Chinese New Year RANT!

[bulldog]

Had a very amusing yet annoying convo about Chinese New Year this week.

When asked what i was doing for it by a few other minders i replied "nothing" the children I have are all 1 and 2 so obviously have no concept or interest in it.

Here is what was suggested....
Just give them some spring rolls and photograph it for Ofsted.

Teach them about it. :laughing:

Give them some prawn crackers and rice to play with...and take pictures for Ofsted.

Is it just me or is it all just a box ticking excercise?? My children had fun this week playing with the farm and vehicles, pretending to milk cows (wow!) and seeing the sheep and donkeys in the farmers field.
I feel they have gained loads more from this than eating a spring roll or colouring pics of horses just because of a date on the calender which they dont understand!!!

Even more amusing to see a pic from someone with a beautifully arranged selection of chinese snacks with a book about China in the middle which will no doubt appear in all her children's learning journeys!!!
Id be interested to know what they gained or learned from that.

If my children were older then yes Id have done something and explored it more, but why do people feel the need to "box tick" for Ofsted?

I know everyone does their own thing but I do wonder who we are trying to please, the children we care for or Ofsted.

[Boris]

I'm taking 6 children to our local Chinese restaurant for lunch so I'm probably not best placed to answer! But I agree, colouring a horse and looking at pictures is pointless with very young children. I think that about most festivals to be honest.

[Rickers83]

Haha, i had this very conversation with my oh last night.
i do have some school aged children & we talked about what year they were born & found out their animal, & i did chicken noodles for tea (don't have anyone tonight so did it yesterday)
but with the 2 18 month olds we watched a video on youtube of a Chinese dragon dance, which they did enjoy but obv had no clue of the significance.

I too think its sad we are so concerned with doing things to please Ofsted, especially when the lo's either don't understand or in my schoolies case aren't bothered!

but my first inspection is imminent so im guilty of box ticking! ;0)

[loocyloo]

We've been reading books about Chinese New year. One is lift the flap so my littliest LOs have enjoyed that. We've played with Chinese dolls and puppets, investigated Chinese decorations ( I have lots and every year buy a new one relevant for the year ( only a couple more years to go and I have a full 'set' :0) ), watched dragon dancing, made dragon masks and danced our dragon dance. Had noodle messy play, tried to use chopsticks and had Chinese for tea yesterday, and lunch today ( different children ).

We've also been saying happy new year in Chinese and my 20 mth old has been saying it to everyone.

Not sure that my littlest LOs have 'learnt' much about Chinese New year per se, but they have had fun experiences and practiced lots of skills.

Yes, I will put a photo in LJs but not for ofsted, for the child as I can pick out an element that ties in with next steps.

[Rick]

Had a very amusing yet annoying convo about Chinese New Year this week.

When asked what i was doing for it by a few other minders i replied "nothing" the children I have are all 1 and 2 so obviously have no concept or interest in it.

Here is what was suggested....
Just give them some spring rolls and photograph it for Ofsted.

Teach them about it. :laughing:

Give them some prawn crackers and rice to play with...and take pictures for Ofsted.

Is it just me or is it all just a box ticking excercise?? My children had fun this week playing with the farm and vehicles, pretending to milk cows (wow!) and seeing the sheep and donkeys in the farmers field.
I feel they have gained loads more from this than eating a spring roll or colouring pics of horses just because of a date on the calender which they dont understand!!!

Even more amusing to see a pic from someone with a beautifully arranged selection of chinese snacks with a book about China in the middle which will no doubt appear in all her children's learning journeys!!!
Id be interested to know what they gained or learned from that.

If my children were older then yes Id have done something and explored it more, but why do people feel the need to "box tick" for Ofsted?

I know everyone does their own thing but I do wonder who we are trying to please, the children we care for or Ofsted.

..........slides children's pictures of horses under a newspaper :p

[k1rstie]

My two, (one just 2 and the other nearly 2), have really enjoyed Chinese New Year. They discovered that if they get a bowl each, and a spoon, they can run them across the radiators, making the worlds loudest noise and drive me a bit nuts!

They got the look and my hands on my hips I'm afraid

[jackie 7]

I made red lanterns with 2 (30 mts) one half Chinese. I had stickers for them to stick on. That they enjoyed. Today have 17 and 20 mth olds. Ate some sweet and sour. Will try to do lanterns but if they just want to play that's find by me. But I don't think they have any understanding of what they are doing. So long as they have fun I am happy but please do t tell ET as I would not be teaching them.

