August Issue

Crèche South African

WINTER ISSUE 2

www.sacreche.co.za

THE PARENT MAGAZINE FOR CHILDREN AT EARLY YEARS LEARNING STAGE

Using ICT as a learning tool

GROWING AND LEARNING WITH GADGET

A New Child

FUNDISA

FUND

SAVING FOR YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE

introducing your child to the new baby

PLUS!

lesson plan 2012 august

everyday everywhere learning

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for more information call us on 011 024 6451

welcome Welcome to our second instalment of SACreche Magazine. What a wonderful response we have had. The support that we have received in a very short space of time is phenomenal. I would like to thank our staff ,mainly the writers for their dedication and sacrifice. Thank you to all the people who have shown interest in the magazine and sent their feedback. Most importantly, me and my team would like to thank the wonderful children of South Africa, they are truly Godsent. You will notice a few changes in this issue to keep up with your

requests and wonderful suggestions. In this issue we shine a spotlight on ways to learn in an everday environment. We are constantly striving to keep up with the latest trends in the early learning sector (keeping up with preshoolers is a full time job). One of those trends is embracing technology in the development of your child. In our new section on spirituality, we look at teaching your child about the bible.There is also a new website on the world wide web, log on to www.sacreche.co.za and visit our facebook page, you can also follow us on twitter

at sacreche for the latest news. We would also appreciate it if you can share with us all the wonderful birthday memories. We love the women of South Africa, especially the little ones,so happy woman’s month to the soul of South Africa from all of us at sacreche. Thando Ncube

contents Feature

6 Health – keeping kids teeth clean.

10 Development – using ICT to teach in early years learning.

01 Editorial note 02 News briefly– the latest news and calender 03 Feedback - your letters.

05 Manners – toilet training made easy 07 Q & A - Dr Mphahlele answers your questions.

08 Family matters – introducing a new child.

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Finance – saving for your child’s future

19 Lesson plan - introducing alpha 12 Events - outings with kids 13 Spirituality – explaining the bets.

20 Artwork- SA Crèche art competi gospel to children. tion.

14 Cover story - everyday every 21 Policy & practice – registering a where learning.

Crèche.

17 Book review - the joy of reading, 22 Community focus – Mai Mai the pleasure of books.

Khuthala pre school.

18 Safety – playing it safe in play 24 Nutrition – fun cooking with your ground.

kids.

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briefly Toddler beaten at crèche 4 Jun 2012 - A 15-month old toddler was beaten at an upmarket crèche in Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, a doctor confirmed that the child had been beaten either by hand or with a stick. There were also allegations of abuse which included forcing children to eat fruit after they have put salt on them.

Crèche blamed for baby’s death

June 8 2012 Police are investigating the death of a seven-month-old child at a crèche in Joburg’s CBD, with the mother placing the blame on the institution and youth care sector. Dr Makita, who attended to the child that day, also said the child was dead on arrival.

South African

Heritage month September 2012 7 September 2012 - The SA Congress for ECD will host a national rally in Johannesburg in September to Launch the Year of Caring for the Children of South Africa campaign. The purpose of the event will be to present a national strategy towards Caring for our Children.

Parents, government official and politicians, ECD Practitioners and Private Providers, Business and Donors and the South African Police Services are invited to participate in this event. Contact person for the National Rally is Makhotso Lebitsa on 084 704 7652; Mpho on 072 363 4342 and Meisie Sigudhla on 074 244 3370.

THE PARENT MAGAZINE FOR CHILDREN AT EARLY YEARS LEARNING STAGE

Managing Editor: Khutso Ntsoane

Editor: Thando Ncube

Contributors: Grace Seema Thabo Mphela

A C Abraham Lebo Chauke Charlize Grinnell Lerato Molewa Patricia Armstrong Pastor Themba Sibiya Mahlako Mphahlele

Photography: Lorraine Smith Layout & design: Llaai Ntsoane

Nominations open for the annual- 2 locals killed in Qatar South African ECD awards.

Nominations opened for the annual SA Early Childhood Development (ECD) awards on 1 July 2012. Beatrice Mushazhirwa is the programme manager of Community Investment at Absa.

She encouraged all of our readers to share the news about the awards, and to encourage the nomination of quality ECD programmes, practitioners, and other professionals, especially in the more remote and marginalised communities of South Africa. Anyone who is interested in pursuing this invitation is requested to contact Beatrice at Absa on 011 350 8177

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Two South Africans, including a toddler, were among those killed in a fire at an upmarket shopping centre in Doha, Qatar, which claimed 19 lives, the international relations department said. The fire broke out in a crèche, Gympanzee Nursery, at the upmarket Villaggio Mall, killing 13 children. The family of the South African toddler,15-month-old Umar Emeran, were originally from Bo-Kaap in Cape Town. A teacher at the nursery, Shameega Charles, 28, originally from Mitchells Plain, also died in the fire.

Advertising enquiries: sales@sacreche.co.za 084 343 8197

SACrèche Magazine PO Box 4670, Pretoria 0001 www.sacreche.co.za (+27) 11 024 6451

Editorial enquiries: editor@sacreche.co.za

Published by: Llaai Ntsoane

onesevenone communications (Pty) Ltd

Disclaimer: The SA Crèche is published monthly by onesevenone communications. All reasonable care is taken in the preparation of the magazine contents, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors in the contents of this magazine or to any loss or damages however arising from such errors, including loss arising from negligence of our staff.

Reliance based upon the contents of this magazine is at reader’s own risk.

@sacreche @sacreche

feedback

We welcome your advice and feedback.

Send to info@creche.co.za

SA Crèche magazine is no doubt a pioneer South African publication on Early Childhood Development. I find it to be an effective tool for both teachers and caregivers who are concerned about the healthy development of their children in the early years. I think it is a great advocacy tool towards nurturing healthier and happier children. Keep up the good work!

- Lesiba Tlape, Dieplkoof

sacreche has provided a unique opportunity to shine the spotlight on Early Childhood Development in a compelling and interesting manner especially in our communities. The themes highlighted in each issue quite pertinent and significant for raising healthy children. Be it to do with their health and nutrition or the way children learn sacreche is very good.

