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Welcome to the Happy Kids parents blog!

Click on your child's class to access the class blog. 

Welcome to the Happy Kids parents blog!

Click on your child's class to access the class blog (password required). 

Cuddly Koalas

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts, 8 November 2024

Halloween fun came alive with the Friendly Frogs as they painted paper plate spiders using sponges. The children loved adding their personal touch by choosing bright and bold colours for their spooky creations.

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama, 8 November 2024

Each week, we guide the Friendly Frogs through naming sounds, listening to them, and engaging in vocal play. This process makes listening active and enjoyable, helping the children connect with each sound. By playing with these sounds, we are also building essential listening skills that support their learning. Through these fun interactions, we are setting them up for success in distinguishing different sounds. This approach enriches their experience and trains their brains to become more attentive listeners.

Friendly Frogs – 8 November 2024

The Friendly Frogs have been learning and strengthening their mathematical skills, with a recent focus on spatial awareness and observation through an outdoor math activity called “Spotting Differences.” Using nature as our primary teaching tool, we explored a series of exercises designed to help the children observe, remember, and recreate patterns and sequences. In this exercise, the teacher arranged a line of natural items—such as stones, leaves, and twigs—for the children to observe. They studied the line-up briefly, noting the exact order and number of items. Then, with eyes closed, the teacher quietly removed one item from the sequence. When the children opened their eyes, they asked to spot the missing item. This game encouraged them to focus on memory and attention to detail.

Next, we practised accuracy and spatial awareness. The teacher created a simple pattern with twigs and leaves, and the children were invited to replicate the arrangement beside it, carefully observing the placement and orientation of each item. Once they had successfully mirrored the arrangement, the teacher introduced a subtle change, and the children tried to identify the difference.
These nature-based activities introduce basic mathematical principles through tangible, hands-on experiences. By observing and manipulating items in real time, the children naturally develop an understanding of patterns, spatial reasoning, and memory while enjoying the outdoors and building a deeper connection with their environment.

Friendly Frogs -18 October 2024

It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of the first term! The Friendly Frogs have been busy with their learning adventures. To conclude our Unit of Inquiry, we focused on two key areas.The first was “Who is in our community? Understanding the people around us.” The Friendly Frogs took an exciting walk around the kindergarten to discover more about the people who help make our community run smoothly. One of the people they spoke with was our office manager; they learnt about her role and the important work she does every day.The second area we explored was weather and its role in our community. We discussed how weather and seasons shape the world around us and impact our daily lives. The Frogs shared their experiences of playing outside on a sunny day or needing raincoats when it rains, helping them to understand how weather patterns affect their activities and the community. We also explored the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. We talked about how the changes in seasons influence what we wear, the activities we enjoy, and how our environment looks. To bring this learning to life, the Friendly Frogs worked in their TRIBES groups to create collaborative seasonal artwork. What is TRIBES? It is a cooperative learning approach that fosters group collaboration, respect, and inclusion. The Frogs are learning to function as a community by collaborating to reach common goals.

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama,18 October 2024

Friendly Frogs are diving into timbre awareness! Through bells, shakers, and hands-on activities, they are learning to hear unique sound qualities, building skills essential for language and reading development. Exploring these sounds strengthens their auditory perception in a big way!

Friendly Frogs – 4 October 2024

We are back with another exciting update. The Friendly Frogs have been busy getting ready for the Hungarian Harvest Festival. And wow, did they put on a fantastic performance? While the rainy weather kept us from heading outside, we did not let it dampen our spirits. Instead, we took the fun indoors and headed to the gym for Harvest-themed games. The Frogs had fun playing games such as “Pin the Cob on the Corn” and Tossing Pumpkins.
But that is not all! Our pony friends visited last week, bringing a new excitement. At first, some of the Frogs were a little cautious, but after seeing their friends ride with big smiles, they built up their courage and decided to give it a try. And guess what? They loved it! It was a great sense of adventure for all.
On the academic side, the Friendly Frogs have been exploring the various roles people play in our community. This week, we focused on transportation and discovered how people travel.

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama, 4 October 2024

From around 10 to 12 months old, babies start to read and interpret the facial expressions of those around them, using these cues to navigate unfamiliar or unclear situations. By the time they reach the Friendly Frogs stage, children have developed and refined this skill, though they may still rely on broad emotional categories, such as “happy” or “sad,” to describe their feelings. Supporting Friendly Frogs in identifying and articulating their emotions is key to their emotional development. By helping them label and understand what they are experiencing internally, we empower them to gain insight into their emotional world. This, in turn, allows them to begin recognising and responding to the emotions of others. The ability to comprehend and express emotions is a crucial part of building emotional intelligence. Fostering this awareness in Friendly Frogs will not only support their social interactions but also aid in developing empathy, self-regulation, and a deeper understanding of themselves and the people around them.