[Jiorjiina]

I think it's not necessarily what they 'learn' about each individual festival in detail, but more that they're aware of different cultures from an early age.

Right now, most of my mindees are under three. They've loved seeing picture of themselves and parents next to their zodiac animal (they keep pointing them out to their parents when they get here). They loved watching videos of the dragon and lion dancers, and out of their own interests we've read and re read a couple of picture books about Chinese New Year that I put out. They learned to say 'Gung Hey Fat Choi' and have gone home saying it to parents and grandparents. So I also question the original assertion that 1 and two year olds are too young to get anything out of it, because that's not what I've found at all.

There is a difference between doing something like this as a box ticking exercise (which comes perilously close to tokenism and really does have no value for the kids) and sharing a genuine experience with them. The trick, as always, is to find a way to make it fit into mindees interests, rather than the other way around, and target the activities right for their age and understanding.

For example, one of my mindees loves dragons, and learning new and interesting words. So he's adores the Dragon dancers and my 'very BIG loooong dragon' ceiling decoration, and in seventh heaven learning how to say 'Gung Hey Fat Choi', and that the dragon chases the 'Pearl of Wisdom' (chanted all day monday). It also so happens that his father was born in Hong Kong (and so was I, actually!).

Another mindee loves pasta, but is otherwise being a bit tricky foodwise at the moment (understatement!). So we made chicken noodle stir fry one day for lunch, and he ate it all really happily. And then he tried some spring rolls, and fortune cookies, and he liked them all. This is the first new food he's tried and liked in ages, in spite of all of my and his parents best efforts, so it's kind of a big deal here.

I think we've actually got a lot out of it, and I don't think we've done any of it for the sake of something to put in their folders. We can play with or go and see cows and sheep and tractors every day anyway.

[supermumy]

I think it's not necessarily what they 'learn' about each individual festival in detail, but more that they're aware of different cultures from an early age. Right now, most of my mindees are under three. They've loved seeing picture of themselves and parents next to their zodiac animal (they keep pointing them out to their parents when they get here). They loved watching videos of the dragon and lion dancers, and out of their own interests we've read and re read a couple of picture books about Chinese New Year that I put out. They learned to say 'Gung Hey Fat Choi' and have gone home saying it to parents and grandparents. So I also question the original assertion that 1 and two year olds are too young to get anything out of it, because that's not what I've found at all. There is a difference between doing something like this as a box ticking exercise (which comes perilously close to tokenism and really does have no value for the kids) and sharing a genuine experience with them. The trick, as always, is to find a way to make it fit into mindees interests, rather than the other way around, and target the activities right for their age and understanding. For example, one of my mindees loves dragons, and learning new and interesting words. So he's adores the Dragon dancers and my 'very BIG loooong dragon' ceiling decoration, and in seventh heaven learning how to say 'Gung Hey Fat Choi', and that the dragon chases the 'Pearl of Wisdom' (chanted all day monday). It also so happens that his father was born in Hong Kong (and so was I, actually!). Another mindee loves pasta, but is otherwise being a bit tricky foodwise at the moment (understatement!). So we made chicken noodle stir fry one day for lunch, and he ate it all really happily. And then he tried some spring rolls, and fortune cookies, and he liked them all. This is the first new food he's tried and liked in ages, in spite of all of my and his parents best efforts, so it's kind of a big deal here. I think we've actually got a lot out of it, and I don't think we've done any of it for the sake of something to put in their folders. We can play with or go and see cows and sheep and tractors every day anyway. Totally agree with this comment It is about providing opportunities of different cultures It doesn't mean you have to sit down read the the whole history etc it's just being a simple and fun as possible that their are different people cultures races out there
I have a 1,3,4,5 and 10 yr old and we did dragons which they loved and printed out their names in Chinese and tried I use that word to use Chinese chop sticks which was fun and end of day I gave them the money bag to take home with a lantern Baby who's 1 may not of understood but he enjoyed making a mess with chops sticks and that's early learning

It's about experiences :)

[FloraDora]

I agree with everyone, both its important to know about / experience and a tick box and photo op for the she who must not be talked about in our house, visit.

