Monday

To complete today's activities, you will need:

something to draw on

something to draw with

small twigs or sticks

small stones (for building)

paint


smooth rocks (for painting)

a paint brush

Overview of today's activities:

  • Activity 1: What is Kindergarten like? (20 minutes)

  • Activity 2: Singing (10 minutes)

  • Activity 3: Make a campfire for fairies (20 minutes)

Break

  • Activity 4: Sing and sign - Please and thank you (10 minutes)

  • Activity 5: Shared story - Whoever you are (30 minutes)

Please note, these times are an approximation only.

What is Kindergarten like?

Learning goal: Children listen to their peers and reflect on their feelings related to starting school.

Transition to school activity

Listening to other children talk about starting school will help you know what to expect.

1. Listen to Wynn, Izzy, Sumedha, Alfie and Hugo share some tips about the first year of school.

Story Box Library (20 Jan 2015) 'Starting school' [video], YouTube, accessed 11 October 2021.

2. The children in the video talked about feeling nervous about not knowing anyone at school. Do you feel like this sometimes?

3. Some of the children had friends they already knew. Some of the children talked about making new friends. Do you know anyone starting school with you?

4. What are some of the things the children said they like about school?

5. Draw some of the things you are looking forward to when you start school.

6. If you want to, listen to a story about a girl's first day at school.

Too hard?

  • Talk with someone about what the children say in the video.

Too easy?

  • Tell someone about your picture and ask them to add some writing to it, describing each of the things you have drawn.

Singing

Learning goal: Children explore their world and express themselves through song.

Sing along with Caitie.

Imagine you can see all the things Caitie sings about.

Super Simple Play (24 August 2021) 'Let's go for a walk outside- Caitie's classroom sing-along long' [video], YouTube, accessed 12 October 2021.

Too hard?

  • Walk around outside with someone from your family and see what you find together.

Too easy?

  • What are the things that Caitie sees?

  • What else might you see on a walk outside?

Make a campfire for fairies

Learning goal: Children use natural materials to make a campfire for fairies.

Watch this video or follow the instructions below to make a campfire for fairies.

Making a camp fire for fairies

Duration: 01:00

What you need:

  • twigs or small sticks

  • small stones

  • charcoal (optional).

What to do:

Nine stones placed in a circle on top of wood chips.

1. Arrange the stones in a circle.

Small pieces of charcoal inside a circle of stones.

2. Put some charcoal in the centre of the stones (optional).

Small pieces of twigs or sticks.

3. Break the twigs into smaller pieces (or fairy sized logs).

Small pieces of twig placed inside a circle of stones.

4. Arrange the thinner twigs inside the stones.

Sticks in a "tee pee" shape inside a circle of stones.

5. Add the thicker twigs.

A mini-campfire surrounded by larger pieces of stick.

6. Place sticks or stones around the campfire to make a yarning circle for fairies to sit and talk.

Too hard?

  • Collect some twigs and stones and use them to create something.

Too easy?

  • Draw a list of the things fairies might find useful to have around their campfire. Can any of these items be made from natural materials?

Take a break

Here are some things you might like to do:

  • have a drink of water and a healthy snack

  • play or have a rest

  • go to the toilet and wash your hands.

Sing and sign - Please and thank you

Learning goal: Children recognise the need to use verbal and non-verbal language to communicate with others.

1. Watch the video and listen to the song.

CoComelon Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs (Jan 2 2018) 'Please and Thank You Song' [video], YouTube, accessed 23 September 2021.

2. Did you notice the family signing the magic words, please and thank you?

3. Practice signing the words for please and thank you, like in the video.

Too hard?

  • Practice saying 'please' when you ask for something and 'thank you' when you receive something.

  • Use keyword sign or visuals if that is how you communicate.

Too easy?

  • Ask someone to help you search for the signs for other words, for example, hello and goodbye.

Shared story - Whoever you are

Learning goal: Children become aware of connections, similarities and differences between people.

1. Listen to the story and look at the pictures.

Mem Fox (5 August 2021) 'Mem Fox reads whoever you are' [video] YouTube, accessed on 14 October 2021.

2. Think about all the ways the story said that we are the same.

3. Think about the ways the story said we may be different.

4. Think about how people you know are like you and how they are different to you.

5. Paint some people on rocks or on paper.

6. Paint your people different sizes, shapes and colours.

Painted rocks, each with a different "skin" colour. The rocks are resting on a larger rock painted to represent the world.

Too hard?

  • Listen to the story and talk to someone about it.

Too easy?

  • When you have finished painting, explain to someone how your people are the same, but different.

  • Tell someone about the story. Remember to tell them about the things that are the same about people and some things that make people different.

  • Talk with someone about how you are the same and different to them.

Extra learning activities

  • Explore Auslan (Australian Sign Language) through the song 'I See Stars'.

Child voice