Saturday, June 20, 2009

A Joyous June! – An Update on our Activities at


A Warm Welcome to Thenuk and Melina, the latest additions to the playway family. We are delighted to have you in our play-circle. Hope you enjoy your time the playway.

Tales That Rocked the playway: the playway team presented Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff (with Stick Puppets), Goldilocks and The Three Bears (in May) and The Little Red Riding Hood as well as ‘Thoppi Velendha’ in early June giving the young audience a great opportunity to enjoy these popular stories from around the world. The students followed the presentations by acting out their own versions spontaneously. The experience children gained will last a long time. The photographs will be uploaded to the blog shortly!

Thank you teachers for creating the props within a very short time and volunteering to act, giving life to many favorite characters from around the world.

Thank you Isaac A student from New Zealand who spent most of his life in Laos and then Sri Lanka read three of his favorite childhood stories adding variety and meaning to our theme “Tales around the World”.

Thank you Yulia: Yulia read one of her favorite stories, A Porcupine Named Fluffy to the Busy Bees on a very busy Wednesday when she visited the playway.

Ms Masha from the Russian Centre library will be presenting Alonushka and Ivanushka, a very famous Russian children’s story at the library on June 17. The children will also be given an opportunity to explore the children’s books at the library at this occasion.
The Screenings of ‘Thoppi Velendha’, the famous Sri Lankan Folk tale, Three little Pigs and The Very Bad Wolf also gave the children tremendous opportunity to explore the theme “Tales around the World” and have loads of fun at the same time while doing it.

Integration: The art and craft, number, language lessons, PSE, PE, music and even cookery lessons were integrated with these stories. When we cooked the Enormous Pancake the children could not resist the aroma it produced. They demanded that they be washed and prepared for their snack at once. Luckily, this enormous pancake did not run away!

Daddies Week at the playway
It is wonderful to announce the tremendous interest the families have shown regarding this event. Many daddies have signed up for the week long celebrations. Please check out the schedule:

15, Monday Thayba’s Daddy Cricket and Base Ball BASH
16, Tuesday Karan’s Daddy Football at its BEST!
17, Wednesday Mikayla’s Daddy PE for All
18, Thursday Akaash’s Daddy Racing Car Fever
19, Friday Maya’s Daddy Cuddly Story Time with Daddy
Ishaq’s Daddy Goody Bag Surprise

Thank you daddies for making this week and your children’s lives very special

Top Secret: In the meantime, the children at the playway are busy making very special gifts for their daddies!

Happy, Happy Birthdays
Karan celebrates his 4th birthday on 20, June, while Nikitha his 2nd birthday on
26 June. Everyone at th playway and the staff of the Russian Centre wish you two fun filled birthdays.

Have a Joyous June,
Neelika Edirisinghe

the playway News - June, July

Hello Parents

June is here and is full of good things… Daddy’s Day and Favorite Book Character Day: just to mention a few.

IDP FUND: A big thank you to everyone who contributed towards the IDP Fund. It was enough to feed an army. The children got together and sorted, discussed and packed the stuff before I handed them over to the BMICH officials. The biggest lesson the children learned from the experience was to lend a hand to the needy. Karan even carried his contribution up the stairs all by himself in his eagerness. It was a very meaningful task for the children.

WELCOME: We are delighted to welcome little Maya and Kehathi who join our play circle in June. We welcome them to the playway family with warm hugs and kisses! Hope you enjoy the experience…
Another warm welcome to Ms Gayani Nelson who joins our team as a teacher. She holds a Diploma in Preschool and Child Care Management from the Mother’s Touch Teacher Training School. She is a product of Samudradevi Balika Vidyalaya, Nugegoda. She is an experienced and mature teacher who will undoubtedly add strength to our team. We wish you all the best here at the playway.

MATERNITY LEAVE: Ms Amaal Junaid, a teacher who is loved dearly by all the students and the staff at the playway departs to have her baby. Her last day at the playway was Friday, May 29: a sad day for us all. The children heaped her with hugs and kisses while the staff saw her off with best wishes. She hopes to return to the playway with her baby when they are ready.

