Week II

Professional Experience Placement – Day 3

Date: 20th February 2025
Centre: Mini Master Mind Sydney Early Learning Centre, Olympic Park
Time: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Age Group: Toddlers (2–3 years)
Educators: Miss Rae, Miss Anusha, Mr. Prakash, Miss Tingli

Reading Time – Exploring Fruits and Vegetables!

The children participated in an engaging group reading with Miss Rae who used the book Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z today during their session. All children showed excitement when recognizing familiar foods like apples and bananas and grapes but were most attracted to zucchini and papaya as new discoveries. The students participated in a game which required them to match verbal hints to the fruits presented in the book. The activity helped children develop their vocabulary and phonological skills and early literacy abilities while teaching them about nutritious eating (Fellowes & Oakley 2020). Students gained letter-sound understanding for future reading abilities by practicing difficult fruit names (DEEWR, 2022).

Sensory Playmats – Discovering Textures!

The children had time to discover various textured playmats distributed across the room following the reading period. Because they went barefoot the children encountered various textures from smooth to bumpy to wavy surfaces and rough terrain. Some classmates responded with thrilled laughter and other students approached with careful interest. The developmental benefits of this sensory activity contribute to early childhood brain and body growth because it strengthens brain functions and their ability to take in information as well as their coordination method (Sheridan et al., 2022). Exposure to novelties in a guarded setting enables children to build self-assurance through trial.

Bubble Wrap Painting – Creating Strawberries and Pineapples!

The students participated in a miss Tingli-led bubble wrap painting session for designing fruit-based artwork. Through bubble wrap cutouts students produced paper prints of red strawberries and yellow pineapples which received green tops made from paper.

Reflection

Children displayed both excitement and curiosity throughout all scheduled activities on this particular day. The children learned through reading materials and material exploration and artistic activities. The learning activities allowed children to develop their language skills coupled with sensory perception and creative abilities while enhancing their motor movements under the umbrella of play-based education (Australian Government Department of Education, 2022).

Follow-Up Plan

We will proceed by making a sensory box that contains actual and artificial fruit and vegetable items. Children will learn through sensory exploration by touching items and sorting and naming produce to enhance their language abilities and item identification and classification abilities.

Day 4

On February 21 2025 the students had a day that was packed with movement-related and scientific and musical activities. Mr. Oliver led the sports session which included balance and coordination practice while students walked on veggie mats while holding balls to aim toward the basket. The physical activity developed their gross motor abilities together with physical strength along with confidence according to Sheridan et al. (2022). Children built team skills and learned to follow basic commands as the vegetable mats provided opportunities to enhance their knowledge of healthy eating habits. Together with Mr. Prakash the children observed the "magic milk" experiment by dropping food colours and dishwashing liquid into milk to watch the colours spread across the tray. Children learned about cause and effects by conducting this reaction experiment that improved their observation capacities as well as language development through their descriptions of the colorful results (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020).

Children attended an entertaining presentation with African drums during the later part of the day. Every child had their personal drum to follow the performer while learning the ABC song. The children listened attentively while they synchronized their movements with rhythmical beats and freely showed their artistic talent through musical and sound production. By participating they developed their auditory abilities together with coordination and cultural understanding (Isbell & Raines, 2019). Educational musical activities along with movement-based learning promote cultural learning and social bonding and self-assurance in children aged four. The day enabled children to gain meaningful learning experiences through assorted play activities and their senses and creative activities. Children will progress in their learning to investigate milk production while comprehending the food supply journey from farms to dining tables so they can better understand the world as they evolve fundamental sustainability and nutrition education principles (Australian Government Department of Education, 2022).