...where children are happy to learn
Taking
Enrolments Now for 2025!
28 Julie Street Blacktown NSW 2148
Ph: (02) 9622 6990 Mob: 0421920096
blacktown@happydayskindy.com
Welcome to March!
I would like to acknowledge the Dharug people, the Traditional custodians of the lands on which I live and work today. I pay my respects to elders past, present and future for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hope of Aboriginal Australians.
Staff Update:
We will be introducing our new Educator Miss Chelsea. Miss Chelsea will start with us on Monday 10th of March. Were looking forward to having Chelsea start with us. Please introduce yourself.
We are now on Facebook, please like our facebook page below.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572418169801&sk=about
As you would have noticed Happy Days has had a little revamp.
our backyard has gotten new soft fall and artificial grass, new water pump and creek. Out the front we still have some things to be completed, but so far we have gotten new plants under our home corner window, concreted where our bins go and some pretty rocks put down the side of the staffing carpark area and new garden bed at the front. We are getting a new fence for the front and resurfaced driveway.
What's on in March!
Renovation
The Centre will be getting a little sprusing.
Please note that our backyard will be having some renovations done, as well as out front, which will disrupt parking during drop off and pick up. Please use the street parking and be mindful of the road when arriving and departing the centre.
St Patricks Day
Monday 17th March
Please wear green.
Children will be involved in activities all thinks Irish. We will also be involved in some cooking experiences.
Rock pool adventure
Monday 31st March
The rockpool show features amazing creatures from our beaches and oceans. Children will learn interesting facts about the sea and it's creatures. All children will have the opportunity to see and even touch our amazing creatures, as well as fun activities.
$12 per child
Cash or charge to account
@ 1:30PM
Children who do not attend on the day are invited and must be accompanied by a parent or adult.
School Photos
Wednesday 5 March
School photos are on!
If your child does not attend on the day and you wish for them to have their photos taken, please arrive at 9am for your child to have their photo taken, once their photo has been taken you can take your child home.
Any children who attend on the day please come in your clothes you wish to have your child wear in their photo, if you wish for them to get changed please pack extra clothes.
Cultural Diversity Week
17th-21st March
Children will be involved in learning about different cultures throughout the week. They will be involved on cooking experiences, role play, dancing, and activities.
HOLI
Friday 14th March
Please dress your child in a white shirt for our wonderful Holi Colours to shine bright. We also encourage you to pack spare clothes for your children to change into on the day.
Harmony Day
Friday 21st March
Please wear Orange as we celebrate Harmony day.
Harmony Day is a day to celebrate Australia's cultural diversity and respect for all Australian.
Important Reminders
Fob (DOOR) Key
Please speak with Miss Ashleigh or the other Educators if you have not received a key. There us a charge of $25 per key, refunded at the end of your child's enrolment, once returned.
Car Park Etiquette
Onsite parking is something for all of us to share. Please follow these simple car park rules for everyone's safety:
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PARK AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE COLOURBOND FENCE to allow another vehicle to park behind you. We can safely fit 4 vehicles at any time during drop off and pick up times if everyone is parked appropriately.
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DO NOT PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF THE CENTRE, this is the thoroughfare to allow vehicles to enter and exit safely at Happy Days.
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MAKE YOUR DROP-OFF/PICK UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE if you have parked someone in. If you’re planning on talking with an educator, we advise you to park on the curb side instead.
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DO NOT PARK IN THE STAFF CAR PARK.
Collection of Children by Others
You must call the Centre or inform educators if somebody else is collecting your children from Happy Days.
Children under the age of 18 are no permitted to drop off or pick up your child. An adult must always be present.
A valid ID from the person picking up your child is required to be presented to one of our educators for photocopying.
Policy Review
Every month we review a set of policies to ensure that they are relevant and up to date according to regulations.
You are invited to provide feedback on our policy of the month below (send your feedback to blacktown@happydayskindy.com):
Emergency and Evacuation Policy
Communication
OWNA is our main source of communication. If you have yet to set up your notification's please do.
All events, announcements and and reminders will be posted and sent in OWNA.
Clothing & Sunscreen
Please ensure your child has a bag which contains SPARE CLOTHES which includes shorts ,pants, shirts, jumpers, socks and underwear. We understand that your child may not have accidents however spare clothes are required for those times your child may have an accident or gets wet or dirty.
