Adelaide is in her kindy year and will turn four at the end of May.

Like Hamish, who participated in the eKindy pilot program last year, she is enrolled in the program offered through the Schools of Distance Education in Queensland.

With three older siblings in our home classroom, it has been a very natural progression for her. Finally she has a teacher, learning space and title all of her own!

For me, eKindy has given my children access to an early childhood program written and supported by early childhood specialists that I am able to deliver in my home using a lot of everyday resources. Perfect, when you live some 180 km from the nearest early childhood centre.

With a multi age classroom already happening here (the boys are inYear 5, Year 2 and a Prep), flexibility is a key component of the eKindy program for us. It delivers 15 hours of Kindergarten type activities each week however it doesn’t matter when these sessions are completed. 

However, what little girl, doesn’t love a plan!

 Each day, Adelaide plans her kindy day. 

And believe me, already, she learns some life skills. Think “the best laid plans of mice and men”….

More often than not, I have been able to incorporate her “Share a Story” experience into a reading session with Hamish or Lachlan. And if all this fails, we always have Dad’s bedtime story….

One fantastic resource that is delivered with the eKindy Materials, is a Music Time CD. A godsend in our household with both Rob and I both musically challenged!!

Adelaide had watched Hamish interact with this resource last year so was quite adept at navigating to her favourite tunes. Five little ducks anyone?

Lachlan has just completed a Year 2 Science Unit on properties of materials. In one experiment we made some glue. Perfect activity to integrate into Adelaide’s Lets Find Out session….She helped mix flour, salt and water and now has craft glue to complete her collage and of course I have a messy kitchen. (I must note that Pack up and clean up is part of the eKindy routine!)

Other days paint is an engaging medium. And thanks to a Pinterest recommendation, I now have a less messy option…

The only point of commonality I’ve discovered between Andrew (Year 5) and Adelaide’s eKindy is the iPad! We’ve downloaded her ebooks onto the iPad and quite often there is a scramble for an “apple device”.

Another key session of the eKindy program is “Play and Discover”. The learning can be emulated in “real life” instances or Adelaide is a helpful peer for Hamish in prep. Fun in numbers, don’t they say?!

Each week, we engage in a web session with our qualified early years teacher.

Hamish participated in these sessions last year and I’m now witnessing the benefits of his independence using the web lesson tools and technology to participate in his Prep class.

Adelaide is eagerly anticipating her web lesson tomorrow, she has been waiting all her life for her turn to talk!!

While eKindy has certainly added to the fullness of my day, the feedback and support I have received and the opportunities it has given my children have been well worth it.

It will be a few years before it is Eliza’s turn (not sure that I could handle 5 lots of feedback and work to return!). In the meantime she is very happy to lather on the sunscreen and insect repellent,

pack some smoko and go to work with Dad.

There are 5 comments on this article:

• On 17/02/2013 Fiona said:

  It’s hard for me to fully comprehend what your days must be like Ainsley, where do you hide your cape?
  (And gee whizz those kids are gorgeous).

• On 17/02/2013 sharon said:

  I think Dad must have a cape too (but great that he can incorporate Eliza into his work days, I guess some days would be difficult!)

  and thank goodness you can combine two lessons in one…I thought of you as I did homework with all three the other day. And was so grateful for my small school just 200 metres down the road. There may be things I’m not 100% happy about, but with a teacher and three part time aides that bring different skills to the school, its a great place to learn. (despite my issued with the national curriculum as well!)

• On 18/02/2013 Rebecca said:

  Adelaide is a lefty – love it!

• On 18/02/2013 Trudy said:

  Cutest kid, how engaging she must be with the curriculum…she has a cape, it’s invisible!

• On 18/02/2013 Junebug said:

  Hi! Lurker posting to say how much I love your blog. I really enjoy your posts and your pictures are fantastic. I grew up on a small cattle and sheep ranch in Montana and have an inkling of how busy your days are. I am in awe of you and your husband – how do you get it all done?