I’m so excited and proud to announce that I am a Twinkl Ambassador….yep what great news. As a parent, I am passionate about kids’ education and anything that I can do to support my children I am doing. This is why I love the tools and resources that Twinkl offers to allow all children to thrive in their educational journey.
What is Twinkl?
Twinkl is a resource for teachers and parents. They have resources that support all levels from Kindy to High School that is aligned to the Australian Curriculum.
Twinkl is an online educational resource platform that provides a wide range of educational resources, activities, and lesson plans for children of all ages. It was founded in the UK in 2010, and since then, it has expanded to serve educators and parents around the world, including Australia.
Here is an overview of the foundation to year 2 level on Twinkl – So many resources available.
I am very proud and excited to be a Twinkl Abassador
Treasure words and Fake Words Phonics Game
Why Twinkl membership is a must
Here are some ways Twinkl can help parents support their children at school, as well as how it helps teachers and homeschooling parents:
Educational Resources: Twinkl offers a vast library of educational resources that align with the Australian Curriculum, from kindergarten to high school. Parents can access materials that cover a wide range of subjects, including mathematics, science, English, and social studies, to support their child’s learning at home.
Printable Worksheets: Twinkl provides printable worksheets that parents can use to help their child practice their skills at home. These worksheets cover a range of topics and are designed to be engaging and fun for children.
Interactive Activities: Twinkl offers a range of interactive activities that parents can use to engage their children in learning. These activities include games, quizzes, and puzzles that help children learn while having fun.
Lesson Plans: Twinkl has a variety of lesson plans for teachers that cover a range of topics and subjects. Parents who are homeschooling their children can also use these lesson plans to structure their child’s learning.
Homeschooling Resources: Twinkl offers a range of resources for parents who are homeschooling their children. These resources include lesson plans, worksheets, and activities that are designed specifically for homeschooling families.
Twinkl is a valuable resource for parents who want to support their child’s learning at school, as well as for teachers and homeschooling parents. With its extensive library of resources, printable worksheets, interactive activities, lesson plans, and homeschooling resources, Twinkl provides a comprehensive solution for parents who want to help their children succeed academically.
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If they are a few years away from entering big school or otherwise known as primary you might want to expose them to some concepts to give them a better start.
My little boy Alexander is still three but in a few short months will be four, and next year is his last year in childcare. Childcare runs a preschool program and he’s learning so much more each day.
How is he so close to going to Big School? Mind you he is keen to go to school like his big sisters, however the same year he starts Kindy the twins will be starting high school…yes I will have kids at two different stages!
I’ve partnered with Get Ready for School Australia to share their great resources to help your little people get school ready. Read on to find the 15% discount…yes what a helpful thing to have!
Bark is keen to learn with Get Ready for School Australia too! Alexander loves his new kit too!
“The Get Ready for School Australia program focuses on playful and meaningful learning activities that build a love of learning in your child – in the familiar surroundings of your own home. And they need little or no preparation.”
I have a super great discount for my readers, you can get 15% off!
Enter the following code: Alexander15
Benefits of Get Ready for School Australia
Builds confidence
Helps parents with everything they need to help their child get school ready
Spend quality time with mum/dad learning
Have fun learning with everyday items that you have at home
The Get Ready for School Australia is personalised for your child and follows the school curriculum
Alexander is still learning to write. He loves colouring in and holding pens, pencils, and textas, he is also figuring out what hand he wants to write with. Currently, he is favouring his left hand.
I read to Alex every night and he likes to read me the story from the pictures in the book. It is very interesting hearing his view of the story, however, sometimes it doesn’t match the book at all and is hilarious!
Stay tuned for more posts and videos about our progress with the Get Ready for School Australia kit. Get one for your little one that is about to start Kindy soon, they make sure to personalise the pack for your little one.
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School goes back for my twins at the end of January. Part of me is excited that they will be starting a new year of learning, and part of me is realising that time is flying.
The girls starting school last year. I’m sure they will be this excited this year.
There is also another part of me that likes the fact that they will be at school so that mummy might be able to get a few things done….. I know many parents do rejoice when school goes back so I might not be the only one doing a happy dance.
Although with school going back the routine returns. Lunches have to be made, bags packed, school uniforms washed and folded, kids dropped and picked up from school, and then after school activities return and therefore means that I need to take everyone to the required place for the required amount of time.
School holidays do tend to wear me out, but I do love the fact that you can just stay home and do nothing. You don’t have to be anywhere and no one needs a lunch box to stay home.
This was the twins last day of pre-school. They were super excited to be going to Kindy. Now they are in grade four, how time flies.
Soon the girls will be done with their primary education and move on to high school.
Not only have I been a little down about the fact that they are growing up so quickly, I have been thinking about all the items that I need to organise for the kids before they get to their first day of term 1 this year.
Are your kids starting school this year? If they are I bet they are very excited.
What do you need for the first day of school?
Depending on what year you are in you have different things to bring to school. Your school gives you a breakdown of all items that you need to for your child.
If you have attended Kindy Orientation the year before, you would have received an info pack. In the info pack you get told all about the school, bell times, teachers, where rooms are, snow and bushfire policies (Yes our school has both snow & a bushfire policy), what the kids need for their first day and so much more.
COST SAVING TIPS:
TIP 1: Look at the uniform and see how you can cut costs. If the school wears a single colour polo shirt, this same top an be purchased cheaply at Target, BigW or Kmart. If the school has a crest on their shirts buy a few of these and get the rest in the plain colour. This way your child has the fancy one for school functions, photos and excursions.