Needless to say, the magazine is coming up better and better each time and I cannot wait for the next issue

- Charles Mnguni, Tembisa

Being an ECD teacher, I believe that reading helps in language development. By observing my students read, I have learnt that they use a vast number of words, and repeating those words enhances their language skills further. I think the topic of play has been explained artistically from different angles in the latest issue.

- Sylvia Cronk, Parktown

I think the name of your magazine, SA Crèche, does justice to the aim of the magazine which is to create awareness on ECD practices in the country.

The overall presentation of the articles has captivated my attention. I was delighted to read Lebo Chauke’s article “Fathers playing their role” which provides critical information for both the fathers and single mothers. I would like SA Crèche to keep up the good . Congratulations and all the best..

- Zoliwe Ntsinde, Germiston

I read the new issue of SA Crèche magazine and I liked it very much. All the published articles were very informative. I am a teacher and I am going to try and apply the provided information in the classroom. I must say this is excellent in breaking the barriers of how people perceive Crèches and their importance in the healthy development of children.

- Thandeka Ntlokwana, Soweto

Being an ECD teacher, I believe that play helps in language development. By observing my students during play, I have learnt that they use a vast number of words, and repeating those words enhances their language skills further. I think the topic of play has been explained nicely from different angles and its as if you were talking to me.

- Dudu Modise, Winterveldt

I received the first issue of SA Crèche and I think it’s a good contribution for promoting healthy ECD practices in our country. Developing various skills in children through an activity of reading. I would like to suggest that SA Crèche should be taken out more frequently.

- Lehohonolo Semenya, Daveyton.

Parents and teachers don’t always understand the learning disabilities that children have and oftentimes the temptation for most of us is to label the children as being stupid and instead of spending time in understanding their struggle and as adults believe more in them and give them constructive support. It is good that your magazine has highlighted such a critical issue.

- Rose Sebela, Hammanskraal

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manners

Out of the nappy on to the toilet A parent’s guide to potty training. Mahlako Mphahlele gives us the best way to train your child to start using the toilet and say goodbye to buying and changing nappies.

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here comes a time when the baby is just too old to be wearing a nappy. No parent wants to walk in the mall with their 5 year old still wearing nappies.

The simple truth is that there isn’t really a set time or age when children are supposed to be ready to use the toilet but the average age is two years. Some children have taken a little bit longer to adjust so don’t be alarmed when your three or four year old is still battling to make it to the toilet. Toilet training can be an emotional and stressful time for both parent and child. The best time to say goodbye to nappies is when both baby and parent are ready. A moment sooner could be frustrating for you because you are going to be cleaning after your baby and this is very embarrasing for your baby too.

Being ready could mean a lot of things for different people, testing the waters is probably the only way to know if it is the right time.

Each child is unique and reaches their own growth milestones at different times, so it is important to be patient with your child during this trying time. Lungile Mkhabela began training her baby boy, Sandile, soon after he began crawling at 8 months. Many factors influenced this decision, as Lungile explained, “Sandile had sensitive skin and his nappy had to be changed soon after he spoiled it, otherwise he would get a nasty rash on his bottom that later spread to the rest of his body”.

Besides the skin problem, Lungile made time to observe her child and look for signs to see if Sandile was ready. Sandile liked to watch his mom in the toilet and he also liked to flush the toilet for her. He liked to use words such as “kaka” and “sies” so his mom started emptying the nappy in the toilet to show him where “kaka” goes. What made Lungile’s job easier is that Sandile’s bowel movements were predictable “first thing in the morning was his favourite time” according to his mother. Sandile’s toilet training was not a walk in the park and he had a lot of accidents.

His mother stuck it out and always made Sandile feel comfortable even during accidents and by the time he was 16 months old and walking, her boy was using the toilet by himself. Accidents do happen and you must expect them to happen.

Do not shout at your baby for having an accident as this will only make things worse and your baby might even take longer due to fear. The story of Lungile and Sandile shows that there are many factors to consider before toilet training can begin. it also shows that each child will face the challenges of potty training in their own way and at their own time. Therefore, takin the cue from the child, it is up to the parent to decide when they think their child is ready.

There are general signs that you must look out for which will give a good indication to start with the potty training. When your child stays dry for a couple of hours is a signof their bladder being strong enough and they can control it. Regular bowel movements are also a good indicator. In some cases your child will let you know when they have to go or squat or even make sounds when they are doing it. A potty is that small plastic baby toilet and when you see these signs then you know its time to buy it for your child. There are

some parents who prefer to skip potty training and move straight to toilet training using special seats that fit to the toilet and are small enough for kids. Buying or getting either one of the two will go a long way towards helping the situation. Both of them do the same thing and that is to teach children that wearing a nappy is for small children. Other parents would rather observe their children closely for the subtle signs of bowel movements and when the child is ready to “go”, hold them over the potty. Each of these methods has its own positives and negatives and it is up to the parent to decide which methods suit them and their child. Whichever method you choose, constant praise and encouragement as well as setting a regular routine are key ingredients that will make potty training easier for both you and your child. When it is all said and done safely in the potty or toilet then take your child to the shop and buy them underwear of their choice as a reward.

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health focus

Keeping kids teeth clean

A healthy smile is a sign of a healthy child. Lerato Molewa talks about brushing teeth and taking care of dental hygiene. using strength when brushing. It is even better to use your weak hand and holding the brush like one would a pen. After brushing, have your child rinse thoroughly. When possible, encourage your child to floss everytime after brushing.

Sugars from foods turns into acids which is what is meant by plaque so discourage your child from snacking in-between meals.

Here’s a handy checklist for parents on dental care for kids.

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ccording to the chief executive of the South African Dental Association, South African Parents underestimate the importance of oral hygiene and the implications of oral ill health. Oral diseases affect almost everyone at some stage in life.

The good thing is that most of them are not life threatening.

A healthy smile is usually a sign of a healthy child and most of oral diseases can be avoided if children learn to take good care of their teeth and gums early on. The best time to brush your children’s teeth is early in the morning before anything else. Teeth should also be brushed after every meal but brushing atleast twice a day is recommended by dentists.

