Mini Movers
Educators of Giggles Early Learning implement daily movement and physical activity experiences as part of the Mini Movers program.
The program objectives being:
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Increased awareness of the importance of physical activity and its benefits with children and their caregivers;
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Encouragement of all children to be active by offering a range of options for physical activity;
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Combining gross motor, fine motor movement and balance to achieve increasingly complex patterns of activity including dance, creative movement, as well as, individual and team sports;
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Fostering and further enhancing our service’s focus on health, wellbeing and nutrition;
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Empowering children to value their health, to take charge of their bodies and develop healthy lifelong habits;
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Assisting families to be active and eat well providing information and resources;
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Developing networks with local physical activity facilitators and drawing on family and community experiences and expertise to include familiar games and physical activities;
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Linking with the Local Government Initiative ’ Balance for Life’.
Move Well Eat Well
Move Well Eat Well – Early Childhood promotes a healthier Tasmania where infants, babies, toddlers and preschool age children can enjoy healthy eating and active play every day. Giggles Early Learning is committed to promoting the benefits and is guided by the Move Well Eat Well Early Childhood Award Program and the service philosophy.
Giggles Early Learning supports healthy eating and active play and adapts a whole-of-service approach to health promoting messages, viewing routines as an important learning opportunity. The Move Well Eat Well Award Program will help to further support children’s health and wellbeing, taking into account children’s current knowledge, ideas, culture, abilities, strenghts and interests.
Outdoor and indoor spaces are designed and organised to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.
Whilst many children enjoy a healthy lifestyle, many Tasmanian children do not receive the benefits of healthy eating and active play. Giggles Early Learning will promote this lifestyle to expose to children the choices they can be involved in regarding their own personal health and wellbeing. Children that benefit from healthy eating and active play are increasing their physical, social and emotional health and this provides opportunities for optimal learning.
The service will collaborate with other organisations (childcare, daycare and preschool services) and service providers to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing. Children will also increase achievements across the Learning Framework, as the Move Well Eat Well – Early Childhood Criterion aligns closely with the Outcomes of the learning framework.
In support of the 7 criterion of the award program Giggles Early Learning's policies and procedures reflect and embed healthy practices of:
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Stride and Ride;
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Turn off and switch to play;
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Tap into water everyday;
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Plant fruit and veg in your lunchbox;
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Move play and go;
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Health promoting service;
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Limit sometimes foods.
Furthermore, Educators implement safe and hygienic food storage and handling practices to prevent food contamination and transmission of bacteria and infectious diseases amongst children and Educators.
More infomation can be found at: http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/mwew
Sunsmart
Giggles Early Learning is a Sunsmart service who ensures that all members of the Early Childhood Education and Care Service are protected from skin damage caused by the harmful rays of the sun.
More information can be found at: http://www.cancertas.org.au/prevent-cancer/sunsmart/
G E Learner
The G E Learner initiative started with the children of the service, who were encouraged to brain storm their ideas of a character that would become the service's identity. G E Learner arrived at Giggles Early Learning in August, 2013. The children discussed whether they thought it would be a girl or a boy and whether it would be short or tall. This initiative now makes a regular appearance at the service with a community member stitching a character of G E Learner for the children.
The Adventures of G E Learner blog can be found at:
Transition to school
Each day children of the service have the opportunity to be involved in a transition to school program which assists them with skills required for a smooth transition to school. Educators work collaboratively with all children to build confidence and prepare them for the transition from childcare to school. There is no need to enrol with another service to prepare your child for primary school.
The transition to school program objectives are:
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Assist children with self help and independence;
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Foster social skills;
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Supporting collaborative and co-operative play;
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Encourage persistence;
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Take part in group experiences;
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Valuing of diversity;
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Provide skills across the curriculum;
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Practise scissor skills, pencil grip, colours, name writing and shape;
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Gross motor and fine motor skills.
Outside School Hours Care
Giggles Early Learning offer an after school and vacation care curriculum which is guided by the national compulsory curriculum My time, our place: Framework for school age care in Australia (Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for the Council of Australian Governments, 2011).
The curriculum is written for school aged children who attend early childhood education and care services. My Time Our Place ensures children are offered opportunities for learning, creativity and development, with a special emphasis on play, socialising and recreation.
A copy of the curriculum can be found at: http://files.acecqa.gov.au/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/my_time_our_place_framework_for_school_age_care_in_australia.pdf.