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAYS Karan will be celebrating his 4th Birthday on the June 20. Nikitha will celebrate his second birth day on the 26th June while Atara celebrates hers on the July 9. We wish them the best on their birthdays. Hope you have lots of FUN!

CURRENT THEME: Tales around the World remains the theme for the Busy Bees while the Yellow Butterflies move on to explore farm animals and life on a farm within the theme “On the Farm”.

A DADDY SPEAKS… (Author Unknown)
Just for this morning, I will let you
choose what you want to wear,
and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I will leave the
dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put
that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug
the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with
you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell
once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and
whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one
if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry
about what you are going to be when you grow up, or
second guess every decision I have made where you are
concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you
help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you
trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us
to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can
have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in
my arms and tell you a story about how you were
born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you
splash in the tub and not get angry.
Just for this evening, I will let you
stay up late while we sit on the porch & count all the stars.
Just for this evening, I will snuggle
beside you for hours, and miss my favourite TV shows.

DADDIES! Please take time off from your busy schedules to spend with you under fives for you are a very important person in his or her life!
We shall celebrate the Daddies of the playway on the Friday 19, June. the playway will honor the daddies by declaring a week ( 15-19 June) for daddies, during which daddies will be a part of the nursery’s daily program. We invite daddies to come forward to read to us, teach us games, play a musical instrument for us, take us for a ride or show us an interesting place in Colombo. (A factory you own, a hotel kitchen you have access to, a farm you know in Colombo or suburbs or a sports/swim place you visit etc.)
Please contact Neelika with any suggestions for activities during this week on 0772919386.
REMINDER Fruit Break: Don’t forget our fruit breaks!
Please do note that on both Tuesday and Thursday usual break time is given a special twist with the playway fruit breaks. Send your child a fruit and/or fresh fruit juice that he she will enjoy. Please let me know if your child is allergic to any kind of a fruit or other food item as children sometimes share food during breaks.

REMINDER Chocolate Wednesday: Every other Wednesday we enjoy chocolates during our break times as chocolates have been proven to be good for children occasionally and in small quantities. Please send your child’s tooth brush (labeled with name) along with the chocolates to brush their teeth after eating the chocolate.

REMINDER Physical Education: During Wednesday and Friday mornings the 3 Plusses (Busy Bees) will engage in 15 minutes of PE in the garden. Tuesday and Thursday mornings is the time for the 2 - 3 year olds (Yellow Butterflies) to have their PE lesson. Please send them in their the playway T- shirts with shorts and sneakers on the right days.

REMINDER Book Pool: We are extremely happy to note that our “A Book a Home Program” is doing extremely well. The response from the children and parents is great. The aim is to arouse curiosity and love for books in children. A book read aloud by the mummy or the daddy can develop pre-reading skills and highly recommended. Your child is at his/her peak considering language absorption. Please read as many books to them as possible. And also you could set an example by reading for your own enjoyment in their presence.

While saying a big thank you to the parents who send books regularly to the book pool, a reminder is sent to the others who have not yet done so. Please send one of your child’s favorites so he/she can share it with his/her friends. Books shared thus far have been returned to the owner in their original condition. Books submitted will be noted and returned at the end of each week. Please send a book once a week and take a book home daily.

THE BOOK CORNER FOR MUMMIES & DADDIES
There are a few good books from my personal collection for your use at the playway on themes related to early childhood education. Please feel free to check out a copy and return it within a month so that other parents can have access to the same.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Friday, June 5 the playway presents Red Riding Hood
Friday, June 12 the playway presents Thoppi Vellenda
June 15 – June 19 the playway Daddy’s Week
Friday, June 19 the playway celebrates Daddy’s Day
Tuesday, June 30 the playway Favorite Book Character Day
July 22, 23, 24 the playway Parent Conferences
Tuesday, July 28 the playway Sports Day
Thursday, July 30 Play breaks for Summer Holidays!

Have a joyous June & July…

Neelika Edirisinghe
Director, nursery.