GIGI BYTES- EDITION 2

FROM OUR DESK

The Wonder of Preschool Curiosity

Preschoolers have an amazing sense of wonder, with an average of 437 questions a day! Their minds are always buzzing with curiosity, from asking, "Why do we sleep?" to "Where do the stars go when the sun comes up?" These questions reflect their desire to understand the world around them. At preschool, we celebrate this natural curiosity by providing hands-on activities, interactive learning, and open-ended questions that encourage exploration. Whether it is through observing nature, experimenting with colours, or listening to stories, each moment is an opportunity to nurture their thirst for knowledge. By embracing their questions, we help them develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills that will last a lifetime.

Swapnali Medhekar

Center Head

Kanakia Kids

Classroom Connection

This month, our pre-schoolers have been actively exploring, learning, and growing together through a mix of hands-on activities and engaging story sessions. Every day has been filled with curiosity and excitement, with a strong focus on early literacy, motor skills, and social development via play-based learning.

NURSERY

ENGLISH

Learners practised fine motor skills with a colourful rainbow tracing activity, focusing on circles and the curved shape ‘C’. These tracing exercises are preparing them for future writing through muscle memory and pencil control, all while creating bright, beautiful artwork.

MATH

This week’s focus was on understanding Big and Small through real objects and visual aids. Learners were introduced to Number 1, tracing it with clay to reinforce recognition and value. The Triangle shape was introduced using flashcards, rhymes, and hands-on activities with ice cream sticks, promoting fine motor development and shape recognition.

THEME

Learners confidently introduced themselves with full sentences, enhancing language skills and self-awareness. They completed “All About Me” worksheets, shared personal information, and created artwork using palm prints and wool hair. A workbook activity helped reinforce body part identification, gender awareness, and creativity, contributing to cognitive and emotional growth.

JR.KG

ENGLISH

In English, learners practised drawing patterns to strengthen fine motor skills and wrote letters such as s, a, t, i, and p. They explored new sight words and worked on sound-object recognition by drawing objects that begin with specific letter sounds. Phonics activities included forming letters with clay and a mind-mapping session on the sound t. Learners also discussed the story “Max and the Germs”, focusing on hygiene and healthy habits.

MATH

This week was full of engaging learning for our little explorers!
They began with pattern drawing to spark creativity and sequencing skills. Through visuals and worksheets, they explored the concepts of hot and cold in a fun, relatable way.

In numeracy, children practiced writing numbers 1 to 8, while colour recognition activities introduced the vibrant shades of blue and yellow. The week wrapped up with hands-on geometry, where they learned to draw and identify a circle, semicircle, and square.

THEME

Our young learners embarked on an exciting sensory journey as they explored the amazing world of sense organs. They learned how our body connects with the world through different senses, beginning with the sense of smell. Using vibrant flashcards and real-life examples, children identified pleasant and unpleasant scents in a fun, engaging way.

The sense of touch was brought to life with a sensory board featuring soft, rough, smooth, and bumpy textures, helping them connect descriptive words with real tactile experiences. To reinforce their understanding, an interactive recap session covered all five sense organs, making the learning experience complete and enjoyable.

SR.KG

ENGLISH

The children revisited two-letter words and were introduced to three-letter CVC words through oral exercises, followed by writing practice. They also illustrated the words they learned. The story “The Magic Shell” was introduced through a puppet show, which was followed by a Kindness Circle Time activity where each child shared a kind act they had done. This session helped nurture their communication skills in both languages while reinforcing kindness.

MATH

In Math, children explored the concept of left and right, which is crucial for spatial awareness and coordination. Teachers used hands-on demonstrations, guiding learners to identify their left and right hands. They also worked with a table to compare objects facing left versus right, introducing basic data handling. The week also focused on 2D and 3D shapes, such as circle and sphere, using flashcards and real-life examples. Recap sessions reinforced knowledge of number names, shapes, colours, and backwards counting, helping strengthen their cognitive and numerical skills.

