The more funds and resources a school has, the better. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t think resources are the answer to this whole teaching and learning thing. I’m a firm believer that teachers and the quality of teachers, make a world of difference in schools. However,  funding and better resources help a whole lot.

I’m sure we all know, the more we support our children’s schools through fundraising, the more we are able to equip them with helpful resources – it’s not rocket science.

I am here, friends, to share with you the most easy school fundraiser I been part of, to date. A whole lot of school fundraising happens, with no meetings and no volunteering required. It was so easy, I participated in this easy school fundraiser at home, in my decade old trackies and t-shirt.

Super Easy School Fundraiser

Chalk Educated Toys is an easy school fundraiser that works. Here’s why it works:

1. Chalk Educated Toys is brought to you by Modern Teaching Aids, Australia’s largest supplier of educational resources. The Chalk Educated Toys website and catalogue is filled with high quality toys at great prices.

2. The chalk.com.au website is super easy to use.

3. 20 cents of every dollar spent will be donated back to your nominated childcare centre or school to spend on educational resources. Simply select or nominate your local school or centre when you complete your order and they will receive credit in the form of a fundraising voucher. No filling out a dozen pages, signatures, etc. So, so easy! Your school or centre can spend these fundraising vouchers on learning resources and equipment.

4. You can purchase from chalk.com.au all year round, anywhere and anytime that suits you.

I spent a good while browsing through toys, books, puzzles, games, art & craft, construction, sporting & outdoor equipment, electronics, educational products, etc. There were so many great items on there, many from leading toy brands and many of which have won industry awards from around the world.

Hassle Free Quality Toys

As an example of the great selection available at chalk.com.au, here is what I recently purchased:

Plan Toys fairy tale block set. Great for open ended play. The boys couldn’t resist bringing in their superheroes to this playscene. This block set just oozes with quality.

Think Fun Rush Hour Traffic Jam Puzzle Jr. Think Fun is brilliant. I love their puzzles and the way it engages and challenges children. A fail-safe option for any gift.

Think Fun Zingo! Sight Words Again, another Think Fun game that is fun and works. This particular game is so fun that kids don’t realise they’re learning and revising their sight words as they play this. Shhh…. don’t tell them – – – just let them play!

Think Fun Amaze Game I don’t know who loves this more, my children or me. I often find the twins lying on the mat trying to figure out a maze. This maze actually has 16 maze challenges and the paths change during play. Also, with no loose pieces, this toy is also great when travelling with kids.

Magnetic Drawing Twin Pack Miss K (almost 3) loves these. It’s her toy of choice when she wants some quiet time in our cardboard box. The colours make magnetic drawing even more engaging.

Melissa & Doug’s Magnetic Pattern Block Kit Mr E (4 y.o.) is obsessed with magnets. I find my fridge magnets all over my house in the most odd places – – – (like inside the fridge?!) I’m glad we finally have a magnetic pattern block kit so he has loads of magnetic pieces to create with.

Not only did we receive fantastic, high-quality toys at great prices; every dollar that I spent generated credit for our nominated school to spend on much needed educational resources.

Start Your Easy School Fundraiser

I have since subscribed to chalk.com.au’s mailing list so I can get my hands on some great toys and help my children’s schools in the process. So handy heading into Christmas too! To be part of a super easy school fundraiser for your children’s school, you can sign up here.

Seriously, easiest school fundraiser ever.

Giveaway! Five $50 Vouchers

I am thrilled to be giving away five $50 vouchers to spend on Chalk Educated Toys.

To win one of the 5 $50 vouchers, head to the Chalk website and tell me, “What you would spend the voucher on and why?”, in the comments below. Please note the terms and conditions of the giveaway. The closing date of the giveaway is 5:00pm AEST on Friday 31st October 2014.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Easy School Fundraiser: Chalk Educated Toys by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

This afternoon, I caught up with another school Mum as we were picking up our children after school. We talked about the school holidays that had been, less than a week ago. She had a wonderful school holiday. They went away camping and she did nothing – she didn’t even bring a book to read. Every now and then her children would run by her. They did what they wanted to, and she went along with it.

Upon reflection, I think I had that sort of school holiday too. We didn’t go away camping, (still yet to pluck up the courage and convince hubby) – but I would wake up late, (that’s 8am for us parents, right?), and I would have a chat with the kids about stuff to do during the day. The kids had more control over their days during the school holidays. 

Here is what I have learnt about including children in making plans for the day – when you give kids choice and ownership over their own learning, chances are they will be highly motivated, very engaged and well behaved. That’s not to say I let them run wild with making decisions. I’m still the parent. I am still the responsible one, (so no… we can’t go and explore the tide pools because there are high waves today, and I’m pretty sure we’ll get swept away, thank you very much). 

During our school holidays, we played, we gardened, we cooked, we went out and met with friends, we rested.

The planner in me still plans for particular learning experiences, but I allow my kids to move away from them based on their interests. I then plan based on my observations of their interests and skills. 

Play Based Learning

Play-based learning is often associated with being child-led; i.e. the power of play revolves around the child, using the the environment or context they are in and the resources available to them. However, the way adults intervene, (or knows when not to intervene) in children’s play, is a crucial factor in play-based learning.

Like any aspect of teaching and parenting, adults move fluidly between the roles of manager, facilitator and player as they engage with children to help them develop their skills, knowledge and attitudes.

As parents and teachers, here are five things to consider, as we move between manager, facilitator and player on that play-based learning stage:

{ONE} Let them choose.

They choose who to work with. They choose the resources they make use of in their play. They choose the location of their play. Children learn best when they are motivated and part of their motivation comes from being in more control of their own learning and following areas of enquiry in which they are interested.

{TWO} Let them be creative.

Foster creative learners by allowing them the time, resources and space to undertake possibility thinking and re-frame their perspectives. This isn’t so much about us teaching in creative ways, this is about letting them think outside the box.

{THREE} Let them be curious.

Children are mini-scientists, who discover the world about them through an enquiry-driven interaction. They become researchers as they collect and interpret information. Let them choose what they want to investigate and present.

{FOUR} Let them take risks.

Let them choose which problems to work on and how to work on their chosen problems. Let them plan and collaborate with others. Encourage them to be resilient and persevere in their problem solving. Let them come up with solutions and recommendations.

{FIVE} Let them connect with others.

Children are social learners. A key part of being a social learner is the communication between those playing, whether that is adult to child or child to child. Let them try out their ideas in a safe and secure environment while learning the rules of a range of different forms of communication including talk, body language and turn taking. E.g. we share our ideas and listen to one another; we talk one at a time; we respect each other’s opinions; we give reasons to explain our ideas; if we disagree we they to ask why?; we always try to be kind and loving.

Every child learns through play. Play matters and there are so many ways to play and learn.

The post Play Matters: Supporting Play Based Learning by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.