What is World Wildlife Day?

World Wildlife Day is a United Nations designated affair to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. It's a day we reflect and learn about species of our planet which deserve attention. We ask centre's to suggest saving the date to plan activities with your children to teach and discuss the importance about how the planet’s animals depend upon our support, and vice versa. 

The theme of World Wildlife Day,
“Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation”
aims to encourage groups to work together in a concerted effort to create and sustain healthy ecosystems, wildlife populations and biodiversity.

When is World Wildlife Day?

Friday, 3 March

World Wildlife Day Activities!

• Group Lesson: How To Educate Your Child About World Wildlife Day?
  • Go on nature walks
  • Watch the birds
  • Create your wildlife garden
  • Support conservation projects: Raise awareness about the species coming close to extinction and help conserve them.
  • Learning about endangered animals. Click the following link to watch video: https://youtu.be/7k8CcAU2Lt0
• Wildlife Dress Up Day
• Making Wildlife face mask
• Exploring Endangered Animals - Investigate and explore a variety of animals using our collection of endangered animals

Asking families to donate towards fundraising for the future of our planet (WWF)- https://donate.wwf.org.au/make-a-donation/one-off-donation#gs.wx5g1a 

What is Clean Up Australia Day?

Clean Up Australia Day inspires thousands of Australians to take to their local park, beach, bushland, streets and schools to clean up their local environments. Clean Up Australia Day which helps to implement high quality educational teaching lessons, which engages students in sustainability education and is a great way to inspire children to learn about the impact of rubbish on their local environment while playing an active role in their community.

When is Clean Up Australia Day?

Sunday, 5 March

Clean Up Australia Day Activities!

• Group lesson - planting a Class Veggie Garden for your service
• Building a compose into your service and intentional teaching regarding compose and the benefits of having a compose
• Making a classroom recycling bin where children can recycle items and use them for arts and craft or drama play
• Rubbish Bin Sorting Activity – Children learning how to dispose rubbish correct which will encourage conversations and debats on what goes where!
• Encouraging children to turn lights off when leaving a room – this could be done during indoor to outdoor transition. Each child has a turn to turn the lights off
• Reading books regarding “How We Can Help Out Planet”
• Excursion to local park – encourage the children to pick up rubbish to help in the community using tongs and heavy duty gloves helping with a Class Clean Up Effort!

For further information, click of the following link to access further ideas and posters to display around your service: http://bit.ly/2T0iWBs

History of Ash Wednesday

The day of Ash Wednesday is not mentioned in the Bible, but it is in honor of events that occurred in the Bible. The 40 days of Lent are meant to signify the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert getting tempted by the devil. The dusting of Ashes is mentioned in the Bible as a sign of mourning and repentance. The cross drawn on the forehead symbolizes the cross that Jesus died on to cleanse the world of its sins.
It is believed that Ash Wednesday was first observed in the Middle Ages around the 8th century. It was first called the Day of Ashes. Since then the practice has become an annual ritual in many Christian churches including Catholics, Lutherans, and Methodists.

When is Ash Wednesday celebrated?

Wednesday, 22 February

Facts About Ash Wednesday

• In the Middle Ages ashes were sprinkled on the head rather than drawn in a cross on the forehead.
• Many people keep the ashes on their forehead for the entire day. It is a sign that they are sinners and need God's forgiveness.
• Since observing Ash Wednesday is not commanded in the Bible, it is an optional in some Christian churches to observe it. This includes Lent as well.
• The period of 40 days is often used in the Bible.

Activities – How to celebrate

• Group discussion about Ash Wednesday
• Discuss different religions and special events that they celebrate
• Writing a kind gesture they can do for others at school or at home
• Children sharing stories of special family occasions they celebrate.

What does Pancake Day celebrate?

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins).

When is Pancake Day celebrated?

Tuesday, 21 February

 Who celebrates this day?

Pancake Day is also known around the world as Shrove Tuesday. It falls on the day before Ash Wednesday each year, the first day of Lent. Pancake Day was originally a pagan holiday in which eating pancakes during Shrovetide week was extremely important. The word shrove is derived from the word shrive which means to gain absolution from one's sins, through penance, which is important before the beginning of Lent. In the Christian faith Pancake Day is sometimes referred to as Pancake Tuesday and Fat Tuesday. On Pancake Day the main activity is the consumption of pancakes, which is used by some organizations as a means to raise money for charities.

