Aunty Kathy’s Family Day Care

🌿 C O M M U N I T Y 🌿

Hey hey 👋🏼 it’s that time of year again guys! Time to fill a box (or 2 or 3 😂) to donate the food bank to help those in our community that need it the most. I think we can all agree, this year in particular, more than ever we should try our best to give what we can for something positive after some dark and tough times for many.
The children at Aunty Kathy’s FDC will help sort and box items and engage in discussions about caring for others, people living in Poverty or needing assistance and contributing to the community in a positive way.

Please message if you have an item or two in your cupboard that you’d like to contribute to the drive and I’ll happily come collect from you.

Kathleen Spencer

🌿 R E U N I T E D 🌿
•Team work •

It is an absolute joy to have one more of our tribe return to care in line with Victoria’s Roadmap out of lockdown. Hip hip hooray!

Today the girls worked together to decide turn taking with measuring ingredients & shared ideas on best ways to scoop and measure, practiced counting, explored volume, all to make a big double batch of fresh play dough.

With a range of learning outcomes, including children in the process of making the play dough before play facilitates so many opportunities for learning through discussion, action and modelling.

Well done girls; ‘frozen blue’ dough today 👏🏼

🌿 C H I L D L E D P L A Y 🌿

Extending play • Exploring ideas

A request to use the ‘doctors bag’ evolved into a full blown teddy emergency room situation!
It’s amazing how quick you can erect a teddy hospital and equip little medics to care for their patients.

The girls went beyond ‘taking care’ of their sick patients with the obvious bandage and needle; they also comforted, ‘bathed’ and groomed, and tucked them in for their prescribed ‘sleep for 10 years’ therapy!

Play mimicking real life, these kiddies are the perfect role models for the big people; communicating, working together, taking care of others, nurturing, showing empathy for and practicing compassion. Well done girls 👏🏼

🌻 S P R I N G H A S S P R U N G 🌻

Sun smart • social meals • energised

Suns out! We’re out! The children are happy and energised.... I can relate! Drive way picnic today to get some of that glorious sun, listen to the different sounds; birds, cars and neighbouring children. We spotted Rainbow Lorikeets, lady bugs & new additions to our neighbouring Spoonville, finishing with a spot of hide and seek!

It’s also that time of year where the UV rating is increasing so slip, slop & slap.... seek (shade) & slide (sunglasses) is also our priority...... best we get our littlest people used to sunglasses!

*Highly recommend the sun smart app; it will tell you the current UV and max UV for the day as well as the time of day this applies to. It will also tell you what level of sun protection is required

🌿 L I T T L E T H I N G S 🌿

Community • warm moments

How do we connect with our community during Covid stage 4 lock down? Good question! That’s our biggest challenge for our tribe.

However we found little incidental interactions can end up with nice moments and connection to our community even if it’s the smallest way.

The girls RAN when I told then our Postie was outside in the pouring rain, we knocked on the window and the children gave big waves and shouted hello! And they were pretty stoked when they got the same waves in return. We observed the rain, the flow down the gutters, how the Post woman was waiting under the tree until the rain subsided a little, and Miss V exclaimed the rain was making her garden grow! Big smiles for everyone!

Next week we’ll be streaming some library story time sessions to connect a different way.

🌿 A U S T R A L I A N B E A U T I E S 🌿

Art • Flora • Fauna

We’ve got ourselves some wonderful prints for our indoor play space celebrating Australia’s beautiful Flora & Fauna and Indigenous art!

The children are pretty happy with them!

Indigenous art design by: Damien and Yilpi Marks sourced from Flying Fox Fabrics
Flora: https://www.etsy.com/shop/yanasyyu/
Fauna: My Lovely Pets Design

🌿 A D A P T 🌿

Creativity • Social interaction • Adapting

We’ve been a tad bit busy adapting to Covid stage 4 restrictions. A lot of change in the early Childhood eduction sector and many challenges particularly for the FDC family.
But we know and accept we must engage in the guidelines and we EMBRACE the change.

Its not only us big people to adapt, but our smaller people, our children.
And boy can they ADAPT!!

We had adopted the simplicity of neighbourhood walks and physical play in parks for regular outings initially. However this time around we must endure tighter guidelines so those things are out the window!

In saying that, We’re so lucky to have a great large outdoor space at Aunty Kathys FDC, but sometimes the children just don’t want to brave the cold, and that’s ok. So we’ve brought large scale painting indoors!

Whenever you feel you’re struggling to adapt with the current situation; time in to your inner child’s resilience. We can do this, let our children inspire us!

🌿 V A C A N C I E S 🌿

We have space in our Pod!

We are almost at full capacity; but there’s still 2 spots left for your little sweet pea:

Tuesday x 1
Wednesday x 1

Contact Kathy to arrange a visit and secure a booking.

☎️ 04475 14475

🌿CCS available to eligible families
🌿Up to date immunisations essential

🌿 S P A C E & M O V E M E N T 🌿

Community • Social Distancing • Physical play

This week brought us our first real outing into the community since the outbreak of Covid-19 with a trip to Brimbank Park for a picnic and some good physical play.

The children brought their A-game of listening skills; they really show their understanding of adjusting to our new way of life in the community.
We can still wave and say hello to new people, we can still venture out, however we choose quieter places to play and keep some good distance from others that aren’t in our group.

At this stage we’re still avoiding playgrounds just to be extra cautious but the tribe didn’t mind one bit; running and footy was our vibe!
Although we did get a cheeky pea pod photo after some thorough disinfecting!

Im proud of our resilient, happy & healthy little learners adjusting to a different way of getting out and about.... well done guys!

🌽 M O R N I N G M E A L P R E P 🌽

Nutrition • Sharing • Motor Skills

This morning is all about the food vibes! Our little foodies have been focussed in the play kitchen practising their cutting skills, building on their fine motor development and appreciating good nutritional choices.
It’s Table service in this house so balancing roly poly food on a plate was skilfully practiced.

What’s the best part of a meal? Sharing with those you love of course! From sharing the produce & equipment with each other to kindly sharing a ‘meal’ with a Aunty Kathy; sharing is definitely our keyword today.