Smoochie McGill

Last week we learnt about Wales and as part of that, we discovered that there are a lot of castles there! So using different shapes and cut outs, we created our own castles. The children loved chatting away as they glued together and decorated their own castle. We loved seeing how different everyone's turned out. Parents you can see all the photos on Storypark.

We loved learning about Japan this week! Here is what we learnt and did -
- Painting the Japanese flag. The children found it one of the easier flags they have painted, as it has a big red circle.
- We talked about Mount Fuji which is a big volcano in Japan. We then made volcanoes in the tuff tray with baking soda and vinegar
- We painted cherry blossoms as they are the national symbol of Japan. We used a bottle to create the unique petals on the tree
- The children learnt about Japanese traditional dress called kimono. The children cut and glued beautiful flowers on their own kimono.
- Koinobori is a special kite made in the shape of a koi fish which are made during special festivals. We decided to create our own with coloured paper.
- As sushi is a traditional dish of Japan, we asked Oma to make us sushi for lunch, and the children absolutely loved it!

In our over 2s room we have been learning about a different country each week, and this week we discovered what a beautiful place Croatia is!

With inspiration taken from their beautiful beaches, we had a hands-on science experience using vinegar and baking soda to make the ocean bubble and create small waves. We then enjoyed having water play with the sea animals at ‘our beach’.

We learnt that football is very popular, so on another day we decorated footballs with pencils and then used our fine motor skills to cut it out with scissors.

We discovered that the Iris is the national flower, and we explored an art experience painting them with a mirroring technique to make our flowers.

We had fun with these activities and more, all while learning a bit about Croatia!

Children in our under2s room have been showing great interest in the construction happening outside, so we created our own construction adventure using toy vehicles and fluffy white foam. Our little builders eagerly scooped up the foam, mixing it with sand using shovels and trucks. They carefully examined the excavator, making sure it was working just right. It was a fantastic hands-on adventure, filled with curiosity, creativity, and teamwork!

We have very limited space remaining in our over-2s room for 2025, so get in touch ASAP if you would like to secure a spot for your child. We are still taking new starters for this year. Check out our website for further information https://www.smoochiemcgill.co.nz/fees-faq or give us a call on 09 410 8803 to arrange a visit.

Fees & FAQ - Smoochie McGill Early Learning – Forrest Hill, Auckland — Smoochie McGill Childcare fee’s, based on full day or short day sessions.

Today children enjoyed experimenting with coloured bubbles. Some enjoyed the feel of the bubbles in their hands, while others liked to scoop it into cups. “It’s just like candy floss” remarked one of the children. Sensory experiences promote exploration, creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving, as well as being great fun!

We have space available in our over 2s room. Check out our website for further information https://www.smoochiemcgill.co.nz/fees-faq or give us a call on 09 410 8803 to arrange a visit.

Fees & FAQ - Smoochie McGill Early Learning – Forrest Hill, Auckland — Smoochie McGill Childcare fee’s, based on full day or short day sessions.

Colour experiments are fun for the children, as well as being educational, as they learn about colour mixing, and the combinations that create new colours. Reusing our shredded paper before it gets recycled, not only reduces waste, but also adds a new experiment as children learn about how the water changes the paper.

A new medium was introduced to the art table today. Using some special marker pens, the children were able to enjoy creating ‘blocks’ of art with wood pieces from our carpentry table. Looking forward to seeing where this leads to next…

Children in the over 2s room explored science with a Celery Food Colouring Experiment this week. We observed how water, dyed with food colouring, travelled up the tiny vessels in the celery stalks! It was amazing how this natural process defies gravity. Parents, check out the photos on Storypark.

Family visits to the zoo are becoming a popular activity for some of the children in our under 2s room, so teachers have extended this interest with a few activities this week. This has included animal recognition, “saving” animals, matching animals with their skins, and of course, reading animal themed books. Thanks whānau for sharing with us what you and your little ones do at home via our daily conversations, and Storypark Moments, which keeps inspiring us when planning our curriculum.

Learning about where our food and drink comes from encourages children to be more aware of the nutrients and benefits that come with eating, healthy, fresh produce. It also shows children how much work is involved! While we couldn’t visit the dairy farm, this little activity was great for sparking some curiosity and discussion about milk.