Good Morning! Welcome to another day of learning and exploring with Joey’s Cottage Preschool. Upon arrival all parents are required to sign in at the beginning of the day. Please place your child’s belongings in their locker. When entering the classroom you will be greeted by your child’s teachers. We encourage families to stay a while and engage in activities with the children to help them settle then wave goodbye.
ROUTINE OF THE DAY
- 7.00 am – Joey’s Cottage Opens
- 7:15 am- 7:45 am – Progressive Breakfast
- 9:15 am – Group Time/ Morning Routine
- 9:30 am – Morning Tea
- 9.45am – Pre-reading/Language and Literacy
- 10.10 am – Directed Outdoor/ Spontaneous Play
- 10:50 am – Munch and Move
- 11:00 am – Indoor group time- planned and spontaneous experiences
- 11:50 am – Lunch
- 12:25 pm – Rest/Sleep time
- 1.15 pm –Quiet Activities
- 1.45 pm – Show and Tell
- 2.00 pm – Science and Numeracy
- 2.20 pm – Afternoon Tea
- 2:50 pm –Music and Movement
- 3:10 pm – Outdoor Play
- 4:15 pm –Indoor group time/child directed play
- 4:45 pm – Late Afternoon Snack
- 6.00 pm – Joey’s Cottage Closes
Breakfast is provided by Joey’s Cottage Preschool and is usually cereal or toast. It is served progressively, allowing children to have breakfast if they need to.
The children gather in their room to start the day with the morning routine. We greet each other formally and complete our daily calendar, going through the days of the week, months of the year and weather chart.
The children are also introduced to two new focus letters of the week.
Children are seated at the table to eat morning tea. Morning tea is based on a 6 week rotating menu.
Group time is key part of the Preschool Program. This is because it allows the class to develop a strong sense of community through shared learning and experiences. During this time we focus on language and early literacy development.
Our prepared outdoor environments are designed to invite interest and activity. This environment is set up daily with rotating activities to meet children’s developmental needs and interests. Outdoor play is a time for the children to socialise with others and exercise their gross motor skills. This is also a great time to care for our natural environment and care for our chickens. Joey’s cottage promotes sun protection.
The Munch & Move program aims to promote and encourage children’s healthy eating and physical activity and reduce small screen recreation. Educators encourage children to participate in physical activities promoting a healthy lifestyle.
We gather again in our class to reflect on our day so far. We continue to work on our interests, introduce our writing and art and craft tasks, and extend on our project-based interest activities.
Homemade food encourages children to learn about foods from different cultures, encourages food-based discussions, and fosters a greater understanding of healthy eating. Our qualified cook freshly prepares nutritious meals daily for the children. Children are encouraged to pour their own water and serve the fruit to develop fine motor and practical life skills. They also assist with packing away at the end of the meal promoting self- help skills and independence.
After lunch is rest time for our preschoolers. Each child has their own floor bed and rest listening to soft music.
Children who do not need a day sleep participate in quiet activities such as story time, colouring and puzzles.
We gather around for show and tell. Show and tell encourages children to engage with their peers, building confidence and promoting communication and language skills. Children are taught to respect their peers by listening and asking questions.
Our group time focus is science and numeracy. During this session the children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of directed experiences that highlight these areas. Children are encouraged to hypothesis, make predictions, problem solve and explore mathematical concepts through educational games.
Joey’s Cottage provides a nutritious afternoon tea that usually consists of fruit, rice crackers, vegetable sticks, yoghurt or other healthy snacks.
Music is a form of expressive arts. Children engage in music and movement activities promoting creativity and fundamental movement skills.
We encourage children to engage in self-directed outdoor play, an approach that fosters independence and creativity. This unstructured time is essential for developing their social skills, as it allows them to interact, negotiate, and collaborate with peers. To enhance this experience, we provide a range of equipment and toys. These are thoughtfully chosen to appeal to various interests and developmental needs, promoting physical activity, imaginative play, and cognitive growth.
Children come back inside the classroom to begin winding down for the day. During this time children are again provided with the opportunity to continue working on projects and engage in a variety of quiet activities including building with construction, drawing and puzzles.
A light healthy snack is provided for children at the end of the day.
Joey’s Cottage Preschool is closing for the day – we look forward to seeing you again next time!