Painting on the back deck in the sun :)
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Miss Claire's Teaching Ideas & Inspirations-
Welcome!! I am a nanny, I have a diploma in Children's Services (Pre-School teaching) and I am currently studying my Bachelor of Primary Ed. at University. This is my online resource & inspiration blog for everything 'teaching' suitable for children from 0-12 years...
~ Thursday, May 31 ~
We have been learning all about dinosaurs at school. Here are some of the kids works. Very cute <3
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~ Monday, May 28 ~
~ Monday, April 2 ~
~ Saturday, March 10 ~
~ Sunday, February 26 ~
I spotted this on Pinterest, and had to share. Such a fun idea for a toddler’s meal. I want to do this for my girls one week.
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~ Tuesday, February 21 ~
Children Writing
They play, but do they write?
Do children write in a play-based curriculum?
Just try to stop them!
They write on forms;
They write in sand;
They write in the home corner,
They write on their drawings;
They write on the walls;
They write signs for their buildings;
They write really small;
They practice writing their names;
They write the rules;
They write on lists;
They write on maps;
They write with blocks;
They write in cubbies;
They write in journals;
They write in German;
They write with play dough;
They write on trucks;
They write outside;
They write to the fairies;
They write with friends;
They write out plans for our dirt patch;
They write on rocks.
They write it here, they write it there, they write it everywhere.
In a play-based curriculum every day provides endless opportunities to learn about print in meaningful situations. So lets keep on providing the best practice for young children in their early childhood programs through play and not fall into the trap of thinking that play excludes literacy
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~ Friday, February 10 ~
Heart Mobile:
As February is “heart month”, here is a fun heart themed craft activity! An excellent activity to get children focused on refining there fine motor skills too!
http://heartkids.org.au/another-heading-2/ Please check out the link to learn more about Heart Month!!
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AMAZING TEXTURE & SENSORY BOARD IDEAS!!!
These are some great ideas for making texture/sensory boards. They are a great resource to use with baby’s or children with additional needs. This does not have to be an expensive resource!!! You can make them simply by using things from around the home as you can see you can use sticker foam, sequin sheets, tissue paper, felt, sponge, gift bows, lace and so much more!!
I really love the idea of making a personalised texture board with a child. Have a range of items and textures available to choose from and let them pick out what they like and attach it to the board. You can even use velcro to make a board that is easily changed.
For people who want lots of variety or are working in a centre with children with additional needs, I love the idea of the box of textures with pieces of card that have textured items attached. This way you can choose what to display and change it to suit the child. As those of you who work with children with additional needs know, some textures can have a negitive reaction on some children. So having them in a box and not on display is helpful!
Remember to have fun and be creative with your texture boards :) :) !!
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EVERYONE must change from one activity to another and from one setting to another throughout the day. Whether at home, school, or in the workplace, transitions naturally occur frequently and require individuals to stop an activity, and begin something new.
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may have greater difficulty in shifting attention from one task to another or in changes of routine.. A support that I personally have found very useful, to assist individuals with ASD during transitions is the VISUAL TIMER.
It may be helpful for individuals with ASD to “see” how much time remains in an activity before they will be expected to transition to a new location or event. Concepts related to time are fairly abstract (i.e. “You have a few minutes”), often cannot be interpreted literally (i.e. “Just a second” or “We need to go in a minute”), and may be confusing for individuals on the spectrum, especially if time-telling is not a mastered skill.
Timers are available to buy- see the one on the left. This is easy to use and the red shows how much time is remaining clearly. It will make a noise when time is up.
If you are stuck out somewhere, or you simply need a quick tool to assist an individual with ASD to transition or place a limit on an activity. I have found the TIMER or ALARM setting on my touch screen phone very helpful! I sit with the child and discuss how much time we are going to leave for an activity, then we punch the numbers in together. When the alarm goes off I allow the child to turn it off themselves by swiping the screen. I really love this because it is something I always have handy on my no matter where I am!
If you have a computer handy- this website is also a really great resource! http://www.timercountdown.net/
**Some of the following information was taken from http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/?pageId=399 **
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~ Monday, January 23 ~
Taking those important first steps toward raising a reader doesn’t have to be a challenge. Below are some answers to commonly asked questions to help you set the stage for your newborn’s lifetime of literacy:
How do babies use books?
Babies love to observe. Every time you read to your baby, you reinforce basic reading concepts, such as turning pages and following text from left to right. As you read a book together, point to the pictures, name them, and talk about them. As your infant grows, he will imitate you by turning pages or pointing to objects.
Babies also like to be held and spoken to. And books provide the perfect opportunity for them to learn about speech patterns and how to make sounds.
How can I be sure that my baby enjoys reading?
Books provide vital one-on-one time for you and your infant. Through the sound of your voice and the warmth of your body, your baby will come to think of reading as a pleasurable activity.
What kind of book is best for infants?
Newborns see things best from about a foot away — or the distance from your face to your baby’s while you’re holding him. So it’s best to select books with high-contrast images. Black-and-white illustrations and patterns (stripes, polka dots, checkers) provide plenty of entertainment for infants of this age.
To stimulate older babies, look for books that require some manual dexterity. Lift-the-flap books, touch-and-feel books, and chunky board books sized for little hands are both fun and challenging.
Most babies do not have the attention span required for lengthy picture books, so stick to simple text and rhymes accompanied by vivid pictures. Also, sturdy construction is important — you want books that will last!
Remember that while babies aren’t born book lovers, they are born learners. And the more you read to them, the more they learn. They learn to love the feel of the pages in their hands (or their mouth), the sound of your voice, the beauty of the illustrations — the joy of a good book.
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~ Saturday, January 7 ~
~ Thursday, January 5 ~
Circle Time Wall
For my pocket chart in my circle time area, I take phrases from one of the bucket filling books and print them out and laminate them. We use them as discussion pieces for group time, and for when we brainstorm ways to fill buckets. Later in the week, we also use them for recognition, matching to illustrations, and story recall!
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Got my Hermit Crabs yesterday :3 the little one didn’t wanna come out of its shell
Cute. They need far more substrate than that, though. It should be at least twice as deep as your...
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When I'm napping in the lounge and someone wakes me up