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts, 4 October 2024

The Friendly Frogs had a blast creating scarecrows to celebrate the harvest season! They enthusiastically assembled paper pieces to form their scarecrow figures, adding fun details like eyes, noses, hats, and more. This engaging activity sparked their creativity and helped enhance their hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and critical thinking abilities. What a wonderful way to combine art and learning!

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts, 20 September 2024

The Friendly Frogs showcased their tracing skills by outlining their faces in their initial lessons. They crafted beautiful frog artwork that highlighted their scissor skills and delved into the world of primary colors while honing their painting techniques.

Friendly Frogs – 20 September 2024

We are excited to be back for a new school year, and the Friendly Frogs are settling in exceptionally well into their new classroom environment. To kick off the year, we have been covering a range of topics, including a review of some key mathematical concepts such as shapes and sorting. While shape recognition may seem simple, it is a vital skill that supports cognitive, motor, and social development in early childhood. By providing children with enjoyable, hands-on activities—like sorting shapes outdoors—we help them build a strong foundation for future learning.
One of the activities the Friendly Frogs enjoyed was the outdoor Shape Game. In this activity, the teacher called out a shape, and the children had to quickly run and stand inside the corresponding shape drawn on the ground. They also sorted shape blocks, placing them within their matching shapes. This fun and interactive activity was a fantastic way to reinforce shape knowledge while developing gross motor skills—all while enjoying the fresh air.
Our second outdoor adventure was the Ant Trail Adventure. The Friendly Frogs followed a trail, collecting ant cutouts hidden along the way. Each time they found an ant, they practised the /a/ sound using the Jolly Phonics action. This engaging activity helped the children connect the /a/ sound to the word “ant” while also promoting gross motor skills as they moved around the outdoor space.
Both activities were a huge success, blending learning with the joy of outdoor play.

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama, 20 September 2024

Sharing and taking turns is a skill children gradually develop as they begin empathising with others. This process requires much self-control, which does not come naturally but can be nurtured with guidance and practice. We model self-control for the Friendly Frogs by demonstrating patience – for example, when they see their friend calmly waiting for his turn to play the triangle, they learn through observation. We can also help children manage their impulses by gently touching them or encouraging them to pretend to play the triangle while they wait for their turn. This simple action helps them create their strategies for waiting, which fosters independence and emotional regulation. As the Friendly Frogs continue to practise these skills, it is important to celebrate and acknowledge each small achievement along the way, reinforcing their progress and encouraging further development.

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts, 8 November 2024

Halloween fun came alive with the Friendly Frogs as they painted paper plate spiders using sponges. The children loved adding their personal touch by choosing bright and bold colours for their spooky creations.

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama, 8 November 2024

Each week, we guide the Friendly Frogs through naming sounds, listening to them, and engaging in vocal play. This process makes listening active and enjoyable, helping the children connect with each sound. By playing with these sounds, we are also building essential...

Friendly Frogs – 8 November 2024

The Friendly Frogs have been learning and strengthening their mathematical skills, with a recent focus on spatial awareness and observation through an outdoor math activity called "Spotting Differences." Using nature as our primary teaching tool, we explored a series...

Friendly Frogs -18 October 2024

It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of the first term! The Friendly Frogs have been busy with their learning adventures. To conclude our Unit of Inquiry, we focused on two key areas.The first was "Who is in our community? Understanding the people around us."...

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama,18 October 2024

Friendly Frogs are diving into timbre awareness! Through bells, shakers, and hands-on activities, they are learning to hear unique sound qualities, building skills essential for language and reading development. Exploring these sounds strengthens their auditory...

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts,18 October 2024

Friendly Frogs dived into process art, painting with autumn leaves to celebrate the season. This fall-inspired activity helped them practice motor skills and coordination.

Friendly Frogs – 4 October 2024

We are back with another exciting update. The Friendly Frogs have been busy getting ready for the Hungarian Harvest Festival. And wow, did they put on a fantastic performance? While the rainy weather kept us from heading outside, we did not let it dampen our spirits....

Friendly Frogs -Music and Drama, 4 October 2024

From around 10 to 12 months old, babies start to read and interpret the facial expressions of those around them, using these cues to navigate unfamiliar or unclear situations. By the time they reach the Friendly Frogs stage, children have developed and refined this...

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts, 4 October 2024

The Friendly Frogs had a blast creating scarecrows to celebrate the harvest season! They enthusiastically assembled paper pieces to form their scarecrow figures, adding fun details like eyes, noses, hats, and more. This engaging activity sparked their creativity and...

Friendly Frogs – Visual Arts, 20 September 2024

The Friendly Frogs showcased their tracing skills by outlining their faces in their initial lessons. They crafted beautiful frog artwork that highlighted their scissor skills and delved into the world of primary colors while honing their painting techniques.