Early Childhood Development Initiative

Ba Futuru’s preschool launched its “Colorful Expression! Art Exhibition” on 24 April. The exhibition was open to the public and school groups came through for several days after the launch. At the opening, Ba Futuru was honored by the attendance of distinguished guests including the New Zealand Ambassador Vicki Poole, United States Ambassador Kathleen Fitzpatrick and French Representative Elsa Marcesse whom attended together with more than 70 others including volunteers from various organizations, parents and the budding young artists. The Art Exhibition raised $500 for the school through selling the young artists wonderful art work.

In the last several months the Explorers class has been starting their day outside when the temperature is cooler, selecting activities from the outdoor classroom. The teaching and learning doesn’t stop, just because we are outside. It just gets richer with children’s exploration of the natural world investigating Sand, Water, Insects, Nature and Gardening. Being outside, has stimulated our children to ask questions, research answers and draw their own conclusions about how the natural world works around them. It has been great to see their enthusiasm and watch them working together, listening to others and sharing their ideas, piecing together their own working theories.

Being outside has tuned the children into searching for insects, and a lot of thought provoking discussions have transpired, where do they live, what do they eat, are they a baby or a grandpa? Insects have been carefully observed and drawn, this is the start of being a scientist, collecting data.

We have made a bigger sandpit, and the children have got busy with exploring it in different ways. Some children have been filling and emptying containers and making sand castles. Others are still learning how do this with teachers working alongside them and guiding them.

There has been a lot of interest with dramatic play with making pancakes and birthday cakes. Others are experimenting with water and making rivers and ponds and then hypothesising where the water disappears too. Making patterns and marks in the sand has also been popular, with some children writing their names and drawing pictures.

We have had two volunteers from Denmark working alongside us with developing a physical movement programme. They are in their last year of university and have volunteered their time and expertise in this important curriculum area. Children need to “learn to move and to move to learn” is the educational school saying. Our children have enjoyed these classes so much we have decided to continue them.

Our Ba Futuru Gardening Project is underway and we are going to start small, with one garden at a time. We now have a new shade house, which is where all our seed planting will be done. The children have already started with planting up some of the planter boxes, with herbs like lemongrass, ginger, turmeric and garlic so farThe aim of the garden project is to create an environmental space that supports children and the community in learning about the natural world. This involves growing, nurturing, harvesting and becoming a caretaker of the “Beloved Land” through learning about sustainability. We have been successful in planting lemon grass, pumpkin, tomato, turmeric and ginger so far.

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