Footsteps presented hand-made ‘foot’ Christmas stockings to Elaine from the Gisborne Strengthening Families branch. Elaine works with the many tamariki and whānau who she will be presenting these ‘foot’ stockings to for Christmas. Elaine commented that for many of the families this may be all they receive for Christmas.In 2013 Footsteps will be working in partnership with Strengthening Families to support Grandparents raising

Grandchildren in the area. Footsteps would like to wish Strengthening Families, Elaine, and the Gisborne team a safe and happy Christmas.

Poutama Newsletter

Edition 08Dec 2012- Jan 2013

At the Footsteps National Conference the team got stuck in and created a 450 square metre vegetable garden for the much deserving Brookfield Primary School. In just 2 hours the team of 80 filled 9 sleeper beds, planted 20 fruit trees, 2 vege patches and painted a 20 metre mural! Find out more on page 2.

In the Waikato area some very special characters were taken out and about over the last couple of weeks for the annual Child Matters ‘Buddy Day’. Our Footsteps kaiako in the area got involved, taking cardboard cut-out buddies along with them on their visits and other travels - to raise awareness of child abuse and what adult’s can do to prevent it in our communities. The aim of Buddy Day is to encourage discussion and communication about child abuse using the visual buddies to encourage people to talk about this sensitive topic.This year more than 180 cardboard cut-out buddies were decorated and given names by children from local schools and childcare centres. These buddies went out exploring with their carers in Hamilton, Huntly and Cambridge (one of the Footsteps buddies even came to live in Tauranga for a while!) Buddy Day is a great way to spread the word and keep tamariki safe, so go and get involved next year!

Footsteps turns wasteland into vege garden for local school

Contents:Page 2 - What’s happening in the Footsteps whānau?Page 3 - Separation anxiety in babies and pre-schoolersPage 4/5 - Ara Poutama Learning KetePage 6 - Christmas presents that will last the distancePage 7 - Young children and TV, how much is too much? Page 8 - Ara Poutama, Win a Kids Bike, Closing Notes

© footsteps education ltd.

Footsteps takes part in the Child Matters ‘Buddy Day’

Christmas stockings for Strengthening Families

Charlotte shows her awesome buddy

footsteps.co.nz

From Left, Elaine Hogan,

Sarah Reihana and

Donna Elliot

What’s happening in the Footsteps whanau?

At our Footsteps National Conference we celebrated and acknowledged those who went the extra mile in our organisation with our Poutama Award. We congratulated Mandy Greer and Alisha Blackett with the very special Poutama awards for 2012. This year is the first time that we have ever had two winners, a sign that we are spoilt for choice with people who really care.

The Footsteps team gave their all working in the hot sun to create the spectacular garden, while their group of helpers from the Foundation of Youth Development painted a beautiful mural of the schools Maori legend, Taurikara. The school garden project was the launch of the Footsteps Community Outreach Programme, where Footsteps kaiako/teachers will be working in their communities for around 400 volunteer hours every month! Thank you to all of the local organisations who provided sponsorship to help make the project happen.

2© footsteps education ltd.© footsteps education ltd.

On Friday the 7th of December Te Pōtiki celebrated the coming of Christmas and the end of the year, with a Kid’s Party in the Park for local families. Despite the flash of rain it was great to see so many parents, caregivers and whānau come out with their tamariki. Bouncy castle fun was to be had by those old enough, and there was even a treasure hunt! Face painting as usual was a hit for all and we had some very beautiful butterflies walking around and even a few super heroes! The guest of honour ‘Hana Koko’ aka ‘Santa Claus’ arrived later in the morning and he brought along treats to give out to all the tamariki. Some were not sure of the white bearded man but he was so friendly so most children loved having their photo taken with him. It was great to see everyone there, and we look forward to our next event early in the new year.

