Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

What is play?

The Kornmehl Philosophy states the following about learning through play:

We embrace and acknowledge that children come to the Kornmehl Pre-school with a richness of experiences. We believe that childhood is a time to be, to seek and make meaning of the world. We believe that children learn best through play. We see play as being the “heartbeat” of our Pre-school Program. Play provides opportunities for children to learn as they experiment, explore, discover, create, improvise and imagine. When children play with other children, they form relationships, test out ideas, challenge each other’s thinking, explore language and build new understandings and connections. Play provides a supportive environment where children can ask questions, solve problems and engage in critical thinking. In these ways play can promote positive dispositions towards learning.

Play is an active investigation and utilises creative expression. It helps to build resilience, problem-solving, language development and speech, communication, empathy, creativity, and self-expression. Play is vital for acting out feelings, fears, ideas, experiences, and for self-expression. Whilst playing, children are learning the skills of life – to negotiate, take turns, share, express frustration in appropriate ways, to creatively explore their world in a safe environment. Play releases great hormones in the brain that help children to relax. It inspires and motivates children to keep on going. It is a natural aspect of children’s lives.

Children’s immersion in their play, illustrates how play enables them to simply enjoy being. There is a wealth of research available to support the positive impact of play on a child’s lifelong learning and well-being. Neurological research confirms that play is a powerful tool to support healthy brain development and cognitive function. Play allows children to be active leaders in their own learning and development. It takes shape in many forms and will look different in every context.

Play-based learning is a key feature of quality early childhood programs and involves a range of sensory learning experiences that promote discovery, curiosity, creativity, exploration, interaction, learning and development. A play-based learning approach also fosters children’s critical skills, understanding and dispositions which are essential to their successful learning and development.

Children are intrinsically motivated by play and play nurtures a positive attitude towards learning. Through play children develop connections, build relationships, and make meaning of the world around them.

What does a play-based approach to learning look like?

Educators encourage children’s learning through play by:

providing resources that reflect children’s ages, interests, knowledge, strengths, abilities, and culture to stimulate and support play. Resources which allow open ended use of items e.g. loose parts, boxes, crates etc.
planning play experiences based on the assessment of children’s individual differences, interests, developmental needs, and ability. For example, as a child learns to hold a pencil to draw and write, educators will give children different sized objects to grasp, and to build strength in the child’s fingers.
observing children as they play so that they can understand how they play with other children, what skills and understanding they demonstrate in play and what activities can strengthen their skills in play.
joining in children’s play to extend the child’s learning and to model skills such as reasoning, appropriate language, and positive behaviours.
providing large blocks of unhurried and uninterrupted time for play for children’s ideas and games to develop.

Resources:

StartingBlocks
Kathy Walker – Why Play Matters?

Parent Information and Social Night

We enjoyed meeting informally with parents from the Starfish and Dolphin groups on Thursday in a relaxed space. We enjoyed a glass of wine and some snacks, while the teachers from each group unpacked and discussed their program, rules, and expectations for the year. We hope parents enjoyed the opportunity to socialise, meet other parents and hear about their child’s day at Pre-school.

Hebrew

Last week we started Hebrew with Morah Ofira. We have been learning our colours, parts of the body, counting and basic greetings in Hebrew. Morah Ofira introduced the children to her special friend Dubbi, a sweet little bear. Our first experience included getting to know each other, through playing name games and saying the word Boker Tov in Hebrew, meaning good morning.

Morah Ofira introduced Bentzi to the class and we went around the circle so all the children could say their names and introduce themselves, whilst also shaking Bentzi’s hand.

Morah Ofira’s lessons are fun and interactive, and the children are enjoying the use of puppets, song, storytelling and music to make the lessons captivating and interesting.

Music

Last week we all experienced our first music lesson with Miss Corinne Ellul (Miss L), our new Music teacher. Miss L had the children all eating out of her hand and fully immersed in the lesson. The children loved all the songs, dances and fun musical experiences. We are looking forward to adding to our music repertoire this year.

Music supports the development of young children in various ways:

Cognitive development: Engaging with music helps improve cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. Learning to play an instrument, for example, involves understanding musical notes, rhythms, and patterns, which can enhance cognitive abilities.
Emotional development: Music has the power to evoke emotions and can help preschoolers express and regulate their feelings. Listening to music or participating in musical activities can promote emotional awareness and empathy in young children.
Social development: Music activities often involve collaboration and communication, fostering social skills. Singing, playing, and dancing together can encourage teamwork and cooperation among children.
Physical development: Playing musical instruments or engaging in activities like dancing can improve fine and gross motor skills in young children. Moving to music helps develop coordination, balance, and control over body movements.
Creativity and self-expression: Music provides a creative outlet for children to explore sounds, rhythms, and melodies. It allows children to experiment, improvise, and express themselves in a non-verbal way, nurturing their creativity and imagination.

Overall, music offers a holistic approach to child development, stimulating various aspects of cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and creative growth in young children.