Thanks to NSW Health initiatives and a successful grant application, we have been able to offer our preschool families various opportunities to engage in health and development screening and check-ups for their children. This has included free eyesight screeners through the Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening program, speech screeners for our four- to five-year-olds, an oral hygiene lesson from a qualified dentist and for eligible children a free dental examination.
In conjunction with our work with outside agencies, the Kangaroo Valley Preschool education team has planned and implemented experiences for our preschoolers to promote physical and emotional wellbeing.
Yoga, scarf dances and obstacle courses have contributed to developing each child’s proprioceptive capabilities, which is the body’s ability to sense its position and movement. This is crucial for develop400ing motor skills, spatial awareness and overall coordination, as well as having a calming effect to assist children in feeling secure and regulating emotions. We have also taken advantage of the beautiful Kangaroo Valley winter, which has provided a natural environment rich in chances for the children to engage in co-learning to develop this proprioceptive input as they transport and throw fallen leaves and climb trees together.
The joy of bubbles has been embraced as the core of our outdoor curriculum as the children build relationships engaging in blowing, chasing and popping bubbles. Those who choose to run after the bubbles develop their abilities in visual tracking, hand–eye coordination and their fine and gross motor skills, whilst the bubble blowers develop their oral motor skills and engage in mindfulness and calming through deep breathing. This has also been extended into our creative endeavours as the children use straws to blow paint on paper and further strengthen the small mouth muscles that are essential for developing their ability to form clear sounds when speaking.
With so much fun and learning happening every day at the preschool, we can’t wait to see what Term 3 brings.
The Kangaroo Valley Preschool team
