So this year we've decided to do things a little differently. To keep in line with our sustainability principles the kinder would like to Fundraise to install Solar Panels for the centre. We will be keeping you posted.

We have compiled a small book to document the history of Isabel Henderson Kindergarten and the role the kindergarten has played in the lives of children and families through the decades. It is full of recollections, images and history of the kindergarten. 

Copies are available at the office through Isabel Henderson Kindergarten for $20.

IHK are very excited to be working on our new indigenous program to be rolled out in the very near future.

Meet Miss 'Polly the chicken'. She has built a loyal fan club following at IHK. When Polly visits she likes to roam the outside garden and sometimes peer in the window to see what the children are up to. She also likes a friendly pat or two.

But what we all really want to know is "Where DID you get that marvellous bouffant hair-do Polly?" 

As mentioned in our recent newsletter all of the children across the kindergarten have been working on the Rubbish Project, hoping to achieve waste free lunchboxes. You can download what we've been up to here.

Not only does this have positive impacts on our planet but also our health as most packaged foods are pro- cessed with high amounts of hidden sugar and salt.
At IHK through education we hope to equip children with an understanding of how to make healthly choices for themselves and their planet, becoming advocates for their own health and well being.

At IHK every day the children sort their rubbish from lunchboxes into three buckets; compost, recycle and landfill. Whilst doing this every day the children and staff noticed the amount of non recycled packaging they were generating. As a result the team and chil- dren decided to to collect all of the non recyclable or compostable rubbish for one week to demonstrate the amount of rubbish one week of lunches can generate.

Once the rubbish was washed and weighed the chil- dren discovered that they had generated over half a kilo of waste from just lunchboxes which over 1 year would make 26 kilos of landfill. They also learnt about the amount of sugar that comes with packaged and processed foods.

Our discussions with children will continue throughout the year however we need your help! Let’s work together to try and achieve waste free lunch boxes with healthy whole food options. If you have any suggestions or recipes please let the team know and we can share them with other families. 

As outlined in the Early Years Framework and the Education and Care Services National Regulation, all early childhood and education settings are required to provide a play based program with a focus on learning through play rather than teaching through play. It is important that families understand the importance of play in the context of how children learn and the value of play in a child’s learning. When children play whether it be the sandpit, pasting table or block corner they are developing their imagination and creativity. Play provides a holistic learning approach that develops a child’s imagination, curiosity, problem solving and persistence and a love of learning. 

Isabel Henderson provides an integrated play based program, l use the word integrated as it supports multiple learning domains; science, mathematics, literacy, social, emotional and physical. An integrated program carefully manages the balance between adult directed, child-led and child initiated free play. Our kindergarten teachers program and plan to achieve such a balance, ensuring children’s individual learning opportunities are identified and that differences in social, emotional and cognitive development are supported to ensure children do not become disengaged and discouraged within a ‘one size’ fits all approach.

An example of how play increases opportunities for learning can be demonstrated with something as simple as a piece of outdoor equipment.

For one child, climbing an ‘A’ frame gains physical confidence and a sense of achievement. For another child learning from the same ‘A’ frame is social as they colaboratively work together with a new friend to create a game under the equipment recreating a recent camping experience. One child’s learning experience from one part of the program maybe vastly different for another.

Our assessment held on the 28th of March 2014 was a significant event for the team and committee. It was a huge achievement to receive an exceeding result in all seven areas; once again l would like to congratulate the entire team for all of their hard work and dedication to ensure that all children are receiving such a high quality kindergarten program.