Mat Times
Regular mat times at Early Explorers Childcare throughout the day is when children come together for shared singing/dancing, story telling, games and group discussions. At mat times children develop their confidence and sense of belonging amongst others.
Rich Learning Experiences, Activities, Play and Fun
Our educators at Early Explorers Childcare plan days that are choc-filled with a variety of learning experiences and activities. These experiences support the growth, development and interests of your child. Our “play based” experiences provide children with opportunities to:
- Build social skills such as communication, sharing, problem solving and relating to their peers
- Gain concepts of numeracy and literacy in meaningful contexts
- Develop confidence and a sense of belonging
- Be creative and imaginative in their thinking, to explore, discover and test out their theories and ideas
- Gain greater understandings of themselves, the world around them and their place within the world
- Interact with and enjoy science, music and technology
- Have fun, laugh and build great memories of their early childhood
Getting ready for school
“One of the most common challenges faced by a new entrant teacher is when a child joins his or her primary school class and is not ‘school ready’. Any efforts to push on with the reading, writing, arithmetic journey are hindered by the fact that this child has not been adequately prepared for the realities of school life.” Education Review NZ
To prepare your child for school Early Explorers Childcare have a transition to school programme. The programme exposes your child to lots of experiences which promote early literacy skills (early writing and oral language skills) as well as maths games. Discussions about what happens at school combined with visits to our local primary school help to build familiarity with the school environment.
What to bring to the Centre
A fun filled day at Early Explorers includes a range of learning experiences – some can be messy, but are valuable parts of the learning process. We advise dressing your child in clothing that is comfortable and suitable for active play.
- A bag which is clearly labelled with your child’s name
- Changes of clothes clearly named (2 changes)
- For children in nappies, enough for the day (recommend 5-6). Please note that there is a charge of $2 per nappy if your child runs out of nappies and a Centre one has to be used. This will be added to your account.
- Extra pants and underwear if your child is toilet training
- A clearly named sun hat for Summer
- Warm hat, jacket and warm footwear for Winter
- A named drink bottle (optional)
At Early Explorers we encourage parents to come and experience the environment in which their child will learn and welcome discussion of routine, experiences or any general queries.