As soon as your child’s first tooth comes out, parents must start worrying about looking aftter their child’s oral health. A wet cloth is good enough at taking care of your child’s first tooth but as he or she grows older , then a soft toothbrush is necessary.

Cavity is just another word meaning dental ill health or decaying of the teeth and this is usually caused by plaque which in turn is caused

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by a lack of fluoride. Cavity is one of the major causes of plaque. Fluoride is a natural element found in water and also included in toothpastes because they are best at killing cavities. It protects teeth from acids that are caused by eating and snacking. Fluoride also strengthens the teeth and protects them from cavities. As good as it is at keeping teeth healthy, fluoride is not so good when swallowed consistently by children under ten and it has been shown to cause white spots on the teeth. It is important to teach your child to be able to take care of themselves but brushing teeth needs to be taught and observed by the parent. teach your child that brushing teeth needs to happen first thing in the morning and it must also be the last thing at night before they go to bed. Only fluoride containing toothpaste must be used and avoid regular adult toothpaste as it has too much fluoride for children and tastes too strong for them.

A small pea sized toothpaste should be applied on the brush and teeth must be brushed for atleast 2 minutes twice a day according to the Dental association of South Africa. Avoid

Watch your kid brush and rinse twice a day and encourage them to get used to brushing for 2 minutes. The best way is to brush teeth together with your child. Part of brushing the teeth is also brushing the tongue thoroughly and whenever possible encourage flossing.

Only a little bit of toothpaste is enough for your child. Change your child’s toothbrush once every 2 months and always store the brush away from the toilet seat and in its own head cover or toilet bag. Only use kids toothpaste as it is not as strong as normal toothpaste.

Eating causes plaque so discourage snacking. sweets, biscuits, cool drinks, muffins and potatoe chips are bad for the teeth as they are high in sugar. Water, milk, cheese, nuts chicken and unsweetened tea are some of the foods which are good at building strong teeth.

Using mouthwash is not encouraged for your baby unless if your dentist says so. For a healthier smile take your child to visit the dentist atleast once every year.

Remember that when brushing, teach him or her not to swallow toothpaste but to spit it. Fluoride is good at keeping teeth clean but bad when regularly swallowed by your child. Tap water also naturally has fluoride.

QA &

question & answer

with the DOCTOR....

Let our panel of child development experts and doctors answer your questions about raising healthy and happy children. Send your questions to info@sacreche.co.za

My son will be 2 at the end of February and he still showers with me. At what age should this stop? My husband says now.

My 5-year-old daughter has asthma. What is the effect of using an asthma inhaler long-term? I heard that using it for years might cause bone shrinkage. Is it true?

While this can be a little bit of a controversial topic, most people would think that it is fine for a toddler to take a bath or shower with either parent or with another child of the opposite sex.

Many parents stop this practice during the preschool to early school age years, but exactly when you stop has more to do with how a parent and child feel about the issue more than anything else. If either feel uncomfortable or want more privacy, then bathing and showering together should stop.

If you continue to shower together over the next few years, you should be prepared for some curiosity and perhaps even touching of body parts. This is to be expected as preschoolers are naturally curious about their body and any differences with others then they notice. If you are ready for this behavior or for any questions your child might ask, then you will be able to handle the issue easily and not make your child embarrassed or uncomfortable.

The same goes for bathing or showering siblings of the opposite sex together. At some points they might become curious about the differences in their bodies, but instead of being a source of anxiety or embarrassment, you can use it as a way to educate them about their bodies.

There is a lot of discussion by parents and physicians about the use of daily inhaled steroids (the “preventers” that you mentioned). When used at low dose, I feel there is robust data to support that they are very safe, even if used for years. There are good long-term studies that show there is not any significant effect on achieved height or growth velocity, and no effect on things that are associated with use of oral steroids, such as diabetes, hypertension, and immune suppression. At low dose, they won’t cause bone shrinkage. Most pediatric asthma specialists choose to decrease doses of any inhaled steroids used about every three to six months if they achieve good symptom control.

Do childhood earaches cause hearing loss later in life?

Recurrent ear infections during childhood can sometimes lead to chronic hearing loss. If an infection is suspected, the child should be seen by a physician for appropriate treatment.

Is it normal for young children to stop taking or needing naps? My 3½-year-old hasn’t taken a nap in quite a while, but seems to do OK.

We often read many books as parents, and we hope that our children fall into the molds that are described. This rarely happens.

All biological phenomena (normal height, normal weight, normal blood pressure, etc.) are best described as ranges of normal rather that any one particular number.

There are many normal people who are short sleepers, just as there some people who are long sleepers. We recognize them, just as you do your child, by the fact that they seem to behave normally when they get their quota of sleep.

I would not consider your child abnormal and would also let you know that there are some first graders who still need a nap.

My 3 yr old daughter has eaten fish sticks two times in the last 3 weeks. She has experienced vomiting 3 hours after each of the meals.

Does this sound like allergies or simply upset stomach While this could just be a coincidence or a food intolerance, it could also be a sign of a food allergy.Things that go against it being a true food allergy include that it happened 3 hours after she eat the fish sticks, ‘symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours’. www.sacreche.co.za

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family matters

How to introduce a new child The arrival of the new baby may bring anxiety which can turn your pre-schooler into a nasty little kid. No one likes to feel like they are second best. Lebo Chauke advices on how and when to tell your pre-schooler on the imminent arrival of a new-born baby.

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is vital in making the arrival of the new-born a smooth transition. re you worried on how your child is going to react The best time to tell your child on the imminent arrival of a newon the arrival of your new baby? A baby is a gift born baby is during the last trimester of pregnancy as it will be to the family and a gift to the whole community. showing and less confusing for your pre-schooler. Just as much as Congratulations on the prospect of a new born. A new born baby the parents adjust during pregnancy, so should your pre-schooler. usually brings joy, excitement and many hopeful expectations in They need to understand what comes after pregnancy and how the house, not forgeting the sleepless nights. It can become a bit this is going to change their immediate world and environment. tricky trying to convince your pre-schooler on the arrival of the new baby and acceptance can become an issue when it wasn’t ini- Taking your pre-schooler with when going for check-ups and inviting them to witness the ultrasound images should be the tially discussed. There are ways to make the arrival of a new baby beginning of a bond between your pre-schooler and the new baby. a good and welcomed experience for everyone involved.

