GAP
Practical guidance, family resources and everyday moments connected to German-language early learning through GAP Playschool.
These posts help families understand the rhythm, routines, culture and community around early childhood learning at Spielwelt.
-
Story Night Success
Once again, our story-tellers presented to a packed audience at our annual German Story Night. We had all enjoyed supper outside, and then came into the hall to hear the stories. First we heard a delightful German tale about a cow and her friends who somehow get up into a tree, read to us by…
-
Reviewing Term 3 at the GAP
Feedback from parents and teachers on our very busy and exciting Term 3 at the GAP has been very positive, as usual! We have enjoyed: learning about music, and having a guest music teacher in learning and rehearsing songs in order to put on a concert for our parents parent teacher interviews with families who…
-
Presents Delivered to RSPCA
Inspired by a visit from the RSPCA, the Thursday/Friday GAP children crafted enrichment toys and treats for the animals. These adorable and delicious treats were delivered along with donations of towels and pet food last week. It was heart-warming to see the animals sniffing them appreciatively and opening their colourful hand-crafted presents from the children…
-
Imaginative play at the local park
The GAP children recently enjoyed a walk to the local park, where our future civil engineers found out how many children could get on the teeter-totter at once, and some of our budding fashion enthusiasts invented new ways to wear their hats! Our future park rangers gathered sticks and built up a campfire, while our…
-
Our Boot Garden
Thanks to the families who donated their old gum boots, we were able to get busy and create a boot garden by planting an interesting variety of plants inside the boots. The boots were then hung on the wall in a nice arrangement, by one of our GAP graduates (who is pretty handy with tools…
-
Nature is Art
At the GAP, we love heading out to the park to explore and find natural objects to incorporate into our play and our environment. Recently, we decided to decorate our playground with colourful pine cones hanging everywhere, and we had a marvelous time doing that! The pine cones, dangling from tempting heights, have become a…
-
Otto prepares to celebrate Vatertag
The children were squawking laughing as their favourite (very German) puppets Otto and Hans Hase tried to out-do each other, in relating all the wonderful things their fathers could do. Hans Hase told us how his father could jump really high, run really fast, give great hugs, fix broken toys, play games, cook yummy dinners,…
-
Wer will fleissige Handwerker sehen
We were delighted to have one of our dads visit us with his apprentice today, to talk to the children about what it is like to be a carpenter and builder. The builders talked to us about safety and we checked out all their safety equipment. Then we looked at the tools on their tool…
-
Building Children’s Self Esteem
Our teachers are masters when it comes to helping children build their self-esteem and public speaking skills. Mystery box, show & tell, our birthday traditions, concerts, in-house mini concerts, and presentations are much looked forward to by the children, but they are much more than they seem. They are carefully and lovingly crafted moments in…
-
Angus the RSPCA Puppy Visits GAP
The GAP children were very excited to meet Angus the puppy, who visited us with the RSPCA’s Education Officer today. We learned about what the RSPCA does, how we can care for our pets, how to approach dogs who don’t know us, and some of us got to pat Angus on his shoulder where…