Papakura Kids Party in the ParkMandy and Alisha receive the Footsteps Poutama Awards

Kevin gave Mandy and Alisha their Poutama Awards

Tamaiti Shontelle enjoys having a photo with Santa Claus

Kia ora koutouWe have just completed a fantastic time together at our conference in Tauranga where we reconfirmed our commitment to all tamariki, especially those falling within the vulnerable children category. We are committed to community and wish to continue demonstrating this and evidencing our care by completing meaningful projects like those outlined in this newsletter. Our staff are the most equipped in the sector coupled with an amazing passion to ensure each of our children get the best education.Remember never to tell us the sky is the limit when there are footsteps on the moonIt will be an interesting year ahead as we continue to grapple with changing regulations and funding criteria but we will never loose our care for the children and their whānau, caregivers, and the communities we serve. This year will be different and I believe that some of the gains of the foundations we have created will directly benefit you all.Remember to have fun and keep the children at the centre of all you doMeri Kirihimete and have a great 2013!Kevin

Kevin’s Corner

The team at Footsteps mucked in to create a

vegetable garden for Brookfield Primary School

Continued... Footsteps turns wasteland into vege garden for local school

Akolearn

3

Understanding separation anxiety in babies and pre-schoolersAll babies have their own unique and precious personality determined both by genetics and the environment they are born into. Because of this, children react differently to separation from their parents and this reaction can change from one week to the next.

What is separation anxiety?Separation anxiety is when a child shows stress or anxiety when they are away from their parents. This could be during a significant separation, for example left for a few hours at an in-home childcare or just a short separation such as going into another room, but out of sight of your child.

Separation anxiety often peaks at around 8-9 months of age. This can mean that a child who was previously happy to go to unfamiliar people and happy for you to be out of sight, may suddenly begin to howl in protest. Some children may even get upset about being left with familiar people such as Grandma or Poppa who they have previously been settled with.

Separation anxiety is a normal part of infant development. At this young age your child is still developing the concept that people exist when he/she can’t see them.

What is it like from my child’s perspective?Depending on your own parenting style and personality you may view this behaviour as frustrating. You may think “why the fuss, I just left the room for a minute?” Remember you are the centre of your child’s world and it can be distressing for them when you go out of sight. When you leave, you know and understand where you are going and how long you will be. An infant doesn’t know either of these because in their mind, you have just gone. Equally many parents find this stage very upsetting and are often on the verge of tears when they see their child’s trembling lip as they are about to head out the door. Children follow our lead so while it is really hard, watch your body language and voice as you are saying goodbye - if you appear anxious or upset this will intensify your child’s anxiety.

How do I prepare my child to prevent separation anxiety? A baby that has their needs consistently met with warmth and nurturing is more likely to feel safe and secure so there may be less anxiety around separation. This starts at a very basic level to develop trust and attachment - when a new born has their needs meet by a responsive caregiver they learn, I am hungry, I get fed, I am upset, and I am comforted. While you might not be able to prevent separation anxiety completely, there are strategies you can put in place to help minimise it.• Get your baby used to other environments and other people - simple experiences such as going to the shops or library as well as more formal socialisation such as pre-school playgroups.• When you are at playgroups or friend’s homes, put your baby on the floor to explore rather than always on your lap - this develops their confidence and independence.• When possible have other family members bath baby or

feed baby. If you do all the routines for your child it will become a habit and harder for them to accept another person in this role.• If your child starts to show early distress signs when being held by someone else, if you take them back straight away it reinforces the idea that the person holding them can not be trusted. Instead move next to them and reassure your baby in a soothing voice to show him/her that you trust the person holding them, so they can too. • Play games of peek-a-boo. This age old game develops the idea of you can’t see me, and then you can again, so baby learns even when they can’t see you, you still exist. Through simple play your child is developing an understanding and trust that you will come back. You can stand behind a half open door of the room your child is in and play peek-a-boo from there.• Always verbally prepare your child for separation. It could be a simple “I’m going to the kitchen to get your bottle”, or “Nana will be here soon to look after you”. As your child grows this will become an important part of the separation routine and has the added bonus of developing language skills.• Start off with very short periods of separation. Move to a place where you can see your baby but they can’t see you just for a minute or so and then return. If your baby is in the midst of separation anxiety try going out and leaving your child with a known and trusted adult for just twenty minutes rather than half a day. You can make the time increasingly longer as your child sees and begins to trust that you come back and that they are safe without you.