As the weather is beginning to change, please bring Warmer clothes in your child's bag for weather changes such as a long/short sleeve shirt, a pair of shorts and pants/tights, spare socks and a jumper.
SUNSCREEN MUST BE APPLIED BEFORE OR UPON ARRIVAL AT THE CENTRE. You will find our sunscreen on the sunscreen table in the classroom just outside the foyer.
Sleep Sheets
SLEEP SHEETS ARE REQUIRED for all children 2-4yrs who are not in the Mighty Mangoes room.
These must be CLEARLY LABELLED with your child’s name and placed in a labeled pillow case. Your child may not have a sleep however it is our duty of care to allow your child to have a rest for 10min listening to soothing music while the room is cleaned after lunch. Your child will then be invited to participate in quiet activities with the educators.
Open and closing Hours
Please be reminded that Happy Days opens at 7am. Educators will not allow any child to enter the centre before 7am.
We close at 6pm. Parents must collect their child before 5:55pm as this time will allow staff to close the centre and go home to their own families on time. A late fee of $15 per 15 minute Block (eg if you are 5 minutes late you will be charged the $15) will be applied to your account for any late pick-ups. To ensure this doesn't occur please have an emergency contact on standby to pick up your child.
What we got up to last month...
Luna New Year
The educators often plan experiences throughout the year on special occasions, where the children can learn about our Australia’s diversity and different cultural celebrations in our society. The children and educators watched videos showing what different celebrations took place during Lunar New Year, with Miaree also sharing her own experiences. We were fascinated watching the dragon dancing and children were creating their own dragon pictures, we made fried rice together, and in our Home Corner set ups, the children were practicing using chopsticks. The older children were trying to create numbers written in Mandarin, as well as creating their own snakes for ‘Year of the snake’, challenging their scissor skills.
National Pizza Day
National Pizza Day on February 9th celebrates one of America's all-time favourite foods.National Pizza Day is a day to celebrate pizza, which is a baked flatbread topped with tomato sauce and cheese and baked in an oven.
At Happy Days we celebrated by making our own mini pizzas for afternoon tea. The children were able to put as little or as much sauce and cheese on their Pizza.
Children were excited to place them in the air fryer and wait for their yummy pizza to be ready to eat.
In the words of Miaree "Pizza day should be everyday"
Valentines Day
Valentines day originated as a Christian feast day honouring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
At Happy days we celebrated this day by being involved in many different activities and making cards for our local nursing home. The children joined in discussions about what they loved about their friends and family as well as themselves. We at Happy Days like to spread the love in many different ways. To have our Children love themselves is our biggest highlight.
Focus Learning Programs
Happy Days Social Skills Program
This month we focused on turn taking. This was the perfect timing to develop and practice this skill as we have many new comers in our Happy Days Family. The children have been involved in different learning settings like playdough and block building The children were provided with strategies how to take turns while playing in the group. Educators also reminded them to use their words of they need a turn and ask permission from their peers instead of snatching toy from each other.
Playing And Learning to Socialise (PALS)
Happy Days Sustainability Program
Eco-Warriors
At Happy Days, the educators constantly reflect on our practices, in regards to all areas of the program, looking at ways to reduce waste and how we can incorporate more sustainable practices in the centre. The children are being encouraged to learn how and what to recycle, and what can be reused or repurposed at the centre. We have continued to collect bottle lids, including the children’s yoghurt lids, and we are encouraging children to use both sides of paper to draw on to reduce waste.
We have successfully collected multiple Cubeez, thanks to the donations of our families, and the children enjoy using them for building. Miss Mel was able to gain several items from community members ,as well as Marketplace, including multiple craft items, some wooden bench seats and coloured carpet tiles - there have been endless possibilities for uses for these resources.
In regards to our backyard renovation, the educators and children have been brainstorming different ideas to incorporate into our new outdoor environment. Part of our sustainability practices includes caring for our natural environments, and so the children and educators will work together in a plan of action- to include more natural elements, caring for plants, setting up natural play spaces- but we look to incorporate repurposed and recycled materials as much as possible. We encourage families to give their own ideas on ways we can remain sustainable when planning our sustainable environments.
Munch and Move
Happy Days Health & Fitness Program
This month we have focused on the fundamental movement skill: Jumping. This has included the activities of ‘Can You Jump Over The River?” where children used their jumping movements to get over the ‘river.’ They had lots of fun engaging in this and wanting to repeatedly engage in the jumping. The next activity we did was Who Can Jump Like A Frog. The children had lots of fun using the muscles needed to be able to crouch down and jump like frogs along with their friends. We also participated in fruit easel painting where the children had some example photos of different fruits and they got to choose their favourite and copy the painting themselves.
