Reconciliation Week in Australia holds immense significance, as it symbolises the journey towards healing, understanding, and unity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In 2023, the theme is Be a Voice for Generations!
Halloween is officially 3 days away, and whether you celebrate or not, it’s always fun to get involved. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite spooky books and Halloween activities to enjoy in the lead up to the 31st.
Hop into the long weekend with some of our favourite fun Easter inspired crafts and book reads.
Learning sight word
s is an important skill for early readers to master. These are the most common words that a child will come across, and learning these simple words provides the basic building blocks for reading comprehension.
We’ve created 5 sets of flashcards with the Dolch Sight Words for you to download and print for free! If you want them to last longer, you could also laminate them for extra durability. There are plenty of fun activities to do with these flashcards, and we’ve started you off with four ideas for using your falshcards in creative learning.
The Dolch words are a list of 220 of the most frequently used words in children’s books. The list was developed by Edward William Dolch, PhD, who believed that learning these words was instrumental in the development of reading fluency in children.
The Dolch word list is usually sorted into by age or year level. As a general guide, the first list is for Pre-Prep, then Prep, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 learners. We’ve chosen to label ours from Level 1 to Level 5, with the Level 1 word list being the starting point. You can add in the other lists as your child’s confidence and ability grows.
Download your free Dolch Sight Word Flashcards below, print them out, and use them to teach your child their sight words!
There are so many activities that you can do with these flashcards, from simple recognition to more complex card games. We’ve compiled a few of our favourites for you to try out to get your little one learning their sight words in no time.
First up is this simple game that helps kids begin to recognize their sight words. You’ll need one set of the flashcards, and some kind of toy or marker – this game is easily customizable, so pick something that you think will keep your child engaged. For this example, I picked a toy dinosaur. Lay all the flashcards face up on the table. Depending on your child’s reading level, you can begin by reviewing the words. Then ask them to find a random word – if you’re using the dinosaur method like we did, ask them to place the toy on the word.
This one is a fun twist on the classic Go Fish card game. You’ll need to print out two sets of the flashcards for this one. If you’re not familiar with the rules, they are very simple to learn. Shuffle all the flashcards together, then deal a set amount of cards to each player (3-5 cards is ideal to start with). Place the remaining cards face down in a pile in the middle of the table. Each player reviews their cards, and sets aside any pairs they have. Then the first player asks another player of their choice if they have one the card they need to make a pair. If the other player has the card, they must hand it over. If the other player does not have the card, they answer “go fish”and the first player draws a card from the pile. Once all the cards have run out, the game is over, and the player with the most pairs wins.
Another entry-level activity that you can do with beginner readers is reading with flashcards. Pick out a few flashcards before you begin reading – try and choose some of the most common words to start off with. It’s a good idea to skim the book and see what words feature regularly and choose your cards accordingly. Place the cards next to the book and read so your child can easily see the flashcards and the story. Ask them to point out the words in the book that they see on the flashcards – you can prompt them to find the words if they miss any.
The memory card game is a little bit more difficult, as children will need to recognize and remember their words. You will also need two sets of flashcards for this game. Shuffle the cards well and place them face down on the table, spaced out. The first player begins by turning over two cards, one at a time. If the cards match, the player sets them aside and has another turn. If not, turn them back over and the next player begins their turn. Keep playing until all cards have been matched. The player with the most pairs at the end of the game wins.
We hope you love playing these flashcard games with your kids as much as we do! If you have any feedback, or any other games that you want to share, feel free to email us at pr@thepyjamafoundation.com.
The two-week September school holidays are here! This is a good time for you and your Pyjama child to get crafty, creative and learn outdoors without homework hindering your visit.
The holidays is an awesome opportunity to extend your visits and perhaps have a change of scenery. This is a wonderful way to build your relationship with your Pyjama Child but please remember the restrictions and key policies which you would have learnt about in your Pyjama Angel training.
Here are some free events happening in our regions during the September school holidays. This may provide some inspiration for potential activities or a fun day out. You may even be able to assist your carer in taking the whole family out for a free and fun-filled day!
The State Library of Queensland is hosting a one-day event these school holidays, to celebrate art, science, learning, play and adventure. The day offers children with an interest in scientific mysteries and art, to participate in experiments and games. This would be a perfect opportunity for Pyjama children to explore their interests or even show off their science skills!
For: Any age
Where: The Edge, State Library of Queensland
When: 10:00am to 3:00pm | Saturday 6 October 2018
The Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens has designed a self-guided scavenger hunt, for those children interested in exploring nature. The Gardens provides an activity sheet to guide children around the gardens, encouraging them to find locate and explore the local flora and fauna. This scavenger hunt gives our Pyjama children the opportunity to explore nature!
Find the Botanic Gardens Scavenger Hunt Map here or collect from the Gardens Administration.
Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens are also providing 20 other free self-guided activities in the Gardens. There is an online passport that can be downloaded from here or collected from the Gardens Administration.
For: Any age
Where: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
When: 22-29 September
Has your Pyjama child expressed the interest in learning a new skill? The Pier is running 45-minute how-to knit sessions for children. These free lessons are designed to expand their creativity, concentration and coordination skills.
For: Any age
Where: The Pier
When: 10:00am – 1:30pm | 25 – 28th September, 2 – 5 October
The National Gallery of Victoria is currently running an interactive exhibit for children, to explore the sights and sounds of New York! The exhibit is a great opportunity for our Pyjama children to learn about New York, through interactive displays, multimedia projections and hands-on activities.
For: All Ages
Where: National Gallery of Victoria
When: 10:30am – 12:30pm | 2nd October
The Gladstone Regional Libraries is holding a range of educational activities at libraries across the region these September holidays. If your Pyjama child has a special interest in technology or robotics, the libraries are holding sessions for children to learn the basics of coding and robot play. They are also providing craft activities, including tie dying.
For: Children 10 and over (Tie Dye Fun & Coding), All ages (Craft & Robot Play)
Where: Gladstone City Library
When: 24th September – 4th October
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As a part of their KRANK program, The Logan City Council are holding many school holiday events, including a cooking class. This free event will let you and your Pyjama child master a new skill in the kitchen, while preparing and cooking new foods together. The Logan City council are also offering other events, such as Zumba and hip-hop classes.
For: 5 – 11 years
Where: Kingston East Neighbourhood Centre
When: 10am – 11am | 4th October
The State Library of New South Wales has recently opened their new Learning Centre and are holding a range of activities for children. These activities focus on building and construction giving children the opportunity to help the library create a cardboard city. Children can build and create a pop-up house!
For: All Ages
Where: State Library of New South Wales
When: 10am – 3pm | 8 October – 12 October
Surfers Paradise is holding their annual Kids Week. This year the event is dinosaur themed and will showcase daily live shows from 1pm. This event also gives our Pyjama children the opportunity to meet rangers and their animatronic dinosaurs, as well as learn all there is to know about dinosaurs!
For: All Ages
Where: State Library of New South Wales
When: 29th September – 5th October
The City of Townsville is holding two different Lego activities during the school holidays. These activities will give our creative Pyjama children the opportunity to construct a building with Lego and turn it into a robot! Through technology, the children will be able to program their robot to do exactly what they tell it to do.
For: 7+ years
Where: CityLibraries Thuringowa Central
When: 2pm – 4:30pm | 25th September & 4th October
Ipswich Art Gallery is running a workshop for children to create shadow puppets. The workshop let’s children transform their puppet design into a moveable creation made of pipe cleaners, paper, ribbon and a range of craft materials.
For: 4+ years
Where: Ipswich Art Gallery
When: 10am – 5pm | 11nd September – 11th October