Your pre-schooler should be one of the key decision makers in Introducing a new baby into the family is a delicate matter for planning for the arrival, the fixing of the baby room, buying of a pre-schooler especially if they have been the only baby in the family. The arrival of the new baby may bring anxiety and that can baby goods and should be sat down and advised on the events that are going to take place (yes, even the baby shower too). A make your pre-schooler to be nasty as a result of feeling like they good way is to show your pre-schooler old photos of them when are about to become second best. OK, maybe they are about to they were still babies as this is an excellent way to help them become second best as far as attention is concerned but they dont understand why everything is happening the way it is. The centre have to feel that way. Remember that pre-schoolers do not like change. Communicating with your pre-schooler during pregnancy of attention will be moving away from your pre-schooler, use the

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arrival of the new baby to teach him or her to share and to be responsible for others as well. The home is one place to develop healthy social relationships that will last a lifetime and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. You will be surprised at how natural this transition will be once your pre-schooler starts to understand the change that needs to happen.

When your pre-schooler meets the new baby for the first time, try and minimise the number of people present. At this crucial moment you want your pre-schooler’s reaction to be as natural as possible and whatever the reaction, know that it is normal and normal is good. No matter how ready you think your pre-schooler is, there will be a stage when they will have difficulty adjusting. This too is a perfectly normal stage in the adjustment process. Your pre-schooler might even be moody during this stage so don’t be too hard on him or her rather understand and teach them to be patient by being exemplary.

Rushing your pre-schooler to get over certain milestones in your preparations for the new-born is one of the worst mistakes you can make.

Rushing your baby in potty training or making them move from their bedroom before they are ready is going to do more harm than good.

Minimise change in your pre-schooler’s life and rather give them responsibility that will highlight that they are an older brother or sister to their younger sibling. Pre-schoolers are self-centred by nature because they are still trying to understand their place in the world so help them be responsible by feeding their egos and telling them how good they are to their new sibling.

Training is important and preparations will help minimise anxiety for both parent and child. The last thing a heavily pregnant mother needs is stress, especially if it can be avoided. Manage change and introduce your pre-schooler to your new baby. Ask for name suggestions, get a doll and use it to train your pre-schooler, you can even go as far visiting friends who have new-borns. Whatever you do, make sure that you introduce your pre-schooler to your new born before they feel like their space is being invaded. After all they are as much a part of the family and whatever happens in the family, especially something this big, they deserve to know well ahead.

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development

Using ICT to teach in early learning centres E

arlier this year South Africa had an ICT indaba in Cape Town and one of its main aims was to try and chart a course for the future in information and technology in the country.

ICT stands for Information Communications Technology and generally it deals with the role computers, the internet and technology play in the storing and sharing of information. Minister of Communications Ms Dina Pule in her opening address said that “internet connectivity can improve the quality of education” but what does this translate into for the average crèche going child? What role does computers and technology play in the development of a child and what role can it play?

The traditional computer and digital communications technologies such as smart phones are two areas covered by the ICT world.

Just as in literacy, it is every child’s right to be able to operate the

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computer and its functions with skill. Currently there are about 6 million South Africans who have access to the internet and a lot more have access via the use of smart-phones. Internet access and usage should not be a difficult thing otherwise people will be excluded from the future of information. Whether you admit to it or not, the internet and ICT affects many areas of your child’s life and if not through use then definitely thorough exclusion. It is no secret that children view computers and cell-phones as instruments of play and duly treat them as such. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Encouraged use of these mediums will help them grow to be comfortable in using them. Playing games is actually a great way of learning through using ICT. One question that the ECD industry should ask is: what are the conditions that would allow ICT to be a learning tool that is in line

with what children are taught in crèches? ICT shouldn’t be used in crèches just for the sake of following international trends but must be a tool that helps address areas of learning which cannot be taught in the absence of technology.

It shouldn’t be a white elephant that serves as nothing but fancy furniture in crèches. Playing games is one way of using computers in crèches but this contributes nothing new to crèches as games are already being played. Using ICT in this instance can even do our children more harm than good and we might end up with a lazy population that prefers sitting in front of the computer rather than playing sports. Implemented cautiously, educational games can and might help children be more comfortable in using ICT and thereby laying a strong foundation in the search and access of information in later stages.

One of the goals of introducing ICT in Early Childhood Development should be to help children search for information and help them understand the many uses of the internet.

They should be able to associate different pieces of information and be able to use it in problem solving. Through the use of ICT, children should be taught that information is a freely available commodity and must be shared amongst each other. Every child from a certain age must have an email address and so should educators and caregivers. The most important use of ICT in ECD needs to be future orientated and must address the problems the country is facing in terms of skills shortage and training. By developing relevant programmes for crèche use, children can grow up to make study choices that will address the problems we have in maths, science and technology.

There is absolutely little doubt that social media is reshaping the way we traditionally communicate. It firmly looks like the future of communicating is doubtlessly in the hands of social platforms. Crèche going children are growing with social media and they will ultimately understand social media in ways that we cannot imagine. Our children are aware of the amount of time we spend with our phones in hand.

The best way children will have a better picture of what the future looks like is if we start introducing the ICT world early on. Allow your child to play with your phone, he/she will probably drain your battery and maybe even reject your calls without your knowing, but they will have the first step into the future of ICT.

Thabo Mphela shares the

advantages of introducing your child to the wonderful world of technology.

Reach the sky

above the rest

Place your ad here and reach pre-school parents

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events

Three year old Oagile from Soshanguve with her cousin Lulama at celebrated the Womans months at Pretoria Zoo.

The four old Inga Abraham took a trip to the Sci-Bono in Newtown with his mother to discover science, history and sports.

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spirituality

Preaching the gospel to children There is a spiritual child in all of us. Pastor Themba Sibiya preaches the pros of introducing the gospel early on.