TIP 2: The same is for other items, like shorts, skorts (a cross between a skirt and shorts) and so on. I purchased skorts for the twins for $8 at BigW and from the school, they are $30 each. Shopping around for school uniform items is a good idea. Oh, and if your kids are like mine and love wearing shorts, buy the boys shorts and you will save a bundle. Who cares if they are boys or girls shorts. It really doesn’t matter.
TIP 3: If your child is at the stage you need to purchase stationery and other supplies for school, it is a good idea to see what you already have at home. I’m sure that you might already have textas, pencils, sharpener, pencil case and more already. This will save you a bit of money at the shops.
For Kindy kids, the following is basically all you need:
Full uniform, school shoes, hat (wide-brimmed is ideal), sunblock, spare clothes if needed (In case of an accident. Pack undies, socks, pants, skirt or skort in a plastic bag).
Bag or backpack that is not too big for your child. Something that they can carry without any help.
Lunch box packed with a yummy lunch. Give the kids some snacks, finger food, a sandwich and a treat here and there. If your school has a canteen or possibly a tuck shop maybe put a $2 coin in their lunch box so they might get a treat once a week.
Water Bottle
Smock for creative tasks like painting.
Jumper & rain jacket in case the weather changes. If your weather is like mine it can change without notice. You don’t want your little one to be at school and freezing.
Make sure to label everything. Kids lose so many things and you want to be able to claim your item in the lost property box.
Library Bag ( I made one for the twins so that it is different from the other kids. This way it is easily recognised as theirs)
If you are concerned that you have not packed or supplied what is needed, it is always a good idea to check with your child’s teacher.
NOTE: Normally you have a two-week window to get everything organised for the start of the school year. This gives you ample time to source all items.
Download my FREE Guide to Make a Book Bag
There are many ways to add your names to items. You can write them on the items with pen or texta, or get actual labels.
Labels can be for clothes, bags, books and more.
One website that we have used and love is called, Stuck On You.We liked that the labels are unique to each child, and were so fast to arrive.
Just google labels for kids and you get so many choices that I’m sure you will find something that suits your needs.
The above list for Kindy kids was fine until my girls got to third grade. Once we reached this level in primary school we needed to provide more for the kids.
Each grade gets sent a list via the school newsletter and it is also available for purchase from the local newsagency.
If your school uses SkoolBag (SkoolBag is an app the school uses for all communication, some school use it) then you can download the equipment list from there.
What the twins need for grade four:
2 x 30 cm ruler, clearly labelled with centimetre and millimetre markings (no metal or floppy rulers, please)
Scissors
Highlighters – at least two different colours
2 glue sticks – 35g
8 lead pencils, HB.
Sharpener with container
2 rubbers for lead pencils
Coloured pencils
Gel pens and textas are optional
Pencil case large enough to hold the above items (1 pencil case only, please!)
Library bag
4 plastic document wallets A4
2 x 0.4 or 0.5 fine point black pens for map work, labelling and artwork
Large sheet of cardboard for Art folder
3 x Lined A4 exercise books for homework/classwork
2 x Boxes of tissues (this helps the classroom if each kid contributes)
1 x packet whiteboard markers
USB 4-6GB
Drink bottle with water only for drinking during class
Please remember a hat each day
For example, grade five will be getting extras like pens as they will have their pen licence (yes this is a thing!), extra workbooks, cardboard for folders and also a calculator for maths.
This should give you a good idea of what to pack for your child who is starting school this year.
One of the things I do dread is packing the kids lunches, the dread is fuelled by the fact that the twins are so fussy that it is hard to know what to pack.
I want to give the twins something that I know that they will eat, but also try to expose them to new and yummy foods.
Did you know that you can put in tasty, yummy and healthy snacks that will make your job as the chief lunch packer easier.
A simple lunch box.
There is a place called School Snack Box and they can send you a box of snacks that you don’t need to think about.
All you need to do is to pick how many snacks you wish to add to your child’s lunch box and then order the box that is right for you. You can choose from a box with 22 snacks for $40/month, with $15 shipping fee. Or you can get 44 snacks for $80/month and also with an extra $15 shipping fee.
This is a great option if you wish to have different snacks delivered each month. Add something different to the lunch box each day.
Starting big school is a major milestone. I hope your child has a great time.
It’s a massive step when kids start Kindy. You will be emotional even if you have told yourself it won’t happen.
Let it happen and it is all normal. Trust me, I was happy and still crying.
If you are able to help out at the school, do it. It’s so amazing to see your child thrive and be more confident in their new school.
I volunteered to help with reading when the twins were younger and will do so for Alexander as well when he starts school.
Good luck with term one. I hope your kids have a great time and you do as well.
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Do your children grumble and complain when you want them to practice their sight words?
Mine do!
With school reading starting this week I’m sure you will be practicing with your little ones so that they can progress with their home readers.
It got me thinking…. Why not make it fun?
If it was a game the kids would be more inclined to want to practice. Maybe they would not even realise they are practicing their sight words, and just think it’s a game.
One bingo card for one of my girls
What is Sight Word Bingo?
Sight word bingo is like regular bingo but without numbers, it uses words. The words you select are aligned to your child’s level at school and reading.
How to play Sight Word Bingo
Each child gets a different bingo card. (When you print out your cards on Sight Word Bingo Creatoryou can tell it how many cards you need. It automatically creates each card differently for you.)
