making them feel safe, secure and supported. Also the children learn all the skills they need to succeed at school while they are playing and having fun. Some children develop at a different pace to others but unless they are exposed to the necessary stimulation in all areas of development they will fall behind their peers and may have difficulty joining in at school.
While in the Kindergarten Program children:
-become connected and gain a sense that they belong to a group and the community. They become socially responsible and show respect for others and their environment.
-develop a love for reading and writing. They take part in stories, role play, communicating, listening & responding, writing & drawing. Children become involved learners showing curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence and imagination.
-learn concepts important for Maths and Science. They learn their colours and shapes and concepts such as up / down, first, next and last, top / bottom, before / after, bigger / smaller are just a few of the concepts that are the foundation of Mathematics. Hot / cold, hard / soft, empty /full and other concepts are taught when having fun cooking or taking part in a science experiment or when playing with sand and water. Children become very curious about how the world works.
– develop social skills. They learn to understand rules, use words to manage emotions, express their feelings and learn to ask for help. They become resilient and effective verbal and non-verbal communicators.
-develop independence. They learn to look after themselves, their belongings, manage their lunch box ready for school and also manage their time.
-develop fine & gross motor skills by using scissors, threading, exercising, participating in the perceptual motor program and becoming more responsible for their own health & wellbeing.
There is so much more I could write about but instead I would like to share a precious gift I was given when a child graduated from our centre. Written across his photo are the words:
Every Child is Gifted, they just unwrap their packages at different times.
Give Karen a ring at Little Explorers Child Care Centre and she will explain the program and how your child can be part of it. Come and pay us a visit, the staff and children will make you welcome. We are across the road from the Worongary State School. Ph 55 749 744