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he number one problem facing christian families today is how to introduce your child to Christianity. As christian parents, our goal is to influence and guide both the hearts and minds of our children towards the way of God. The first step is letting our children know that God loves them. As 1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” How simple is that? It can be as easy as just saying so. Certainly children are limited in their ability to understand spiritual truth, and unfortunately the same truth holds for adults.

Fortunately, the essential truths are basic enough that even a child can understand. Jesus Himself characterized saving faith as childlikeness (Mark 10:15). The key is to keep things basic and not to complicate things. Keep in mind not to modify the Scriptures but always interpret it in the best way possible for your child to understand and also to appreciate.

Children do understand the difference between wrong and right, love and forgiveness, truth and

lies at an early age. These concepts should be used to simplify the lessons in the scripture.

Points to keep in mind when sharing the gospel with your child: Always take your child with you to church, this might seem obvious but it is the most important step. Children learn from their parents, going to church every week should be as much a routine as going to creche.

Pray with your child and teach them simple prayers.

Encourage them to pray before meals, before bed. Expalin the importance of prayer and pray together. If your child is able to thank you for the food and presents, you should encourage him to also thank God. When you read bed time stories, use children bible stories. This will improve their literacy and also expose them to the scriptures. Even with children, God’s Word is the seed that produces life (1 Peter 1:23). Try and avoid books and DVD’s that just stop at summarising the Bible, simple interpretation is key at this early stage. Only the Bible can speak

with authority to the human heart. Remember to avoid praching to your child. Always find fun ways at home to teach your child about the bible. It is always a plus if the creche your child goes to also advocates spirituality in a fun and creche-like way. Understand the inherently important part played by creches in this regard.

In Conclusion: Bear in mind the instruction in Deuteronomy to create teaching moments regularly throughout the day. A brief prayer in the morning thanking yet another brand new day should become a habit. Active pre-schoolers who love to sing and dance can bounce around the living room to tunes with Godly themes. And when he wakes up and wanders into the living room to see you reading God’s word in the only moment of peace and solitude you’ve had that day, your example of looking to the Bible for guidance will be permanently etched into his mind and her heart.

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Everyday everywhere learning W e as adults are so used to our everyday lives that we tend to not see the little mundane things that make up our day. There are many learning opportunities that are hidden within our daily routines. Good health, numeracy, social skills, wellbeing and literacy are but some of the areas that can be taught and improved by using normal everyday activities and chores, making them fun and including your child in those activities. Whether you are brushing your teeth, cleaning the house, doing laundry or cooking; there are many learning possibilities for your child everywhere you are. Your task as the parent is to

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identify these opportunities and use them to make everyday one full of learning. A use of the imagination on your part is enough to unlock a child’s imagination and a world of learning.

Inviting your child to help you cook is one way of teaching them valuable lessons that will form the foundation for them to be responsible healthy people. In the kitchen, let safety be the first lesson and teach him or her about heat producing appliances such as the stove, microwave and kettle. Let it be known that these kinds of appliances are only for grown-ups and explain as well as show them how they work and what they are used for and why. Sharp objects such as

cover story knives should also be categorised under dangerous objects that are not for child use. Make the kitchen fun by exploring with taste, let him or her taste different foods, explain the salty from the sweet and ask them what they like and what they don’t like. You can even have a day when they choose what to cook.There are dietary information on food packaging, help them make wise choices by emphasising on foods that are healthy such as fruits and vegetables and how they can be used in cooking and the difference in tastes. Blindfold your child and have him or her guess the kind of food by only using their noses. Teach them to follow orders and cook using a recipe. Creating something from raw ingredients will bring great joy and pride once they see what they have accomplished. Who is to say what goes in the fridge and what doesn’t, what does it do, why is it even cold? The theme of the kitchen should be safety, health and fun fun fun.

We all hate to do washing, it doesn’t matter if it is washing of clothes, our bodies or washing of the dishes, your baby doesn’t have to hate it too. What would happen to us if we were to stop washing completely, what would become of our noses? When doing laundry, ask your child to help you sort out the colours and ask

municating and there are many opportunities in the outside world to build this fundamental skill. From a very young age your child has learnt simple forms of communicating, ever since they realised that crying helped them get their own ways. Listening to different sounds such as car sounds and birds children can learn to differentiate different sounds and be attentive. Road signs such as traffic lights and stop signs are symbols that also communicate meaning. Ask him or her why the sign is the way it is and what does it mean. Also ask him/her why the signs are on the side of the road and not in the middle of the road.

Use technology such as tv and films to help them identify different means of communicating and the different languages and accents through being attentive to the smallest of sounds. Phones are also good learning tools for reading, matching colours, listening and speaking. There are games for children one can download on smartphones.

Dressing up is a very good way of teaching children form and function as well as mixing and matching. Clothes are an extension of one’s identity and your baby knows this. He or she knows what he/she wants to look like so don’t deny your child a chance to own their

“Dressing up is a very good way of teaching children form and function as well as mixing and matching.

Clothes are an extension of one’s identity and your baby knows this.”

Mahlako Mphahlele looks at many learning opportunities that are hidden within our daily lives.

him to pile like colours together. Start small and only ask him/her to start with the socks and see how they do and take it from there. Help him/her measure the amount of soap you put in the washing, explain what the soap does and the different brands and why you prefer that specific brand. They will appreciate the responsibility that goes into washing. Same rule applies when doing the dishes and have them help you separate the different kind of dishes, start with plastic dishes and build from that.

Body washing should be done in sections, the feet because shoes make them sweat, under arms and the bottom for obvious reasons. Explain to them different body parts and this can even go as far as an everyday lesson in the human anatomy and how it works. Good health starts with cleanliness, make fighting dirt fun and a washing song makes it all worthwhile.

Put on your training shoes and take a walk with your child. Walking is a good exercise and it doesn’t matter where you are going as long as you encourage exercise. Literacy encompasses com-

identity. My brother’s child spent a good part of her 3rd year in wings, she even slept wearing them.

