June 23rd 2017

Welcome back to the OSHC blog! I (Sarah) have been away on my final placement for university and have been unable to keep up the blog. But now everything is back to normal, time to get back to writing.

Vacation Care Program is now out. You can find a copy on Dianne’s desk or at the bottom of this post. Please fill it out and return it to one of our staff as soon as possible, as places fill up fast. If you are certain of the dates you need, you are welcome to message them to Dianne, but a booking form must still be returned before the holidays.

One of our excursions these holidays is to Victor Harbor Whale Centre. As part of their efforts to be environmentally conscious they have asked us to collect old jars for an activity. If you have any small jars with lids please bring them in! Thank you in advance.

This week we have been really busy. Wednesdays and Thursdays have been fully booked. If you know you need one of these days. Please let us know as early as possible so we can try fit you in. Likewise, because of the high need for these days, it is vital that parents let us know of cancellations. We cannot give students places at OSHC unless a cancellation is made. If we are not informed in a timely manner, fees are still applicable.

On Wednesday this week we baked cupcakes with two groups. One group made vanilla cupcakes and the other made egg-free chocolate cupcakes. Whenever we do baking at OSHC, we take the time to build up numeracy skills that have been learnt at school. Older students are challenged to read the recipe and try to follow the instructions on their own.

As you collect your children you may find random objects in various places throughout 

OSHC. This is because a group have been playing hide and seek with small objects, this has included plastic animals, parts of games or stuffed toys. See if you can spot the turtle that rides on the back of a cat.

As the slippery dip is ready for use, we need to clarify OSHC rules. Students are welcome to use the slide, but must ask for permission from one of our staff. This is because students are not visible when they go down the slide behind the hill.

We have bought new wool and needles for crafts this season. We are hoping to encourage enough people to knit 10x10 squares and sew them together to make a blanket like this: 

This week our staff had a meeting. The items on the agenda were:

·         ongoing child safety (slippery dip use)

·         Staffing arrangements (Three of our staff have completed uni and are working other           jobs)

·         An upcoming accreditation for the National Quality Framework at our service

·         Discussion of programming activities and routine

·         Parent access to Seesaw

This week we have lots of fun playing Adventure Time: Card Wars. This is different to the Fluxx card game. This one requires the players to use attributes of characters to fight each other and spend points to do so. Players need to calculate their options before they have their turn, they also need to think defensively.

We have been extremely lucky this cold season that it has been relatively dry. This has meant that we have been able to spend lots of time out on the playground and running around on the ovals. As students are here late at night and the temperature drops quite low, we only allow students to go outside after milo if they are wearing long sleeves or a jumper.

If you would like to view your child’s Seesaw posts, please write your name, your child’s name and your e-mail address on a slip of paper and hand to one of the staff.

We look forward to seeing you and your kids at OSHC this week.

WEEK ONE

Monday 10/7/17– Friday 14/7/17

Monday 10th July Home Day – Mobile Science ‘Weird Creatures’ (1.30-2.30pm) Our favourite science ‘nerds’ are back with a new workshop ‘weird creatures’. We discover some amazing facts about some seriously weird creatures. Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

Tuesday 11th July HOME day – It’s winter so that means … the games are back!!! We will have our traditional games for the week. Duel driver ‘Daytona’ racer in the SAC, pinball in the homework room and 3 x arcade games in the long room. Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

Wednesday 12th July Excursion Day – National Motor Museum, Birdwood. We will leave OSHC at 9.15am and travel by bus to the Motor Museum at Birdwood. We will take part in the ‘Scaletric’ car racing activity and take a self- guided tour around the museum. We will be back at OSHC by 3pm. Please wear warm clothes, it can get really cold in Birdwood!  Please provide lots of snacks, lunch and a drink bottle.

Thursday 13th July  Home Day – puppet making   We will use – socks, felt, buttons, lace, ribbon, paper bags, fabric, glue, thread, markers and any other materials we can find to create our own puppets. In the afternoon we will make some puppet theatres and have a series of puppet shows … what will we make … animals, monsters, aliens, fairies???? Lunch will be provided, please bring lots of snacks.