If the child/children are not familiar with the words take a moment and read them with the children. Let them get familiar and know the words before playing. If any child needs any help with the words make sure to give them an extra hand. This game is all about getting to know the words.
It is recommended that the adult/parent use the word in a sentence so that the child understands the word and how it is used. For example: “Mummy had to think about where she put her keys.” (This happens a lot, yes I know I should find a place and keep them there.)
You can play this game as many times as you like until your child/children know the words. Once they are confident with these words you can then move onto other words.
The parent or adult calls out the words one at a time. Once the child hears each word, they cover the word that appears on their bingo card with a marker. (If you don’t have markers how about buttons or bottle tops – cheap and easy to get a hold of)
Remember: Not every word is on every card. If every word was on all cards everyone would get bingo.
The words to read out for Sight Word Bingo! Let the games begin.
When the child has a whole row of words completed whether horizontal, vertical or diagonal they have won. To win you need to yell, “BINGO!”
The other bingo card for my other lovely girl
How do you create your own Sight Word Bingo?
To create your own Sight Word Bingo game, you need to go to the Sight Word Bingo Creator (see below image)
I selected two cards to be created as I have two children. You can select more if you need more.
I selected the Dolch Sight words and ticked the box for 1st Grade. As you can see there are more grades to choose from and different selections of sight words.
Once all selected and confirmed a PDF is generated that allowed me to save and to print.
I would recommend printing on thicker paper so that the Bingo Card lasts a bit longer and maybe laminating it so that it can be used again and again.
Have fun with your Sight Words Bingo and I hope this will help your little one learn more words.
Disclaimer:I was looking online and found the SightWords website. I was so taken with their free resources to help children read, and making these tools accessible is fabulous. I have not been paid to promote SightWords and had to share this great website as helping your little one read is very important.
Do you practice sight words with your child/children at home? Help at school for reading?
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As you know the twins are in different classes for grade 1 and both seemed very happy with this when they left with their new classes, and from my last post you would know it was me that was the most seemed upset about this. I have been questioning why and I believe that I thought the girls would be more emotional by being apart than they were. In reality they were fine.
I was not opposed to separating the kids and believe that this will help in their development and confidence. However due to past behaviour and of course asking the kids what they wanted to do regarding school, I thought being together was the way to go. The girls both told me together and separately that they wished to be in the same class. So I thought that this would be the best way to go.
Last Thursday was the girls second day of school and one kid was very clingy and upset. She did not want me to leave. I stayed for a little bit and tried to remove myself from the classroom with little disruption to my girl and of course the classroom and teacher. My attempts did not work and she was hanging onto me very tightly and like her life depended on it. I was not sure if she was just a little sensitive that day or if she was missing her sister. She seemed okay to be in a class without her twin so I did not bring it up. I did not want to allow her to think that she cannot be in a classroom and develop by herself.
The twins first day of grade 1. Wearing their new YUUworld Bags.
When I left the teachers aide said that she could be the class helper. She sat near the teacher and was promised to help. I thought this was great as this was my queue to exit the room and when I looked back she had a smile on her face. My little one does love helping and doing things for the teacher and others.
My other little girl, was busy with her work in her class and did not look bothered. I waved her goodbye and she gave me a wave and a smile. All good I thought.
The girls are in a composite class of kids who are grade 1 and grade 2 students. The teachers and students are all learning about each other and understanding what level each child is at for work and learning names and so on.
The kid who was clingy was very upset on Thursday night and told me that she was not allowed to help in the class, that the older kids got different work and that she was doing Kindy work and it was boring! She told me she wanted to learn everything and do more and that the teacher was not allowing her to look at the bigger kids worksheets.
I sat down and listened to what she was saying and explained the following:
The class is made up of kids who are at different levels for work – she is in grade 1 while the other kids are in grade 2. The teacher gave each child different work due to their ability and year. It is not that she might not be able to do it, just due to getting to know students and finding out what kids can and cannot do. I also said that it is only day 2 of school and I am sure things will be harder soon and that she will be challenged by the grade 1 work as well.
The teacher is trying to get to know all the kids with some fun games and just because it is easy and similar things that they did last year does not mean that she will not learn new things. From what I understand the teacher is easing the kids into the week to then settle them and then coordinate the work in the weeks to come.
I asked her what she was not allowed to help with and she did not say, but said everything. I said maybe there was a valid reason for this. I said, that I am sorry that she did not help and that she was upset.
I also learnt that the older kids counted to 100 unassisted and by themselves and the grade 1’s did not. She and her sister can do it and she wanted to show the teacher how clever she was with counting and numbers, but was not given the chance.
I don’t know if I got a straight story about the day but I know the following things, she was upset, she was told she would help and then did not and could not show that she could do higher work like the grade 2’s.
Friday came and this was day 3 of the first week of school. I felt uneasy as I had to go and have a chat with one of my child’s teacher’s and it was only day 3 of the first week. I did not want to be seen as a problem parent or fussy mother, but I thought I should address some of the issues early on. If I left it and it got overlooked due to me not saying anything I would hate myself. I don’t want me not speaking up to be the reason that a child gets frustrated and does not try at school.
I told the teacher that I do understand that it is early days and just the first couple of days of school. I know that she is dealing with different levels in the classroom, I do understand that grade 1 kids might not get the grade 2 work and that is fine. However if a grade 1 child is clever and can attempt the grade 2 work why not let them.
I asked about the fact that she got upset that she could not help out in class after she was told she could. The teacher did not realise and said that she will make sure she can help next time.