Now she wants to hear nothing about them. Teach them to match items that they wouldn’t otherwise match such as socks and a hat. Have them pick a colour for that day and give them a task to pick out clothes that can match with the colour. Clothes are also important in helping us identify people of a certain designation such as school kids, nurses and police officials. Can your child identify other uniforms such as the army and cleaning staff? Dress up and start learning with your child.

We as adults are responsible for the little ones that are around us. It is up to us to be responsible in what we say and what we do and how we look. It could be on a public transport or in the park, any child that is within earshot is our responsibility and it is all up to us to act, speak and behave in a way that is exemplary and that encourages learning.

Include children in your everyday life and make every activity an act of learning.

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financial

Fundisa educational fund Important facts

Grace Seema learns about a great opportunity in saving for your child’s future tertiary education.

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mong the many reasons people cite as the reason for not studying further, money is the most common.

There are many reasons why this is the case and it is not always as cut and dry as to say there has been a failure to plan and save for the future. Sometimes life happens and forces us to dig deeper than we had anticipated. Death is expensive especially if one didn’t plan for such an eventuality, at other times people make the oddest of decisions, extending the house is much more important than tertiary education for some.

With over 150 tertiary institutions in the country offering many different qualifications South Africa should be up there with the best but we boast one of the worst enrolment rate in tertiary institutions among developing countries. The cost of education is forever soaring and for a 4 year old child you have to save nothing less than R200 000 for a college education for 16 years at around R150 a month. University will need for you to put away over R400 monthly

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for 16 years.Through ASISSA, the government decided to introduce a dedicated educational savings product called the Fundisa Fund in collaboration with 3 other banks. The product’s main aim is to encourage investement into higher education through rewarding a bonus for saving. From as little as R40 a month any South African citizen can save for a child’s education irrespective of whether you are related to the child or not. Since there is no limit on the number of investments any one child can have, both parents can open the Fundisa Fund account for the child but the 25% bonus is caped at R600 per child per year. Irrespective of how much you save on a monthly basis, only the first R2 400 is due for a 25% bonus every year.A R100 a month investment will receive a R300 bonus at the end of the financial year and that is re-invested into the fund. Additional to the bonus, normal interest is borne on the monies saved.

The funds can be used at any tertiary institution recognised by the NSFAS and they have

to be used before the child turns the age of 35. Early withdrawal of the funds is possible and the funds can be made available within two working days for you to do whatever you want with it but the interest is forfeited if the money is not used on education. The best thing about the fund is that you can nominate another beneficiary if your child doesn’t need it anymore. Anyone nominated to benefit from the fund must be a South African citizen and so must be the investor. Identification documents of both parties are required for the account to be opened and you as the investor need to have an account with any bank in the country.

A small annual fee of 1.25% excluding vat is payable, other costs may come from the bank you choose to open the account with so choose wisely and compare debit order fees. Since the fund was introduced in November 2007 just over 10 000 people have taken advantage of this great opportunity because the bonus is on a first-come-first-serve-basis. At R40 a month, give your child an opportunity to cite a different

book reviews

The joy of reading.

The pleasure of books We look at the importance of reading in an age of internet, television and games. Is mastering the skill of reading still relevant in the success of our children later in life? By A C Abraham

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s parents we should be asking ourselves what do children get out of books and reading. What are the benefits of teaching children to read early on? Are there even benefits in teaching your preschool child to read? Shouldn’t books and reading be something that should be left to primary school teachers? Some parents might even reason that children in crèche learn through play and they should be left to play rather than be bored with books. These parents would be right in saying that play is very important in the child’s development but there is no reason why books can’t also be part of play. Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children early on. Rather than it being laborious and boring, reading can be fun and pleasurable. It is an excellent way of helping your child to use their imagination. Through reading with your child, they will have a better grasp of the language and how to use it. Socially, your child will be a lot better through learning about how the characters in the books treat and speak to one another. Their vocabulary will improve everyday.

By the time your child is ready for school they will find it easy to understand what is being taught and won’t find books intimidating.

Below are a few points that highlight the benefits of reading to your 2 – 5 year old.

Teaching the basics: Early reading will teach your child simple things things such as alphabets and how to hold a book. They will also learn that there is a story in the words as well as in the pictures.

Story time: Reading to your child everyday at the same time is a good way to bond with your child. Act out the stories and use funny different voices to keep their attention. By the time they go to school they won’t have a problem converting “story time” into “homework time”.

Make the connection: Apply the stories in the books to everyday situations. It might be much easier for your child to understand if you make an example using one of the characters in the books. They will appreciate the lesson much better because they will want to be good just like so and so.

Mind the language: Research has linked early reading to a better understanding and use of the

“ There is no

reason why books can’t also be a part of play ”

language. Start by books in their mother tongue to build confidence and once they are comfortable then you can start buying books in a different language.

Concentration and discipline: Reading will improve your child’s attention span and they will learn discipline in knowing that at a certain time it is time to read and they will start reading on their own. Go book shopping with them. The more you do it with them the better they will become at reading..

Food for thought: Books are excellent at making anyone use the imagination. Ask your child questions as you read, make examples, sing songs. Lose yourself and become a child and make sure you have fun otherwise they are also not having fun.

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safety

Playing it safe in playgrounds

Thando Ncube cringes at playground hazards and investigates the minimum basic requirements for a safe playground.

in townships. There’s no way to completely ensure kids’ safety at playgrounds, but there are some key things you can look out for to limit the likelihood getting injured or falling sick. Stick to the basics and always remember that the fun must not outweigh safety. Ultimately, the most important thing is to make sure someone is there to supervise. Many dangers can be avoided if there is an adult on hand to keep an eye on the kids.

Here’s a handy checklist for parents & teachers for Safe Playgrounds.

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laying outside is very crucial to the development of children as it improves their social skills, coordination and balance. It can also encourage language and sharing skills as children role-play and learn to take turns.

There’s no way to completely ensure kids’ safety at playgrounds, but there are some key things you can look out for to limit the likelihood that your child may get hurt or sick. Every year, more and more kids end up visiting emergency rooms because of injuries they received in the playground.

