In line with this year’s Start Small Dream Big (SSDB) theme, which is ‘Our Family, Our Community’, children will embark on an adventure in which they will be focusing more on the value of caring for their family, their friends, the community and even the environment around them.
Caring Environment
What better way to kick start this project is through Storytelling with the children first. Children were introduced to the main topic at hand, which is about caring for the environment, as they were able to see and know more about the ways they can help the environment.
Let’s put our knowledge into practice, they said, and so we did! We brought the children for outdoor walks where the children are exposed to the environment around them. Though we see our environment daily, did we have stop and think for the environment. The outdoor walks have given the children a platform for them to look around the environment as they find factors that may be unhealthy for the environment around them. For instance, spotting litters around us, children were given the opportunity to carry out meaningful acts with their peers as they pick up the rubbish and throw it into the rubbish bin.
Let’s not forget about the recycling bin, shall we? The recycling bin has become our children’s best friend as the children will never fail to bring their own recycled materials from home and to sort the different recyclables in school with their peers and teachers. During outdoor walks, children always stumbled upon the recycling bin and they enjoyed the act of recycling with their peers as they throw the recycled materials that we have collected into the recycling bin.
What else can we do aside from throwing the litters into the rubbish bin, you may ask. This year, children had the opportunity to grow their own plants! We talked about the different plants in the garden by having our outdoor walks to our garden and having simple discussions with the children. Children planted the different seeds with their peers, ranging from fruits and vegetables, and they took care of their plants with love daily. Children have shown excitement in watering and caring for their plants before our outdoor lessons every day.
Our parents played a part too in collecting the water they used to wash the fruits and vegetables at home! Using this water we have collected, we watered the plants in our garden!
Going for the outdoor walks had open the door of opportunities for the children as the materials that we can see around them in the environment had allowed them to be creative and use it in their artworks. Using the natural materials such as leaves and twigs, children showed engagement in creating their artwork during our outdoor lessons.
Caring Community
For this project too, we were able to collaborate with one of the Nursing Home during Chinese New Year celebration. We worked together with parents and children in order to make this celebration a successful one.
Firstly, the children were engaged in carrying out meaningful creations for the people in the nursing home. From bookmarks to handheld fan, the children enjoyed the process in creating their works for the folks.
Secondly, our dear parents have donated a variety of healthy foods for the folks in the Nursing Home. We could not have done this without our parents! We packed the foods together neatly before sending the packages off to the Nursing Home.
Thirdly, since it was Chinese New Year celebration, we are of course in need of entertainment for the folks in the Nursing Home. The children practiced their hardest in dancing and singing to the different songs for their virtual performance. They played the Chinese drums while their peers are dancing the Lion dance together.
Overall, this has been a great experience for the children as they were able to give back to the community.
Building on, the children had the chance to create an appreciation card for the community helpers around us. They were able to show their gratitude with their peers as they handed their cards over to the community helpers around.
Using the rainbow scratch card, children drew the community helpers that they know of and with the help from the teachers, children wrote down a simple ‘Thank you’ to the community helpers.
Not to forget our own families, children have done simple acts of kindness at home with their families. They carried out simple chores with their families at home as learning can take place anywhere. Helpful acts such as helping with laundry at home or even wash the fruits before they eat, children have shown that they care for the people around them. The children have given their parents their artworks for Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day in order to show appreciation to them.