I mentioned that my girls are the same age as some of the grade 2 kids due to the fact that they had their birthday at the end of the year so therefore were 5 before they started school. The twins will be turning 7 this year when a majority of grade 1’s are turning 6. Some are like the girls and are turning 7 but they are a year older than their year.
Due the kids not being able to be at school when they were 5, both had 2 years at pre-school and now kindy so they are bursting at the seams to learn and do more.
I just wanted to address the fact that she is bright, wants to do more and is getting upset that she is seen as a little kid who cannot. The teacher understood and I am hoping that if she does grade 1 work she might get the chance to do grade 2 or at least see it.
It is a new class, new teacher, and kids. I told the teacher that I do understand it is early days and it is a big change for the girls.
My immediate thought with the composite class was that they will learn so much. My fear now is that they will be stuck with grade 1 work even if they do well, above and beyond. I hope that they get exposed to more being in a class with grade 2 kids and with more things to learn.
I am worried it will be an impediment and they will get angry if they cannot learn more in this class (If they excel at grade 1 work that is; I would just be happy if they do well with what is offered in grade 1) Has this happened to you?
Our school is great and the teachers are amazing. I have done my part and mentioned how my little girl was feeling and what she is capable of. Let’s just see what happens in term 1. It is all new and a learning curve for the girls. Grade 1 is a big step compared to Kindy.
I must say that the start of grade 1 was more stressful for me than the start of Kindergarten. I was concerned about the kids being split up, the issue with one of the kids being worried and upset, and there is another issue; The school has had more enrollments and there will be another class of kids for grade 1. Gosh, will they split up the kids again?????
I had a word to the principal and mentioned that we are fine with the twins being in different classes, but thought that it might be a drama if they get moved again. I mentioned that if we can, can the kids stay where they are? I do understand if we have to move due to numbers and was told I will be consulted if this would happen (Not sure if it will happen but I have not received a phone call with any updates, so think all is well). I think due to the big change of different classes, and all different ways of doing things, moving kids again might not be a good idea. Have your kids been moved after settling into a classroom and a teacher?
Today is the start of week 2 for school and the kids have now been told of the new class for grade 1. Both kids are telling me they want to move to the new classroom…. oh the joys of grade 1 currently. I believe that it might take a while to adjust to the new way of doing things but all will be fine! It might take a good month to do this but it will happen.
How have your twins handled the start to school? Are they in Kindy, Grade 1 or another grade. Maybe in high school? Do they share a classroom or have they been separated for a while now. Let us know.
No more school for 2014. Kindy over and now on Summer Holidays.Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The kids are now officially on holidays. Yesterday was their last day at school. Also today is exactly seven days till Christmas and Santa arrives. Gosh it is getting exciting at our house. What about yours?
The twins have completed their first year at big school. Yes kindergarten is now done and dusted and they will go back as bigger kids entering grade one. The girls are so pleased with this and also some of their younger friends will be starting school next year and they are keen to look after then and show them around.
One thing that I did not predict was that the girls were very sad and cried a bit due to their older school buddy leaving primary to go to high school next year. It is sad but we can always see her at other times, and told the girls that one day they will also be leaving to go to high school. I know this is a way off yet, but it will happen in a blink of an eye.
I still cannot believe that they are six years old already, it only seems like yesterday they were babies.
So what have I learnt with the first year of primary school?
Notes from the school. You will find that you get a lot of notes. Don’t think your darling child will give you all these notes and some important announcements. You will need to go through their bag to ensure you have all announcements and notes from the school.
Keep some petty cash available for events at the school. There might be an excursion, stalls, fetes, cake stalls and so on. The kids need a bit of money to participate and if you have it at home it saves you going to the ATM or the bank.
Your child will lose some or nearly all of their uniform. Label everything! One of my girls lost a lunch box. Yes odd, but it happens.
If you can help in the classroom, I would do it. I loved helping the kids with their reading and assisting the teacher with this program. It was a joy to see my girls grow with their reading and be shown other things in class.
The kids school has an excellent canteen with very healthy food. If you have this option don’t worry about using the canteen for school lunches. They were cheap and gave me a break from thinking what to pack every so often. It was also a nice treat for the kids. Due to the fact that the kids go to school in the mountains and it is gets freezing in winter, having hot food options for lunches for winter is ideal and the canteen helped me then.
Change of Clothes. Due to the fact that kids are still young and in Kindy, I always had a spare pair of undies and socks in the bag. You never know if the child might have an accident or just walk in a puddle and get upset with the fact that they have wet socks. With the undies and socks, I also added a t-shirt, jumper and skivvy just in case the weather changes. In the mountains you never know so it is good to be prepared.
Hope this list helps some parents out there, my main point is to keep up with the news from the school. Make sure to read the newsletters and any updates. It is a whirlwind of info and events when you start but you become better at navigating what you need to do and where you need to be. I was also impressed that the teachers knew who each child was in the early days.
I did mention to the twins that due to the fact that the kids need to wear a uniform, teachers and others might find it hard to know who each person was. This was not true. Their teachers were amazing and figured it out. This was very impressive and made the girls very happy!
Now we are on school holidays and Christmas is fast approaching I have a number of things to get done. I have organised tickets to a film tomorrow for me and the twins, we are off to see the new Paddington film and I cannot wait. The girls have told me that they will help me tidy up a bit before Santa arrives and then the girls and I are off on a secret trip after Christmas…more info on this later!
How are you going now you are on school holidays? Are the kids super excited for the arrival of Santa? Have you got everything organised yet? I was lucky that I sorted hubby’s present yesterday, and yes I still need to wrap the kids presents but I have them.
