Maths and Science through Microwave painting!

Today we had lots of fun exploring microwave painting, and there was so much learning happening along the way!

We had to listen carefully to the instructions and follow the process step by step to make our own paint mixture. We then added the ingredients, mixed them together and watched closely as the consistency began to change. There was lots of wonderful scientific thinking as we explored what happened when the different ingredients were combined.

Then came an important maths challenge! Carefully placing our paintings one at a time into the microwave, we had to work out which buttons needed to be pressed. Finding the 10 second we pressed it twice — 10 + 10 = 20 seconds — before finding the blue start button. 

As the microwave worked, we watched each one closely and posed some questions -What do you think is going to happen? Will it look the same when it comes out?

Then… DING! That sound meant the 20 seconds had finished. It was time to open the door and see what had happened to the creation. How exciting to discover that the heat had changed our painting, creating a completely different texture and effect!

What a fun way to explore maths, science and literacy through art. We were counting, recognising numbers, following a sequence, making predictions and observing change — all while creating our very own microwave painting!

Planting in the garden

Sophia kindly gave us a Kings Plant Barn voucher to use, so we bought some beautiful, colourful flowers to brighten up our garden and some seeds to sprinkle too. The children were very excited to help with the planting, working together as they dug holes, carefully placed the flowers into the soil, and took turns using the gardening tools and watering the new plants.

This was a lovely hands-on experience that encouraged teamwork, patience, responsibility, and care for our environment. Our tamariki can now enjoy watching the flowers grow and taking responsibility for caring for them.

 

Project Jonah comes to Kindy!

This morning, we were fortunate to welcome Project Jonah to Uxbridge. Their visit focused on helping children understand how we can all play a part in protecting New Zealand's marine mammals. The children learnt simple but important ways to care for our ocean friends, such as picking up litter at the beach and knowing what to do if they ever come across a stranded whale or dolphin – keep it cool, keep it wet, and call for help - 08004whale

The children were immediately captivated when Project Jonah arrived with a giant inflatable orca, which was set up in our sandpit. We gathered together on the mat to learn about the different types of whales, orcas, and dolphins, discovering fascinating facts about these incredible marine mammals.

To help the children visualise just how enormous these animals are, we used a tape measure to compare their lengths. Some whales were as long as our classroom, while the largest whale in the world stretched from our sandpit all the way across—and beyond—the other side of our playground! This hands-on activity helped bring the information to life.

Many of the children amazed us with their prior knowledge. They confidently shared that whales breathe through their blowholes and that dolphins use their dorsal fins to help them balance and swim. We also discovered some incredible facts about the blue whale: it is as large as three T. rex dinosaurs, its tongue is the size of an elephant, and its heart is as big as a car!

Inspired by everything they had learnt, the children eagerly headed to the sandpit to practise caring for the stranded orca. They carefully poured water over its body to keep it cool and wet, spoke in calm, gentle voices, and learnt the importance of staying away from the tail because it is incredibly powerful. It was wonderful to see the children applying their new knowledge through imaginative, hands-on play while developing empathy and respect for our precious marine life.

A huge thank you to Project Jonah for providing such an engaging and memorable learning experience. The visit sparked curiosity, encouraged environmental responsibility, and inspired our tamariki to become kaitiaki (guardians) of our oceans.

Some words from our friends.....

"We have to be careful of their tail becuase it is veery strong" - Josh

"We put water on them to keep them cold and wet" - Florence

"They don't like eating rubbish or people.  If they lick your hand they go yuk".

"It's bigger than a shark" - Elsie

"Orca is a whale, I have a toy Orca" - Alice

"Did you know jump back whales are as big as this kindy" - Myra

"You need to be quiet and gentle" - Blake

Celebrating Matariki

Over the past few weeks, our Kindy has been celebrating Matariki, taking time to learn about the significance of the nine whetū (stars) through stories, waiata, movement and creative experiences. The tamariki explored Matariki by making salt dough stars, painting beautiful night skies, and weaving with natural resources, while reflecting on the values of remembrance, celebration and looking ahead with hope.

Today we came together for a special Matariki hākari (feast). The tamariki proudly helped prepare a delicious hupa huawhenua (vegetable soup), carefully peeling and preparing the vegetables before enjoying the meal together. To end our celebration, everyone shared a special treat of yellow jelly and ice cream.

It has been a wonderful few weeks of learning, creating and celebrating together as a Kindy whānau. Mānawatia a Matariki!

 

Snakes and Ladders

 

Making lemonade

What a wonderful time we had this morning making homemade lemonade together. There were lots of determined little hands hard at work, strengthening fine motor muscles as they squeezed, pressed and twisted the lemons. The children watched with fascination as the juice flowed into the bowl, chatting about how many lemons it might take to make enough lemonade for everyone. Jojo then made a simple sugar syrup, and mixed it together with the lemon juice and some soda water to create a delicious homemade lemonade.

At bubble time, everyone enjoyed tasting our refreshing creation. There were lots of smiles (and a few surprised faces at the tangy flavour!) as we celebrated making something from scratch together.

What a fun, hands-on learning experience that encouraged teamwork, conversation and a little bit of science too!

A big thank you to Wolfie's whānau for generously sharing their homegrown lemons with us!