Contact Us

Phone

9873 2551 

 

Email

info@northrockspreschool.com.au

 

Address

358 North Rocks Rd

Carlingford 2118 

 

Postal Address

PO Box 4861
North Rocks 2151

 

Opening Hours

8.00am - 3.30pm Monday -Friday during school holiday terms.

 

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Our Learning Spaces

An insight into our Learning Environments

You may think that the furniture in each of the rooms stays the same, these are learning areas which are in each of the rooms. These areas relate to aspects of learning through play and children’s development. Through establishing learning areas, children are reassured by the familiarity, predictability and consistency of the environment. By providing a variety of materials on the shelves we recognise that children are ‘confident and capable learners’, they have their own ideas and interests.

Book Corner

A variety of books are available on the book shelf each day. Couches are available for children to relax and read on, sometimes you might see puppets or other things relevant to the literature in this area.

  • Provides opportunities to relax and participate in quiet experiences according to differing moods
  • Develops appreciation of a variety of written genres
  • Develops understanding of books as a source of enjoyment and information
  • Develops print awareness, and the relationship between print and speech
  • Develops book handling and care skills
  • Develops skills such as retelling, sequencing, predicting, matching, picture reading, and story and book comprehension
  • Develops concentration and attention span

 

Science and experimenting

Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating (Outcome 4 EYLF)

Young children are experimenters and testers from birth.

Each of the rooms has an area allocated as an interest area. Children will find things like magnifying glasses, the light box, magnets, weighing scales and other interesting things that belong to preschool as well as things children bring in from home.

Like adult scientists, pre-schoolers wonder how things work and what makes things happen. They are intent on exploring the properties of the living and non living things they encounter in their daily lives. Our staff are trained to recognise and build on science behaviours that naturally arise as children play and explore indoors and outside. They also promote science by planning and carrying out small and large group activities. These activities are structured around the concepts of science as well as children's personal science interests.

The benefits of science for children :  Children absolutely love science. The benefits of science for kids is tremendous.   When children work together on science projects their interactions will increase with conservation.  Their conversations will result in cooperative behaviors.  Children will begin to talk to each other about their predictions,  what they observe, and they will ask questions. Children love to experiment independently.  Which is why hands-on science activities are essential for children to develop their individual needs.  When children engage freely in science activities, adults have the opportunity to observe children exploring and seeing what they have learned.

 

Drawing Area

Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media (Outcome 5 EYLF)

This area will always have a variety of paper and drawing materials for the children to work with of different shapes, sizes and textures.  By providing the children with the opportunity to choose different materials they can experiment with different media. Scissors are always available to the children with a variety of papers and cards to develop their cutting skills.

  • Develops visual perception, sensory awareness, imagination, creative thought and action
  • Provides an outlet for relaxation, emotional release, and self-expression
  • Develops hand eye co-ordination and small muscle control
  • Develops interest in print, writing skills, the purpose of writing, and print experimentation
  • Provides opportunities to develop a mature writing grip
  • Provides opportunities to practise foundation movements
  • Develops print awareness, visual discrimination, and recognition of symbols, letter names, and sounds

 

Creative and Sensory

Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, enthusiasm and imagination (Outcome 4 EYLF)

Creative art expression is an integral part of our program. Artistic experiences not only contribute to children's artistic and creative development but also to a wide range of skills in other areas, including perceptual, cognitive, language and social skills. We focus not only on providing children opportunities to create art, but also teach children to appreciate art in all its form. This includes appreciation of work created by their peers. Music and movement is part or our creative art expression. Music experiences include moving to music, exploring and identifying sounds, exploring the singing voice, singing songs and playing instruments.

Our program caters for sensory play such as playdough, shaving cream, goop, finger painting etc. There are also creative areas set up for painting, collage, construction etc. Once again you will notice the variety of materials that are provided for the children to choose from to add to their creations, children are not limited to what is on the table.