However I just need to remember where they have been hidden throughout the house. Wish me luck I find them all!
Today the girls have their presentation at school. The kids have been practicing for weeks and weeks, singing songs, and getting everything just right. I am so excited for them and cannot wait to see what they have been preparing and practicing for.
My wrinkled invite to the twins kindy presentation. It was in their bag, and crumpled.
So what is the presentation about? Well it is the end of Kindy for the twins. Yesterday I got their final report for the year and they did so well, hubby and I are so proud of them.
I have been told that they will be singing songs and from teachers I have found out that they get a certificate for completing Kindergarten. Although not technically over, it is close. The last day I believe is the 18th of December so I have another week or so left of the kids at school. Then we are on holidays! I dream of sleeping in but I fear that they will be more inclined to wake earlier.
Why is it that I have to wake them from deep sleeps to get to school but this is not repeated on weekends or holidays?
I have tidied up my iPhone a bit to help me have some room to take video and pictures of the kids at their presentation day today. Hubby is unable to be there due to work commitments so I will have to take enough footage to help him be there when he watches it.
I cannot believe how much the girls have grown up this year. I do see my little kids still but they are such big girls. Yesterday there was a Christmas Stall at the school so the kids could purchase pressies for mum, dad and other relatives without them knowing what it was. Most came home wrapped but Lillian had one that was not. She was so excited about her purchase she was practically telling me what it was. I still don’t know what it is, other than it smells nice and it is purple. So I am happy to wait for the surprise on Christmas Day.
I gave her Christmas paper, scissors and sticky tape to wrap her secret gift. She then locked herself and her sister in the living room to do the secret wrapping business! The kids pressies to us are the only ones under the tree at the moment. It is wonderful that they are so excited and grown up now to get gifts by themselves.
What have you been invited to at the school due to the term ending? Do you help out? Has it been a nice lunch or tea for a thank you? Let us know what has been happening with you. How is your kids faring with the year ending? Are they excited to move to the next grade? Mine are and of course more excited about Santa coming and the holidays, but grade one is a big deal.
Kids working away with big pencils. Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Today I have a meeting with the twins teacher. Yes my first parent teacher meeting for Kindy. I am so excited to hear what the teacher has to say about the girls. I am interested to see what differences there are between them if any with their schooling.
About a week ago we got the girls first report card. I had no idea kindy kids got one but I suppose they are in primary school so it is to be expected. Hubby and I were so proud of our little girls. They have done so well. They got marked HIGH for everything!
I do hope that the teacher just does not say they are doing well here, and good here and this and that. I would like to know what the teacher is noticing are their strengths. This might be hard to establish this early on and especially in kindy. I would like more detail in the reports and to know more about how well the child is going, not just some sentence that does not tell me anything. Do you find that you are not really learning much from the schools?
Near the end of term 1 we got a print out of how the kids went with their best start assessment. However this print out was a guide on how to do things at home and what to start and do. It let me know what they looked at but did not tell me where my child is in this list. Is my kid on target? Is my child learning well? I was hoping it would pin point where you were placed with numeracy and literacy before the start of school. Detail it in a graph or percentage if you want, just give parents some indication of where your child is placed in their learning.
If you know where your child needs more help then you can address this at home. I did mention this with another mother and she said if my kids were having any issues the teacher would have a meeting with me during term to discuss. No meeting has been arranged so I assume all is good. Now with the High listings on the reports and the glowing feedback I am sure the girls are doing very well.
I am not one to think that just due to my kid having a good report that whatever my kid does will be golden. I would like to be a fully informed parent and understand if my child needs help in an area that I can address and give the attention it needs. I would hate to find out at a later stage that I did not know something was wrong and could have been corrected if I only knew about it.
So I am excited to go to the school and see all the work that the teacher has kept for each child throughout the year. The girls are super keen to show mummy all their work and to have their teacher tell me how good they are.
Do you find that reports now are not giving you any information? Do you want more? Is it just me? When I was at school reports told you all things, the bad, the good and the excellent. Reports years ago were sometimes rude, but some were to the point and you understood what the teacher was telling you. I don’t want to have bad things said about someone but if you need to have more attention on maths, or reading then it is a good idea to list that. Right?
Do you read to your kids? Do your children love books and want to know how to read? The twins have been desperate to learn ever since they understood what a book was. Hubby and I of course have read to them since birth and we make sure we impart the love of books and what reading well can do for you in life.
In a recent study it has shown that if you grow up with a lot of books, get read to and of course love books it will have a big impact on a child starting school and their performance at school. I know this might not be a surprise to some but of course if you are surrounded by books and your parents love reading it might flow onto your children. Mostly it does. Of course you might say that people who have more time or more money can do more for their kids and that might be so.
Sam and Bingo. Level 3 reader. Story by Jenny Giles and Illustrations by Pat Reynolds.
However this is not so…. according to Professor Walker it does not matter if you are well off or not. As long as you read to your child and show an appreciation for books it is all good. (Well that is good to know. I am still working on getting the mansion, the yacht and the city abode. I still have time…. but not liking my chances)
“Professor Walker said that if a parent placed a high value on literacy, as shown by the number of books they had, they would read to their child regardless of their socio-economic status.” (Essential Baby, 1st June, 2014)
The girls have come on with their reading very well. It might have something to do with of course being surrounded by books. We have a bookshelf just for them and they take books out and pretend to read them but mostly look at the pictures and play. I end up coming in and finding piles of books that need to be put back into the bookcase.