THEME

This week, our theme focused on the human body, using storytelling and sensory activities to explore internal organs like the heart, brain, stomach, lungs, and muscles. A puppet story, “Tina’s Magic Journey Inside Her Body,” made the learning fun and interactive. In an art activity titled “What’s in My Mind?”, children drew their favourite person, place, or object, linking their thoughts and feelings to the brain. The theme was a perfect mix of creativity and education.

CIRCLE TIME

Our little learners began each day with positive affirmations like “I am kind, I am strong,” helping build self-confidence and a positive self-image. They also practised flower breathing, imagining the scent of a flower while slowly inhaling and exhaling to promote calmness, focus, and emotional regulation. These mindful moments are nurturing calm, confident, and kind beginnings to their day.

Activity Time

This week was filled with hands-on learning and joyful play that supported fine and gross motor skills, creativity, and social development:

Threading Beads: Children developed hand-eye coordination and focus while creating colourful bead patterns.
Paper Cup Stacking: Learners explored balance and teamwork while building imaginative structures.
Jump & Transfer Game: Jumping through hoops while transferring balls enhanced gross motor skills, coordination, and cooperative play.

Horticulture

Nursery:

This week, Nursery learners delved into the fascinating world of plant life. They explored water-based planting with money plant cuttings and observed sprouting pulses wrapped in muslin cloth. Additionally, they planted soaked seeds in mini pots, gaining hands-on experience with seed germination through real-life observation.

Jr.Kg:

Jr.Kg learners embarked on a nature walk where they observed the different shapes, colours, and textures of plants. They enthusiastically shared their discoveries and captured their experiences through creative drawings, fostering observation skills, discussion, and artistic expression.

Reading Program

Nursery- Our little readers are making great progress! Through one-on-one sessions, they reinforced the sounds /e/ and /f/, and were introduced to /g/ and /h/ using engaging visual aids and sound cues. With enthusiasm, they explored sounds /i/ and /j/ through audio-visual tools and practised tracing letters, building a strong foundation for phonemic awareness and reading fluency.

Jr.Kg-Learners explored the parts of a book, discussed why names begin with capital letters, and practised phonics sounds such as /c/, /d/, /e/, /f/, /g/, and /h/. They participated in storytime and one-on-one phonics sessions to further develop early literacy skills.

Sr.Kg- As part of our Reading Program, children were introduced to the basic structure of a book, learning about the front and back covers, the title, and the author. The story “The Animals” was read aloud, focusing on key characters and vocabulary. Using the SAAR application, learners interacted with the story, making predictions and answering guided prompts to develop comprehension and literacy skills. This hands-on approach built curiosity and confidence in reading.

Play Lab

During Play Lab, children enjoyed building with blocks, matching shapes, and exploring a variety of textures in the sensory corner. These activities helped develop cognitive abilities, fine motor skills, and encouraged creativity, teamwork, and discovery.

ZUMBA

Nursery
The session kicked off with a fun warm-up to get the learners moving and energised. A fresh Zumba routine to the song "Hokey Pokey" was introduced, with simple, easy-to-follow steps that made it enjoyable for the little ones to follow along with the rhythm.

Jr. KG
The class started with an exciting warm-up, followed by the lively action song "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." With clear guidance, the learners confidently joined in, making the session both fun and interactive.

Sr. KG
In the Sr. KG Zumba session, the focus was on developing gross motor skills through energetic dance and music activities. The session began with warm-up exercises to improve muscle flexibility, followed by dynamic movements to the "Run Run" song. A recap of the "Singing Louder" Zumba song was also included. Zumba steps were broken down into simple movements, making it easy for the children to follow, and the session concluded with relaxing cool-down stretches.

Event

The Children’s Council Investiture Ceremony, held on Saturday, July 19th, marked a significant step in fostering student leadership. Leading up to the event, candidates campaigned, and elections were held on July 16th, where learners voted to elect representatives for various school ministries. The ceremony saw the newly elected ministers take an oath of responsibility and leadership, highlighting the values of commitment, democratic participation, and responsibility. The presence of parents added a special touch to the event.