How can I reduce my child’s anxiety at the time of separation? You may do all these things and your child may still be upset when you leave. Then what? • When it is time to say goodbye be loving but quick – don’t drag it out. Hand your baby to your trusted person, give them a kiss and say “Bye bye for now, I will be back at 2 o’clock”. Wave goodbye with a smile and leave. Having the same ritual at each farewell will help your baby with this change. Try your best to appear relaxed!• Write out a timed routine for your caregiver of your child’s usual day so as many aspects are familiar to your child as possible.• If you can, have care in your home so although there is change your child is at home where they feel most secure.• If the childcare is happening at someone else’s place, send along their own blanket and favourite toys. • Some parents even leave their own worn tee shirt or pillow case for their child to cuddle or sleep with.

Anxiety around separation may come and go for your child with peaks and lows. When supported through this with calmness, understanding and love your child will come through it with a greater sense of trust, belonging and a growing sense of independence.

Jacqueline Taylor (Footsteps Teacher/kaiako, Auckland)

Ask our experts - separation anxiety

Footsteps would like to share with you some of the neat resources that you

can make with your children to encourage learning and development, and

have lots of fun! We suggest you make some of these crafts as Christmas

gifts for family and friends. On our website we have loads of great new videos featuring Donna our

awesome Footsteps kaiako and Steppy, teaching you how to make great

learning resources, and how to have Footsteps fun!

Check out our online activity sheets and learning videos at:

www.footsteps.co.nz/learning_resources

© footsteps education ltd.

At Footsteps, we have made a conscious decision to start using the natural environment and

recycled materials to create our learning resources. By using bits and bobs from around the

house and of little cost, it has less of an impact on the environment and is lighter on the purse

strings. So check out the following resource ideas and get creative. We know you will enjoy

making them and your tamariki will love them too. Please remember to take care when doing

these activities and supervise your child/ren at all times.

Ara Poutama Learning Kete

4

Footsteps tamaiti Rhianna with her Popsicle Christmas Tree

You will need:

1 large and 7 small

ice block sticks (you can

buy green ones or paint

your own) PVA glue Small stars, glitter and

other collage materials

String

Free Learning Resources Online

haporicommunity

5

You will need:

Flowers, leaves and

ferns from the garden

PVA glue

Cover seal

1 piece of plain paper

and a pencil or

download template at

footsteps.co.nz/fairies

You will need:

Mustard bottle

4 Pipe cleaners

(2 large and 2 small)

Plastic eyes or a pen

to draw them on

Button

Pencil PVA glue

Black electrical tape

Cellotape

Christmas presents that will last the distance

6© footsteps education ltd.

6 - 12 months Stacking cubes or posting boxes – Develops the

concepts of size and shape as well as cause and

effect.Anything baby safe that makes a noise or is

textured – Young children learn primarily through

their senses so sensory based toys are stimulating

and interesting to a young infant.

Books – Sturdy board books and textured books

with pictures of other babies, animals or common

objects are great. Start a lifelong love of reading.

Birth - 6 monthsTextured floor play mat – Floor play is really important for young babies, giving them the opportunity to stretch and experiment with movement. The texture on the mat will appeal to their stage of learning through sensory play.Their hands or feet made into impressions or casts – They will only be this tiny once! These are a lovely memory for parents.

Have you ever bought a gift and then realised it

was better suited for a younger child, or it was too

‘old’ for the child? Not sure of what to buy your

own child, grandchild, niece or nephew? Want to

buy something that is not only fun but encourages

early childhood education too?

