Our Kindergarten Program for 4-5 year old children
Our kindergarten programs offer unique opportunities for children to connect with nature; develop skills in language and literacy; physical development; mathematics and science. The educational program is developed to ensure that all children have many pathways to success and further investigative learning in their play. The educators work closely alongside the children to support and develop learning opportunities that are creative, develop individual needs and promote safe and harmonious play with peers in the group.
We encourage parent participation to extend learning possibilities, foster partnerships and highlight our strengths and learning during each day. This connection is continued in our online portfolio for each family and displays of children’s work in the classrooms.
Group work is actively encouraged as we see this type of learning a way for children to develop meaningful social connections, extend their thinking and communication skills as well as become more independent in their overall learning. Whole group times focus upon language and literacy methods, music and movement and a time for reflective practice (extending ideas, planning and developing listening skills).
Children in our Kindergarten program have the opportunity to develop another language and cultural appreciation through our Japanese program, part of the ELLA trial. We have regular visitors such as puppet shows and story-tellers, planned around the interests and needs of the groups.
Throughout the year, the educators incorporate Prep readiness skills into their daily program, collating observations, planning and reflections on each child to create a transition statement for each family on their journey into Prep. The educators believe that skills children need to have on this transition are social and emotional maturity; problem solving skills; resilience; independence skills and an inquisitive nature towards learning. These are important foundations to be built upon in school.
An example of our daily routine...
This is a general idea of program routines in the kindergarten rooms and it is slightly different for each class depending on start time or needs of the group.
Staff are constantly engaging and reflecting on best practices for the children that attend Kenmore Park Kindergarten to best meet their social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. This timetable helps you to see the program of the day and how we see it to benefit your child…
9am – Our daily program starts with the educators welcoming children and families to the centre. We encourage each child to become independent in unpacking their bag, placing lunch box in containers ready for the fridge, adding their rest sheets to the basket, practice their skills in handwriting and name recognition with their sign in, applying sunscreen, and greeting friends. We then start with us gathering on the mat to engage with manipulative equipment and puzzles as well as quiet small group work. After a short time, we begin a whole group time with a welcome song, group planning and discussion about the day ahead. We love this “coming together” each morning to establish a meaningful sense of group and community here at our kindy.
9.30am – Outside play. Active and involved play in our natural environments is a vital part of every childhood and we acknowledge the needs of the children to engage in this type of play. Play that is active, develops their gross motor skills, enriches their love of the environment is planned with thoughtful consideration of the needs and abilities of the children. Places to run, climb, paint, build cubbies, explore water courses, garden, play with sand and mud, use swings and build an active imagination and love of nature happens in our lush and inviting playgrounds.
10.30am - Transition times and morning tea. These times are valued as an opportunity to play games that promote language, turn taking, learning about numbers and counting, we also use the bathroom, wash our hands and prepare for eating a snack. When we come together as a group to enjoy healthy snacks the children have opportunities to manage their food independently, develop social skills, develop an awareness of new foods and reflect with their educators about play ideas.
Literacy/Music time – After eating the children share in whole or small group practices of song, movement games and literacy development. Stories are an integral part of our program and we encourage the children to share their love of books and learning in this time. We retell stories with puppets, explore rhyme and sequence, think deeper about the characters of a book and apply this thinking and learning to our practices with friends. Music and singing/dance is an opportunity for children to engage deeper with the arts and how they can express their emotions. We love this time to sing and play instruments.
11am – Indoor play. The children use the indoor area to engage deeper with their thinking and ideas. Areas of dress ups, blocks, craft, painting, books, puzzles, board games and interest/science areas encourage free choice for the children, and the educators work with individuals or small groups to establish skills is independent play, creative thinking processes and skill development. This concludes with the children working as a team to tidy up and develop skills in caring for our kindy environment.
12.30pm – Transition and lunch. Children sit together and happily talk with friends while enjoying their own healthy lunch. We encourage skills in opening lunch boxes, yogurt, and wrappers. The children then tidy this area and pack their bags and shoes.
1.15pm – Quiet time. The children look at books, rest on beds, draw and work on puzzles. It is a time for their bodies to unwind from the business of kindy life and develop skills in relaxing their body, reflecting on their day, and listen to soothing music and told stories.
2pm – Engaging in end of day preparations. A chance to come together to plan ideas for their following day and collect art work, personal belongings, put on shoes and enjoy a time to listen to a final story or song with their group.