Just had a call from my youngest, on a graduate scheme for a big businees company that does a lot of work with China they got to go home early ..as part of the company links, hence the early phone call from the son who only phones me when walking from one place to another!
They dressed in red, had chinese food and treats and then had to choose a 'lottery type' red envelope that may have contained a chocolate coin or a fiver...today, the other graduates didn't know what it was about ...my Ds remembered 'all those lessons every year...' and was the only one that could explain the red envelope.
So everything we do does help!
I know he was only really taught about it in pre school and reception, but he vividly remembers getting chocolate coins!

Off out to do some preparation for next years planning in an hour....to a chinese new year celebration at our favourite local restaurant ....the things we have to do to tick those boxes!!!
........I wonder if I could put it down as expenses???????

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

[Ripeberry]

Sometimes I look for less known festivals as it all gets far too 'samey, samey' each year :(

[bunyip]

Absolutely with you on this one bulldog. :thumbsup:

You're right. It ticks boxes, it's easy and the craft resources are a doddle. Lazy thinking wins the day again. :(

Had this conversation with my local preschool who've done Chinese New Year all week, despite the fact no children there or here have any Chinese connection. The staff even admitted it had no cultural relevance whatsover but was just easy to set up and run.

I'm all for exposing them to lots of cultures and ways of life, but this isn't doing that. I just have a group of lo's whom I collect from the preschool whose only understanding of a few 1000 years of high culture, pre-western civilisation and a country that spans many diverse languages and lifestyles is the firm belief that all Chinese people do is muck about with red paper tat and live entirely on fried food. :(

[yummyripples]

I do agree with you that some topics are too in depth. Pointless too. I have seen the Chinese restaurant role play areas etc and thought why not just take them to a chinese restaurant. That's more of a life experience which is what minders should be giving the children.
I do love a topic if it is relevant to the child. It gives me something to focus on.
I have decided to do things around books. For example baking gingerbread men, making porridge like goldilocks that sort of thing. It really keeps the little ones interested

[bunyip]

We did Farmhouse Breakfast Week (again) this year instead.

It can give more of a healthy eating message (if I resist the urge to do a fry-up :rolleyes:) and can introduce play and 'makes' around farming and where our food comes from. Still ticks the "multicultural" box cos we lookd at breakfasts around the world. :thumbsup:

The campaign does some nice posters, stickers, recipe cards, etc.

About Farmhouse Breakfast Week | Shake Up Your Wake up (http://www.shakeupyourwakeup.com/content/about-farmhouse-breakfast-week)

[Bluebell]

wow love the farmhouse breakfast week - what a great idea!! Wish I'd known about this - will look out for it next year.

I didn't do chinese new year this year and I do feel a lot of cultural / religious festivals can be rather tokensitic - but I am as guilty as anyone - just hard to know how to approach things sometimes!

Completely agree with the OP.

[bulldog]

And dont even get me started on Valentines Day!!! :rolleyes: :p

[mrs robbie williams]

My do told me not to do themes she said nowhere in the eyfs does it say it - so I don't bother anymore although I do only have under 3s x

[Chatterbox Childcare]

And dont even get me started on Valentines Day!!! :rolleyes: :p

I am doing valentines day because of the heart which comes into our shapes and pink because they all need to know what it is. Heart biscuits are a favourite with my girls but they have them all year round.

Just because it is a festival doesn't mean it has to be celebrated as one. We as professionals have to use our imaginations, know our children and plan. If the festival doesn't fit, don't do it, you don't have too.

[Kiddleywinks]

Just because it is a festival doesn't mean it has to be celebrated as one. We as professionals have to use our imaginations, know our children and plan. If the festival doesn't fit, don't do it, you don't have too.

Absolutely!! And if the only reason for doing any festival is to 'tick a box for ofsted' then I think that says more about them :p

[KatieFS]

Well we celebrated Yorkshire pudding day today - can you guess how ha ha

[munch149]

At the end of the day they are learning other things from the activities you are doing. It's just something a bit extra to relate it to a festival and whilst they might not be learning much something as simple as using a Chinese doll for the first time or eating Chinese food is still significant festival or not

[VeggieSausage]

My sister in law and nephews are Chinese so we celebrate it in our house anyway - BUT i do think that anything that increase children's familiarity with different cultures fosters a more tolerant adult population and also doesn't variety make our job more interesting and fuel children's imagination.......

[bulldog]

Now if there was a "let childminders lie undisturbed on a sunny beach sipping a cocktail" day......Im in! :clapping: