GIGI BYTES-Edition-16

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Benefits of Outdoor Play in Preschool

Outdoor play is an essential part of early childhood development, offering numerous benefits for young learners. Here’s why it plays a crucial role in preschool education

1. Physical Development- Engaging in outdoor play helps children develop motor skills, balance, and coordination. Running, jumping, climbing, and other physical activities strengthen muscles and improve overall fitness.

2. Social Skills-Outdoor environments provide opportunities for children to interact with their peers, learn teamwork, and practice communication skills. They learn how to share, cooperate, and solve conflicts, fostering social development.

3. Creativity and Imagination-The open-ended nature of outdoor play encourages children to use their imagination. They often engage in creative games, make-believe scenarios, and role-playing, which stimulate cognitive and emotional growth.

4. Connection with Nature- Being outdoors allows children to explore the natural world, fostering a sense of curiosity and environmental awareness. Interacting with plants, animals, and weather elements enriches their sensory experiences.

5. Emotional Well-Being-Outdoor play offers children a break from structured classroom settings. It provides a sense of freedom, reduces stress, and promotes mental well-being, as children can release energy and express themselves freely.

Incorporating outdoor play into preschool routines not only contributes to the holistic development of children but also nurtures their love for learning in a dynamic and stimulating environment.

Swapnali Medhekar

Center Head

Kanakia Kids, Mira Road

CLASSROOM CONNECTION

A positive teacher-child relationship is crucial for a child’s emotional and academic growth. Children need to feel seen, heard, and loved in their learning environment, while teachers provide a supportive and inclusive space tailored to their individual needs. A strong teacher-child connection lays the groundwork for a lifelong love of learning.

NURSERY

ENGLISH

Domain: Social and Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, Creative Expression

This week, learners explored the story of “Two Frogs,” which highlighted perseverance and courage, fostering decision-making and resilience. They also enjoyed a story about a grape-filled garden, introducing the /g/ sound. Learners created grape bunches through thumb printing, boosting fine motor skills and sound recognition. The sound ‘O’ was introduced through a phonic song, and learners reinforced it by colouring an orange, improving focus and coordination.

MATH

Domain: Cognitive Development, Fine Motor Skills, Number Sense

Learners were introduced to the number four by building block towers and counting objects in sets of four. They reinforced these skills through worksheets. The colour blue was introduced through water play, where learners transferred coloured water with sponges and sorted blue objects, enhancing sensory exploration and fine motor skills.

THEME

This week, our nursery class had an exciting recap of community helpers, celebrating familiar roles such as doctors, teachers, and principals. New community helpers like firefighters, police officers, masons, and cobblers were also introduced. The children engaged with a “community helper” worksheet, which helped reinforce their understanding of these essential roles in society, linking classroom learning to real-world professions. This activity supported Social Studies and Language and Literacy development. They enhanced their comprehension of societal roles and expanded their vocabulary while engaging in discussions about the community.

JR.KG

ENGLISH

Language and Literacy Domain Competencies: Phonemic Awareness, Early Reading Skills, Letter Recognition

Two-letter words are essential for building early reading skills, as they introduce children to simple phonics and basic word structure. In this cycle, we reinforced the ‘a’ family and ‘i’ family words, supporting phonemic awareness. Learners also practised writing lowercase letters ‘g’ and ‘o,’ helping them strengthen their letter recognition and fine motor skills.

MATH

Cognitive Development Domain Competencies: Shape Recognition, Number Sense, Color Recognition

This week, learners explored new mathematical concepts. They were introduced to the rhombus, a shape with four equal sides, and had fun identifying rhombus shapes in everyday objects, such as kites and window panes. Number names 1 (one) and 2 (two) were also introduced through engaging activities and counting exercises, helping learners recognize and say these numbers. The colour white was introduced, and learners eagerly identified white objects like cotton balls and paper in the classroom. As part of the ongoing number series, learners practiced recognizing and writing numbers 25 and 26, while using manipulatives to count and reinforce their understanding of these numbers.

THEME

Social-Emotional and Cognitive Development Domain

Competencies: Cultural Awareness, Empathy, Communication Skills

Our classroom celebrated a vibrant “Community Fiesta,” recapping festivals like Diwali and Holi while introducing Halloween and its traditions of dressing up, trick-or-treating, and celebrating with friends and family. The learners also discussed safety during these celebrations. In addition to festivals, learners were introduced to community helpers such as electricians and cashiers. This exploration fostered cultural awareness, empathy, and communication skills, encouraging learners to appreciate different professions and their contributions to society. Through these activities, learners developed respect for community helpers and began to understand the value of teamwork, creativity, and community involvement.

SR.KG

ENGLISH

Language and Literacy Domain Competencies: Phonological Awareness, Sentence Formation, Oral Language Development

Learners were introduced to simple sentence construction using picture flashcards, helping them understand basic sentence components like subjects, verbs, and objects. This enhanced their ability to communicate clearly and confidently. The lesson also included a recapitulation of CVC words and the days of the week, reinforcing their early literacy skills.

