Group Time Learning

Group Time Learning with Dolphins

This month we focused on; how to come together in a group setting and concentrate on one thing.

We have made group time on the mat a staple in our morning routine because routines are certainty anchors for children.

Over the course of the month enthusiasm has increased in coming together on the mat to learn as a group.

Some of the exciting learning that we have been enjoying together are;

• Yarning circle starting with “Jingeri” greetings, followed by our  “Acknowledgment of country”;
• Yoga time;
• Mindful moments breathwork; and
• Colour and shapes recognition.

Acknowledgement of Country

We honour the land in which we have been given by thanking the traditional owners at the beginning of every day.

Standing in a circle we say:

1. “Here is the land” (we touch the ground pounding our hands down flat fisted onto the mat.)
2. “Here is the sky” (we reach both of our arms up to the sky stretching them out up above our heads.)
3. “Here are my friends” (we give our friends a quick gentle group cuddle as we cuddle each other closer into the middle of the circle.)
4. “And here am I” (we point to our stomachs.)
5. “We would like to thank the Yugambeh people for the land in which we learn and play” (Standing tall in a circle)
6. “Thank you” (wave)
7. Hands up! (Hands are up) Hands down! (Hands down and pounding flat fisted onto the mat)
8. Ending with “We’re on Yugambeh land now!”

We collaborate with Uncle Allan, our traditional elder, every few weeks to teach the children cultural stories, art, song and dance.

Yoga time 

Yoga time is taught through different avenues at this age.

• Yoga cards;
• Baby yoga books; and
• A special yoga dice.

The dice is the current flavour amongst the children. They love having their turn rolling the dice and attempting the pose that has been chosen.

The benefits of using the dice is to:

• Practice taking turns which builds on our patience;
• practice waiting to see what picture will come up before grabbing the dice; and
• learn how to follow simple instructions by looking at the picture on the dice and attempting to create the pose using our own bodies.

Why is yoga so important for children?

• Helps children manage their anxiety;
• Improves children’s emotional regulation;
• Boosts children’s self-esteem;
• Increases children’s body awareness and mindfulness;
• Enhances children’s concentration and memory;
• Develops children’s strength and flexibility; and
• Teaches discipline and reduces impulsivity.

Mindful Moments Breathwork

We have embedded our “Mindful Kids” breathing techniques into our daily group time routine, we have 5 focus breathing techniques we use every morning.

When we teach mindful breathing to children, we give them life-long tools for managing  anxiety and cultivating inner peace.

Each and every one of us has the ability to feel calmer, more relaxed, and more alert at any given moment. This ability is called “Conscious Breathing”.

Cognitive Development

Recognising colours and  shapes is an  important part of a child’s development, in the way of creating the cognitive link between visual clues and words.

Colour

We practice our colour recognition skills through the use of colour flash cards and colour themed books.

The favourite book at the moment is  “Pete the cat, I love my white shoes “ by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean.

We extend our learning after group time into colour themed activities.

The children are engaged and have shown great improvements in their colour recognition skills.

Shapes

We practice our shape recognition through the use of flash cards and games.

Games we play for shape recognition are:

• Memory games by covering 4 shapes with a blanket and removing one; the children then guess which shape it is;
• Point out shapes found in our classroom to consolidate their knowledge;
• Draw shapes and add magnetic shapes onto our classroom white board.

We finish group time with music and movement for coordination and mental wellbeing.

Toddlers benefit greatly from group time. Not only does it introduce the concept of group experiences, it exposes toddlers to social situations and provides a sense of belonging.

Having a mixture of different learning experiences available for toddlers as well as establishing a set daily group time routine has been greatly beneficial for the children in the Dolphins room.

That’s all this month from Miss Lauren, Miss Ruby and the Dolphins

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