We would like to welcome all of our families to OSHC for 2020. We have been enjoying getting to know you all and helping our new children settle into our OSHC family and familiarise themselves with our routines. We offer many experiences for the children to participate in daily, these activities stem from the children’s interests, needs and ideas. The children are actively involved in creating our program. The children do this in many ways including adding their ideas to the suggestion box, talking with educators, group discussions and surveying one another. It is important for children to be actively involved in creating their environments as they learn skills such as collaboration, negotiating and decision making.
This term we introduced OSHC Student Leaders, this is an opportunity for children in years 5 and 6 to participate in. We have had an overwhelming response from the children, this is a great experience for them as they take on a leadership role within the service. The student leaders assist educators with daily duties, prepare and assist with activities and run group games with the younger students. It has been great to see the children’s self-confidence and self-esteem grow. It has also helped our new and younger students to settle in knowing that they have an older student as a friend who helps, supports them.
Some of the activities the children have been involved in this term include, playing in the sand pit, painting, making musical instruments, making puppets, exploring playdough, table tennis, Lego, blocks, puzzles, board games, colouring in, playing in home corner, cricket, basketball and caring for our garden. All of these activities are not only fun but are valuable learning opportunities for the children. As children play they are being creative, using their imagination, learning to share, turn take, resolve conflicts, develop their dexterity, physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. It is through play children develop the skills to engage and interact in the world around them.
The children also requested to do a group art project and have made a beautiful welcome sign for OSHC by doing string art design. All children have had the opportunity to work on this project. The children worked hard on this spending several weeks working on it till it was finally completed. This sign is now proudly displayed in our foyer.
We try and share as many photos of the children engaged in their play as we can. Please take some time to look through the journals on the sign in desk, the photo display in the foyer and the digital photo frame in the hall we love to share the fun the children are having as much as possible.
