What's New At AppleSeed?
2024
Diwali
The children at AppleSeed learnt about the festival of lights “Diwali”. They engaged in various learning experiences such as rangoli, diya making and fire work painting. They were also excited to have henna designs on their hands and to help make Dal for lunch!
Caterpillar!
A Caterpillar was found in the garden. The teachers at AppleSeed manage to turn everything into a learning experience!
Museum Visit
AppleSeed was extremely lucky this week to have Aaron and Natasha from the Auckland Museum come and talk to the children about dinosaurs. They read them a story and taught them a song. The children were then allowed to touch real dinosaur fossils! They also learnt how big or small different dinosaurs were. Thank you Auckland Museum for the visit!
Reading
READING – “Language is the foundation for children’s learning and success”. A recent ERO Report (August 2024) found that the language ability of young New Zealand children is falling and that COVID 19 has made this worse. It was found that children use oral language to become good thinkers and communicators, and to develop the reading and writing skills they need for school and beyond. At AppleSeed, we focus a lot on oral language. We talk with the children and both read to them, and encourage the children to “read” themselves. https://ero.govt.nz/our-research/lets-keep-talking-oral-language-development-in-the-early-years
Father's Day
We loved welcoming fathers and special people to AppleSeed to celebrate Father’s Day. The children and their special person decorated cupcakes, then made paper planes then tried to see which of them would fly the furthest!
First Aid for Whanau
It was wonderful to welcome our parents to AppleSeed on Tuesday evening to learn baby and child first aid. It is always much better to practice on a dummy! Thank you to Emma of Meditrain for the informative evening.
More Dinosaurs!
This children at AppleSeed are still loving dinosaurs – and now doing dinosaur puzzles! This extends their complex problem solving skills – and teaches them social skills of how to help each other.
Dinosaurs!
The children at AppleSeed are currently loving learning about Dinosaurs! This week they helped ice dinosaur eggs to “hatch” to find little dinosaurs inside!
Pajama Day!
Pajama day at AppleSeed!
Fire Truck Visit!
We were super lucky this week to have the Fire Officers and Fire Truck from the Balmoral Fire Station visit us. The fire officers explained what they did and how to stay safe if there is a fire. The children were then allowed to sit in the Fire Truck! Thank you for the visit Balmoral Fire Station!
Potters Park
Being located directly across the road from Potters Park allows the AppleSeed children to visit for adventurous play and fun!
Birds
The children at AppleSeed are loving learning about birds right now. They have read books, drawn pictures and acted out stories with puppets. They have also built their own bird house (using their carpentry skills) and learnt what sort of food birds like. They have now been rewarded with lots more birds in the AppleSeed back yard!
Matariki
One of the Matariki stars is “Tupuanuku”. It is said when Matariki sets in the western sky at dusk during the month of May, the harvesting of the garden should be complete as winter is near. The children at AppleSeed learnt about this and then harvested their spinach and took it to Di to cook for their lunch – yum!
Talofa! Samoa Week!
We loved learning all about Samoa, the language and the culture during Samoan Language week. We made Samoan head bands, drew frangipani flowers and learnt to make a tapa cloth. We were very lucky to have Tiana come and visit and teach us a Samoan dance!
Mother's Day
We welcomed our wonderful Mum’s to AppleSeed in May. The children and their Mum’s had a fun time decorating cupcakes together and then enjoying their special treat.
Stories
We are still loving our stories at AppleSeed. We were very lucky to have Marion the librarian come and visit which was very exciting! It is proven that reading to children makes a significant difference. It exposes them to new words, helps them build their language skills and enhances their general knowledge. It also contributes to children’s social, emotional and character development – and is fun!
Happy Easter!
St Patricks Day
Celebrating everything green – and recognising some of our families wonderful culture!
Book Day
Recently we have been exploring the children’s interest in story telling. We have enjoyed retelling our favourite stories as well as recreated our own stories. As part of this, we had a book character dress up day – such a lot of fun and promoted the love of reading!
Sunflowers
Just before Christmas we planted some sunflowers. When we returned from the holidays they were already as tall as the children. They grew and grew and became huge! We loved watching them grow!
Bubbles! 2023
At last the weather is a little nicer! A chance to run around and enjoy some bubbles outside!
Inside Fun! June 2023
June - Samoan Language Week!
Last week we were very lucky that our teacher Shari taught us all about Samoa! We sung songs and learnt dances, wore colourful lei’s, explored real cocoa and made beautiful Samoan flowers!
International Mud Day!
Such great fun! And a perfect activity given how much it has rained lately!
Korean Dress Up's
Our fabulous old teacher, Jinah, bought the children in authentic Korean costumes! Thank you Jonah – we love them!
PJ Day!!!
In the middle of winter it is so fun to wear your PJ’s to AppleSeed!!
Making a Hangi!
At AppleSeed we made a Hangi! This not only taught us about Maori culture, but how to cut up vegetables, prepare food – and we got to enjoy it!
Snow Day!
AppleSeed Educare had its very first snow day this week! For some it was a new experience – for all it was a lot of fun! We even had a snow man and our own Elsa!
Tonga! August 2023
At AppleSeed we love to learn about different cultures. Last week we learnt about Tonga. The children learnt about Tapa cloths and made their own for AppleSeed. They also made bright colourful frangipani flowers!
Learning Self Regulation
The teachers at Apple have been working with “Engage Play” to learn more about heping our tamariki to develop self regulation (emotional, cognitive and behavioral). There is overwhelming evidence to support that if children can develop self regulation at an early age, they will be more successful in life! This training cumulated with a very successful evening where parents came along to AppleSeed to learn some new skills and tools!
Fathers Day!
We loved welcoming our Dads and special men along to AppleSeed for our Father Day celebrations!
Fire Drill!
Such excitement to have the Fire Engine turn up to the fire drill! Great to know though that the AppleSeed children know what to do if there was a real emergency
Maori Language Week - Sep
AppleSeed celebrated Maori language week. Not only did the Tamariki practice their Te reo Maori, they also learnt about Maori art, moku, Maori stories and how to hongi.
Dress Up Day!
We had a wonderful time dressing up yesterday at AppleSeed!
Eating From Our Garden!
We love to try and grow some of our own vegetables! This week we had cauliflower ready. The children loved picking it and taking it into our wonderful Chef Di. She explained how she was going to cook it – then we had it for lunch – yum!
Diwali! Nov 2023
We were so lucky to have one of our families come into AppleSeed to help celebrate Diwali. They explained to the children about Diwali and then painted their hands with henna. We love to learn about and celebrate different cultures!
Farmer Fleur came to visit!
As a Christmas treat Farmer Fleur came to visit AppleSeed! The children were so excited to see and pat the animals – and all had a horse ride!
Christmas 2023
We love Christmas at AppleSeed! We loved to be able to invite all of our whanau and friends along to hear the children sing and to share a special Christmas meal. Santa also made a visit!
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