  • Develops visual perception, sensory awareness, imagination, creative thought and action
  • Provides an outlet for relaxation, emotional release, and self-expression
  • Develops hand eye co-ordination and small muscle control

 

Home Corner (Dramatic Play)

Children have a strong sense of Identity (Outcome 1 EYLF)

We try and capture a home like environment for the children to make their own ‘house’. Sometimes you might see the home corner include other themes such as the circus, or dressing up – this is based on the children’s interests

  • Develops co-operative interactions
  • Develops turn taking and sharing skills
  • Provides an emotional outlet to express feelings
  • Develops language skills- expressive and receptive
  • Develops imagination, creativity, and role play abilities
  • Develops self confidence

 

Block Area

Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating. - Outcome 4

There are not just blocks in the block corner – you will see some other things like animals, cars, people etc in this area, depending on the children’s interests are. There are different shape and size blocks, some are bamboo, some are timber.

  • Develops hand-eye coordination and small muscle control
  • Develops a sense of order, balance, shape, size, colour, and patterning in building
  • Provides opportunities to play creatively and dramatically
  • Develops self confidence in abilities
  • Provides opportunities for self expression in 3 dimensions
  • Provides opportunities to share equipment and ideas

Blocks are one of the top educational toys.

Wooden Blocks Help

  • Develop Creativity & Imagination.
  • Develop Problem Solving skills.
  • Teach Size & Shape Discrimination.
  • Teach Relationship & Perception Skills.
  • Encourage Basic Math & Science Skills.
  • Teach Sorting &  A Sense of Order.
  • Develop Hand Eye Coordination.
  • Develop Fine Motor Skills.
  • Enhance Logic Skills.
  • Encourage Social & Cooperation Skills.

 

Puzzles and Games

 

There are a variety of puzzles provided on the shelves that the children can chose from, these will vary in difficulty depending on the group and their capabilities. If we find there are some children that are ready to move on to more difficult puzzles then we provide harder ones. Although there are generally games set out on the table each morning, the children know they are able to change these games as long as the first one is packed away – once again this does not limit the children to what is put out and gives them choice to try something else.

Puzzles help children develop several skills including:

Cognitive Skills: sorting, comparing, classifying, grouping, deducing, analysing and sequencing – how’s that for a list of skills puzzles draw on? Problem solving, reasoning and logical thinking also fostered. Children engage trial and error strategies to fit pieces.

Maths Skills puzzles increases visual special awareness and help children to see the whole/part relationships.

Fine Motor Skills are definitely used as small pieces need to be picked up, grasped, manipulated and fitted. Hand-eye coordination is also enhanced

Emotional Skills: puzzles can be frustrating when nothing seems to fit. It takes patience to find pieces, determination and “stickability”. When the job is done, there’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment!

Social Skills: I love using puzzles to enhance social skills. When we sit down together to do a puzzle, we have to share, cooperate and engage in team work within a confined area.

 

Outdoors

Children’s choice is not limited to the indoors, by providing sheds in the sandpit and digging patch area we are able to open the doors and the children can choose from the sheds. We acknowledge that not all children enjoy playing with the trucks, some might like the buckets and spades and others might just want to cook. Staff will also put items out based on children’s interests and also teacher initiated activities.

Playing outdoors is a form of exercise that promotes well-being and wholesome physical development. Children are naturally drawn to active play outdoors: it allows them to explore their environment, develop muscle strength and coordination, and gain self-confidence. Playing actively outdoors also increases flexibility, fine and gross motor skills and is related to the development of a wide variety of physical skills, including those involved in sports.

The benefits of outdoor play, and include:

  • increasing physical activity
  • increasing the body's vitamin D levels
  • reducing anxiety and improving mood
  • improving concentration and focus
  • enhancing imaginative and creative play
  • promoting problem solving and leadership skills
  • growing the next generation of stewards for the earth
  • developing stronger immune systems