Since the twins started kindy they have now progressed to level 3 readers. Some kids are on that level, some not, and some on higher levels. All fine and doing well for them. It is great that the school sees how well the individual child is doing and progresses them so that they keep learning and don’t get bored.
We have had issues of one child doing well and upsetting the other. This has caused an issue on her confidence with reading. I have made sure that I have told the child in question that she is reading very well and there is nothing wrong. All she needs to do is to just practice and it will all work itself out.
Sam and Bingo. Level 3 reader. Story by Jenny Giles and Illustrations by Pat Reynolds.
If you have twins have you found that one twin was excelling at something and the other twin was upset with the success? How did you cope? All I have done is make sure to say that both are doing an excellent job, and find ways to give big praise to good work for the kid that is doing well and the other that is doing well also. It is hard. Especially when you are faced with very competitive children. They always have to be doing well and get upset when they don’t. Are your twins like this?
According to the Essential Baby article:
“Being read to often increases a child’s vocabulary and enjoyment, and requires them to pay attention and remain engaged.” (Essential Baby, 1st June, 2014)
So make sure that you are reading to your child every day. It does not need to be at night time. Just make some time for you and your little one to have some time together and read a book. The kids are at the stage now for me to show them more words in books that I am reading. I put my finger on the words like they do with their school readers. This way they know what word is what. Hopefully next time they will reconigse it and it will be easier to read it on their own.
The kids learn to read differently than I did. It is all about sight words. Knowing these sight words by heart so that they are able to read simple books. The sight words are common words like, and, this, I, me and so on. Once the child understands these words reading a simple book and starting at stage 1 these books are very basic but that is fine. You gotta start somewhere. I am also teaching the kids to sound things out, phonetically like the way I learnt to read. Yes I know it is not like the sight words way.
Sounding out words is helpful as it allows the child to figure out a word themselves. I have done it a bit now and have noticed that the twins are doing it more and more.
I also volunteer to do school reading at the school. When the kids read their readers they put their fingers on each word and the text is aligned to their sight words. They have been told to look at the picture to help them understand the story and it is a good idea to look at the book before you read it so they have an idea of what it is about. I hear a group of kids read and make sure that all is correct and they are doing well. In my group I of course have the twins but other kids as well. All of the kids are doing very well and are all at different levels.
Having a chat to the teacher is also a good move if you are worried or think that all is good and the child in question just needs some motivation. I was saying all great things but as soon as it came from the teacher it meant more. Give it a go and see!
Sam and Bingo. Level 3 reader. Story by Jenny Giles and Illustrations by Pat Reynolds.
Do your kids pile up books in their beds like mine? Do they leave their night lights on wanting to read all night? Mine do. I suppose that is a good sign. Although it is hard to turn off a light when it is on the top bunk. To do this I need to climb up and over a kid to turn off the light.
I suppose it is just good they love books and are doing well. Let us know how it is in your household.
Term one for Kindy is over.Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Term one has ended. Yes the kids have survived their first term at Kindy and so have I. Who knew there would be so many notes home, events, things to do and of course the magic of hearing your child read. It has truly been an eventful time.
Not only have they grown with their education, the girls have grown more height wise. We are not huge so don’t think that we have had a massive growth spurt. However it is just enough to have to tell the kids to sit down when I brush their hair. The extra height is also giving the twins an edge to get into more areas of the house. Not a major fan of this new found talent but they think they are super clever.
I must admit that I am keen to have sleep ins in the holidays and to see if I can get some things done around the house. Holidays have started in style with a trip to the movies. Yes, kids and I went to see the new Muppets film, “The Muppets Most Wanted“. It was funny in parts and the kids loved it so that is the main thing.
The one thing that I will not miss is the morning melt downs; the screaming when I ask kids to brush their hair, to find the other school shoe and where oh where is their reader for school? Or the school hat? It is not me that is going to school and I don’t care if you don’t have your hat and cannot play outside. It will be so nice to not worry about any of this for the next two weeks.
What about you? Have you survived the first term of Kindy? Are you thankful for the holidays? Will you get a sleep in? I might not, but not having to be anywhere for a certain time is relaxing enough. Send in your comments.
Boy and girl playing together. Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I was told to bend down to hear a secret from one of my girls. She then whispered in my ear, “I have a boyfriend mummy!” Now this boy is answering to the title of boyfriend and seems quite happy about it. My other little girl was close to this boy but has decided she now likes another and she now has a boyfriend as well.
The twins understanding of boyfriends is just friends so that is nice. However I was rather shocked at hearing this news. My kids are just in Kindy. It is only the end of the sixth week and we have boyfriends. What does the rest of primary school hold if this is just Kindy? Should I be worried? I’m sure it is a phase, or I’m hoping.
I know one in particular was sweet on one boy and she talks about him all the time at home. This boy does the same at his house, and I found this out after saying hi to his mummy and mentioning that one of my kids like him. He mentioned it is the one with the mischievous face, I asked if he knew who that was and he pointed to the right child. Weird how that description does sum up this child and he has worked out who is who. Some kids find it hard due to the fact that the twins are identical, but some just know who is who.
When did you kids get a boyfriend or girlfriend at school? Was it just a nice way to say that they liked each other? Or are you worried? I think the girls are just liking making new friends and having boys as mates as well as girls. Send in your comments.
