Dear Parents,
Despite the chilly weather and a shorter week, our classrooms have been full of energy, curiosity, and wonderful learning moments. From our daily pop-ins, the office has had the joy of hearing some incredible facts being shared by the children—especially from our Honey Bees class, who are currently exploring the exciting theme of Under the Sea.
The office has learned that an octopus has three hearts, one large brain and eight smaller ones in each of its arms! We also discovered that some sea creatures use bioluminescence—a special ability to produce their own light, helping them glow in the dark ocean. Even more fascinating, an octopus has blue blood and is clever enough to open jars!
These little moments of sharing are special. The excitement and pride the children show when they share their knowledge remind us just how meaningful and joyful learning can be.
Our crackerjacks have had such a heart-warming week of discovery! It has been so special watching our Tots settle into their activities with such curious minds. We spent time exploring our educational toys, where the children showed wonderful focus while solving puzzles and sorting shapes. Our little artists also loved their free drawing time, where they could express their creativity and explore their own unique ideas.
We have been building towers with various kinds of blocks, eagerly counting how many we could stack and discovering together which blocks helped our towers stand tall and steady. This was a wonderful way for the children to develop their problem-solving and early maths skills through play.
We also had a marvellous time getting creative with roller painting, feeling the different textures as we moved the paint across the page. Storytime was a definite highlight; as we followed the Gingerbread Man, the Tots did a brilliant job identifying different farm animals and filling the classroom with wonderful animal sounds. We balanced all that energy with sweet, quiet moments reading books together.
It has been a week overflowing with joy, and I cannot wait for our next adventure!
This week our Tiggers and Piglets explored the wonderful world of farm animals! The children were excited to learn about the different animals you may find on a farm and the sounds they make. We had lots of fun mooing like cows, clucking like chickens, neighing like horses and oinking like pigs.
We also spoke about what we get from certain farm animals, such as milk from cows and eggs from chickens. The children enjoyed learning how farm animals help us in our everyday lives.
As part of our discussions, we introduced the names for some mommy, daddy and baby animals. The children loved hearing words like cow, bull and calf, hen, rooster and chick, and pig, boar and piglet.
For our creative activities, Piglet’s Class painted their own pigs and used toothbrushes to splatter brown paint onto them, creating muddy little pigs! The Tigger’s Class made colourful farm animal crowns, choosing different animals to wear proudly.
It has been a fun-filled week of learning, creating and pretending on the farm!
The Grade 00 class has been having a wonderful time exploring their under-the-sea theme! Throughout the week, they learned about different sea creatures, their colours, and where they live in the ocean. They got creative making beautiful jellyfish, using a variety of materials and colours, and also completed a fun art piece inspired by snorkeling, where they used their imaginations to show what they might see under the sea. It has been so lovely to see their creativity, excitement, and confidence grow through these activities.
This week, our Grade Rs became young naturalists, exploring how the rhythmic shift of seasons transforms the world around us. From the frost on the grass to the coats on our backs, we’ve discovered that every living thing has a special way of responding to the change.
Nature & Animals: The Great Preparation
We explored how nature’s "pantry" changes, focusing on seasonal stars like citrus, root vegetables, and crisp apples. We also marveled at the animal kingdom's survival tactics:
Preparation: How animals grow thicker fur or store secret stashes of food.
Winter Habits: The difference between those who migrate to the sun and those who hunker down for a long sleep.
People & Play: Adapting to the Chill
Humans change too! We discussed swapping t-shirts for layers and beanies, and trading cold salads for warm, hearty soups. The cold hasn't slowed us down, we’ve been chatting about the energy and teamwork found in winter sports like rugby, hockey, and netball.
The Wonderful World of Expression
Our incomparable Teacher Sparkles brings a burst of theatrical energy to our school, using performance as a powerful tool for self-discovery. Under her expert wing, our learners find more than just their voices, they gain the poise, clarity, and courageous spirit that comes from mastering the art of the stage.