Friday 14th july Home Day – ‘Animals Anonymous’ (10am) Animals Anonymous will present an interactive and education presentation which includes a crocodile, lizard, possum/sugar glider, snakes and more. The children will get a chance to touch each animal as we learn some interesting and important facts. Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

wEEK TWO

Monday 17/7/17– Friday 21/7/17

Monday 17th July Excursion Day – Whale  Centre, Victor Harbor. We will leave OSHC at 9.15am and travel by bus to the Whale Centre at Victor Harbor. We will take part in an educational program and also explore the centre, learning about the whales that we can see during winter. We will be back at OSHC by 2pm. Please wear clothes and shoes appropriate for walking and the weather. Please provide lots of snacks, lunch and a drink bottle

Tuesday 18th July Home Day – Clay Beads, pendants, pots, sculptures, decorations, presents ???? The ideas are almost endless. We will have ‘normal’ clay, ‘air-dry’ clay and a variety of tools to help create amazing things. Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

Wednesday 19th July Home Day – Winter cooking … Soup and Damper We will cook pumpkin soup and pasta and vegetable soup to eat for lunch. To dip in our soup we will make damper. All children will be encouraged to make and try the soup, please provide some ‘back up food’ just in case your child/children decides not to have any. Please provide lots of snacks,

Thursday 20th July Home Day – DIY succulent garden. Using jars/tins/pots, soil, ribbon for decoration, succulents, moss/coloured pebbles we will each make an individual mini garden to take home. Please bring lots of snacks and lunch.

Friday 21st July Home Day – Basket Ball clinic with Dwayne Our favourite original Adelaide 36er’s basketballer player Dwayne Nelson will teach the children some basic basketball skills whilst also teaching the value of being a good winner, loser, team player and always having fun. Please wear suitable clothes and shoes for Basketball. Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

Vacation Care March 2017

It seems that autumn is truly here, with a stormy start to the week.

We have finally started getting some good use from our shelter that was built last year. On Monday a group sat at tables playing card games while the rain poured down around them. This shelter was added so that when OSHC is fully booked we could allow children outside even when the weather was wet.

Tuesdays are our Wii and computer free day; this is so that students are encouraged to spend their time engaged in a variety of activities. Indoors we had a city built in the long-room, from waffle blocks and anything that could be found. In the SAC we had balls flying everywhere with children playing basketball, soccer and tennis. Outdoors a large group of girls used cones to design new games and challenges with their gymnastics. 

We have been really lucky lately with how confident our young people have been, sharing their artistic skills in singing and dancing. We had a showcase of talents on Wednesday with everyone’s favourite tunes. A group of girls even made up dance moves and routines to share.

On Wednesday we were baking in the kitchen. Three of our year ones got covered in flour while making banana choc chip cupcakes. They turned out delicious and fluffy, perfect to go with a milo at the end of the day. We love that when we bake something that it gets shared with others. When everyone is saying how yummy the food is, it is nice to see the looks of pride on the bakers’ faces.

The hair salon was back this week. Dianne supplied us with hair ties and bobby pins to make buns and up-dos. We trialled everything from Viking styled braids to sophisticated buns.

Our Vacation Care Program is below! Please be advised that families that are working have priority on fully booked days. All bookings must be handed in person to staff or dates emailed/messaged to Dianne.

Some housekeeping: There will be fee changes effective week one of term 2.

Fee type	Term 1	Term 2
Vac Care at home	$50	$51
Vac Care excursion	$60	$61
After School Care	$18	$18.50

We would also like to notify everyone of the upcoming pupil free days. They are:

May 16^th (Tuesday)

June 9^th (Friday)

August 14^th (Monday)

September 1^st (Friday)

November 17^th (Friday)

WEEK ONE

Monday 17/4/17– Friday 21/4/17

Monday 17th April PUBLIC HOLIDAY EASTER NO CARE

Tuesday 18th April HOME day – chocolate making In a salute to easter eggs we will use both white (with different colours added) and dark chocolate to make a variety of chocolates to package up and take home. Please provide snacks, lunch and a drink bottle.

Wednesday 19th April Home Day – OSHC talent and skills show The children, individually or in small groups and with the support from staff, will prepare a short performance to present to the group. The performances can involve – acting, singing, dancing, circus skills, magic tricks etc. The morning will be spent script writing, making props, choreography and rehearsing. The show will be after lunch. This is not a competition J Lunch will be provided, please provide lots of snacks.

Thursday 20th April Excursion Day – Roller skating/blading at the REC We will leave OSHC at 9am and walk to the Blackwood Recreation Centre to take part in a roller skating/blading session from 9.30am-12.30pm. Weather permitting we will have lunch and a play in the playground at Karinya Reserve. We will be back by 2pm Please wear appropriate clothes and shoes for walking, the weather and roller skating. Please bring socks J Please provide lots of snacks, lunch and a drink bottle.