Community Engagement
Happy Days Community Initiatives.
In February Miss Ashleigh and Miss Harinder have been discussing ways in which we can bring in the community into Happy Days.
We are looking at having some more shows come into the centre, and introducing a new pen pals system.
Happy Days are currently looking at putting together a new parent committee, if you are interested in being apart of the parent committee, please let Ashleigh know via email.
Happy Days Culture Program
Culture & Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander topic
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander- The children were introduced with Yarning circle. Miss Harinder gathered the children in the circle and explained the significance of Yarning circle in Aboriginal culture. Every Yarning circle we had discussion on different topics. We talked about our emotions and what do we want in our new backyard.
The children have been also introduced Indigenous songs and Taba Naba is the most liked by the children.
Culture: February explored some new cultures, looking at Waitangi Day, Valentine’s Day and upcoming Ramadan. Waitangi Day is a New Zealand event, celebrating the treaty being signed by their First Nation people. We explored a range of culture such as a korowai cloak, koru and some stories about culture. This entertained the children, observing a different culture and new forms of craft. We combined everyone’s coloured feathers to create our korowai which can be seen on our culture wall. Valentine’s Day was explored the whole week by all educators, with variety of experiences. Craft was done through some hand prints, specially gifted in the form of flowers to people we love. We also had some fine motor games such as save the hearts and a tracing activity, tracing the hearts. Cooking has also been introduced in culture, with the Bug Bugs making chocolate strawberries to celebrate valentines.
Classroom Updates
Happy Days Preschool/School Readiness Program
BRIGHT BUG BUGS
MIGHTY MANGOES: Bug bugs have continued to observe the weather, looking at snow, sun and lightning. This was done through multiple sensory experiences, and crafts. Children now look forward to which weather we look at, even making small weather mobiles, to hang in the room and add craft as we made it. Sensory through play was been a wide interest, making each experience more inviting. Shaving foam has been a big one, incorporating it into sensory tubs with bubbles and ice. Paint underneath cling wrap has also provided a large sensory experience that we have used multiple times during craft.
SCHOOL READINESS:
We have continued to work with the children in establishing a routine for the room, starting each day with our calendar, a well as our ‘sign-in’, where the children are becoming familiar with their written name, and several children have also been very keen on practicing writing their name, often using their name card as a guide.
The children have been participating in different experiences where they can strengthen their fingers and hands, which is important for the development of a developed writing grasp. Playdough, threading and using scissors all aid in this developing skill. The children have shown a lot of interest and determination as they practice cutting with scissors, beginning by snipping at paper, they cutting along lines, and eventually trying to cut out various shapes.
The Bug-bugs have been showing an interest in numbers, and we incorporate numeracy into various aspects of our program, including counting blocks as they are stacked in a tower, looking at numbers on a ruler or clock, as well as more intentional teaching moments. Most of the children are able to count by rote, but do need guidance in counting out objects (one to one correspondence).
A big part of our School Readiness program involves the children’s social and emotional development- learning to share, take turns and work cooperatively together with their peers, respecting the ideas of others and listening to one another.
The children and educators are often engaged in conversations about friendships and feelings, and the children enjoy games and experiences where they can work together.
Magical Malya's
Learning Group for 3 to 4 year olds
The month the Magical Malya’s have focused on construction due to the construction being done at the centre. This has included sensory trays with construction vehicles and shredded paper, construction vehicle wheel painting, excavator painting on the easel, ‘mud’ handprints and looking at construction themed letters. We have also watched a few videos on different vehicles such as an excavator that the children really enjoyed. The children have also really enjoyed watching the construction happening outside and seeing the yard change as they go. They have quite enjoyed all of these activities helping to develop their creativity, fine motor and sensory skills as well as cognitive development.
Learning Program for 2 to 3 year olds
BOUNCING BOO ROO'S
We are excited to introduce our very first topic called ‘All About Me’. This engaging theme will allow our children to explore their identities and share their unique qualities through various activities, such as creating hand prints and engaging in sensory experiences. In addition to this wonderful topic, we have also changed our group name from ‘Go Bananas’ to ‘Bouncing Boo - roo’s. This new name captures the importance and incorporation of Indigenous culture, we are looking forward to observing how the children embrace this new topic!