With the Circuit Breaker lifted this week and the transition to a “new normal” takes place, our preschoolers finally got to make their way back to school to resume their regular routine after staying home for two months.
Our teachers were eager to welcome the children back to their classes, as they have been working hard during the Circuit Breaker by preparing and conducting lessons online to keep the little ones engaged at home.
For most of the children, this was probably their first exposure to HBL and online classes. Based on the photos and videos shared my our mums and dads, we’re so proud to see our young learners embrace this new way of learning and connecting with their friends and teachers during this period.
As we move ahead with the new term and embrace the changes to our school routine with safety measures in place, let’s take a look at the fun activities that our children and their parents got up to during their HBL journey.
Read also: Lessons Your Children Can Learn From the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Period
A Sneak Peek of Our Children’s HBL Journey
1. Getting Creative with Art & Craft
It’s no secret that one of the highlights of our children’s day in preschool involves activities that allow them to express their creativity while reinforcing lessons and topics discussed with the class earlier on.
As they planned for their HBL and online lessons, our teachers made sure that art and craft activities were included in the line-up. Not only do these help to bring cheer to the homes of our children, but they also provide opportunities for them to bond with their parents at home too.
Here are some snapshots of our children engaged in their art and craft activities in the comfort of their homes during the HBL journey.
2. Whipping up Healthy Treats During the HBL Journey
One of the best things about Gourmet Moments, one of the enrichment modules included in our preschool curriculum, is that it’s so easy for our children to do it at home. All that’s needed are the recipe sheet from our teachers and for their parents to set aside the ingredients needed to prepare the dishes with them in the kitchen.
As our parents went through the steps with their children, they also took this opportunity to reinforce simple maths concepts in a fun way!
3. Online Story-telling Sessions
How do you get preschoolers to sit through a story-telling session without wandering off at the midway point?
By tapping on their creative minds, our teachers got busy at creating props that they can use to bring the stories to live during their online lessons with the children. These were easy enough to prepare with materials that were available at the centre.
Watch this video to check out how our teachers at River Valley engaged the children during the HBL journey through this story about a baby bird.
4. Thank You, Frontliners
While most of us got to have a short break over the Labour Day long weekend, work had to go on for our frontliners as they battled against the virus to keep us all safe.
Our children at Yio Chu Kang decided to dedicate this public holiday to all frontliners in Singapore to give them the strength and encouragement to carry on the good work that they have been doing.
5. A Touch of Gratitude
Besides developing key learning and developmental skills in preschoolers, we also emphasise on character-building in our lessons where we nurture important life values. Through class discussions and hands-on activities, our children learn what it takes to have certain values and the things that they can do to apply them to their lives.
In their HBL journey, our teachers at our Paragon centre initiated the activities that parents can do with their kids to learn about gratitude. This includes starting a “Book of Gratitude” where they can note down some things that they can do to show their appreciation to the people in their lives.
Here, one of our preschoolers shared the materials he has prepared that are focused on making gratitude a part of his daily life.
6. A Special Mother’s Day
We might have been stuck at home, but Mother’s Day was made extra special this year, thanks to our teachers at Nordcom II who made arrangements with the children’s daddies to prepare a series of treats for mummy.
Apart from helping out their children to put together a handmade craft before the weekend, the daddies also stepped into the kitchen to lead the way in preparing a special Mother’s Day breakfast on the day itself.
We’re sure this brought wide smiles to all our mummies’ faces, and our children were equally excited to share with their friends and teachers about the experience during their online lessons.
Photos: MindChamps PreSchool @ Nordcom II
We Made it Through the HBL Journey!
Our HBL journey is one filled with ups and downs, coupled with valuable lessons that have inspired us all to step out of our comfort zones. As we pulled through with determination, perseverance and a lot of support from our mummies and daddies, we made the best of the last eight weeks to continue giving our children an enriching learning experience from home.
Have a great term ahead, children – and continue to keep the love for learning alive always!