Our Grade R's stepped into the spotlight this week to practice their conversational acting skills! Inspired by "Miss Polly had a Dolly," the learners took turns playing the roles of the worried parent and the helpful doctor. These exercises are fantastic for building confidence, as they encourage the children to listen attentively and respond purposefully to one another in a natural, appropriate manner.
A heartfelt thank you to all our parents for your wonderful support of The Book People. It was such a joy to see the excitement, smiles, and delightful discussions as the children chose their books.
Your support helps nurture a love of reading and makes these moments so special for our little people. Thank you for your incredible support, we truly appreciate it!
Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o was born to Kenyan parents in Mexico. In Sulwe, her first picture book, she shares a powerful message for girls based on her own childhood experiences.
Sulwe is a little girl who is darker than anyone in her family and everyone at school.
She feels that in order to have friends, she needs to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. She goes on a magical nighttime journey, which helps her to understand that Day and Night are inseparable and equally important. This heartwarming story, supported by gorgeous illustrations, encourages children to discover their own unique beauty, which is not dependent on external factors but rather a conscious choice to spread kindness and shine brightly.
Follow the link to listen to this beautiful story:
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o Kids Book Read Aloud Story 📚
Elise Crouse - Librarian
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jiyah for her very thoughtful birthday book donation, “Overcoming Anxiety: Learning Not to Worry.”
This is such a special book that will support and guide many of our little learners as they begin to understand their feelings and emotions. It’s a wonderful addition to our collection and will certainly make a positive difference in our classrooms.
Thank you, Jiyah, for your kindness and for sharing such an important message with your friends.
Happy Birthday, Jiyah!
It’s time for one of our cosiest days of the year - Slipper Day! Children are invited to roll out of bed, stay in their pyjamas, slip on their favourite slippers (after a quick breakfast and brushing of teeth, of course!) and head off to school ready for a warm and happy day together.
We will be supporting Reach for a Dream’s Slipper Day, with a R20 donation kindly debited to your account in aid of this special cause.
Please remember to pack a pair of “normal” shoes for outdoor play.
We’re looking forward to a day filled with comfort, smiles and a little extra heart 💛
Summer Quarter: 20 Jan - 26 March
Autumn Quarter: 8 April - 24 June
Winter Quarter: 22 July - 23 Sept
Spring Quarter: 14 Oct - 4 Dec
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:
1 May: Public Holiday: Workers' Day
4 May: Petting Zoo For Grade 0000 (1–2 years) and Grade R (5–6 years) (R50 debited to your account)
5 May: Petting Zoo Grade 000, Grade 00, and Grade R (R50 debited to your account
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
We are so excited to welcome Megan’s Mobile Petting Zoo to our school on the following dates:
📅 4 May – Grade 0000 & Grade R (Edward Bear's, Kanga's, Owl's, Rabbit's)
📅 5 May – Grade 000, Grade 00 & Grade R (Christopher Robin's House)
The children will have the chance to meet and interact with a variety of friendly farm animals, including ducks, rabbits, chickens, geese, a tortoise, goats, and a guinea pig! 🐥🐢🐐
This hands-on experience is always a highlight for our learners, and we can’t wait to see the joy on their faces!
The amount of R50 will be debited to your account.
College parents are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory for free – www.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/.
Should you be interested in marketing your business to over 1000 families, email: marketing@parklands.co.za to get started.
All listings will be subject to the College’s final approval.
This week's feature business is...
Over the past long weekend, we had the joy of celebrating a very special occasion. Congratulations to Teacher Abigail and her husband, Connor Morrison, on their wedding!
Wishing you both a lifetime filled with love, laughter, and happiness as you begin this beautiful new chapter together. May your journey be filled with special moments and cherished memories.
From all of us, we are so happy for you and send our warmest wishes to Mr and Mrs Morrison! 💕
We wish all our families a restful and happy long weekend, and we look forward to another exciting week ahead.
We will be starting the week with a special visit from Megan’s Petting Farm. We are sure there will be many sweet stories to share as our little ones enjoy cuddling and holding the bunnies, chickens, and hamsters, such a lovely hands-on experience for everyone!