Here are some toys and gift ideas that will suit

a child’s age, hold their interest and encourage

learning through play.

12 - 18 monthsRocking horse – Extends large muscle development. Children like being able to control the speed of the rocking themselves.A ride on bike - For your child to explore their balance and strengthen their muscles.Paddling pool – Fill with water or sand in summer, or in winter fill with balls or cushions and books for a cosy space. (Remember to supervise at all times around water).Bath toys – Brings some fun into their bath time routine. Develops pouring skills and also imaginative play with boats, mermaids, dolphins and more.

18 months - 2 yearsPretend play starts to blossom at this age. Things

you buy will last right through to five years old and

beyond early childhood. Think of dolls, prams, tea

sets, garages and vehicles. If possible look for good

quality wooden toys that will last.Play dough and tools – Gets all the fingers in

children’s hands moving ready for learning, and is

also a good prop for pretend play.

Well there are a few ideas to think about. Watch

your child when you visit friends’ places, play

group, childcare, or the toy shop to see what

catches their attention and keeps them interested.

Follow their interests and passions when choosing

a gift and you can’t go wrong.

Jacqueline Taylor (Footsteps Teacher/kaiako, Auckland)

2 – 3 yearsCostumes - Think of costumes such as fairies, dinosaurs, fire fighters and props such as doctor kits. These are fantastic for enhancing imaginative play. Pretend play is also wonderful for developing language skills.Musical instruments – Exploring rhythm and setting the foundation for a love of music.

3 - 4 years Threading beads – Extends small muscle development and encourages exploration of pattern and sequence. Dolls house and train sets – Following on from the toddler interest of pretend play, dolls houses and train sets promote creative play and role play. These are great shared play activities for siblings, including mixed aged children.

4 - 5 yearsPhysical equipment - Stilts, skipping ropes, balls and hula hoops extend overall strength and coordination. They also foster confidence and an enjoyment of being active.Art, craft and collage kits – Bring out the little artist in your child, encouraging creativity.Real cooking set for cupcakes – Fabulous for the little helper who always wants to be with you in the kitchen.

7

Young children and TV - How much is too much?As a Footsteps early childhood teacher, one of the most frequent discussions I have with families is about

their children’s television viewing habits. Often families

want to know more about the positives and negatives of television viewing so they can make well informed decisions for their children.

How do I change viewing habits?Over the last ten years young children’s viewing habits

have changed. Younger children are viewing more television - the average age children start to watch television is around nine months old. The average amount of time (for children less than three years old)

is between one and three hours per day. The television

viewing habits that are formed in early childhood seem

to persist for a life time.

Does watching TV have an influence on children?The age at which children watch television is significant.

A pre-school child that watches television at age three may receive some benefit from a programme that a nine month old child would not. The effects of watching

television in under two year old children are more profound than that of children over two years. This is related to development and the fact that under two’s are awake for much less of the day. Therefore one or two hours of television per day takes up a much greater

proportion of the child’s awake time. In some studies television watching accounted for around 30% of the child’s awake time, much more than anything else the child did. Young children learn through interactions with

people and their environment. A child responding to questions or songs on television is not interacting, as the response from the television carries on regardless of whatever the child does.

What are the effects on play, language, and attention?Children are distracted by television whether or not they are directly viewing it. One study found with the TV turned off, six month olds doubled their focus on their toys. Another study found that under ones who regularly watched two hours of television or more, were six times more likely to have language delays. In this case you could argue the television is taking the place of the child talking and playing directly with adults or other children. Without this vital real experience children’s language may not develop as expected. There are also numerous studies suggesting

links between television viewing and attention deficit in late childhood, and the viewing of violent content effecting later childhood aggressive behaviour. Also the fast paced nature of television may also be over stimulating young children’s brains. This often makes

real life seem unexciting and slow in comparison. Children can find it hard to stop watching, slow down, and focus. For every hour that children spend watching TV they are not spending time doing activities that will enhance their development like reading with adults and playing games with friends. Television programmes don’t require children to stay focused on the content for the programme to continue, so children don’t stay focused. This can lead to an inability to maintain concentration in other areas

of life.

