Dear Parents

With Mother’s Day being celebrated on Sunday, we are ending the week by taking a moment to honour and celebrate our mothers.

“There is no influence so powerful as that of the mother.” – Sara Josepha Hale

A mother plays such an important role in a child’s life. From the very beginning, she offers comfort, safety, and love, helping a child to feel secure and confident as they grow and explore the world around them.

While so much of this starts at home, preschool also gives children the space to recognise and talk about the care they receive every day. Through classroom conversations, stories, and creative expression, we gently guide them to think about the special role their mothers and caregivers play in their lives.

Mothers take on many roles in a child’s life - comforter, teacher, supporter, and safe place to return to. Often, it is the small everyday moments that matter most: a hug, a story, a kind word, or simply being there.

We look forward to ending the week on a special note as the children prepare to celebrate their moms this Sunday, in their own simple and heartfelt ways.

A Healthy School Environment
With the change in season and colder weather, we see an increase in illnesses. Any child who is unwell or taking antibiotics must stay at home. We appreciate that this can be challenging for working parents, but preventing the spread of infection to other learners and our teachers remains our priority.

A Peak Into Our Week 

Crackerjacks

This week, Crackerjacks explored and created with our wonderful soft blocks — and what an adventure it was! These versatile resources are amazing for promoting holistic development while keeping little hands and busy minds fully engaged.

As part of our wild animals theme, we built our very own zoo using soft bricks, cones, and cylinders. From towering giraffe homes to lion dens, the learners had a fantastic sensory experience as they brought their imaginations to life!

We also used the blocks to explore position in space and to sort and match by colour. The large size of the blocks makes them perfect for our age group, allowing learners to develop both fine and gross motor skills while building life-size constructions.

In addition, the blocks are wonderful for promoting language development, social interaction, and imagination as the little ones collaborate to design and build various structures together. It has been so special to watch their confidence, communication, and teamwork blossom during play.

We also enjoyed a lovely music ring where learners explored a variety of percussion instruments. Our little ones are showing wonderful growth in confidence, and they paired off in little groups of three to sing songs for the class while playing their instruments.

Lastly, we are very excited about the beautiful Mother’s Day creations we made to celebrate our wonderful mommies. The children poured so much love, care, and excitement into every little detail, and we cannot wait for these special surprises to make their way home. 

Grade 000

What an exciting week it has been as we wrapped up our farm theme with a very special visit from the petting zoo, always a highlight on the Christopher Robin calendar! The Piglets and Tiggers were delighted to see a mommy goat and her kids in real life, something we had been chatting about during our morning discussions.

Our brave boys and girls had the opportunity to gently pet guinea pigs, bunnies, hens, and roosters. The geese certainly kept everyone entertained with their lively vocals, and the children thoroughly enjoyed feeding the animals too. It was a wonderful hands-on experience that brought our theme to life in the most memorable way.

Alongside all the farm fun, the children also spent time creating a special gift and card for their moms, putting so much love and care into each one to celebrate just how special they are.

We would like to wish all our moms a very happy and love-filled Mother’s Day on Sunday! 

Grade 00

Our Grade 00 classroom was a hub of activity this week as the children dove into various hands-on learning experiences. We kicked things off with sensory exploration and fine motor practice, from scooping rice in our sensory bins to mastering scissor skills with playdough. 

The learners also showed great focus while tracing their names, taking an exciting step forward in their early literacy journey. Outside, the garden transformed into a mini-farm where everyone enjoyed a special visit from some very friendly rabbits, guinea pigs, and ducks. 

Our little engineers spent hours at the construction tables, building impressive towers and experimenting with gears and blocks. It was a week defined by curiosity, coordination, and plenty of happy smiles!

Grade R

This week in Grade R has been full of fun, learning, and special memories! 

We continued exploring our exciting theme, “Seasons & Weather,” and the children loved learning about the different types of weather and the changes we see in each season. From sunshine to rain clouds, our little learners have been curious and engaged all week long!

In preparation for Mother’s Day on Sunday, the children also worked hard on their beautiful Mother’s Day artwork. They were so excited to create something special for the important women in their lives, and we know these heartfelt gifts will bring many smiles. 

One of the biggest highlights of the week was our visit from the petting zoo!  The children had the best time meeting, touching, and learning about all the different animals. There were lots of giggles, excitement, and unforgettable moments shared throughout the day.

What a wonderful week we’ve had in Grade R!

⚽ Ball Skills: Our Grade Rs Take On 'Baby Hyrox'!

