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Hive Rules the School Day

Recently the Hive took over the school and ate lunch in the staff room! They enjoyed a shared lunch of hotdogs. We would like to thank Tom’s Mum, Lisa, for organising this. The children certainly enjoyed a special lunch.


We are exploring self-expression through the Arts, an inquiry into How We Express Ourselves.

We have been inquiring about various art forms such as clay, drawing, painting, paper folding and movement. These have certainly inspired the children to try new things and display lifelong learning habits such as experimenting and curiosity that will develop a love of learning.

The children’s playful creativity was evident as educators observed the children immersed in the process of working with play dough, clay, loose parts, pencils, paints, and paper. No one was concerned about the outcome, which allowed their creative styles to come to life. It also provides a valuable skill of learning to be in the moment and nurture it as they connect with the world around them. One of the goals behind our provocation was to develop healthy self-expression and inspire them to try new things, take risks and think creatively toward a lifelong love of learning.

Recently the children have repeated their portrait drawings, and such self-expression is valuable for the positive development of a child’s identity, self-confidence their belonging to the world. Each child enjoyed the process and communicated their feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Their creative thinking and connection with resources have allowed the expression of feelings beyond verbal language.

We have provided the opportunity to paint with watercolours and water pencils in a small, quiet space where children learn to communicate their ideas through mark-making and visual representations. For instance, many children were observed speaking about the different brush strokes, brush sizes, colour mixing, and colours.

“It’s the shade. It’s dark,” Amelie

“The yellow is happy,” Seb

“The grey is rain or clouds,” Aaren


We viewed some famous art pieces and incorporated them into our well-being focus by allowing the children to express their feelings, likes, and dislikes in constructive conversations. Activities such as this support the children in developing emotional literacy as they learn to accept different perspectives and learn about teamwork and different opinions.

“I don’t like that one much. It’s not as happy,” Spencer

“I like that one,” Mila

“It has lots of lines,” Arlo

“That one is my favourite,” Amelie

“It’s night-time. The swirls might be wind,” Luca

“I like the garden,” Dorothy

As educators, we learned more about the children’s perspective of the world; this has helped us respond positively and show appreciation for individual preferences. To discover more about ourselves, we discussed our passions and what inspires us to create or be creative.

“I love nature,” Spencer

“I love my family,” Amelie

“I love running,” Tom

“I like basketball. I can bring mine in,” Oscar

“I like fire trucks,” Rafi

“I like cars,” Jack

“My home and garden,” Walter

“My mum,” Zahli

“Nature, I like trees,” Noah


We are expressing ourselves through movement.

Educators have observed the children wanting to express themselves in physical ways. Each Friday, we have incorporated some time exploring the school environment, as we have noticed how much they love making the most of different ways to move.

“The football is the best. It goes high,” Oscar

“I can kick this right over there,” Tom

“I can bounce this ball watch,” Walter

“I play soccer, and I can kick this ball,” Seb

“I’m going to go all the way across,” Aaren (Balancing on the beam)

“I can jump,” Maisie

“It’s good without shoes,” Amelie (Walking on the sensory path).

“I love the basketballs. I will bounce it,” Arlo

“I love the hammock. I have one at home. Can you swing it a bit?” Noah

“I get calm,” (in the hammock) Maisie

We have observed the effectiveness of offering opportunities to move when the children feel energetic or tired. It can help children to regulate by exerting energy or calming down their nervous system. We have provided experiences for physical activity, such as gym visits for physical play, yoga for slowing down, and meditations to promote calmness.


LISA COXON
Head of Early Childhood