what does your 3 yr old learn at kindy

[guccibabe]

just curious what sort of program is run at your centre? DS is just 3.. what does your 3 year old do at kindy? im not sure i am happy that his program is very exciting...
i would love to see theme weeks like space and animals ..countries, reading books on the topic learning vocab about it, art focused on it perhaps etc.. or is this too advanced?

[ubba82]

At DS's 3 yo kinder, the main focus is playing. They also learn sharing, waiting turns, hygeine (hand washing) and manners. At 3 there isnt much 'academic' focus as such. They do have incursions where the animal farm will visit but its all pretty low key. There are always activities set up like play dough, painting, pasting, puzzles, train sets etc. DS is never bored when he goes to kinder! When they get to 4 yo kinder they learn more to get them ready for school, but even then its nothing too scary!

HTH.

ETA- This term they are focusing on families where each child brings in a photo of their family and they have discussions on this.

[~Raven~]

Mine have all had some kind of theme from time to time but it was kind of structured around events. So Easter, Mothers/Fathers/Special Persons day, Christmas etc. They would also have the activities grouped so they might have shells in water play tanks and have a story about the ocean etc.

They had a food theme where they did some cooking I recall which was popular. I think the more structured sessions are for 4yo kinder mainly.
3yo is mostly about socialisation and getting used to being in a group learning environment and it can be quite casual most of the time. Then again it depends on how the teachers like to run it too.

[MrsFabuloso]

Hi guccibabe, I'm an early childhood teacher, in Sydney, so I'm not sure if things are idifferent to qld, though I don't think it would be that different! At 3, the more important things for kids to be learning about are social skills, like making friends, being with groups of children, following directions and rules, listening to adults, making friends and things that ubba said above, hygiene, sharing and turn taking.
It is important that the programme is focussed on the children's interests though and that your child is having fun and is catered for in regards to their learning and interests. Yes they may learn things like counting and the alphabet, but they aren't really important things to know just yet. Those things can wait til the go to school. If they learn too much now, then they will be bored by the time they get to school, or even burnt out and sick of 'school' type learning.
Maybe talk to your child's teacher and get them to explain how they program to you, and to show you some documentation, or (if they have one) your child's portfolio/journal/records.

[guccibabe]

thanks all!
lilias thank you that makes sense.. he is still very young.. hahah i guess we all want our kids to be getting great education! but so true about social skills listening and following instructions (which he is terrible at!!!!) guess he just hasn't seemed as happy since recent staff turn over at beginning of year and i wondered if he is bored? it has actually made me so confused about whether to keep him at the center but i have looked everywhere and am even trialing him at another.. but i still feel very comfortable with the center.. just this situation iykwim..and his new GL isnt very open with conversation. it has been driving me mad for months!!!

[Floweryfields]

The accreditation and licencing people really frown upon 'themed' programs. Programs should be developed from observations taken of the individual children - these often do include their interests, but also should include developmental needs.
Programs also must be play based - child centred. While they should be developmentally stimulating, they mustn't contain too much structure for children below the age of 5. I know parent often want to see their chidlren 'learning' lots, but children have 13 years of formal learning ahead of them, and are only children for such a small amount of their lives. Let them play!

Actually, children learn through play, 'play is a child's work'. My centre provides very stimulating programs, they are fun and do have 'theme' ideas if appropriate to the children's interests - we do phonics based education - lots of fun, nothing too structured. From the age of 21/2 the children are learning a focus shape and colour as well as sound every 2-3 weeks.When I say learning, they talk about them during their group time and play games relating around them. But they do it while having alot of play based fun at the same time. From this age they are also learning about caring for themselves, their property and as others have said, health (wiping noses, washing hands, etc), taking turns, following a routine, sitting and listening during group times, etc.

I also know our state prep teacher prefers that they don't learn too much prior to her getting them as they are too clever for their own good! That could also be because she likes things done her way too!!!!

[guccibabe]

thanks for the info ausgirl.. yeah i know playing is important but i send him to kindy to learn to.. so yes play through learn is great. just want him to be doing more than playing with trains ect. which he does at home
maybe he just misses his old teachers and him not being so happy to go has stemmed from there?

[CrystalBoo]

Has he perhaps lost one of his friends from last year? Or was he particularly attached to his old carers? Change can be hard at that age.
His new teacher (especially if fairly young) may not yet have the confidence to get into conversation with parents, so you might have to approach her. Also, be aware that carers have supervision as a first priority, so if you try to get into conversation when they are trying to watch a yard or room full of children, you probably won't have their full attention. But you are well within your rights to ask for a special time to discuss any aspect of your DS's care that you want to know more about.
Also, there should be some sort of method for you to add your own suggestions to the program. If you think your DS is showing a particular interest in, say, dinosaurs, you can tell (or write down) that info to his teacher who can use that as an observation in order to include that interest in his individual program.
Like the others have said, he is learning by playing. And there are probably a lot of planned activities that you wouldn't necessarily notice because they might not make use of resources as such - maybe more that the teacher is facilitating social interactions, encouraging speech or confidence levels, etc.
If you really want to know exactly what the carers are working on with him, ask to see his observation records - they can't say no to that. But do expect to have to make an appointment so the teacher can go over things with you.
Hope he is feeling happier soon - have you talked to his teacher about that? Ask the assistant too, she see everything that goes on, and develops relationships with the kids, and may be able to provide insight into why he's not so cheery.

[heliana]

maybe you could start a casual discussion about, he's not seemed that happy here lately. and ask what they are learning/doing while you are talking to them. Is there one of his teachers you feel more comfortable approaching?
DD's kindy has a play based program, where they follow the kids interest, but that mostly seems to mean that they allways play dolls . But they do painting and playdough and other stuff as well.
There is a new leader and she has started doing the alphabet and dd loves it. They also learnt a song in another language the other day and dd loved that too. I do think they want to learn at this age, but I wouldnt want it to be sit down and listen type of learning.
I like the sound of yours Ubba82 that they teach them sharing and manners. I think its so important, because thats what I would be teaching her if she was with me, but I haven't seen it taught in any of the kindys I looked at.