There was a story in America where a child got severly burned after sliding on a slide that was in the sun for too long. The

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slide was made out of steel so it absorbed heat. Common dangers that children face in playgrounds include playing in the sandbox. Sandboxes can be a particularly good breeding place for parasites such as roundworms because eggs can hide there easily and children might eat the sand.

Also strangulation is unfortunately one of the more common threats children face in playgrounds. Any clothing that has a drawstring around the hood or neck, such as scarfs, could get caught on a piece of playground equipment and choke a child. Metal slides have been removed from some playgrounds, replaced by safer plastic alternatives. Many creches still have unsafe equipments such as metal slides, especially

Protective Surfacing Make sure surfaces around playground equipment has at least 30 centimetres of soft wood or grass or rubber or sand or pea gravel. Any hard surface on the playground could cause serious injuries when kids fall.

Check that protective surfacing extends at least 2 meters in all directions from play equipment.

Plastic is safer than steel as it absorbs heat much better.

Fall Zone

Make sure play structures more than 60 centimetres high are spaced at least 4 meters apart.

Protrusion & Entanglement Check for dangerous and faulty equipments.

Regular maintanance should be carried out on all equipment. Any old faulty equipment must be removed from the playground.

Entrapment in Openings Make sure spaces are either big enough for children to easily go through or small enough that it is impossible for them to go through.

Anything in between might get them trapped.

Guardrails Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.

Maintenance Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.

Supervision Carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they’re safe.

lesson plan

Introducing the alphabets.

The aim of the lesson is meant to introduce the letter sound as well as having the children understand the concept of UPPER CASE and lower case letters. The focus is on learning words starting with the letter “h”. House, hippopotamus, horse and hat are an example.

Remeber that it is best to chose tangible physical objects that the eye can see and not feelings such as hungry. The lesson can also be grouped and teachers can start the lesson with letters that look the same both in upper and lower case i.e.

“S” “M” “P” etc. Each day of the week you can introduce a new letter. Include a picture of anything whose name begins with the letter of the day. If the day’s letter is “H” then you can include a picture of a house. Pictures are best at helping children remember, especialy if it is

a picture of something they are already familiar with. In our example above you would be introducing the letter “H”.

Step 1 Teach the alphabets in the correct order with each letter having its own day. Have an image for your learners to tie to each letter, such as an animal or food that will help them remember the letter.

Step 2 Use the alphabet song to reinforce the order of the alphabets. Sing the song with the learners several times. Repititon is key in this exercise.

Sing through the song enough times and learners will be able to remember it.

Step 3 Create flashcards to teach your child the sound

that each letter makes. Start by showing him the letters and having him say which letter he is looking at then move on to showing him the letters and having him make the letter’s sound.

Step 4 Create new flashcards with pictures. Ask them to identify the object in the picture, say the word, and say the letter that it begins with.

Step 5 Personalize the learning experience by using the children’s name to teach the letters in it and the concept of grouping letters together to form a word. You can also teach him to write his name in order to tie in the mental side of learning with a physical experience.

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artwork Important facts

SA Crèche Art Competition Please send your pictures to sacreche@gmail.com and include your contacts.

The sacrèche magazine invites all children aged 6 and under who go to creche to submit their works of art for publication. It could be a picture of your new home, your family or friends. Any picture as long as your creche going child drew it will be considered for the competition.

How to enter Have your child draw a picture using paint colour pencils on white paper (white makes it easy to see). Help him or her email it to sacreche@gmail or they can post it to P O Box 4670 Pretoria 0001 or you can also fax to 086 724 6281. Name, age and the name of their creche must be written on the corner of their drawing. Please include a photo of your

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child as well and a short discription of the photo telling us what inspired the picture.

Technical information Format : entries should be high-quality jpegs.

File size: Each image should ideally be 1mb or larger and not smaller than 500 kilobytes.

Terms and conditions Children should draw the pictures by themselves without anyones help, they should be in creche.

The prize This is a monthly competition and the publishes photo wins a R250 voucher from a book store

This week’s winner This painting is of a holiday that Tshepiso had while visiting his grandmother in Durban.

Congradulations Tshepiso, your price is n the way. Your drawing is a reminder of how refreshing and inspiring a holiday can be.

Congradulations to Tshepiso Masemola, Age 6 years she did not include the name of her Crèche.

policy & practice

Registering an ECD centre

STEP 1 Contact the provincial Department of Social Development at the district office in their region to arrange for an interview.

The following will be discussed: • Registration requirements; • Child Care Act; • Registration procedures; • Minimum standards; • Application form; • Subsidy procedure; • Monitoring and evaluation.

STEP 2 Get the application form from the Social Development department and fill it. The following documents must be attached to the applicantion: • A lease agreement, proof of ownership or permission to occupy the land; • Job descriptions for centre staff, includ-

ing grievance and disciplinary procedures.

Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

All documents required are to be submitted with the application form to enable the evaluation process for registration to begin.

STEP 3 Once you have submitted an application form, the Department ‘s official will do the following: • Visits the premises; • Informs the environmental health officer by letter; • Informs other relevant stakeholders by letter, for example Department of

Education, that an application for regis tration has been received.

STEP 4 When the health clearance certificate and / or other reports have been received, a provisional registration certificate (valid for one year) is issued. During this time, a subsidy may be granted to the centre to enable them to meet the minimum standards. The following conditions need to be met: • Administrative and financial management systems have to be satisfactory; • Services provided to the children in terms of physical, emotional, intellectual and social care have to be satisfactory; • The physical condition of the centre has to be satisfactory; • The general functioning of the centre has to be satisfactory.

If not satisfactory, the Social Department official will continue to consult, advise, empower, build capacity and review the facility.

STEP 5 The social worker or other official employed and authorised by the provincial Department of Social Development will monitor the centre for one year and do an assessment of the services offered by the centre, including: • The general care of the children; • Administrative systems; • Financial systems.

If satisfactory, a full registration certificate will be issued (valid for two years) and a subsidy may be paid.

If not satisfactory, the provisional certificate will be extended for a further six months during which a subsidy may be paid.

If the centre does not meet the minimum standards after this six-month period, it will be shut down.