What is my role as a parent?Parents often feel they are supporting their little ones early childhood education through watching educational

television. Studies have suggested that parents perceptions of how much children have learned is different from their child’s actual performance. There was more of a link between how much the parent liked

the programme and the perception of how educational

the experience was. Television can however be used in

a positive way by creating a weekly plan with scheduled

viewing. This way you are being selective and limiting your child’s viewing. There are some informative educational programmes that best suit over two’s. These may provide useful information and stimulate thought and discussion. It is also good to sit with your child when they are viewing television, so you can discuss what is happening, share time together and have a cuddle. If your child does not view television they will not be educationally disadvantaged.

How much television your child watches is a personal choice. The research on children under two is generally

negative concluding that it is not recommended. However, for children aged two and older, a programme

plan with a limit on daily viewing time is considered to be the best approach. Our society is changing and over the past decade children have been watching more

television for longer periods of time with the effects of this change still being determined. What we are certain of at Footsteps is that pre-school children need

interactive physical play, hands on experiences, and direct experiences with the natural world and people. There is never any substitute for quality parent time.

Sue Hunter (Footsteps Teacher/kaiako, Palmerston North)

Ask our experts - young children and TV

We hope that you have enjoyed reading this edition of Poutama and that you try out some of our learning ideas

with your tamariki. If you have any ideas for the next edition, comments about our service or would like to ask a

question to our learning experts, get in touch at hayley@footsteps.co.nz.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, The Footsteps whānau

footsteps.co.nz 0800 366 878

The Footsteps calendars and end of year gifts are all

on their way to our tamariki and caregivers. This year

we have decided to incorporate some of our awesome

learning resources into the Footsteps calendar to make

it more multi-purpose and fun!

Our end of year gifts this year are gorgeous height

charts, to track our tamariki growth with the Footsteps

programme. We know that the little ones will love their

height charts and watching themselves grow into

big kids!

Footsteps calendar

and end of year gifts

Ngā mihi o te Raumati – Summer Greetings

Summer is well and truly here for 2012 and this is a

great time of the year to celebrate whānau and have

loads of fun in the sun. Christmas is right around the

corner and it’s the perfect time to give te reo a go.

Here are some greetings to try:• Meri Kirihimete ki a koe me te whānau – Merry

Christmas to you and your family• Nga mihi o te Kirihimete me Te Tau Hou – Merry

Christmas and a happy New Year• Kei hea a Hana Kōkō? - Where is Santa Claus?

Kua hoki a ia! - He’s gone!• Meri Kirihimete e te whānau – Merry Christmas

family

Listen to these phrases and others online here:

www.korero.maori.nz/news/summer/index2.html#kiri

Finally here is a Christmas song with our very own kiwi

flavour added for each day, so have fun teaching

your tamariki:

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love

gave to meTwelve piupius swinging Eleven haka lessons Ten juicy fish heads Nine sacks of pipis Eight plants of puha Seven eels a swimming Six pois a twirling Five – big – fat – pigs! Four huhu grubs Three flax kits Two kumara And a pūkeko in a ponga tree!

Ara Poutama

Footsteps is giving you the chance to win a bike and helmet for your little one - by just sharing your positive experiences of the Footsteps service. To be in to win go online to: facebook.com/footstepsnz, click on the ‘win a bike’ tab and tell us about your positive experiences of Footsteps in a gold star review. Good luck!

Win a kid’s bike

In the recent months Footsteps conducted a survey to find out information about the family circumstances of the children that attend our early childhood education service. We did this survey to help us access vital Ministry of Education funding, so that we can continue to offer tamariki and caregivers our outstanding 1:1 educational support and resources through the Footsteps ‘learn’ programme. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey!

Footsteps family survey

Closing Notes