Storykate: an early childhood teacher and trainer, armed with ukulele and the gift to generate endless curriculum ideas.
Hello, fellow educators!👋🏻 I'm Kate, an experienced early childhood teacher and tertiary education instructor passionate about enriching early learning. With extensive experience across various roles—from nanny and storyteller to educational leader and early childhood trainer—I bring a wealth of knowledge and innovative teaching strategies to the table. At Storykate, I'm dedicated to sharing engaging educational practices through stories, puppet shows, action songs, ukulele, mind maps and circle games. Whether you're teaching young children or training future educators, you'll find invaluable resources here. I offer a treasure trove of free resources, creative ideas, and digital products designed to enhance your teaching methods and pedagogy. I helped hundreds of students and educators achieve their professional goals. 👇Why Subscribe? Subscribe to get your hands on exclusive content that blends storytelling, puppetry, and music with effective teaching techniques. These resources are perfect for keeping your programs lively and educational, especially during circle time. 🐞Join me at Storykate to explore new ways to jazz up your teaching style and connect with a community of like-minded early childhood educators. Let’s make learning fun and meaningful together!
Storykate Stories: May
Welcome to storytime with Kate!Hey Educators!Kate's story from practice: When music is not requiredAs a relief teacher and early childhood trainer, I’ve been visiting different early childhood centres around Melbourne and even beyond. And I’ve noticed something interesting.🤨 In toddler rooms especially, there’s often loud, upbeat music playing in the background during outdoor play. I’m talking about baby shark and chicken banana kind of music. At first, I didn’t think much of it. But after seeing it consistently across multiple settings, I had a moment of realisation. First, many children are still waking up in the morning — they’re not ready for high-energy stimulation. More importantly, the state of play requires a sense of flow. Loud background music can be really distracting and can prevent children from becoming fully immersed in their play. It also makes it harder for them to hear each other and engage in meaningful social interaction. Music is incredibly powerful, but I believe it should be used intentionally — for example, during dance sessions or group movement activities led by the teacher. Background music for the sake of it doesn’t create the calm, focused atmosphere that approaches like Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Waldorf value so much . Have you noticed how background music affects children’s play and focus in your setting? Song of the month: BarramundiThe "Barramundi Song" is a popular Australian children's tune set to the melody of "Frère Jacques."It introduces various native animals through simple lyrics and accompanying actions, making it engaging for young childrenBarramundi, barramundi, Actions:
Quote, theorist and a book of the monthUrie Bronfenrenner: Every child needs at least one person in life who is completely mad about the child. Imagine a young child, let’s call her Lily, who loves to explore her backyard. She spends hours playing with her dog, digging in the garden, and watching the birds in the trees. At home, her parents encourage her curiosity, and at preschool, her teachers provide her with books and activities that feed her growing love of nature. But what happens when Lily’s family moves to a new city where her backyard is replaced by a small apartment with no garden? How might this change affect her development? This scenario is a perfect example of how a child’s environment, or ecology, influences their growth—a concept at the heart of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory.
Bronfenbrenner’s theory is often compared to babushka dolls or nested dolls, where each smaller doll is nestled within a larger one. His theory describes different layers of environmental influence, each nested within the next:
Read my article if you want to learn more https://storykate.com.au/ecological-theory-by-urie-bronfenrenner/ Resource of the Month: make your own bubble wands
This resource is fabulous for older children, but you can make it for the babies and toddlers, as they love bubbles. All you need is a piece of wire, special wire pliers, and beads. Make sure to leave no sharp or sticky edges. The felt story of the monthHow did the birds get their colour? I love this story as it promotes connection to Country and is one my favourite Dreaming Stories to tell to children. I also have fabulous puppets that go with it from Fairy&Felt. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESOURCE, BOOK OR GAME, FOR YOUNG CHILDREN? Thanks for reading, and I hope these resources spark new ideas in your classroom. Stay tuned for next month’s edition; remember, creativity is key to keeping the joy in learning! All the best,
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Explore More on Storykate What would you like me to make articles and videos about? What resources would you like me to create? Send me a message via DM or FB and I will try my best to make it. |
Storykate: an early childhood teacher and trainer, armed with ukulele and the gift to generate endless curriculum ideas.
Hello, fellow educators!👋🏻 I'm Kate, an experienced early childhood teacher and tertiary education instructor passionate about enriching early learning. With extensive experience across various roles—from nanny and storyteller to educational leader and early childhood trainer—I bring a wealth of knowledge and innovative teaching strategies to the table. At Storykate, I'm dedicated to sharing engaging educational practices through stories, puppet shows, action songs, ukulele, mind maps and circle games. Whether you're teaching young children or training future educators, you'll find invaluable resources here. I offer a treasure trove of free resources, creative ideas, and digital products designed to enhance your teaching methods and pedagogy. I helped hundreds of students and educators achieve their professional goals. 👇Why Subscribe? Subscribe to get your hands on exclusive content that blends storytelling, puppetry, and music with effective teaching techniques. These resources are perfect for keeping your programs lively and educational, especially during circle time. 🐞Join me at Storykate to explore new ways to jazz up your teaching style and connect with a community of like-minded early childhood educators. Let’s make learning fun and meaningful together!
Welcome to storytime with Kate! Hey Educators! Check out my channel Kate's story from practice I once worked with a child who had a hard start in life. He was anxious and on edge, so we let him move between two rooms to feel safe and know what to expect. He was four and a half, still in nappies, with sore skin that needed care. One day, he walked to the easel. I always set one up with jars of paint. He asked to paint. He chose a dark, muddy colour and covered the whole page. The paint was...
Welcome to storytime with Kate! Hey Educators! Check out my channel Kate's story from practice During my second teaching placement, I thought I was on the right track. New ideas, engaging activities, and materials matched to each child. My placement was at a council-run early childhood centre near home. I was using a scooter to get there. Mixed age groups, strong relationships, a security-based approach. I enjoyed it! I had a focus on a 1.5-year-old toddler, who loved red cars, so I brought...
Welcome to storytime with Kate! Hey Educators! Inviting play space celebrating imaginative play Kate's story from practice Because of my short height and somewhat childlike face, postmen and delivery people often ask me if my parents are home. Well, of course — who would think to call this person a mum? Now I’ve grown up, quit smoking a long time ago, stopped eating meat, and stopped snowboarding and surfing. But I managed to do so many fun and interesting things while I was in that mum-teen...