This week Kopa Wha has been learning about the letter Jj as well as -dge and -ge at the end of words, which has the same sound as /j/.
We made Peach Jelly Cups as well as making jam sandwiches. We found letter Jj’s as well as read a recipe and created the procedure of making a jam sandwich.
Great mahi, Kopa Wha!
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Welcome to Term 4!
The Big Book of the week, ‘Old MacDonald’, has been an absolute hit. We have enjoyed singing the song, making hand rhymes as well as creating some sheep for our puppet show which you can view on slide number eight below. We also listened to different animal sounds, named them on our talking devices, and recreated these sounds. What a lot of fun mahi we completed this week!
Whare Manaaki is so very fortunate to begin attending Fulton Swim School again every Wednesday morning.
Swimming has many benefits for our tamariki from improving motor skills to creating a variety of opportunities for our students to interact socially, reduce anxiety as well as provide sensory regulation.
This week Kopa Wha has been focusing on the Letter Gg. We have been using our new Better Start Literacy resources and investigating a variety of words beginning with the letter Gg.
We have also been discussing what we are grateful for on a daily basis. We found a variety of pictures of things we are grateful for in magazines and stuck them onto our colourful leaves. This created a beautiful mobile for each tamariki.
Today Whaea Bridget worked alongside our tamariki to create a tree which we can hang our grateful leaves on. Next week I will update this blog with photos of the completed activity. We are very excited to share our mahi with you.
Every Wednesday we are so very fortunate to have our Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist join Whare Manaaki to work alongside our tamariki.
Our students all visit Autism Connex where they work on a variety of gross motor movements on the amazing apparatus available. Each student works on a variety of different goals while in this relaxing and engaging space.
There are a variety of swings available and they are always utilised well.
Which activity do you think you would enjoy the most?
This week we have been looking at when we feel excited. Kopa Four thought going on a bug hunt as well as creating ladybirds was exciting. All our tamariki found the snails of particular interest and using the magnifying glass to look even closer at the snails was even more exciting. Great mahi Kopa 4. I loved watching you all being so curious in our garden.
Ruma Wha have been completing some Marvellous Math activities this week.
We incorporated sensory and fine motor activities into our Math sessions and look what we created!
Everyone had a lot of fun and the classroom was a hive of activity.
Ka pai everyone!
Fine motor activities are a huge part of our day to day programme in Ruma Wha. The benefits of working on a variety of fine motor activities is extensive from strengthening their muscles in their hands and fingers to the development of hand-eye co ordination.
Our wonderful Occupational Therapist, Paula Matheson visits Whare Manaaki on a weekly basis to work alongside our tamariki and kaiako (teachers). We hope you enjoy the montage of photos showing a variety of fine motor activities.
If you would like to find out more about fine motor skills please look at the Specialist Site below. It has some tips and tricks and different ideas for you try at home with your tamariki.
Every second week, Ruma Wha visits Moveables, a gymnastics club where our tamariki participate in an exciting obstacle course featuring a range of fun and engaging gross motor activities.
The activities range from swinging on ropes, jumping on a variety of different trampolines and balancing on beams.
These gross motor activities are such an integral part of our tamarikis lives as it allows them to navigate their environment, participate in physical activities, develop social interactions, and contribute to their overall confidence and well-being.
Ka pai Whare Manaaki!