Activities – How to celebrate

• Knowledge & Understanding of the World - Explain some of the history around Pancake Day, how the pancakes were made, cooked then eaten!
• Music/Rhyme
  • 5 flat pancakes in a bakers shop
    “Round and flat with sugar on the top
    Along came (Childs name) with a penny one day
    Bought a flat pancake and took it away.”
    Continue the rhyme with 4 flat pancakes
• Role Play - Have paper chef’s hats, white aprons and children’s bakery equipment in your home corner including bowls, spoons, whisks, jugs, plates, frying pans etc. The children can re-enact cooking and tossing the pancakes
• Pancake Races - Pancake tossing races. Try and toss some pancakes during a race! Create a trail with equipment outside which children have to follow whilst balancing the pancake in a frying pan
• SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE RECIPE - You will need:
  • 125g of plain flour
  • 2 eggs, medium sized
  • 300ml of milk
  • Pinch of salt
• METHOD

1. Beat the eggs together with a fork.
2. Pour the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Pour the eggs into the well and whisk together.
4. Gradually, add in the milk.
5. Put the mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
6. Rub oil around a non-stick pan.
7. Ladle out your mixture – one ladle equals one pancake.
8. After a couple of minutes, give your pancake a jiggle and when it no longer sticks give it a flip to do the other side.

• Personal Social Emotional - Do they like Pancakes? Likes and dislikes, which toppings and fillings do the children prefer?After cooking the pancakes, let the children wash up a few of the dishes to show them how it is good practice to clean and look after the equipment.

To get EXCEEDING for the second time is a wonderful validation of our evolution and growth over 19 years.

We are a stand-alone centre and can focus clearly on it.  A centre is a bit like the human body because the whole is made up of small and large parts, which are connected.  What happens to one part can affect another – strengthen or weaken.  We need to nourish every part.

The key to our “body” is involvement, starting at the top.  We nip and tuck strategies and policies to suit our vision.  Then maintenance is patient and consistent and persistent!  Child care is part education, part hospitality and part nursing – we remember to smile, be helpful and stay healthy.

Prospective parents and new staff regularly say the environment and atmosphere is welcoming and home-like.  Our licence is for 42 and we have two rooms – toddlers and preschool. 

Educational leadership is dedicated and driven by curiosity and wonder.  The enthusiasm and language skills in the preschool room are a product of really liking children (who would have thought!) and celebrating their daily achievements.  Routines are thoughtful and reassuring for the children, especially for the toddlers for whom we are often the bridge between home and a wider social circle. 

Communication is a huge element.  We encourage a non-judgemental culture.  Genuinely happy and cooperative behaviour between adults rubs off on children and creates a cycle of engage/listen/respond

We support educators’ wellbeing and professional development.  Personal needs are acknowledged and we try to be as flexible as possible to take care of them.  Trainees are not terminated because moving up a level makes them too expensive, and all educators are encouraged to gain further qualifications.  The bottom line is still OK and quality improves!  Educators are encouraged to put forward ideas and request specific equipment because by doing so they are motivated to follow through.  They then have ownership of the idea and the power to contribute.

This mind-set keeps staffing stable and creates a wide range of ages and experience.  From top to bottom we try to put ourselves in the other’s shoes and encourage this in the children too. 

Responsibilities are shared so there are no martyrs or misfits!  The roster and job lists are as fair as humanly possible. The QIP is divided up and everyone builds on their understanding of an area.  It gives meaning to why the regulations and rules exist, and over time a better understanding of smoothly running the centre.

Parents write moving testimonials which make our educators’ long days (even hunting down something on the internet at home in their pyjamas) and careful planning-with-love so worth it.  Parents note how settled, socialised and prepared the pre-schoolers are for school, after a year or more of our nurturing and guidance.  They mention how their toddler joins a group on arrival and is still playing happily at pick-up.  Their toddler is now fully toilet trained too!  Reading between the lines, these testimonials also express appreciation for the support we give parents and guardians in their times of stress.  There is always a sympathetic and constructive ear.

Our vision is to provide an educationally progressive yet homelike environment, where children are safe and valued, where we respond to the aspirations our families have for their children and where RSK is an integral part of the local community