Yesterday when I picked up the twins from school I learnt that Lillian was stressed. Yes stressed!!!! Julia had an older girl buddy and both girls have been hanging with her and this girls bestie. This bestie had a mood ring. She allowed the twins to have a go and it concluded that Lillian was indeed stressed. Gosh, if she is stressed now what will it be like when she is older. I did explain that this is just a bit of fun and the colour changes due to your body heat. The girls did not believe me and said, “You are wrong mummy, Lillian is stressed, the ring said!” O>K…. fine!
Second Tale
Wednesday I gave each child a $2 coin so that they could go to the canteen. When I picked them up that afternoon I found out how they used their money.
Julia was so happy and told me, “Mummy they gave me money!” I then explained that this was change from your money. She thought that she got more and they were so great to give her more. I could not help but have a chuckle at this.
I then asked what each child purchased with their money. Both of them told me that they got watermelon. Wow, how great that they chose something good for them, the girls love watermelon.
I could see how big they felt with their own money and going off to the canteen all by themselves. They both looked so proud of themselves and it was great to witness.
How are your kids going at school?
How is school going for your kids? Do you have any funny stories so far? If so share them. Hope your kids are loving school and having a great time.
The girls have taken to big school very well, and are enjoying it. On the first day there was a little confusion with one child. She did not understand when they all walked out the room at the end of the day and got their bags that the school day was done.
She raced out upset, crying and very shaken. She then told us after asking for a while what was the matter? she then told us, “They left her!”, “Even the teacher did not help me with my bag!” I was not sure how one child knew what to do and the others, and of course my other little girl did not. I can only imagine that she was involved in her colouring or activity that she did not hear the instruction. Then when the kids walked out of the room she was of course thinking they were coming back. We of course consoled her and explained that it was the end of the school day and no one was leaving her.
So far the kids like school, but I do think it is making them exhausted. This is great if they just got home and crashed out. Not to be. They fit it and stay up! This in turn creates snarkiness, anger, and both of them being awful to each other. This charming behaviour then does not help anyone, and gets me and hubby upset.
The twins had their swimming lesson today and I hoped that this would have knocked them out by the time we got home. No, they had to wait until the limits were pushed and everyone was getting into trouble.
Although it was a disaster tonight they fell asleep quite quickly. Maybe next week will be different. My poor little babies are so tired. They are sleeping in the morning and not helping themselves by staying up late.
I am putting them to bed at a reasonable hour, but they muck up. Did your kids/child do this when they first started school?
I am pleased that they are meeting new kids and making friends. However I was told today one of our girls got told to stop making popping noises with her mouth and finger. She is very clever now doing it, but when the teacher is talking not a good idea. The other child joined in other kids making zapping noises with her mouth and was told to refrain from the teacher as well. Day 3 and they are already being told not to do something.
They are little and don’t so are still pushing limits and learning the rules. Let me know your stories and how your little one is going at their first taste of big school.
My little girls start school or should I say my big girls. They have grown up a lot and I cannot believe they will be at school today and all week.
Below is a picture of the girls and I soon after they were born. They were 6 weeks early and of course tiny as you can see from the picture.
Mummy and the girls on the 27th of Sept, 2008. Katoomba Hosp. Julia on left, Lillian on right.
Julia and Lilian on last day of school for term 1 2012 for preschoolLast day of school
Last day of School for 2012
The girls last day of preschool 2013 – Look how big and grown up they are!
They will be in their school uniform and I don’t post in regards to the school they go to and show the uniform but look how much they have grown. They are going to look so cute in their uniform and have such a great day. Hope they have a great time and really enjoy themselves.
Of course I will take pictures for me and to remember their first day. Hubby has the day off so that he can be there for their first day. You might think that today is going to be relaxing afterwards, but not to be. I have a tonne of things to get done.
Kids are now out of the shower and off to help them get into school uniforms and reach all the draws in their new room.
Practicing writing. Image courtesy of Naypong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tomorrow the kids and are off to the primary school for their Best Start Kindergarten Assessment. This is not a test, just a guide to help the teachers understand what the kids already know and might not know. It helps them understand how to teach your child and if there are any areas that the child will need special assistance.
It will be nice for the kids to see more of their mates before school officially starts on the 3rd of February and also meet their teachers. They are very excited and keen to start Kindy and I am of course rather excited and nervous. I am excited for the fact that they are off to learn bigger and greater things but also nervous for how they will go, and hope it all goes well. I know you cannot hold their hands and I don’t want to as it is their time to learn and grow, just hope that the first day and school on a whole is a good experience.
The start time for the assessment is not early but as we have been working on holiday time it is. We need to be there for 9.35am and have been sleeping in past that. I will need to set the alarm to make sure we don’t miss our appointment.
Part of me knows it is not a test and that is fine. Each child knows things and does not know other things. They are still learning. However I do have a daydream that the teacher will come out and say, “Wow your kids are so smart, they are geniuses, and need to be in the advanced class” Yes I know silly, but I will just be pleased if they answer some questions and do o.k as it is just Kindy and they have all their school career to learn and to be clever at things.
The girls are only five years old, there is time to learn all the things they need to know. My little girls are still babies and still getting to know the world so of course my silly daydream will not be real.
I think many parents think that the teacher will tell them their child is talented. I don’t care. I just want my kids to do well, be happy, and get a good education. Every person has a talent somewhere and sometimes school is not the place to discover this.
Since the kids had two years at a Montessori Preschool it will be interesting to see if this has helped with the transition to school. I have never done the school thing yet, and my little girls are my first kids. I am a newbie at kids at school. I only have my own experience to go by.