MATH

Cognitive Development Domain

Competencies: Visual-Spatial Skills, Number Sense, Problem Solving

This week, learners were introduced to the 3D shapes rectangle and cuboid, which enhanced their understanding of basic geometry and spatial awareness. Teachers used concrete objects to explain the shapes and their properties. Learners also completed an addition worksheet and practised writing numbers in both forward and backward sequences. These activities supported the development of numerical and fine motor skills.

THEME

Cognitive and Social-Emotional Development Domain Competencies: Conceptual Understanding, Creativity, Fine Motor Skills, Social Skills

Recapitulation is beneficial for improving understanding, building confidence, and promoting active learning. Learners revisited the topics of “Community Helpers” and “Leisure Activities” through worksheets and group discussions. They also created an origami joker’s cap, which stimulated their brain, enhanced eye-hand coordination, and developed spatial awareness and logical thinking. Role-playing activities further ignited their imagination, language, social skills, and self-confidence, making learning dynamic and engaging.

LITERACY CIRCLE

Nursery

Domain- Language and Literacy, Phonemic Awareness

Learners practised letter recognition and sound pronunciation for Mm, Rr, Dd, and Gg using the Fitzroy book. They strengthened letter formation and sound recognition through interactive tracing and picture activities.

Jr.Kg

Language and Cognitive Development Domain

Competencies: Listening Comprehension, Story Sequencing, Creative Thinking

In this week’s Literacy Circle, learners continued developing their listening and comprehension skills through interactive storytelling sessions. They participated in activities that encouraged them to sequence stories and think creatively, reinforcing their language comprehension and cognitive development.

Sr.Kg

Language and Cognitive Development Domain

Competencies: Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Creative Expression

Reading encourages learning, empathy, and growth. In this week’s Literacy Circle, learners engaged with the story The Frog and the Fly. They created a Beginning, Middle, and End (BME) chart to analyze the story, which helped strengthen their comprehension, sequencing, and critical thinking skills.

STREAM

Nursery

During the STREAM session, the teacher narrated the story of The Rusty Robot to the learners, focusing on identifying and naming basic colours— red, blue, yellow, and green. Through this activity, children developed competencies in colour recognition and sequencing, which helped them understand the concepts of order and arrangement. They created specific colour patterns with blocks, thereby enhancing their hand-eye coordination. Learning outcomes include identifying and naming basic colours, understanding the concepts of order and sequencing, and developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Jr.Kg

In the STREAM session, Jr.Kg learners engaged in a recap, reviewing key concepts such as the solar system, moon phases, habitats, and the story of The Three Little Pigs. This interactive session fostered competencies in critical thinking and retention as students participated in discussions and activities that reinforced their understanding of these topics. Learning outcomes for this session include recalling and articulating key concepts from previous lessons, engaging in interactive discussions to deepen understanding, and strengthening critical thinking and retention skills.

Sr.Kg

During the STREAM session, Sr.Kg learners explored the concept that rain comes from clouds as part of the weather. They began to understand the stages of the water cycle evaporation, condensation, and precipitation—through visual aids and interactive activities. This session emphasized the connection between clouds and rain, introducing vocabulary such as “clouds,” “rain,” “water,” “evaporation,” “precipitation,” and “condensation,” thereby enhancing their language and scientific literacy. Learning outcomes include understanding the water cycle and its stages, recognizing the relationship between clouds and rain, and expanding vocabulary related to weather and environmental concepts.

HORTICULTURE

Sr.Kg

Domain Environmental Awareness and Sensory Development

Competencies: Scientific Inquiry, Observation Skills, Patience

In this week’s horticulture class, learners explored the process of sprouting. They observed different millets and learned how seeds sprout under the right conditions. This hands-on activity piqued their curiosity about nature and enhanced their ability to observe environmental changes, fostering a sense of patience and responsibility toward living things.

EVENT

Khadi Week

During India's freedom struggle, Khadi Week introduced learners to the importance of traditional handwoven cloth and its cultural significance. Teachers introduced the week with a video, and learners participated in hands-on activities like touching and comparing khadi fabrics based on texture, softness, and thickness. They engaged in fabric stamping with vegetables and created mini charkhas, which provided insights into the historical significance of the spinning wheel. The event concluded with a Khadi Fashion Show, where learners showcased traditional Indian attire, promoting cultural pride and sustainable fashion awareness.

National Poetry Day

National Poetry Day encouraged learners to engage with poetry through various creative activities. Nursery learners participated in a rhyming word hunt, interactively developing phonemic awareness. K1 learners illustrated poems, helping them explore the meaning of poetry through art and visualizing the words they heard. K2 learners created their own poems through artwork, fostering creativity and a deeper understanding of language in a fun and accessible manner.

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