For children of 3 to 4 years of age, we provide a stimulating environment in our Senior Kindy classroom. Each child is supported as an individual to enjoy learning in both our indoor and outdoor environments. Teachable moments are embraced by our Educators as they enable fresh activities tailored to this age group's developing needs. We utilise age appropriate and culturally referenced resources to support the programming goals, ensuring that all of our Senior Kindy children can maximise their learning opportunities through active and involved play. Supporting the children's emotional needs, and ensuring a safe environment are both of paramount importance.
Children approaching this age are developing social skills such as taking turns, sharing and demonstrating kindness. They often show increasing enjoyment in the company of other children and may now spend more time actively playing together. Our Senior Kindy learning environment is purposely designed to facilitate small group interactions and play-based experiences. Appropriate communication strategies are modeled by our specialist educators to assist the children in developing personal skills to enable them to thrive in relationships with other children. A wide variety of social experiences in this age group helps them prepare for the coming year of Kindergarten.
Children's interests are at the centre of our play-based program in Senior Kindy. When a child has an idea, our Educators will listen intently and facilitiate discussion that drives further idea development and exploration. Specific ideas can be extrapolated into day or week or sometimes even term-long activities that all explore and investigate the child's developing interests. This level of child empowerment is one of the key ways we extend the thinking skills and overall confidence of Senior Kindy children. The Children's enthusiasm for physical play and negotiating play spaces is encouraged as Educators deliver a spectrum of active and more restful experiences throughout the day. Individual children are engaged with and supported to underake confident decision making as they thrive in an environment that constantly invites participation.
As serious as learning is, play is the vehicle through which children learn most effectively as they strive to develop and acquire knowledge and an ever expanding resourceful skillset. We never limit children's opportunities to learn as they engage in play in all of its many guises and seek to explore and experiment in a safe manner. Our experienced and qualified Educators ensure that children in Senior Kindy flourish and are supported to exercise their full potential.
Senior Kindy is a formative year of education and play, giving children a very strong platform to support a smooth and successful transition into Kindergarten. Our Senior Kindy Educators liaise closely with our Kindergarten teacher to ensure the team consistently works toward developing the social, emotional, self-help and early academic skills that will allow them to confidently step into our Bay Explorers Kindergarten when the appropriate time comes.