STEP 6 The centre must be monitored by the Social Department for two years. A developmental quality assurance assessment must be done and the registration certificate will be renewed or withdrawn. A centre has to re-register when an applicant intends to: • Move the centre to another building or premises; • Extend or decrease the size of the existing structure; • Increase the number of children enrolled; • Sell the business; or • Change ownership.

The procedure for re-registration is the same as for registration. Application forms have to be completed by the applicant: • Menu; • Daily programme; • Needs assessment form (giving details of the area local to the centre in terms of number of young children and how many other centres cater for them (i.e. explain the need for this centre in your area).

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community

Celebrating Tswelopele Pre School

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here is a special bond that grandmother and child share.

Whether its because grandmothers have a soft spot for children and always want to spoil them, or maybe its because of their vast experience in bringing up children; i don’t know.

What I do know is that Tswelopele Early Learning Centre has that very relationship with its learners. Started almost four decades ago, its history is as rich as Soshanguve’s history, and as bright as the smiles on the kids’ faces. The teachers are friendly and polite and most of all very patient.

The principal and vice principal along with other staff members have been with the creche since inception way back in the seventies and they are

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the grandmothers of Tswelopele ELC. Under the leadership of Mrs Mosehle, Tswelopele ELC has been through thick and thin.

The June 16 uprising, the fall of apartheid, the transition into the new government even a fire that ravaged through one of the 4 buildings in 2004 (due to the learned and highly capable staff no one was hurt) yet it has never closed down.

Right next to a Primary, Secondary and the legendary Wallmansthaal High, Tswelopele has been a pillar in Soshanguve since it started.

Out of concern for the children who were loitering around the streets, its founder Principal Lekala, along with the communty of Soshanguve approached the local Municipal offices and it was the

start of what is now “the grandmother of creches in Soshanguve” to quote Principal Mme Masehle.

September of 74 was its first month of business and it enrolled almost 400 children in that month.

It started with 8 staff member (2 cooks,2 cleaners and 4 teachers) charging R6 to R10 per child. Today it boasts 112 learners aged 2 to 6 and it now charges R160 per child Tswelopele runs from 07:00 to 16:00 every weekday, has 3 meal times and a snack time for fruits, a break for playing and Thursday is dedicated to playing as no teaching takes place. To say that Soshanguve was taught, bred and raised by this creche would be a gross understatement.

nutrition

Fun cooking with your kids Let’s face it: as adults, we’re usually cooking because we have to. But to a child, a kitchen is a mad scientist’s laboratory. Stuff gets measured and mixed; liquids are poured into beakers; ordinary substances are transformed, as if by magic, into delicious edible wonders. Isn’t it time you took on an apprentice or two? A few simple tricks can make it easy and safe for your kids to help you in the kitchen.

Tips for Teaching Kids to Cook Give them a birds-eye view. Provide each child with a stable step-stool, just high enough to allow them to safely reach the counter or table. Even if there isn’t actually anything for them to do, they’ll still enjoy watching you cook and it’s a great opportunity to chat.

Dress for the job. The right outfit makes all the difference. A kid-sized apron, a mini chef’s hat or just one of dad’s big old shirts will help keep clothes clean and get your little assistant into the cooking mood.

Get everyone helping. Assign cooking tasks to your kids depending on age, ability and level of experience in the kitchen. Even a toddler can help wash vegetables and tear the ingredients for salads. Three- or four-year-olds can help mix ingredients in a bowl, form the dough for cookies by hand or roll meatballs.

Five- to seven-year olds are usually able to measure ingredients, cut veggies and cheese with a blunt knife or even locate ingredients by reading the labels. And children eight years old and up are generally capable of using a microwave or oven with supervision, peeling and cutting up vegetables, shredding cheese and preparing kid-friendly recipes (below) almost entirely by themselves.

Offer some tools. Give your child his or her very own set of measuring cups and spoons. Brightly coloured plastic utensils make it fun to measure and mix ingredients. If you have more than one child, make sure each one has a different colour to avoid squabbles.

Think small – really small. While you’re busy making a family-sized macaroni and cheese casserole, let your child spoon some of the mixture into a tiny baking dish, just for his own personal self. Invest in a miniature muffin pan so your child can make little baby muffins, or pick up a mini loaf pan in which to bake a kid-sized banana bread. Everyone knows that tiny food is just more fun to make and eat.

When in doubt, skewer it! Kids love food on a stick. It’s fun to make, fun to eat and looks really cool. Even your littlest cook can spear cubes of cheese, cherry tomatoes or chunks of ham on a bamboo skewer. Arrange them on a plate with a puddle of dipping sauce (try Dijon mustard and mayo or creamy Italian dressing) and voila, appetizers are served.

And finally – keep your sense of humor! Spilled some milk? Dropped an egg?

It’s all part of the process. After all, cleaning up can be fun too!

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Apple Sauce What You Need: Apples Paring knife Cutting board Plastic knife Skillet Cinnamon Nutmeg Allspice Water

What You Do:

Wash the apples, then peel, quarter, and core them.

While you work, discuss the different food groups with your child. What should she be eating for a healthy diet? Where do these apples fit into such a diet?

Once the apples are peeled, quartered and cored, your child can chop them up using the plastic knife and a cutting board. As she works, add the apples to the skillet.

Help your child add a small amount of water to the skillet and a shake each of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. Remember: Just a little bit of these spices go a long way!

Let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, asking your child to occasionally stir it. How are the apples changing as they cook? When the apples are soft, take the skillet off the stove. Your family can eat the apple sauce chunky-style or mash it up with a potato masher.

Serve the apple sauce warm for a snack or save it for dinner time. This delicious fruit snack also makes a yummy topping for toast!

Enrolment Now Open

Looking for quality, affordable childcare in a home-like environment.

Dihlalifi Daycare Centre • Parent information and home activities • Encourage critical skills for early learning and literacy • Movement, music and specially designed equipment • Professionally qualified instructors LOOKING TO ADVERTISE YOUR BIZ TO THIS MARKET?

Call us on 084 3438197 for competetive rates

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Now accepting ads for Issue 3 2012.

To book your advertisement call 084 343 8197 / 011 024 6451 or email sacreche@gmail.com

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