In service to others

It's all about helping each other

We've set up a kitchen work station alongside our eating area so that children can work together on the cleaning up process following kai routines.  Children have responded with a great amount of enthusiasm and teamwork for this responsibility!

 Developing a disposition of care
The benefits of helping each other...

"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service to others" (Mahatma Gandhi)

• Helping others makes you and others feel good
• Feeling good reduces stress levels
• Helping others boosts self esteem and makes you feel good about yourself
• Teamwork develops a sense of community, feelings of belonging through friendships shared goals and social connection
• Helping creates positiveness and a great vibe that is contagious! 

"Washing the dishes, not playing.  I'm washing the dishes.  I do drying the dishes too, it's work" said Ella Breeze.  "It's teamwork, everyone wants to do the dishes."

 

 "I like doing the dishes and I do it all the time...some days Mum doesn't let me do it at home.  Some days Papa doesn't let me do it at home.  I do it at kindy" said Sebastian.

"I wanna do washing.  I'm cleaning this so it's not wet" said Nat.

"We want to do dishes, we like to do dishes...do drying then putting them away" said Nate.

 

 

"I want to help because umm, I want to play and do the dishes.  I like doing dishes and drying and playing.  We help each other, we tidy up together" said Harper.

 

 

“Service is an act of giving. Service is giving something of ourselves for the benefit of others. When we serve others we show humility and empathy for the needs and desires of other living beings.” (Toni Christie, 2016).

Altogether this was an awesome helping week! 

 Opportunities like this provide chances for children to develop caring dispositions, which become skills for life.  And let's face it, the world needs all the kind, caring, thoughtful, community minded and most helpful people it can get!

Oh, and for those of you worried about the state of the water...don't worry, all the dishes were put in the dishwasher after the children had finished "cleaning" lol...but that's our little secret, wink, wink, nudge, nudge!

Arohanui,

Tania

Open day -"Inventors work shop"

"Kotahitanga at Kindergarten"

On the last Friday of the holiday's we opened the doors to the community for a fun filled day.

The theme for the day was an “Inventors workshop”.  The children had a great time constructing and de-constructing. It was a time for making bracelets, playing with play dough, using scissors, tape, boxes and for enjoying the open space to wonder around and play. It was so nice to have the opportunity for the teachers to welcome our new families and potential new families to our kindergarten. 

What is an Inventor?

An inventor is the first person to create a new item or different way of doing something.  Inventors are highly creative thinkers who try to look for ways to solve problems and improve on other ideas to develop a useful item that fills a need.  Some have changed the way entire nations of people live.

Beading was an awesome activity too!

This was a day about opening our kindergarten to the wider community. We really enjoyed seeing familiar faces of the children already attending kindergarten and meeting new families. This was a lovely opportunity for members of the community to come and see what we do at Kindergarten, to meet the teachers, have a play, invent something as this was our theme for the day, and to enjoy a sausage and some cake.  The weather was good to us and all that attended had a lovely time. 

“A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared... It is the knowledge that people have of each other, their concern for each other, their trust in each other, the freedom with which they come and go among themselves.” (Wendell Berry)

A rainbow unicorn, in case you were wondering!

On the day we had a couple of grocery baskets to give away.

Congratulations to Julie and Lauren who were the winners of this lucky prize draw.

Thank you to all the families that came along to support us, this was a successful day and a good time had by all.  We would especially like to acknowledge the support and expertise of Nigel who manned the kitchen, cooking sausages to feed the masses.  Thank you Nigel your help was appreciated!

Arohanui

Tracy