A Fun Twist on Ball Skills this week: Our Baby Hyrox Session

This week, our weekly Ball Skills lessons took an exciting, high-energy turn. Coach Liam and Coach Jared decided to dial up the intensity and the fun by introducing our very own "Baby Hyrox" session, and the Grade Rs were absolutely buzzing with excitement!

What is Baby Hyrox?

Inspired by the popular fitness-racing phenomenon, Baby Hyrox is a junior-friendly version of the original event, designed for younger children. Our Grade Rs were introduced to a series of stations that tested not only their stamina and coordination but also their ball skills, all while having a blast.

The kids moved through a variety of stations that kept them engaged and on their toes, challenging them while also having tons of fun. The activities were not just about mastering physical skills - they were also about fostering teamwork, confidence, and resilience.

Building Key Skills Through Play

Beyond the smiles and high-fives, the Baby Hyrox session was crucial in developing key skills. These stations allowed the children to work on their gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and ball-handling—all in a playful and competitive setting. Coach Liam and Coach Jared encouraged the children to compete against their own best efforts, which helped them build confidence in their abilities.

The energy was contagious, and it was inspiring to watch the Grade Rs tackle each obstacle with such enthusiasm and teamwork. The excitement was palpable as they cheered each other on.

Watching our Grade Rs grow in both confidence and ability, all while having a blast, was definitely the highlight of our week. We can't wait to see what next week’s lesson brings!

🏗️  Building Spring: Rabbits & Owls in the Block Room!

Our Grade Rs have been exploring the magic of the seasons, but this week, we took a "hands-on" detour! The Rabbits and Owls headed to the Block Room for a session dedicated to construction, creativity, and coordination.

The Power of Soft Bricks

The session began with our soft bricks. While they look like giant toys, these blocks are incredible tools for development. By lifting, stacking, and manoeuvring these oversized shapes, the children worked on:

• Hand-Eye Coordination: Aligning edges and balancing heights.

• Gross & Fine Motor Skills: Using their whole bodies to move "heavy" loads and their fingers to refine the placement.

• Spatial Reasoning: Understanding how shapes fit together in a 3D space.

From Imagination to "Garden"

Once the children found their rhythm, the real challenge began! Working in teams, the Rabbits and Owls had to use their imagination and teamwork to build a Spring Garden.

It was a joy to watch them negotiate and collaborate, deciding where the "grass" should go and how to stack the blocks to create beautiful, towering flowers. There truly is nothing better than hands-on learning to make a theme like "Seasons" really stick!

2026 Information 

2026 Dates

Summer Quarter: 20 Jan - 26 March 

Autumn Quarter: 8 April - 24 June 

Winter Quarter: 22 July - 23 Sept 

Spring Quarter: 14 Oct - 4 Dec 

2027 Dates

Provisional 2027 Quarter Dates

Summer - 19 Jan - 18 March

Autumn - 7 April - 23 June

Winter - 21 July - 22 Sept

Spring - 6 Oct - 3 Dec

Autumn Quarter Important Dates

AUTUMN QUARTER:

10 May: Mother’s Day

14 May: May Play Photographs - Grade 000 & 00

15 May: May Play Photographs - Grade R

22 May: Cake Sale: Grade 00 and Grade R (Kanga’s)

22 May: Grade 00 Occupational Dress-up Day 

29 May: Build your burger with Chef Kerry 

29 May: Slipper Day - Reach for a Dream Foundation (R20 debited to your account)

30 May: Open Day

1 June: International Children's Day- Movie & Pop Corn (Grade 000 - R) in the hall

Crackerjacks Music & Marshmallows in their classes

  Happy Birthday Kerry Kemp

2 June: Happy Birthday Chanay De Klerk

4 June: 09:00 - 10:00 May Play (Grade 000 - 00) 

10:30 - 11:30 May Play (Grade 000 - 00) 

5 June: 09:00 - 10:00 May Play (Grade R) 

10:30 - 11:30 May Play (Grade R)

11 June: Individual photographs for Grades 000 & R 

12 June: Individual photographs for Crackerjacks & 00         

15 June: Reports sent to parents 

16 June: Public Holiday: Youth Day 

17-23 June: Report Feedback Meetings Grade 0000 - R

18 June: Bee Keeper Show (Grade 00 - R)

19 June: Cake Sale: Grade 000, Crackerjacks and Grade R (Owl’s) Cake Sale 

21 June: Father’s Day

22 June: Cultural Assembly (Grade R ballerinas to attend)

24 June: Winter Olympics and R20 ‘entry’ 

24 June: Last day of the quarter  

29 June: Happy Birthday Litho Voxeka

Conclusion

Concert photographs will take place next week during the school day. All attire will be provided by the College, and no costumes are required from parents.