Our first stop this October was at Seedlings Nature Schools in Mungret, an outdoor Pre-School and After-School. From a cozy campfire to engaging discussions on the Forest School ethos and outdoor registration with Tusla, it was a warm and welcoming experience. A massive thank you to Johanna, Ellen, and the team for hosting us and [...]
We enjoyed our third site visit on the 21st August with Southside Child and Family Centre in Galvone. Margaret, Liesa and Diane welcomed us with an overview of the facility and the services provided before leading us on a tour of the purpose-built full day service. Managed by Limerick Social Services Centre, the building is [...]
We held our second site visit on the 17th July, this time it was Teddy's Community Play School in Dromcollogher. Anne gave us a tour of the Old Court House and the challenges of adapting a protected structure before crossing the road to tour the green area. Over the past 8 years the service has [...]
On the 20th June we held our first site visit, hosted by Jenny from Our Lady Queen of Peace Preschool in Limerick city. Jenny took us on a tour of her ‘tiny spaces’ and how, over the past 14 years, the preschool has worked with the school community to create a range of outdoor play [...]
Paper chains offer rich opportunities for S.T.E.A.M. learning. Why make a paper chain? Hands on activity supporting dexterity and motor skills. Co-operative – easier with two or more people. Group activity – everyone in the group can add a link. Sustainable – recycle magazines, wrapping paper, printed pages, etc. Mathematizing Positional language (over, under, inside, [...]
“The theme of communicating is about children sharing their experiences, thoughts, ideas, and feelings with others with growing confidence and competence in a variety of ways and for a variety of purposes”. (Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework) The post box activity originated as a means of providing a storage cubby hole for the children. It then [...]
Happy Faces, Askeaton, consisting of crèche, Montessori and after school club thoroughly believes in open-ended materials and provides a wide range for the children to explore. These open-ended materials are located in interest areas to enhance different areas of development and learning. Open-ended natural materials allow you and the children to bring the outdoors indoors. [...]
Nurturing and Extending Interactions is one of the pillars in the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide. "Aistear’s principle on relationships states, Children have a fundamental need to be with other people. They learn and develop through loving and nurturing relationships with adults and other children, and the quality of these interactions impacts on their learning and [...]
Kilfinny School Childcare, operate a Pre-School and an After-School Service from a room in Kilfinny N.S. The service have developed the environment to create a number of interest areas as well as providing age and stage appropriate activities for the wide age range the room caters for. The children dine in a family style setting. [...]
As part of the Aistear in Practice Programme, Kilcolman Community Creche have reviewed the physical environment in the Montessori Room and further defined the Interest Areas in the room. Why is the environment so important? “The environment influences how and what children play. Well-resourced, well-planned and predictable indoor and outdoor spaces help children to see the opportunities that are available for play. There are two roles for the adult in [...]