My experience is not helpful as I went to many different schools and that was years ago now. I am keen to see if any information from the assessment is shared with the parents and to just see how they went. I don’t want to change things and appreciate that teachers need to know a baseline and where to start things for each child.
As said, my kids are just starting out and there is heaps more to learn. This year is going to be great for them as they were getting very bored at preschool and really needed the next step to keep their brains stimulated.
Have your kids had the Best Start Kindergarten Assessment, and if so how did it go? Did you get any feedback? Send in your comments.
I just spent a lot of money on school uniforms. Over $300 but have only put a deposit of $20 down. It adds up and gets expensive getting uniforms for kids, and is even harder to organise when the school wants it all paid with cash/cheque. Why oh why can’t they take PayPal or a credit card?It would have made life so much easier, and I would have had the uniforms all sorted and in my hot little hands.
I also learnt that today was the last day of the school uniform shop, so that is interesting. There was no mention of this in my info kit from the school! Just lucky I ended up there today to sort it. We get paid later in the week so next week will pick up the pack from school. Was very lucky to have made it in time to organise the uniform for next year. Who knew they were not going till the last week of school?
Although I have spent over $300 I still have not completed the uniforms for the twins. I still need school shoes, socks, t-shirts, track pants and so on. Some things we are able to get at Kmart, BigW or Target so will look there. I am going to get their shoes for school next year to make sure they don’t have a massive growth spurt between now and before school starts.
I think we will be fine as the kids are small, even though they are tiny they have shot up a little height wise but still skinny minnies around the waist. Nothing fits and we have to get smaller sizes to make sure they don’t fall off little waists. Not a massive issue, just need to make sure it is the right size for my little girls.
It felt weird getting school uniforms for my little ones. I know they are big girls now and are 5, but it still feels like yesterday that I had them. They are so excited to be off to Kindy next year and cannot wait. I am eagerly awaiting a letter that will tell us when to go to the school next year for testing. They test all kids to see where they are at for literacy and numeracy. Nothing major, just to see if someone needs extra help with things and so they can plan.
Glad that most of the purchases for at least the summer uniform have been completed. One thing that hubby and I thought funny was that the school has pages devoted to what to do if it snows. As an ex Queenslander this was never in the school policy and of course being in the Blue Mountains this is something you need to be aware of. As a parent it is odd to have a snow policy when you are not used to it. I wonder if we will need to use it when the kids are at school?
Have you forked out a fortune on school uniforms? Are you annoyed that you cannot use a credit card for the purchases? Send in your comments.
Off to school. Image courtesy of Idea go at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
My girls have been going to transition at the local primary school. Transition is a way to introduce them to big school or Kindy that is friendly and makes them more comfortable for next year. This week it will be the third week however it is cancelled due to the bush fires and possible extreme weather tomorrow.
Since my girls have started transition they are now over going to pre-school, they feel that pre-school is for babies and they are big girls. Big girls go to big school. I did explain that big school starts next year and we are only getting to know the school and learn more about it. They now think that they can go all the time. There has been tears, yelling and tantrums over this issue. Have your kids done the same?
I am happy they are ready and content to make the change to the primary school but there will be a big of a wait for this to occur. Pre-school finishes in December then we have the Christmas Holidays and then at the end of January 2014 my girls will start Kindy. This for little kids will seem like an eternity. Maybe they will be lost in the holidays and the lead up to Christmas that they will forget about big school?
For the first week of transition it was a bit of a mess. Lillian did not get her big school buddy straight away and she thought she was left out. This created her to get very upset and start crying and worried. Julia had her buddy and they went off together. Lillian’s buddy was found and all was right, however she clung to me and wanted me to go with her when they walked around the different areas of the school. Lillian then perked up later as she got more and more comfortable with the fact that she was not left out and with her new surroundings. This enabled me to join the other parents and learn more about the school.
The second week, the girls were content to join their new buddies as they changed from the other week. This was a huge relief and allowed me to sit and listen to the volunteers, info about the P&C, and other such things that the school wanted us to be aware of. All the kids then joined a Kindy class for a craft activity and then had morning tea with them in the school grounds.
It was so cute and lovely to watch my little girls have their bags on their backs, form lines to go and join the class. They looked so grown up and happy. My girls are growing up and keen to start their next journey. Big School!
Have your kids been keen to start kindy/school? Send in your comments.
Girls getting ready to go to school.Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
My little girls have grown up so much. They have had nearly two years at pre-school and are busting at the seams to be off to big school (Kindy) soon! They are still very small for their age and petite little things, however they are feisty and strong little people. The girls love a challenge and cannot wait for the challenge that Kindy brings them.
There is currently 2 more sleeps until transition starts for Kindy and as you can imagine, they are super excited. I keep on getting asked, “How many more days’ mummy till transition?”
Transition for those that don’t know is a day a week that pre-school kids go to the primary school to learn what Kindy and the big school are all about. They get introduced to their future teachers, see and experience what it is like to be in a classroom, learn what is expected and get to know the facilities of the school. The kids even get paired up with a year five buddy that will be the year six buddy next year so that they can show them around the school.
A friends child that went last year said it was very cute and lovely to watch her son hold hands with an older student and be shown around the school. Adorable.
I am very excited for them. Hubby is working from home that day so that he can be there for the first day. It will be a day to make sure to record with many pictures. I have said this before, it will be a strange thing to suddenly have two kids in school full time next year.
Did your kids go through transition? Did they like it? Did you think it was a good idea? What was the best thing for you as a parent? Send in your comments.
