During their “exploring space” project, children in pre-K class did a number of things…
Constructed their own telescopes to watch the stars…
Created their own planets, based on what they read about in books…
Also constructed the moon: used everyday materials to make the shape of a circle and then painted it white by using glue, shaving foam and glitter!
Their next mission: teddy bear visits the moon!
(by Spyridoula Patouna, teacher in pre-K class)
(by Jenny Diamantopoulou, teacher in toddlers’ class, in Athens)
Free play in class is an important part of the day, for any play-based preschool.
Through play, children imagine, create, disagree, negotiate, learn to solve problems, explore materials – but also develop their relationship with other children.
The decision of our kindergarten kids to construct a privacy box for their medical corner, gave them the opportunity to master all the above, plus to connect play with maths.
Children got divided into groups and began to work. First, paid a visit to the local carpenter to pick their wood.
Then, returned to school and started to work….
While doing the above, class entered into assumptions, cooperation, testing, made mistakes and worked together to produce a certain result. But mostly, enjoyed the process!
(by Stavroula Gaoutsi, kindergarten teacher in Athens)
Toddlers love to explore with their body and try their senses.
It’s time in class to explore by using our feet. Sο, we take our shoes off, by ourselves, though we are still two y.o., and the trip begins….
We walk barefoot on cloth, on sand and on the wooden floor…
Eventually, we step on paint and left our footprint on paper.
Everyone loves it!
(by Evangelia Nteka, teacher in toddlers’ class in Athens)
Today in babies’ class we made jelly – but instead of eating, we played with it!
Babies first look, then smell, touch and finally mix it…
Eventually, they become experts into mixing colors, without even knowing.
It’s just play for them!
(by Anastasia Kouroubali, teacher in babies’ class in Athens)
(presentation by Irene Lithoxopoulou, teacher in post-toddlers class, in Athens)
When you are 4 y.o. you ask questions, all the time. Never ending, unlimited questions .
Questions like these lead us to look for answers about space.
Today, our children experiment space by creating paper planets. Tomorrow, they may go visit them!
 There must be always a way!
 After all, astronomy is a science – and we never say never to science!!!
(by Charitini Stavroulaki, teacher in pre-K class in Athens)
In our babies’ class, we encourage children to interact with a number of materials, natural and artificial.
Experimenting has to be unconditional, in order to trigger all senses.
This way, we give babies the opportunity to become familiar with reality, engage and interact with it.
Such life derived materials can be sand, rocks, spoons, cups, etc.
Getting in touch with real world always turns kids more creative…
(by Maria Gryllaki, teacher in babies’ class in Athens)
Life-derived Learning 