Dates for Your Diary

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday June 5th (Public holidays): Simply Play @ Westerinch will provide children with a full day service (8-6pm). Check the programme on the club’s webpage and remember to book your child/dren!

June 8th (General Election): Westerinch’s community wing this time will be used as polling station. We will be then relocated in another club. We will provide you with more info as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience!

From July 3rd to August 21st: SUMMER HOLIDAYS AT WESTERINCH  Staff is now working on a fun filled activities programme that will be available very soon on the club’s webpage!!! We are gathering ideas from children from all the other clubs that will join us (Balbardie, Bathgate and Armadale). Please remember to book your child/dren for summer holidays 

WESTERINCH NEWS: WESTERINCH CHILDREN STRATEGIES FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS

Children have improved so much in behaviour from when the new team started to work at Westerinch that they will be very soon rewarded with one of the most popular wish: a big and memorable party!!! There are few strategies in place to promote positive behaviours:

- The behavioural jar that we fill with sand anytime children show a positive behaviour, such as helping a friend, tidying up after themselves, helping staff without being asked, and so on. This way we hope to encourage children to work in group and to help each other to show positive behaviours because - UNITY IS STRENGHT AT WESTERINCH!!!! - 3 Chances to improve a non-positive attitude Children know that they have 3 chances every day to improve an attitude that can affect other children’s serenity. If they persist in showing a behaviour that goes against the 5 golden rules the parents will be spoken to. It happened very rarely that we had to speak with parents   

”behavioural jar”

Staff is also encouraging children to be positive thinkers! We believe that Positive Thinking is a choice and make us living a healthier and a happier life!

Positive quotes It is good to be me Staff is having regular team meetings every week and the first thing that we do together is writing down our positive thoughts that we kept in a little called “team positive thoughts”.

You can also find in the playroom the “It is good to be me” display. We have asked children to think of a thing to be proud or happy about themselves. This way we have encouraged children to value themselves and to be happy about what they are 

In the corridor you can also find a display with loads of positive quotes 

There is also an EMOTIONAL THERMOMETHER and children are free to let us know how they feel and this way we are able to help them to make their day a better day! If they should feel explosive or angry they have access to an “Anger Instructions Book” with some suggestions in order to calm down and accept anger!

”Anger management book”

RISKY PLAY

“Risky play is a natural part of children’s play, and children often seek out opportunities for engaging in challenging and so called risky play. Risky play can be defined as a thrilling and exciting activity that involves a risk of physical injury, and play that provides opportunities for challenge, testing limits, exploring boundaries and learning about injury risk (Sandseter (2007; Little & Wyver, 2008). Activities such as climbing, sliding, balancing, jumping from heights and hanging upside down can be considered as risky (Tovey, 2010, pg. 79). It is important that both staff and parents are aware of the importance of risky play and that safety policies and regulations do not get in the way of this vital form of play*”

Westerinch staff will start to add on the activities programme some risky activities. Before doing that it will be handed out a questionnaire to staff and parents to gather feedback and suggestions about risky play  *http://www.playscotland.org/outdoor-risky-play-blog/ Please be aware that under the signing table you can always find a box with lost and found property. Have a look at it if your child/dren have lost something at the club 

Thanks for your time,

Anna Isolani Zanobini