Friday 21st  April Home Day – OSHC movie theatre … movies TBA Welcome to the ‘OSHC MOVIE THEATRE’ we will be having two sessions (am and pm). Tickets can be obtained at no charge from the staff at the OSHC booking office, please choose your seat from the seating plan on the theatre door, popcorn can be pre-ordered from the theatre kiosk and choc tops will be available in the pm session J Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

wEEK TWO

Monday 24/4/17– Friday 28/4/17

Monday 24rd April Excursion Day – SA Museum We will leave oshc at 9am, catch the train to the city and walk to the Museum. The Museum is one of our favourite places. We enjoy the crystals & gems, the Egyptian room, the giant squid, the Nature Education Centre, the dinosaur bones and putting our hands on the ice wall at the Mawson exhibit. We will catch the train back and be back at oshc by 2pm. Please wear clothes and shoes appropriate for walking and the weather. Please provide lots of snacks, lunch and a drink bottle

Tuesday 25th April PUBLIC HOLIDAY ANZAC DAY NO CARE

Wednesday 26th April Excursion Day – UNI SA Planetarium We will leave OSHC at 9.45am and travel by bus to UNI SA at Mawson Lakes. We will take part in a presentation that explores our solar system, the stars and how stars were part of Indigenous stories. We will then watch ‘tilt’ a new movie … ‘Join Annie and max for a whirlwind adventure to find out how the seasons work. It’s surprising what a new angle on the world can do!!!’ We will be back by 1.30pm Please provide lots of snacks, lunch and a drink bottle.

Thursday 27th April Home Day – Nature Art We will walk around the school and railway station garden collecting natural objects. At OSHC we will turn these natural objects (gumnuts, bark, feathers, flowers, rocks, leaves) into art using glue, paint, glitter etc. Lunch will be provided. Please bring lots of snacks.

Friday 28th April Home Day – Wheels day Bring your bike, scooter, skateboard, rip-stick, rollerblades, remote control car. Please bring your helmets and wear suitable clothes and shoes for this activity. We will supervise at all times but can’t guarantee there won’t be any crashes! Please provide lots of snacks and lunch.

March 17th 2017

We’ve had lots of variety over the last couple of weeks, from hair salons to creating intricate mazes.

We have seen more children enjoying time in the playground while the weather has been fine. We are always pleased to see children swapping skills. We have seen people teaching others how to do stunts while jumping off the playground and landing in different ways to different twists and turns on the monkey bars.

Paper planes are back in vogue. We have tried out many designs and tested a lot to see which works best. We have compared these to some toy men with parachutes. It is interesting to see how the kids make guesses about why things work better than others. We have found the best place to throw from is the SAC balcony.

We have spent more time on the ripstick this week. There is lots of improvement, from just learning to balance to being able to navigate around objects and people! This has been leading up to a wheels day during vacation care.

One evening we took it easy and just had a hair salon. This was a great opportunity to take it slow and chat about everything under the sun. We are all probably familiar with how hair dressers seem to have us talking about anything and everything while they cut our hair. Here are some of the pictures.

We’ve had lots of variety over the last couple of weeks, from hair salons to creating intricate mazes.

We apologise for the lack of posts, our writer has been away doing her professional placement.
Our next post will have the vacation care program!

See you in OSHC! J

March 3rd 2017

We have had a big ‘making’ week this week. We have baked, constructed buildings from pop sticks, built waffle block houses and sewn toys.

We have set a challenge this week to build a tower that is at least 30cm tall and can hold 1kg of weight. The children can only use skewers, pop sticks, pegs and masking tape. So far every is designing slowly and trialling different techniques. This has been a great chance for everyone to develop their problem solving and teamwork skills when working in groups.

While everyone has avoided the outdoors and the heat, some have relished the air con and developed different skills indoors.  Sewing has become popular again for some people, with one student producing a felt gnome.

We have been enjoying watching some David Attenborough documentaries in the last couple of weeks. Although the picture quality is not as good as what we are used to, the sense of adventure and wonder is still engaging from Sir Attenborough. We were even lucky to find a baby blue-tongue lizard during our hot weather! Not fluffy and cuddly, but still adorable.

In our kitchen we baked banana cup-cakes and apple and cinnamon cupcakes on Wednesday. On Thursday we ditched the cooking because of the heat and made chocolate crackles instead.  The groups were challenged to do as much as they could on their own. They had to rely on their reading and comprehension skills to cook.

Our Vacation Care program is being developed as we speak. If there are dates that you know you will definitely need, you can always let us know ahead of time.